Looking back at 2017

Today, I’ve been looking back at 2017.  It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone.  It seems only a few weeks ago I posted in Facebook, “Today I am retired!” and yet it has been a year.  2017 is almost in the past as we look forward to 2018.

Busyness of Life

It’s funny that people always think you have all this free time when you retire.  I suppose some people actually do have free time, but I haven’t met many retirees like that.  More and more people I talk with find themselves busier than ever.  Why is that?

I recently started writing down the things I accomplished each day on my calendar so I can prove to myself I’m being productive.  It helps to look back over the year and be able to say “yes, I DID accomplish things.”

Memories of 2017

Each year seems to pass faster and faster as I age.  I remember as a child, I could hardly wait for each year to pass so I would be a year older.  Now, I want to savor each day.

Here’s a partial list of things we did this past year:

• Helped our church staff redesign the church’s website, built and launched it.  You can check it out at Open Door Baptist Church in K.C.

• Went on a cruise in May.  We took our daughter and oldest son and their “significant others” with us.  It was such fun to spend time with them.  (We missed our youngest son and his wife, but his job, selling their house and life were too complicated at the time.)

• Made umpteen trips to our lake cabin to finish the renovation, organize things and just plain relax.  (It was wonderfully relaxing.)

• Had friends and family join us at the lake for fishing, tubing and skiing.

• Visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast to see my mom and my brother and his family.  Had seafood at McElroys in Ocean Springs.  Yummmmm.

• Started a blog about retirement after taking some online courses about web development.  Yep, designed my website and built it – all on my own.  I’m definitely not too old to learn.  : )

• Helped plan our church’s Ladies’ Retreat, created the workbook for the ladies, and gave one of three speeches that weekend.

• Played golf.  Lots of golf.  And loved it!

• Sang in our church’s Christmas Cantata.

• Met new people and made new friends.

• “Discovered” Netflix and British murder mysteries.  I’m hooked!

Hope for 2018

We never know as we go into a new year what it will bring.  Will it bring happiness?  Peace?  Joy?  Financial security?  Or will it bring loss, sadness, more financial bondage?

The choice is yours.  “What???”

Yes, YOU choose how you will respond to each new challenge that shows up in your life.  Will you meet each challenge head-on?  When others need help, will you help them?  Even more important – when you need help, will you let someone help you?  You may be stealing someone else’s joy when you refuse help from them.

Will you cherish the love and look for the joy in your life?

Don’t spend all your time looking back at 2017.  Look forward to 2018.  Let’s make the new year the best year yet!!  Next year, I hope we can all reflect on the year 2018 and say, “This was the best year EVER!”

What about your 2017?  Was it your best ever?  Leave comments below.