2020 Year End Wrap-Up

My word for 2020 is *Choose.* My lockscreen on my phone says:

CHOOSE
Choose God,
chooses faith,
choose health,
choose love,
choose gratitude,
choose contentment

Even with COVID restrictions taking a lot of choices away, I can always choose my attitude and how I respond. I did face some struggles, especially with the kids' schooling and our dog's cancer diagnosis (she's still doing okay!), but for the most part I did choose well. There is a lot of time that I wasted on nonsense when I could have been choosing better things to do, but I did make progress on my goals and started some new things - online college classes, being more adventurous in meal planning and cooking, trying a few new programs and online courses. I stretched myself, stepping out of my introverted tendencies and grew in many ways.

Choose God/faith - I have been reading through the Bible more often, I started doing new devotions through the Youversion Bible app every morning (I'm doing a few Advent ones now), I joined an Online Bible Study all about Worship

Choose health - I joined an online group called Healthy Free Life Academy and am doing their 40 Day Food Revival beta program right now, I have been getting up with DH at 4:15 am at least 3-4 times a week to exercise at the neighborhood fitness center (now that it is open again) plus going on walks and hikes with him

Choose love - I had many dates with DH and some one on one time with the kiddos, I have tried to encourage friends and family during this hard time

Choose gratitude - I have journaled so many thanks to God this past year, I could never show Him just how grateful I am for His Presence in my life

Choose contentment - this goes along with gratitude, I have enjoyed my home more and found contentment in our life here, not comparing or wishing for more, less coveting and jealousy as the year has gone on, I am really at peace - God is the Great Provider and He blesses me so richly

Even though 2020 has been so bizarre and unreal, I have learned to love my life in a new way. One full of hope for 2021.