On Ten Things I Learned in 2018

At the end of every season, if I have time, it’s helpful to reflect and think about the things that I’ve been learning. In no particular order, these are ten things I learned this year.

New Testament Greek. I’ve still got another quarter to go, but this fall, I signed up for NT Greek thinking that it would be fun and nothing but a great adventure. Turns out it was hardest thing I’ve tried to do in a very long time. I thought about dropping the class every single day. In the end, I stuck with it.

Taking Greek reminded me that I can do hard things. Not everything is supposed to come easily. Some things that are worth doing are incredibly difficult.

I may be able to do hard things, but I can’t do everything. I learned, this year more than ever, that when we sign off on a new project, it usually means we have to streamline our lives and do less of other things. That was certainly true for me. In order to get through Greek, I spent about two hours every day in absolute focus. I wrote less, I cooked less, and I played less. But I passed Greek.

Gardening is delightful. I always wondered if I’d like to garden. Well, this year John built me the most perfect garden ever. We spent our spring and summer days sowing and reaping, plucking and pruning. We had more zucchinis than we could ever eat, and were surprised by the number of bright red cherry tomatoes falling off the vines. I am by no means an accomplished gardner. Most of the time I hardly know what I’m doing, and that is perfectly find with me. I do it for the love.

As Jamie Fraser told Claire, “Friends are where you find them,” and this year more than any other, I enjoyed the friendships that I’ve made from my online world. We chatted on voxer several days a week, and despite the fact that we don’t actually know each other in real life, we are real friends and that makes my life more complete.

I learned that I don’t have to drink alcohol to live a good and full life. I could say so much more about this and perhaps I will in time. But for now, I’d like to just let that sit there and be true.

I’m learning that I’m not sure Facebook is the best place for me to engage in heated discussions. I used to enjoy batting around ideas on this medium, but this year that began to change and over the past couple of months I’ve pulled back. I’m not sure where that will take me but for now, that’s how I’m feeling.

Silence can stifle, but it can also cultivate overwhelming creativity and it’s mostly where I find my courage. In an age of words, it’s easy to forget the gift of silence and our profound need for it.

Perseverance pays off. Most of us already know this, but I’m learning it again and believe it should be noted.

In spite of all the people dropping out of organized religion, I’m not one of them. I have my doubts about faith and God for sure, but I’m very much a Practicing Christian on purpose. So much so that John and I have started a neo-liturgical service. (More on that to come.)

In an age where so many try to wield God like a phone app, or as a light-saber, I am learning that God will not be wielded. I cannot manipulate God or approach God as if God were American, or British, or even Western. I cannot try to manage God with cool prayers or a put-together life. I can only come. Small and lowly, with or without words, and seek God, not for God’s favor, but for God’s friendship. Which may or may not prove to be elusive, but no matter. That the Most High condescends in any way to me, be it elusive or not, is sufficient, and the great honor of my life.

Things I’m looking forward to this year:
More Greek
An Online Course I’m writing called, Finding God in Your Story
A hoped for Book Deal
Soup and Bread Nights: the Liturgical service we started
Finally, as always, I look forward to love and grace, and cultivating friendships far and wide

How about you, what did you learn this year?

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