Archive - December, 2011

Top 9 Posts of 2011

December 29, 2011 in Odds & Ends 15

As I reflect back over this year, I see how many great things have happened. My blog has grown more than I expected, my writing has improved and I wrote more this year than I have in the past 10 years.

I’ve been able to write about the most memorable personal aspects of my life like meeting and marrying the woman of my dreams (and a fellow blogger) and quitting my job to pursue a dream.

All in all, I can say that this has been one of the best years of my life. And I know that 2012 will only get better. So with that, I give you my top 9 posts (because who needs 10?) of 2011:

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Recovering Identity

December 21, 2011 in Identity 19

Today’s guest post comes from Marni Arnold. She’s sharing a story of recovering identity after losing it in her relationships. I can definitely relate. I hope you enjoy it!

Typically, December only held within it four major occurrences in my life – the anniversary of my salvation, my husband’s birthday, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. However, 5 years ago – my life changed drastically on December 19th, 2006.

At the time, before Facebook really took off, MySpace was the dominator in social networking. I utilized this platform at the time, and on this night I found myself utilizing it to see if [by chance] I could find someone I had been sporadically looking for on and off for 8 years since I learned about him.

My half-brother.

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Love and Humility

December 19, 2011 in Identity 33

Two of my favorite virtues are love and humility. They are two of the qualities in a person I respect most. But it wasn’t until I heard this phrase from a mentor that my perspective was completely shifted:

Love gives. Humility receives.

Love

I’ve always thought of love as being something that happens to two people. I’ve seen people say that they love without being loved in return. But I was pretty sure that at the end of it all, I felt that the lover was foolish and couldn’t sustain it.

I thought of love as a two-way transaction. If it only goes one way, it is not complete. But then I understood this truth:

The truest, most perfect love is the one that is not reciprocated.

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Labels Lie

December 16, 2011 in Identity 19

I’ve been labeled a lot of things in my life. Some good. Some not so good. Some by others. Some by myself. And you know what?

All of them fall short of describing me.

I understand why people use labels. It’s an easy way to compartmentalize complexity. Multifaceted subjects take effort to fully understand. Labels remove the required effort and provide you with a nice and tidy box.

But labels are toxic.

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Rejecting Safe Faith

December 14, 2011 in Exceptional Living 54

A few years ago I went to the Empire State Building. My sister and I, both the polar opposite of trapeze artists, decided to go out to the observation deck on the 86th floor. Aside from the fact that it was freezing up there, the view was paralyzing.

On that 360 degree observation deck, the only thing that keeps you from plunging to your death is a wall of concrete about 2 feet thick and a wireframe fence. To say that we weren’t exactly comfortable up there would be the understatement of the year.

It was difficult to fully appreciate the spectacular view because we were more worried about the little boy that jumped up on the wall and stuck his head through the gate to get a better view of the street. If I wasn’t so terrified for my own safety, I would have pulled him back to the ground and called child advocacy on his parents!

After a few minutes of feigning bravery, we had enough and scurried back inside for safety and warmth.

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