2011 in Review

2011 is almost done...

i guess it was a year of being sick... and being tired... and perhaps being sick & tired...

It was a year of adjustments...

A lot happened this year. A lot of difficult things. A lot of draining things. A times felt close to God, other times not so much. There were fun times. And God showed up. God taught me. And this was a good year, even with difficulties. God answered prayers. God was faithful. God revealed Himself. And God sustained us. God took care of us and blessed us.

It was a year to watch Halle grow - which made it a great year.
She traveled to LA & Houston, grew up in Indiana... and flew across the world with barely a peep.
She rolled over, then crawled, then stood and walked and began running.
She got a tooth, then another and a third rather quickly... her 4th took a while, but 5-8 came with no problem... and she celebrated a one year birthday with chocolate cake and lots of friends.

Grandmas & Grandpas couldn't be there in person, but they saw her on skype.

My parents did come to visit- finally... and it wasn't as bad as they feared... we mostly went out to eat... but it was fun.


Soo was sick a lot, she even got surgery... i had a bout of pneumonia... and well, we got pregnant again, which led to more fun.


God taught me much of His grace.
He extended grace to me, even though i sinned often, neglected Him, was full of pride, and often selfish.
As a husband and father, i saw how little i loved, how selfish i wanted to be, how little i wanted to forgive - how little i was like Christ.
God never gave up on me.
He has remained faithful. He continually pours out grace.

Furthermore, He taught me of His kindness and His love... towards poor and unworthy... and His desire for me t be involved to show love & grace, to reveal His grace.

Mostly though He made His Gospel even more clear to me... how i often try to earn favor or feel i must by sacrifice and labor... but His grace is sufficient... and it is never about me. God's grace is all i need.

So, 2011 was another good year in God displaying His goodness to me.

i am thankful for friends, for family.
i am thankful for Soo & Halle and the new one on the way.
i am thankful for God's Grace and for Jesus Christ my Lord & my Savior who leads me and takes care of us day by day... year by year.

My 2010 soundtrack

i try to make a soundtrack/playlist for each month... some months i do well, others not so much... i guess sometimes i don't listen to much music... but music is everywhere... a lot come from tv shows... some may be church... 

There was a playlist for the wedding and my birthday...

Maybe next year i'll do better of listening, recording my favorites and posting for you

Anyway...

Overall top songs

1.     Lead me ~ Sanctus Real

2.     Stand ~ Hillsong

3.     It’s out of my hands ~ Jars of clay

4.     Hallelujah ~ Bethany Dillon

5.     Hallelujah ~ Jeff Buckley

6.     Marvelous light ~ Charlie Hall

7.     Shine ~ David Crowder band
8.    Our God ~ Chris Tomlin
9.    Let us come and sing and wonder ~ Jars of clay
10. I got a feeling ~ Black eyed peas
11. This is where the healing begins ~ Tenth Ave North

12.     Cannons ~ Phil Wickham

12. You are more ~ Tenth Ave North
14.     Baby ~ Justin Beiber

15. No not one ~ Brandon Heath/Christy nockels

16. Song of Hope
17. Just the way you are ~ Bruno Mars

18. Walking on the stars ~ Group One Crew

19. Short skirt, long jacket ~ cake

20. Airplane ~ B.o.B.

21. Mystery ~ Charlie Hall

22. The only exception ~ Paramore

23. All because of Jesus ~ Fee

24. Rhythm of love ~ Plain White T’s

top songs 2009

Year-long soundtrack

1.     Party in the USA ~ Miley Cyrus (Sean Buerher knows what i'm talking about)
2.   O for a thousand tongues to sing ~ David Crowder

