Remembering 2008...

Last year around this time I reflected on the year, so I thought I would do it again for 2008. So, here is a look back on my year as recorded on this blog...

• Started my year with a desire to re-arrange my time. I tried for a few weeks to be out of the office on Mondays and Wednesdays in order to get a lot done. However, that only lasted a few weeks.
• My old truck got a new clutch. I thought I was going to have this truck for a long time, but I sold it in February. I still see it around town which is cool. I had a lot of great memories in that truck. It was with me for 10 years.
• On January 4, OtherPeopleMatter did it's first project. What a fun ride it's been this year with OPM!
• This is what I look like when the Chargers win! I also look like this after a close win by the Chargers.
• I didn't take a picture of myself when they lost!
• Every kid needs one of these at some point in their life.
• My friend Josh started to blog on January 7, 2008!
• This book really challenged me.
  
• This year I started using coupons. While I had great intentions, I did fully utilize this site.
• This quote on the kingdom of God and the church messed me up - authentic relationships make the church relevant!
• Left for South Africa on February 1. What a great trip. Some great friendships came out of that trip, and it's a trip I will always remember! This trip rocked my world, and it was a ton of work!!! To read more about the trip, click here, here, here, and here (this day was crazy!).
• Identified qualifications I would look for when hiring a new team member. I would add one more to this list -- a willingness to do whatever it takes to see the church succeed.
• I bought a new car on February 18, 2008. I signed on the dotted line right when a man from Detroit entered the dealership to buy the car. He drove 3 hours in a snow storm to purchase that car. Here's a picture of my sweet ride! It's still running great and I can fill up on $15! I love it.
  
• Began a teaching series on the book of Joshua called Yo-Yo. That was one of my favorite series of the year.
• I hated my snow shovel last February! I hoped that I would have a new one by now, but I don't. I used my frustration with my snow shovel to talk about a frustration I have with people in ministry. It was a pretty good post.
• Earn the right to be heard - If you take a new job, don't offer advice or your opinion for one whole year. Just work your butt off!
• Started watching American Idol. David Cook was my man from the beginning!
• Gave myself the job title - utility pastor. I'm still using it today even though some people don't like it!
• Peoples response to the Yo-Yo series was great! They were really digging it!
• Mallory used an interesting tool to get a bugger out of Elliana's nose!
• Every Tuesday I was fascinated with American Idol. My wife even interviewed Chris Sligh -- it was a great interview!
• First time I heard about the "One Prayer" campaign. This was a great series.
• On April 4, I finally admitted I was addicted to coffee! Still drinking a few cups a day.
• Deadliest Catch became my new favorite show on Tuesdays after American Idol!
• I became a member of a Rock Band!
• Teenagers "facebooked" me from the bus on the way home from Biloxi. Here's what one person said, "Hey Dave, it's me. I'm on the bus. Biloxi really moved me! I will have to say that this was a life changing experience and its changed how I view life and helped me appreciate friends/fam. God is amazing."
• The Biloxi trip was a HUGE learning experience for me!
• I still want these to be my work uniforms! I think they would be cool!
• My daughter Mallory is crazy!
• Learned some great leadership lessons - "Transparency is the sign of a healthy community. Leaders must lead the way by being transparent. Be vulnerable. Be honest. He open." "If trust is your issue, then openness is your solution."
• On May 9 I became myself again after a crazy season.
• My daughter loves dogs! A TON of people left a comment on this post. I have some dog lovers who read this blog! It's going to be a long time until we get a dog!
• My kitchen got a makeover.
• Our volunteer appreciation dinner was a blast!
• My daughter gave a mean look after a little girl pushed her!
• I loved the new Haworth World Headquarters!
• I believe in myself - this was one of my favorite posts from 2008!
• I got a new phone -- I went with the cheap phone, but it only lasted a few hours. I took it back and got the blackberry. I love my blackberry!
• Made a great video for the graduating class of 2008!!!
• I got some crap for going on vacation.
• Tried to lose weight last summer. Didn't really work. I wanted to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks, but I didn't. I'm still at the same weight.
• Tried to ride my bike to work during the summer. I think I only accomplished this twice! Oh well, at least I tried!
• July 1 - We are having another girl!!! Surprise. Surprise. Surprise.
• Posted about this amazing story. To bad it wasn't true. That's was one of my biggest disappointments of 2008.
• Got a new office. Still waiting for the steak dinner that I won because I secured this new office.
  
• On July 25, we got serious about tackling debt. I got so serious I took my shirt off! We are currently at $8,000. That's down from a high of $12,000. Not bad, but still a long way to go. Need to get back to the Finances Friday thing!
• My girls have a little bit of country in them!
• August 3 - the worst Sunday of the year for me! This is why I was disappointed, and that led to me asking the question - can a person disappoint God?
• I had fun playing with this website. Yearbookyourself.com
• Went on a great date with my daughter Elliana. We made mugs! Later, I went on a date with Mallory. We made a "building bear." I think it's time to go on another date with my daughters.
  
• This machine changed my life!
• Launched the new LVC website. That was a pain in the butt!
• Launched OtherPeopleMatter.org. Some really cool things have come out of OtherPeopleMatter.org! Like this. And this.
  
• I can't wait to be like these old guys!
  
• I send a lot of e-mails - From July 7 to October 7 - 776 e-mails. Now it's 1,376 since July 7.
• I still laugh when I see this video!
• I learned that guys communicate differently than girls.
• I want another tattoo, but I don't know what to get!
  
• I loved my halloween costume. My wife really came through with the last minute addition of a farmer's tan!
• I voted for ___________ and received a free coffee from starbucks!
• People were really upset when I talked about the election here. And I was disappointed by the number of comments when I asked people to pray for President-Elect Obama!
• Piper Jean came into the world!
• Blown away by the responsibility of rasing three daughters. Here's what I want them to know.
• My friend came over to snowblow my driveway. Thanks Matt!

Wow!!! What a year. It's always interesting to look back on the year and see all that happened and discover how God moved in my life. There were some definite highlights from the year -- my trip to africa, my new car, the birth of my daughter, the launch of OtherPeopleMatter, and the transitional time at the vineyard. What a crazy year. But here I am again at the end of the year, and all I can say is God is good! He's faithful, and I'm looking forward to 2009 and what's in store!