OK, I’m totally doing this at the 11th hour (literally), but I gotta close out this year in style.
I’m not gonna lie…it was a very very tough year.
Lots of challenges. Lots of casualties.
Broken relationships, missed goals, and nearly an emotional breakdown of sorts.
I’ve had my own season of personal hell.
But the great thing is tonight, it ends. 2011 is finished.
I’m not a fan of top 10 lists, so you get 11 highlights from me.
In no particular order:
- Live recording with other worship leaders at the LIFT Conference
Discovered a massive worship leader collective taking place in Atlanta around mid-February. Matt Redman was doing a live recording with a new batch of songs. I didn’t have to think — I just booked my place and went! Gathered with 1000+ worship pastors/leaders for teaching, songwriting, and above all, worship. Too amazing.
. - A trip to Taiwan (finally)
I’ve never been, always wanted to go. So my Mom thought it was time and the three of us (my dad held down the fort) visited the mother’s motherland. Outside of Taipei, I remembered how calm and refreshing the countryside was like. Walking down the same streets my mother grew up on was ridiculously humbling and gratifying. God has been so good to us.
. - Concerts, concerts, concerts
I think I went to four, but I’ll settle for the big ones. Hillsong United “Aftermath” tour in a sold out Staples Center and David Crowder*Band “7 Tour” (featuring John Mark McMillan, Gungor, and Chris August) were some of the best I’ve been to. Rocking out to Jesus and being alive in this world is priceless.
. - Last ministry successes
Despite some major setbacks, I was able to pull-through in a few ministries from my last church. These would be the youth worship team and the senior high school fellowship. All things considered, both were successes because we finished the school year and came out on a high note. We all grew and I’m proud of everyone involved.
. - Go-Karting at a bachelor party
My friend Garth was getting hitched and to celebrate his last days as a single dude, we went golfing and go-karting. Since some of us suck at the first one (including me), it was a total BLAST for the go-karting. In mid-May, if you found a bunch of grown men in their late 20s or 30s bouncing around the race tracks and screaming like schoolboys having the time of their lives, see if any of these guys in the picture look familiar. It was probably us.
. - Canyoneering in Utah
Two year ago, a couple buddies and I scaled Half-Dome and much of Yosemite to take in some spectacular sights and fun climbing. We felt it was time to take another trip of that sort and we weren’t disappointed. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then be prepared to have your mind blown from what to say from these sights we saw.
. - Catching up with old friends
As the years go by, it becomes pretty tough to keep in touch with friends you made in college and before that (unless they are in some way part of your daily or weekly living). But with a little initiative and some good timing, I caught up with several people I haven’t seen in years. I think the thing that gets me every time is how much we’ve changed and yet, how easily to reconnect if we try just a little bit. I’m grateful for friends to walk through this crazy journey.
. - Surviving ALL of ”Insanity” without losing my mind
Yes, I actually did ALL 60 days of this madness. No shortcuts. All hard work and determination. Someday, I will make a post of some of my personal advice and key ways to get through it. But for now, here’s to good health, ’cause that’s something we have to look out for as long as we’re alive.
. - Weddings
More years passing means more people getting married. Simply math (not really). I lost track of the exact number, but I think it was five or more for this year. In addition to DJing for Garth’s wedding, I also had a chance to attend my vineyard wedding in the beautiful town of Saratoga. Fine wine and some great dining with my college fellowship buddies made for a very pleasant celebration of my friend Jen.
. - Music
I’m a worship leader and aspiring artist. I really think that any good thing that comes out of music for me is proof that God’s hand is on it, not because Albert is talented. I wanna serve the local church and help people see the Jesus behind the sounds. Whether it involved playing songs in different gatherings and getting a chance to lead people to His throne monthly, it’s only too gratifying to have a part in it. Songwriting is so soul-soothing too. Just keeping at it like it’s a devotional.
. - Laker game on the last day of 2011
Check this. I get a message at 1:21AM this morning from an ol’ floormate friend of mine from college. We haven’t made contact for at least 8 years, but she has an extra ticket to the Laker game today and asked if I can go. Um, no freaking way. Oh. Heck. Yes. Many hours of catching up over a closely contested game and I am seriously loving the spontaneity of it all. Thank Lyn for perhaps the best surprise I ever had on the last day of a year.
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Whew, that’s it.
