Saturday, January 1, 2011

2010 A Reflection

Today is the start of a new year.  As 2011 unfolds, it will be interesting to see what is in store for us.  Looking back on 2010, if someone had told me on January 1, 2010 that I would be moving to the Ozarks, I would have laughed.

January of 2010, I was doing weekly updates of our life and our usage of electricity and gasoline as well as a quick catch-up blog posts of homesteading and homeschooling.  I was in weight watchers.  I was posting weekly goals.  (Ironically, one of the goals on Jan 1, 2010 was to get in more shooting.  Some things don't change.) 

2010 has seen its share of frustrations, heart-ache, and a bleed-over from the nightmare that was 2009.  It has also brought its share of joys, successes, trials, and triumphs.  In January of 2010, I never dreamed we would be living here at this time.  Being off grid had been a dream of ours.  It was one of the reasons for the weekly meter readings.  How much do we use so khow much are we going to have to provide for ourselves?  We now have the answer and we provide it.  Well, God does with the wind and the sun.

Our big dreams are being realized.  The things we have been working towards are now real.  It is amazing what 2010 brought us. 

It also brought out people who really despise people living their dreams.  It caused me to have to lock my blog and only allow people I know to read it.  And yes, this goes to facebook as well.  I am locked on facebook as well.  I can not be found through a random search and no one can read anything I post unless they are on my friends list. 

I went from having a very public blog where anyone can find and read it (and hopefully learn from our experience) and share their insight to "Keep Out" because of how vicious people can be.  Half-truths, innuendos, and outright lies made for a huge mess and I found myself getting into fights on my own blog.  My life is my life and does not need defending.  I also don't need people threatening us.  So, I made the painful choice to lock it.  Will I ever unlock it?  I don't know.  I doubt it.  While I miss the feedback and honest questions, I don't miss the drama.

I've met some wonderful people this year as well.  Some will be lasting friends and some will just pass through and be acquaintances.  Either way, life and time connects people both good and bad.  Some friendships have been made stronger this past year and others have crumbled.  I did learn something, though.  Well, not learn so much as confirm an obvious.  When people try to be friends with you and they start out with lies and build on lies, when those lies are found out, the friendship crumbles.  Or as Bethany put it, "Lying is bad and people who lie are not your friend."

As we march forth into 2011, we will continue to live by our morals and principles extending our hearts and hands to anyone who needs help while living each day as God would have us.  We plan for the future whatever that may bring and live in today knowing that God has blessed us.

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