I like end-of-the year retrospectives. The Today Show on NBC had a prime-time hour-long look back at 2008 a few nights ago. Time Magazine has a list of the Top 10 of Everything. I am sure there will be more of that type of thing in the next few days.
My family experienced many firsts this year: My husband’s first trips to China and Brazil; Jeremy’s first trip out of the country accompanying his dad to Brazil; Jesse’s first time to make the JV basketball team; Jason’s engagement, the first of our children to take that important step. My mother-in-law moved to SC from ID, the first time we’ve ever had one of our parents living so near us.
At the end of the past two years I’ve taken a look back at my blog, reposting the first sentence of the first post of each month. So let’s see what ushered in each new month of Stray Thoughts:
January:
Biblical Resolutions: “I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions any more — not the kind you forget about by March.”
February:
A Winner!: “I used the Random.Org Integer Generator to determine the winner of my Bloggy Carnival Giveaway of the book The Greatest Love Stories Ever Told.”
March:
Whom God Has Joined: “Next to reading the Bible, reading missionary books has had the greatest impact on my Christian life. Isobel Kuhn’s books have been among the greatest of those to me.”
April:
Thanks!: “Thanks so much for your kind words and prayers concerning my earlier post. I saw the doctor today. She said I did still have cellulitis, but did not prescribe another round of antibiotics.”
May:
“You can’t say ‘No’ until you pray about it“: “I am “rerunning” this post because…I need it!”
June:
Prayer Request: “Heather’s daughter, Emma Grace. whom many of you know, appears to be in heart failure or rejection of her transplanted heart.”
July:
Caring for elderly parents: “I mentioned a while back that my mother-in-law is moving here to SC from Idaho.”
August:
Show and Tell: Paula Vaughan Collection: “Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home hosts ‘Show and Tell Friday.'”
September:
A Laborious Meme: “Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer is hosting a meme for Labor Day about labor — the kind that results in delivering a child.”
October:
Peace Child: “I first encountered Peace Child by Don Richardson several years ago in the Reader’s Digest Book Section.”
November:
A winner!: “The winner of the Christian Victorian Christmas novels via Random.Org is Katelyn.”
December:
Blue Monday & etc.: “We had a bit of drama this morning when Jim’s mom called about 7:30 a.m. saying her hearing aid was broken.”
Contests, memes, book reviews, thoughts from Scripture, prayer requests, family happenings, and assorted other stray thoughts — yep, that just about sums up my blog. 🙂
Updated to add: Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home is hostessing a Mr. Linky where those who do this exercise can link and enjoy looking back through the year together here.
Stray Thoughts 
A year ago, we had not “met.”
Ohhhhhhh I remember doing this last year too! I guess I’ll get it together before New Years… maybe even tomorrow… maybe.
Hi Barbara,
It seems like you have had a productive and full year! New Year Blessings to you and yours!
It looks like you had quite a few really interesting “firsts” this year! Hope the coming year will be just as wonderful and exciting!
Happy New Year!
This is my first visit to your blog and I really enjoyed your “firsts.” Your retrospectives are great. I would like to thank you for your expression of sympathy over the sudden passing of my husband. I should be back to blogging sometime this week.
With love,
Sweetie
I loved reading this, this is one thing I love about blogging; it allows you to look back and chart your feelings, thoughts, and events.
Blessings.
I enjoyed reading this. All of the sentences made sense and stood alone. I’m not sure mine would. I like looking back at changes and firsts for your family. I do make goals for the new year. They have to do with growing in faith and becoming a better person. I’m afraid that getting healthy tops the list as usual. I think it is a worthy goal, losing weight figures in there. Last year, I did it to get my cholestrol down to a better number before my check up in March so that I wouldn’t have to take any medication. I so-o need to do it for the same reason but many more. Lately, I’ve become lax in my walking routine. I can tell it. My Arthritis is paining me.
Mama Bear
I enjoyed reading your year in review – quite a lot went on in your life and it is such a blessing to have all of the ups and downs recorded to be remembered! Thank you for sharing!
Despite all the ups and downs, God has been good in 2008 and may He continue to do His work in your life and through you! I’m glad to have found a friend in you. Thank you for sharing!
It’s fun to look back, isn’t it, and see where each month started off.