Saying Goodbye to 2010
Can you believe that 2010 is already here and gone?? They say as you get older time goes by so much faster and I have to agree. But people at work are now telling me that it goes by quicker still as you get older but I cant imagine it going by any faster than it does now. I like to slow down and enjoy life so I'm not okay with this theory. This year has had many ups and downs just like the last 29 years for me have been. And I'm sure that the years to come will be much the same. And as families seem to write letters in their Christmas cards recapping the year that is coming to an end I thought I would do that with my blog
One of my dreams for 2010 was to get more plugged in to church. Three years ago I started attending Eagles Landing First Baptist. I hadn't found a church home and would visit churches from time to time. It seemed like the only church that I was frequently going to was North Point or Athens Church which are both awesome churches but both of them are over an hour away from me. And when I would visit churches I would would go in thinking, okay if I were traveling with Candace and we came to this church, would these people think "oh my goodness this girl is a crazy Christian girl taking it a bit too far" or would they think "Okay this girl has got it together". And my first Sunday at Eagles Landing Pastor Tim's message was half of Candace's message and that's when I knew, ELFB was the church for me So in January I became an official member! I have gotten to know some really awesome people there and love it!! If you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook you see me gush over my church. I've even gotten to share my testimony there a couple of times. But in 2011 I want to become more involved. I want to become a part of a Life Group, I want to get to know more of the members, maybe work with the youth and who knows maybe even join the choir.
February was a bit of a rough patch for the Young/Crawford family. After 3.5 years Alex closed the doors of Glam. It had pretty much been our home for the last 3.5 years and it was sad to see it go. My heart broke for my sister. At the young age of 22 she went out on her own to a bank and got her very own business loan. She had this dream of owning a store and for everyone to love it. And I completely believe that both of those dreams came true. But with the failing economy the way that it has been, custumers couldn't splurge on cute polka dotted luggage, zebra purses and funky jewelry. But honestly I have to say it was nice not having to be at Glam on Christmas Eve this year waiting for people to come and pick up their orders and last mintue shoppers coming in to finish their stocking stuffers. A doctors office has moved in to the old Glam space and I will admit I teared up the first time I saw it. But when God closes one door he opens another. It's on to bigger and better things.
In April we received horrible news. My cousin Zack was murdered. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about him or that day. It reminds me what a cold world we live in and what really matters in life. Zack lead a rough life but had a heart of gold. I love him so much even though we weren't that close. He was my family, he was my blood. It crushes my heart to watch my family have to go through what we have been through. It kills me to think about 4 year old Jax that's going to have to grow up without a daddy. He never got to meet his new niece baby Emry or the niece that's on the way. But through his death I realized that God was changing me. My heart broke for my cousins killers. I was no longer thinking eye for an eye but rather how sad are these boys who have no value of a human life nor do they know our Lord. And I pray for them, I pray for them to know Him and love Him and understand what this world is all about not what they are turning it in to. I will ask you to keep my uncle Rick, aunt Lisa, my cousins Holly and Matt and little Jax in your prayers. As close to home as this has hit for me they have lost their son, brother and father. Okay before I start crying at my desk I need to change the subject. (I miss you Zacky)
And as the weather started to warm up things started to turn for the better. In May I was able to reunite with old friends at my 10 year class reunion! YES, oh my goodness it's been ten years since I graduated high school! It's so hard to believe! But it was so awesome being able to see all my friends. I was one of those people that didnt want to leave high school. I loved my friends and my life and didnt want any of it to change. But like everything else it's a season of your life. And while I was there it made me miss the old days and my old friends. But time changes, people change and even without knowing it we change too. They say that you meet your life time friends in college, but I have to disagree with that. I went to college and while I did meet some great people there my life long friends are my high school friends. Maybe Salem High School just had something good going because I still look at other classes before mine and after and there are still some of the same circles hanging out. I love that! And thanks to Facebook I've been able to keep in touch with those old friends but also make friends with people that maybe I didnt talk to in high school but have been able to connect with later on in life. I can't wait until the next reunion, I think we should have them every year instead of every 5 or 10.
The weekend after my reunion there was a celebration. This past June 4th was the 20th anniversary of my life saving amputation. So hard to believe that it was 20 years ago. My family and I knew that we wanted to do something big to celebrate and Alex came up with the wonderful idea to start a 5k fund raiser, and that's just what we did. June 5th we held the first Lovin Life 5k Run/Walk. It was a great success!!! My charity this year was Camp Firefly (www.campfirefly.com) which is a charity very near and dear to my heart and we were able to send them a check for over $2000!! I can't wait for our second 5k in 2011!!
But one of my biggest blessings this year was really starting my speaking ministry! I had such wonderful opportunities this year! I was able to speak at my church a couple of times, to other churches around my area, 2 online conferences, a youth conference and even to churches in NC, CA, and OH!! I loooooooooooooove it!!! It's so funny that just a few years ago I was asked to speak and I went and did it but didnt like it at all. Now God has changed my heart and I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing! I go to women's conferences and only feel a stronger pull to that "this is where you're supposed to be" feeling. He gave me a story, let me live through illnesses that some don't live through, a personality where I've never met a stranger and a mouth that never stops....I'm supposed to use it for Him. I am being the light in this dark world that He is calling me to be. I have huge dreams for my speaking. Hopefully I'll have that opportunity this year! So,  here's my shameless plug..... if you have an event scheduled and need a speaker or want to create an event around me,  please contact me!!! I also hope to have t-shirts this year too!!
As this year comes to a close I just want to thank Him for all that He has given me, the good and the bad. I'm growing as a person and becoming the person that HE wants me to be. I realized long ago that it's not about what I want for my life but that HE is in control. It's gotten so much easier with Him in the drivers seat than me. Only the good Lord knows what 2011 has in store. I could say all the things that I would like to happen, you know the normal lose weight, find the man of my dreams and win the lottery. But when we start making our own plans for our lives we have to realize that things might not always go the way we have them planned. Sometimes God has something better planned out, we might not know it's better because we had a vision of our lives but we gotta just keep our trust in Him and his plan and know it's going to be in our best interest.   All I know is that whatever He puts in front of me I will turn to Him for hugs of sadness and the ones of rejoice. Sorry this one got to be so long. But I'll go ahead and promise to blog more for this coming year. Happy New Year Everybody!!