“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2).
At the beginning of each new year, I like to look back at what worked and what didn’t in the previous year. By discovering what went well, I can move forward and do more of those things.
In 2020, each of us experienced both gains and losses. It is hard to say that 2020 was good by any stretch of the imagination. I believe it is more appropriate to say that some good came from the events of 2020. For example, I wrote a blog post early in the pandemic about people delivering and dropping off groceries and prescriptions for those who couldn’t get out and shop for themselves. Good happened when people looked outside themselves and their comfort zones to help others.
Upon reflection, I have realized some of the good things in my life that came from 2020. A summary of the top five follows. Continue reading “2020: What I Gained”
This blog post originally appeared on December 9, 2018.
As 2020 comes to an end (finally!), I wanted to share my top ten blog posts for the year. COVID-19 was, of course, a major theme running throughout my blog posts this year. On the whole, I looked for positive things to share in my posts. The following posts have resonated most strongly with you, my readers, over the last eleven months: 
This year, I’m looking forward to Christmas more than ever. It’s a bright spot in the dark of 2020. Like many of you, I have cherished memories of family gatherings. I’ve spent many hours throughout the years creating handmade gifts for others and baking sweet treats with my mom. The holidays often bring additional stress to an already stressful year. We can feel overwhelmed and stressed by the season for many reasons: financial difficulties, too many activities, family members who don’t get along…the list goes on and on. Joy seems elusive, but we can experience the joy of the season when we remember why we celebrate this season: Jesus.