As I sit...

At home tonight and contemplate this past year, I realize that I need to give thanks.  In spite of things not going how I planned, or things being crazy in the world (Middle East), no matter how terrible, how sucky, how great or wonderful things have been, I am reminded to give thanks in all situations and to be grateful for every experience that has shaped who I am today.  It's hard sometimes to be grateful for the different opportunities because we often don't see the product or fruit of our labor till afterwards or further along in the future.

I do know that this next year will bring a lot of new surprises...in my own life and in the world.  On a global scale this next year will be interesting.  Poverty is still an issue, especially now that there is a recession.  Jobs are not secure and people are hurting all over the world.  There are still a lot of people who have yet to hear the Gospel, people who are fighting (whether it's a War or a dispute within the family).  People still suffer whether they've done good things or bad things.  Good things will still happen to people who don't deserve it and bad things will happen to good people.  Life isn't fair and often it feels like no one else feels the way I feel or knows what it's like.  Often we feel betrayed or alone at the end of the day.

It is my hope that this next year I will begin to live my life in such a way that I will make more of an impact in all of those areas.  I'm not sure how or what I will be doing in order to help, but I know that I want to start doing something because these are all things I care about and am passionate about.  I don't want to regret anything that I do or don't do in this life.  I only have one life to live and to give and I want to make it count.  Even if at the end of it all, no one knows who I am...it's the idea that I did something.  It doesn't have to be on a large scale, but I don't want to be a bump on the log anymore and I don't want life to pass me by.