Happy New Year/Year End Review

Hi guys, Happy New Year to you and if you are reading this better be grateful to be alive and to see this because with the number of deaths I heard about in 2014, it truly is a blessing to see this new year. I got back in from Nigeria yesterday and was supposed to do my year in review but I had a harrowing journey that took me on 4 countries in different continents and totally took the strength out of me and i was barely able to hold myself up. All I can say is waka to the airline industry.

Anyways, every end of the year, for the last few years, I feel somewhat embarrassed when I am not gushing about how great the year was and blah blah especially since I see people saying how God was good to them and it was a great year and this year will be even better etc. I think I feel embarrassed because I begin to think it's my fault that I did not have a good year cuz I can't possibly figure out why I can't gush about my year.

2014 was a tough year. It started out well and I was so full and determined to be as optimistic as I can but then it took a fast nose dive. The most notable was losing my Aunt to cancer and dealing with my mom's cancer spreading. But if my cousin who lost her mom and had a number of unfortunate events happen to her can send me a message saying that in all things we should still be grateful to God, then who am i to wallow? So instead of focusing on the negatives I will recount my blessings of 2014.

• I got a promotion at work and got a better position in our corporate office and got to move out of Texas to the East Coast. It's been a positive experience and who would have thunk that my job is the most stable thing in my life at the moment. I am thankful to have an understanding boss who has allowed me to spend time than anticipated in Nigeria caring for my mom. She even gave me a christmas card with a massage gift card telling me to take care of myself.
• My health wasn't at topmost level but compared to the horror of last year it was sooo much better and I am truly grateful to have had a pseudo low key year of good health.
• My brother and his girlfriend finally got engaged (finally because 8 years of dating. they started dating young). She's a really good person and we all like her and she makes him happy. My brother is my heartbeat so the whole process was very exciting. It was nice being there for it and involving my mom and a bright spot for our family.
• Thankful for all the good music and good tv shows that kept me company in 2014 and helped serve as distractions in tough times.
• Grateful for strength to deal with things as they show up in life and not giving yp no matter how many times I felt like it.
• My biggest blessing this year was support and love from my friends. I don't think I can ever express my gratitude for how people rallied to help me financially to help with my mom's bills. Especially my college friends, some of who I have not spoken to in some time. I was truly touched by it. Not only financially but prayer wise and offering words of comfort and just checking up. I definitely did not  take that for granted and this was a huge huge blessing for me in 2014.

Those are a few of the highlights. For the upcoming year, I want to be a better person and expect great things in my life. I plan to work on stressing less and reducing my anxiety and realize that some things are out of my hands so it is best to just surrender to God and hope for the best. I want to continue my line of thinking that not everyone is meant to be in your life and that is okay. A big thing I do want to work on is to stop comparing my journey to everyone else especially when I do not know the behind the scenes. I plan to learn to focus on my own lane and work on improving it instead of wasting time wondering why it is not like xyz's. 

I hope for a wonderful year and I will continue to try to be optimistic and wait for "joy to cometh". I wish you and yours a wonderful year. A year of fulfillment, contentment and happiness. May we all experience the joy of the Lord and continue to see his hands in our life even if it is in the littlest of places and may we always be grateful.

Here's to a wonderful year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!