As in past year in review that i have done, i have went through a semi-detailed overview on the past year. This year i have decided not to do that, but to say that 2016 was a year that will stick with me for years to come. The first thing that comes to my mind when i look back throughout this year are seven words: the good, the bad, and the ugly. There were some several good things that had happened like getting several updates done on the house, time with family and friends, taking a Sunday every month at work (a church rents our facility) so a co-worker could spend time with his family and recently surprising  Kate with a Ninja Nutri Bowl Duo for Christmas. Some challenging things were taking more responsibilities at work for a couple of months while we search and filled, not one, but two positions in IT. It was also during this time, i was working every Sunday. Even though it was time away from my own church, i have got to know the church leadership team better and i tried to be a blessing to them as they were a blessing to me. It was also i realized i was doing a lot of things during the week, and needed to take a step back and look at a bigger picture. So i decided to take time off from Young Life, as well as just recently did not rejoin the deacon board at church (a term is 3 years, and mine was going to be up at year end). Finally, there were a couple of ugly things that took place, but it was a learning process for all involved.

Looking forward to 2017 and to see what all God has planned.

PS

Since tomorrow is the first Sunday of the month, while the majority of you will be still in bed, i will be up at 6:30 to go to work. Here’s a picture i came across that explains what i will be doing shortly this evening:

Doesn’t anybody else think this is a very bad idea………..

http://www.whig.com/story/24473592/no-clear-cut-answer-in-proposed-minimum-wage-hike-issue

As i sit back on this last day in 2012, i reflect on this past year and see that this past year was a year of change. In January, i took a leave of absence from doing A\V duties at church, which i had previous done for 6 yrs, and it was time i needed a break. In February, i turned 34 years old, but also was looking forward to Valentine’s Day for once as I had a date with my lovely girlfriend whom later that evening i told her i loved her and she told me in returned that she loved me. It was also during Jan\Feb that we met the parents for the first time. In April, i took Kate to her first MLB game in STL with very short notice, and then three days later we went back to STL for a banquet that was for Kate’s work and where she was nominated, but did not win, corporate employee for the year award.

May was our 6 month anniversary of dating, so thanks to friends of Kate’s, we ate dinner at the Quincy Country Club. July was loads of fun as it was Kate’s birthday and the both of us took the day off and just had a fun day. Went to STL on two different occasions for a baseball game and a Rascal Flatts concert. We also went to the community theater to watch Oklahoma.

September was a full month. Started out the month with ending the summer with Labor Day in STL. Originally we were going to go to a game as i had free tickets in the upper deck. However a day prior i told Kate that instead of going to the game, we would just spent the day doing fun stuff in STL. We went up in the Arch, walked around and had lunch downtown, and went shopping. Two weeks later, her parents came up for the weekend. While Kate and her mom were at a Beth Moore simulcast, her dad and i spent a few hours at the IL Vets Home War Museum, as it’s one of his favorite places to go. Also it was during the day we had a little “chat” about his daughter…….. . At the end of the day i had his blessing to ask Kate to marry me. Then the following day on Sunday, my parents came down and all of us went to church together, and then went out for lunch. That was the first time parents met each other for the first time.

Then came time to figure out the proposal. Initially i would ask her on the day we met for the first time, which was during the Young Life fall banquet in October, or when we started dating, which was in November. However she had two dates in her mind that she thought i would ask her, so i threw both dates out. I then decided to do something that was two-fold: One was to do something that would take me out of my comfort zone and Two – she would never expect it! A month of planning, organizing, and help from a lot of people November 2nd came and the proposal was perfect and she did not expect me to do what i did. Had a friend of mine who is the A\V specialist at John Wood help with the video taping it. The video is uploaded to Facebook, and we have several copies on DVD since we had to go and make some changes. The proposal ended up turning into an official John Wood project as the President wanted to show it to the Board of Trustees, and then later to the rest of the staff and faculty. So having a DVD ready was critical. Both Kate and I had no clue this little thing would turn into such a big production. Not to mention it was listed in the paper as the husband of the HR Director works for the Herald Whig and said that he would put it in the local section called “Word on the Street”.

November and December was also a little hard as the both of us decided that we needed to find a church that we could call “our church”. With much prayer, the decision was made, and found a church that we could call “our own”, and not “Seth’s church” or “Kate’s church”. Way back early on in our relationship, we knew one day we would have to decide on our church home. So, with that said, we have been going to Lighthouse Baptist for the last month or so and feel like that is where God wants us to be. Before we went there for the first time, i prayed to God and ask for wisdom and guidance on whether Lighthouse is the right place or not. Within probably 10 minutes after stepping foot into the church, i knew that this was the place. However to be sure, we went back the following week, and we both knew that this was the place for us.

Finally, as the year comes to an end, we have finalized a date, location, rings, and a few other big items for our wedding as we want to get it to the point where we can focus totally on premarital counseling and not be worried about certain things going into 2013

All of this was through God and God alone. I know now that God’s plan for my life is far greater and better than the plan i had for my life. I am looking forward to what God has planned for my life, and the life that Kate and i will as we start a new life together!

To God be the Glory, great things He has done!