3.     Stolen ~ dashboard (such a fitting song for our wedding)

4.     Beloved ~ Tenth Ave N (this was the theme of our wedding)

5.     You make my dreams come true ~ Hall & Oates

6.     I can’t help falling in love with you ~ Ingrid Michaleson (our first dance)

7.     I got a feeling – black eyed peas

8.     Marvelous Light ~ Charlie Hall (this song was always stuck in my head)

9.     Arms wide open ~ Creed (going to be a dad)

10. How He loves us ~ David Crowder (Yes!)

11. No not one ~ Brandon Heath or Christy Nockels

12. Easter Song ~ Keith Green

13. Cannons ~ Phil Wickham (maybe my new favorite worship song that isn't a traditional worship)

14. Mystery~ Charlie Hall

15. Song of hope~ Robbie Seay Band

16. Afternoon delight

17. Long skirt, short jacket ~ Cake (watched a lot of "Chuck")

18. Story ~ Brandy Carlise

19. Lead me ~ Sanctus Real (My prayer)

20. This is where the healing begins ~ Tenth Avenue North

21. It’s out of my hands ~ Jars of Clay (My relaity)

22. Stand (i love it!)

23. Be Near ~ Shane & Shane (Please)

24. Let us love and sing and wonder ~ Jars of Clay

25. Shine ~ David Crowder (What an amazing video!)

26. Walking on the stars ~ Group one crew

27. Airplane ~ B.o.B.

28. Your name ~ Paul Baloche

29. You are the only exception ~ Paramore

30. Baby ~ Justin Beiber (i sing this to Halle)

31. Hallelujah ~ Bethany Dillon (i sing this to my lil Hallelujah too)

32. Hallalujah ~ Tenth Avenue North

33. Halleluljah ~ Jeff Buckley (This is our lil Hallelujah's lullaby)

34. He's got the whole world in His hands

35. Need you now ~ Addison Road (Soo's new favorite band after seeing them in concert)

36. Our god ~ Chris tomlin (The new big praise song, a fitting way to end)

My top tv shows and movies of 2010

Top tv shows of 2010
1. Chuck - the first 3 seasons
    love this show- reminds me of scrubs... fun, plot, on-going story, love interest, characters, mystery, etc
2. FNL (Friday Night Lights)
    i like it for the football, Soo likes for the soap opera
3. 30 Rock
4. reruns of friends
5. PTI
6. Seinfeld reruns
7. The Office
    didn't used to like it so much
8. Parenthood
    we're parents now...
9. Outsourced
   About American living in another culture... and it has Indians... even if it is awful...
10. How I met your mother (mostly reruns)
11. Raising Hope
12. Scrubs reruns (definitely not the new ones)
    still my all-time favorite show

Top movies (ones i saw for the first time in 2010)
1. The Blind Side
    i almost cried like 5 times..., true story, fun...
2. All the Harry Potter movies
    watched all of them, hard to distinguish- loved them!
3. Toy Story 3
    didn't care for the first 2... this one was great... expectations didn't let me down
4. Zombieland
    Jessie Eisenberg... i'd probably choose to watch this again, though the next was likely better overall
5. The Social Network
    Incredible casting.... great acting, great story... Sorkin & Fincher... may not be that true, but so what
6. 40 year old virgin
7. How to tame your dragon
    recommend to anyone and everyone
8. Horton hears a who
    great one to talk about faith
9. Kick Ass
    wouldn't recommend to everyone - but i quite enjoyed it
10. Inception
    It's Christopher Nolan... wasn't blown away like everyone else, but still liked it a lot
11. The Karate Kid
   More fun for me, since i've gone thru some of it...
12. Gone, baby Gone
13. Moon
   Weird & interesting
14. Date Night
15. Iron Man 2
   Didn't really think it would be that great, but quite entertaining.
16. Man on Wire
   have to give a documentary props (not to be confused with man on fire)
17. Up in the Air


i couldn't stop with 12... maybe i could have...
shows/movies i didn't like
1. LOST
2. Avatar

my top from 2009

movies i hope to see soon
1. HP 7
2. Narnia: Dawn Treader
3. 127 hours
4. The Fighter
5. The Tourist
6. True Grit
7. The Next 3 days

really wanted to see but didn't
1. The A-team
2. Knight & Day
3. dinner for schmucks
4. Salt

My 2010 in review

,Our 2010 was crazy!
i guess you could say it was a year of transition, learning and adventure.

If i could only use one word: BLESSING

Month by month 2010

Jan

·      Preparing a wedding in LA on a 10K budget in 3 weeks (maybe 3 mo)

·      Got married!

·      Honeymoon in Prague

Feb

·      Finished honeymoon in Paris

·      2^nd reception in the 2^nd city

·      returned to EA

Mar

·      reconnected with team

·      found out we were pregnant

·      Robbie Hummel injured.

April

·      Morning sickness

·      Morning sickness

·      Morning sickness

May

·      Saw students grow and take steps of faith – yay!

·      Disappointed by the end of “Lost” – boo!

·      More Morning sickness…

June

·      We’re having a girl!

·      Friends leave

·      Soo’s still sick

July

·      Elah Summer project

·      Soo spends night in the dirty hospital

·      Read a lot of books

August

·      Have ten days to pack, find new place, move and get new place set up

·      Puppy lost at airport… then found!

·      Back in America

Sept

·      Moved to Muncie

·      See friends & work on support

·      Football! (baseball too)

Oct

·      More mpd & Facebook rekindles friendships (oh and the facebook movie)

·      Fall in Indiana

·      Waiting… when will this baby get here?!... and much sadness

Nov

·      Hallelujah! baby is born!

·      Our first Thanksgiving

·      Brr… it’s cold outside… wow, it’s warm outside… now it’s cold…

Dec

·      We love our baby girl!

·      Sleepless nights & frustrating days

·      Reading the Bible in 60 days, memorizing verses, praying for the nations

We were blessed with marriage, blessed with a baby, blessed with great friends, blessed with so many donations and support, blessd thru trials, blessed by God.

Read a lot of books, watched some shows, saw a bunch of movies, did some ministry.

It was our first year of marriage.

First time back in America for a long time in a long time...

And Halle

All in all... best year of my life. And i'm sure it's only gonna get better

My 2010 soundtrack

My top movies & shows of 2010