Throw Back Thursday - Year in Review

  This will be the last TBT from the old b+ blog days. Life got in the way and while my friends and co-authors continued writing there, I faded off into the sunset that year. It was interesting to me though as I re-read this last post that the things I remember being so overwhelmed by that year, seem so distant now. I remember the events, but perspective has long faded the stress and other emotions attached to the memories. My friends on the blog and I were members of a web community back then called 43 Things. It was a goal posting and tracking community where we would cheer each other on while making some great long term friends as we all "did life".

  Every year the 43 creators (a.k.a. Robots) of the community would post stats to show us our progress from year to year. It was a great tool for future planning as well as a great reminder to not get sidelined by the things you hadn't yet accomplished by remembering what you had. On the original blog entry I had posted a screen shot of my year in review...but with the end of the original web community long gone, that image was lost and with it any ability to find it again. Some of the things I recall going through that year though, were...we bought a house, that turned out to be a cursed money pit, our car died and had to be replaced, I became violently ill and almost died, we went from 0 debt to living on credit cards just to make it from week to week. Surviving at times with no heat in the house and almost no food for weeks and months on end....and that wasn't the worst either. It was a rough year that caused a lot of emotional, mental, physical and even relational stress in our lives. I recall many times wanting to just walk away from everything and start over. However, I also recall being faced with the decision to either be crushed by my circumstances or to daily fight to choose joy....no matter how seemingly miniscule it may be.

  In the almost 13 years since I originally posted this entry below, Ben and I have survived many other difficulties including job losses, deaths, betrayals, homelessness and now cancer. However, through it all.....God has ALWAYS been faithful, He's always been good, and He's always come to our rescue and sent provisions and encouragement. Yes...in the moments of crisis we can get knocked down...and even have pity parties...but it is STILL TRUE TODAY.....that in spite of all the bad....the good STILL far outweighs the bad if you look for it instead of simply dwelling on the bad.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 The Voice 

We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them. We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. We are persecuted, but we have not been abandoned. We have been knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Love,
Fran
~Joy ALL Ways~

Sunday, December 18, 2005

My year in review

Interesting. To see the robots post stats like this and help me see things in a new light is very interesting. To be honest….this has been by far the hardest year of my life. It seemed like no matter what I did at every corner was some kind of trial. I’m even going through one now as I write this. I have had to battle my way through so much this year….even to live,after almost dying this past April.
I guess this website has really helped me put things in perspective and has helped keep me focused on the positive and the good things instead of all of the bad. The bad things….though very bad…were STILL far outweighed by the good….....and that definitely is something to be thankful for. So maybe…maybe 2005 wasn’t the worst year of my life after all…..maybe it was the best because it taught me that even in the face of adversity life is worth living.