Time Flies By

    Another year has come and gone. 2012 has come to an end, and I look forward to another year ahead. As we have counted down to midnight, honked our horn through the neighborhood, lighted fireworks, and wished many Happy New Years, there are family's all over spending time together, there are millions of people in Time Square, dancing and waiting for a crystal ball to fall, there are many couples waiting until midnight to give each other a kiss, there are bottles of champagne and sparkling cider being opened, and people are excited for the journey ahead. There are so many things that can be said about the past year, and so many things I can say about the coming year as well. As I think about the New Year, I read last year's eulogy to 2011, and the title was "Time Goes By", I was then thinking about the title for this one, and I felt "Time Flies By" was appropriate.

    I think about the past year. God has been so good! This year has brough along engagements, marriages, babies, deaths, trials, temptations, friends made, friends lost, good times, and bad times. I have had the honor of watching, at least, four kids accept Christ as their person Saviour.  I have been able to be a part of another full scale musical (Cinderella) and I have been able to go back to my theatre home, Barnstormers,  for another beautiful show (Our Town). I have had the pleasure of being a counselor once again at our church's Jr. Camp, where we had a broken arm, a broken canopy, thunder, rain, memories, friendships, and many decisions made. I have made several friends. I have grorwn in my relationship with several friends. I have had the privelege of becoming a Sunday School teacher, and a bus worker, and I have had the privelege of being a part of those kids lives. I've been to my first Masquerade Ball, I've learned to Waltz, I've had a double birthday party for the first time (Special thanks to Devin Kruse) and God has blessed in more ways than explainable.

    Amidst the many wonderful experiences, 2012 has also provided many opportunities to think. The past few years God has provided a central theme for the year, whether it's Romans 8:28, and God working all things together for good, Proverbs 3:5-6, and trusting in God no matter what, or 1 Corinthians 10:31, and glorifying God in every aspect of my life. This year has been quite an interesting year. As you may have seen in some of my past posts, "To Live for the Glory of God", and To Die for the Glory of God this year has brought up a lot about death and life. Whether in sermons I've heard, Questions that have been asked me, Discussions I have had with friends, Working on a play that deals with that subject, and Experiencing other peoples life and death experiences as well. This year has been a great opportunity to think. I have realized, this year, more than ever before, that life is a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and vanishes away (James 4:14). I have realized that whether in life, or in death, I can't take the time I have for granted. God has blessed me with the time I have here on this earth, and if I'm living, I should do it for the glory of God, if I'm dying, I should do it for the glory of God, I should treat every day, every hour, every minute, and every second as if it could be my last. Year after year, as we count down until midnight, I think back to the past New Year, and it seems like it was just yesterday. Time is a vapour! The time we have flies by, and we should take advantage of the time we have, while we still do! Of course plans will change, I know mine did this year! Of course things won't turn out quite like we had planned, I know I speak from experience on that part as well. But the thing that remains constant is this: God is always good! In good times, and bad, He's always blessing, always guiding, and always providing. He knows how long I'll live, He knows when I'll die. He has a perfect plan for my life, and as long as I continue to trust in Him, and follow what He has for me, I can, and will, never go wrong!

    I can say this year, I am a different person than I was last year! Mistakes have been made, experiences have been had, things have been thought, lessons have been learned, and God is continuing to teach me, mature me, guide me, and helping me grow. I know I am not perfect, but I pray, that every day, my relationship with Him will continually grow closer, and I pray that every day I will grow to to be the young man He wants me to be.

    For the New Year, I'm not sure how I feel about resolutions, as those are meant to be broken, but as for a goals, I do have a few:

This year, I would like to spend a little time with God every day. Whether it's studying the Bible, listening to a sermon, or spending some time in earnest prayer, I want to put all other things aside, even if it's for a few minutes, and spend some quality time with Him. I know it won't be easy, I know it will take some motivation, and determination, but it's something I, sadly, can't say I did this past year.

Next, I would like to focus on the blessings of life. I found this picture on facebook, and I think it's a wonderful idea.

I would like to find a big jar, and start it myself. It won't take but a few minutes every night to sit down and write a little something every day. That as well may take a little motivation and determination, but I'm hoping the outcome will be great!

Thirdly, I would like to write in my blog a little bit more. I know 2012 only had 9 posts in it, so this year, I will try not to worry so much about what people will think, or what I have to say, and I will try and write a little more often.

Fourthly, I would really like to be able to go away to college. I know I have planned on this for a few years now, ever since I have graduated, but my ways are not God's ways, so if it's God's will, I would like to go to college somewhere. Until then, I will pray about it, do some research for it, and
prepare right away.

Fifthly, I would like to find a good job. 2012 brought a few job experiences for me. I worked at Wal-Mart and a contact lense place (OOGP) for about three months, through Express Employment Services, a temp agency. I also had the opportunity to work at Evergreen Federal Bank's Bear Hotel for a week. While those things were great, it seemed very short. So this year, I hope to find something a little better.

Then of course I have my life goals. In my life, I have two of them. Firstly, I want to glorify God in everything. I know God has placed us here on the earth for a reason, so I think we should glorify God through it all. Secondly, I want to make an impact in someone else's life for God. I want God to use me in a special way. My life would be more than worth while if He did that through me.

    Now that 2012 is over, I look forward to what God has in store for this coming year! As we were reminiscing a little earlier today of what happened in 2012, I realized that most of those things, good and bad, were never planned out, we didn't expect them, we didn't know they would happen, they just..... happened; We didn't know, But God knew! This year will be full of many of those same things too! This year I could find my favorite song, I could eat my favorite food, I could find the girl of my dreams, I could find a solid job, I could go away to college, I could lose someone very close to me, I could pass away this year, or this could even be the year God comes back to take us all home! With God, anything is possible. Let's just keep trusting Him, Love Him more every day, and grow to be the kind of person He wants us to be, no matter what He has planned for our life.

I hope you all have a very Happy and Blessed New Year! I will hopefully write again very soon!

~Daniel~ :)