Saturday, January 07, 2006

2005: What Made the Year that Was

Well, now that we have got a little more accustomed to 2006, I will post a bit more of some personal reflections of 2005. In summary, after quite a shaky start with work 2005 turned into a great year.

During 2005 I was struck by better nature of humanity – evident in the generosity of people responding to the Tsunami, and before Christmas I was struck by the Herald’s readers who paid for Jess Maulder, another potential, but unlikely, Australian of the Year, to go back to Thailand (where she was last Christmas) for the memorial. The earthquake in Kashmir resulted in Indian and Pakistani cooperation. But at the same time the darkside was all to easy to see.

2005 also reminded us that we are unable to control our world- the Tsunami, the Hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico and the earthquake in Kashmir, being a few examples.

While I was rereading my diary for the year, I came across a list of what I was looking forward to in 2005, on that list (along with a concert or two) was my Gran’s 90th birthday, seeing my sister, and joining Community Bible Church, and no surprise that these were high on the list of highlights for 2005.

It was great to be able to go down to New Zealand and join with my family in celebrating her birthday. I always find these family gatherings quite hard, because we do not see our cousins all that often, but I always enjoy catching up with them, and great seeing how they have grown.

I think it was in March, Lynley and I decided that we would across to the US together, and our holiday was a high point of the year, as was her coming home just before Christmas. Having Christmas together as a family was fantastic.

I had resolved myself during the year to read through the entire bible each year, I did not achieve this. My bible reading has not been great this year, which is one thing that I am seeking to change in 2006.

I found it really great met up with three Korean guys from the morning congregation, we spent our time looking through the book of Philippians, which was quite rewarding for me.

Community Bible Church, was a great group of Godly Christian’s to be involved with, and I found the preaching to be quite challenging and confronting, but at the same time quite comforting, and encouraging. It is with a touch of sadness that I leave Unichurch and move to Barneys on Broadway. (F. and I will definitely miss the Graduate Bible Fellowship – and our bible study group at A+B’s)

The highlight of the year was one that this time last year I hadn’t expected, but the last 9 months or so with F. has been great. It is a blessing being able to spend time with each other and seeing our relationship grow. :)

So what does 2006 hold, I am not one really for resolutions, but I think looking ahead I would like to see my life reflect my faith my clearly, particularly in my relationships, with my family, my flatmates, and Fiona. I am looking forward to getting to know more of my brother’s and sisters at Barney’s and being able to encourage and minister to them, and I would like to read the bible once in the next 18 months, (or twice in three years), and more generally I would like to read and write more often. I intend to speak to people at University about the possibilities for my Masters so watch this space.

In 2006 I also am looking forward to the Australian Open Tennis, the World Cup (Australia’s first in 32 years); a few more concerts, and I am sure there will be other pleasant surprises through the course the year as well.

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