A new year

Last night, I had dinner with a few friends and acquaintances for a dear friend’s birthday. And being nearly the end of 2011, the topic turned to the new year, new resolutions, and the highlights of the past year. One of my friends asked me what my top four highlights of the year, and I felt the same way I feel when I play Scrabble. Like everything I ever knew has suddenly escaped my brain and wiped it clean. He proceeded to tell me what some of the highlights for my year were, and as it turns out, he was kind of right. So, here are a few things that made 2011 a good year, even if it was far from perfect:

• I finished my first half marathon in 2 hours and 35 minutes. I didn’t die, and I wasn’t last.

• I didn’t complete my list of 30 books to read in 2011, but I did read 20 books. That’s a feat, especially considering my work schedule since September.

• My team and I have continued to produce quality magazines and have not yet missed a deadline despite doing so with a team of two who work on the day-to-day processes, and three who oversee it all.

• I cooked. A lot. And a lot of new recipes. And my love of cooking allowed me to help my friend Buddy put on four fun house concerts. I love music and I love cooking for people.

• I heard some really great Nashville performances this year. I may not have made it to a big concert this year, but I got to see a lot of my favorite writers sing in rounds all around town, went to the Bluebird a lot, saw an acquaintance friend go on tour with Taylor Swift and put on a stellar showcase for label execs, and went to Tin Pan South. I found some great new voices (Jeffrey James and Andrew Ripp) and had a generally good musical year.

• I edited a church cookbook. And despite workload and the sheer number of recipes, got it done. And while there are a bunch of mistakes in it, I’m oddly OK with that.

• I saw dear friends get married, have babies, and go through various new phases of life. And most of the time, I managed to focus on my joy for them and NOT spend my time wallowing in self-pity that I was being “left behind.” (I said most of the time. I won’t deny that I haven’t had my moments.)

• The St. Louis Cardinals unexpectedly won the World Series!

So as this year draws to a close, I find myself preparing for a new year and a fresh start. A year to refocus on why I do what I do and how I do it. A year to take better care of myself. A year to draw deeper into relationship with Christ and be changed. A year to love, serve, and take care of others. A year to remember, and a year to move forward.

2011 has had its ups and downs, but it’s been a good year. Now, on to the next!