The last post of 2010! I’m certain to leave things out, but these are the two happenings of 2010 that stand out in my mind as the most significant.

Family

This was a great year for Krista and I, as we are learning a lot together. Once two people get married, it’s normal at some point to start resetting how they approach their lives as individuals.  The initial buzz of the wedding and honeymoon come to an end, and they learn to live, each one according to a newfound commitment to the other.  But they also must learn to care for themselves in that new context. Over the past few years Krista and I have learned to navigate how we care for ourselves individually in the marriage context, but this year we experienced a renewed togetherness as we struggled through the strange and wild territory of parenthood.  I’m thankful for her and the ways we are learning and growing at each other’s side.

Also, watching Jude at this 12-24 month stage is fascinating.  I’m reading Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak, in which he makes a poignant observation about his granddaughter at this same age:

I was able, in my early fifties, to see something that had eluded me as a twenty-something parent: my granddaughter arrived in the world as this kind of person rather than that, or that, or that.  She did not show up as raw material to be shaped into whatever image the world might want her to take. She arrived with her own gifted form, with the shape of her own sacred soul.

I’m seeing this more clearly every day in my son, Jude. He is becoming, and it’s beautiful to watch.

Connections

I’ve been meeting with my friend Brian every week over coffee for a few years now, and 2010 was a large step forward in our effort to learn from each other as brothers and Christ-comrades.  We are more able to get to the heart behind things now, usually before the first cup of coffee is gone.  You don’t create this kind of friendship quickly or easily, so I’m grateful for it.

Brian, his wife Renee, and their two girls are headed to Italy as missionaries within the next 12-18 months.  I’m excited for them, but I’ll also miss them.  By the way, if you are looking for a mission to support in 2011, they are looking for partners.  Click here to find out why Italy is a great focal point for your giving in the years ahead.  The need is great.

I’ve also been a part of a men’s group at St. Bartholomew’s Church.  We are an atypical men’s group, which is why I love it. Our conversations are life-provoking and invaluable to me.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to those of you who are kind enough to read every post, and also to those who stop by every now and then.  Here’s to more conversation, understanding, and growth in 2011.

[What is one highlight from 2010 for you?  Tell us in the comments…]