Crows are large birds, have you ever noticed that?
I’m sitting on my parent’s window seat, eyeing the white and green patched ground this Thursday morning. It is New Years Eve.
It’s zero degrees outside, which is cool enough to seep through these surrounding windows and cause me to contemplate snatching another blanket.
We’re heading into 2021, folks! Here we go. And as we take a step across the hour and sense a fresh start and a new slate, I for one wanted to take a glance back at 2020, and remember things I’m thankful for and things I’ve accomplished. I know this year has been far from easy for many, but I also know God is good, and has done good in the past 365 days, and I want to remember that.
“…brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Speaking of “lovely” things… I am thankful for:
Church small groups.
I had the privilege of leading an all-girls group in the early months of this year, and it was such a joy to get to know some wonderful ladies and to push forward together into God and what he was up to. Being part of this group proved to me once again how important and helpful it is to do life together. And that after sowing seed, one does reap a harvest!
I wrote a children’s book.
Okay, not going to lie, I’m very proud of this one! It’s been on my heart for a long time to write stories, books, scripts, etc… Someone once prayed over me and commented on me writing children’s type material. That’s sort of always been in the back of my mind. Leading up to this Christmas, I wanted to gift something to each of the families within my immediate family, and an idea began forming in my mind. My Dad has this humorous (and real) fight going on with the squirrels on our property who like to take over the bird feeder. My Dad has always been a huge fan of nature and birds, in particular, so he has tried many different things to keep squirrels off of the feeder. These stories developed into a child’s book, and one that I thought would be particularly special for my nieces and nephews, since the title turned out to be “Opa and the Squirrel Saga.”
I illustrated a children’s book.
I wrestled with illustrations on many occasions because how in the WORLD does somebody draw the same character by hand the same way twice!? Kudos to all those cartoonists and comic book illustrators who somehow can draw the same person over and over in different positions and expressions. I couldn’t. So I turned to a skill that I did have – using the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator (Rob, aren’t you proud of me?!) – and I was able to copy and paste and make minor tweaks to create the storyline.
I’m thankful for technology.
Can you imagine living in the snail mail days during this pandemic? What if amidst these lockdowns we didn’t have the ability to quickly message or call a friend, or have gatherings online and see one another’s faces? Although… this also causes me to be thankful for the opposite…
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ABOVE: Christmas zoom call with my immediate family. BELOW: Christmas zoom call with extended family (this is not even half of them!)
I’m thankful for in-person gatherings.
Even though I am certainly grateful for opportunities to stay connected across screens, this also causes me to treasure in-person, face to face gatherings even more. There truly is nothing like being in the room with other human beings, and although technology is a blessing, it’ll never replace the real deal.
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ABOVE: 2020 small group gals
I’m thankful for the seasons.
It’s been a while since I’ve experienced a full Canadian winter 😉
I am thankful for my Compassion kids.
It’s interesting how supporting a child miles and miles away can actually make my heart grow in affection for them. I’m thankful for Compassion’s practical and spiritual support for so many.
I am thankful for coffee.
Do I really need to say more? 😉
I am thankful for my job.
God has such incredible timing. I spent the beginning of 2020 living the dream in Australia, having just been trained for 3 years in film and television. I flew home, ready to step into an administrative role at my church for 1 year. God had greater plans. My very first day at work was the day regulations cracked down in my home-town and my pastor informed me that my video skills would be needed, immediately. How can you script that?! God knew where I was needed and when. Thanks, Jesus!
I ran 2 half-marathons this year!
I read 16 books this year!
I am thankful I get to work with Ryan again.
I had a season previously in which I got to work with my brilliant brother, Ryan, and I’m thankful for another season to get to see him often. An absolute highlight of mine is when we’re sitting quietly in the office and one of us suddenly declares: “Coffee time!?” at which point the other person nods and we make our way to the church cafe to pull espresso and steam milk. Oftentimes these coffee breaks are accompanied by great conversations, like the time Ryan leaned on the cafe counter and asked, “So Kare, what’s your greatest fear?” Love ya, Ryry!
I am thankful for opportunities to preach!
Shoutout to the incredible leadership at our church, and specifically Pastor Roy & Chris, who gave me the opportunity this past summer to preach twice! I was eager and honoured to speak to our beloved church congregation, and I find it funny that my first experience doing this was also in front of a camera and no live audience, haha! I look forward to more opportunities and growth in this area.
I got to make a short film with my church!
Film has been something on my heart for a number of years now, and while I have wrestled with the idea of whether or not it is “practical” for kingdom purposes, or actually useful for heart transformation, I am convinced now more than ever that the media in front of people’s eyes (whether they put it there intentionally or not) changes people. What we watch influences us. Even if we aren’t Netflix perusers, we pass billboards, we see glimpses of images on people’s phones or a TV in a store. It’s everywhere. I bet, whatever time you are reading this at, you’ve already seen several videos on a screen. Media is important, and what is coming out of the media industry and the entertainment industry is important.
It was a privilege to be part of putting this production together with our Dream Team volunteers!
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I got to create some other fun videos this year for church events and announcements!
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I’ve been taking piano lessons for almost the entirety of 2020!
Taking piano lessons again has been a huge blessing to my musicianship. Can I just encourage anyone who has considered music lessons to GO. FOR. IT. I thought I was a pretty good musician, and then taking lessons again taught me how much MORE I have to learn! I plan to take and pass my RCM Grade 9 Piano exam, along with the related theory exams – History & Harmony – in April 2021.
I have grown in friendships.
Not going to lie, one of the most difficult seasons in friendship has come this past year, and it was one of many tears and real heartache. I still don’t even feel like I’m “okay” or healed from things that have happened, but I’m healing and growing because of it, and through it. People make life absolutely messy, and I’ve realized that I have many times wanted to stay clean from that mess, but that is not real living. The mess is also the richness of being alive. Of feeling. Emoting. Crying. Apologizing and knowing I’ve messed up and let someone down, and that’s hard, but there is forgiveness. I have absolutely not arrived, but I’m on the journey of honesty, realness, faithfulness, and bravery to face the hard things.
ABOVE: some dear Canadian gals who have been close friends for many years. Oh how I TREASURE them!!!
I’m thankful for my parents, and the way they love each other.
Often in the evenings, my parents can be found playing scrabble, watching a movie, or making a puzzle together. They FaceTime with their grandkids who are too far away or unreachable during COVID, they call friends, have outdoor tea dates in the summer when the weather permits, and they talk to neighbours on their walks. I don’t want to live with my parents forever, and I don’t think they would appreciate that either 😉 but this current season of being in close quarters with them has been a blessing, and growth experience. I am an independent adult, and yet, enjoying the perks of living with parents who want to help and want to take care of me has also been sweet.
I really appreciate how much they care for one another. Many friends ask how my Mom is doing, and I always appreciate the care and concern for her. She is an absolute champion. She is always up early in the mornings, sitting on her spot on the couch, in prayer, or in the Word. She is incredible. My Dad does the same. They both are faithful. Faithful to the cause of Christ, and faithful, OH SO FAITHFUL to one another. I’m grateful for their example, and their consistency.
What are you thankful for, and what did you accomplish in 2020? 🙂
Be blessed y’all.