Looking Over My Shoulder

Here are my personal highlights (in no particular order) as I reflect on what was '07:

• Sitting in the hot springs at Banff while the snow fell around us
• Retreat at Kananaskis
• Coffee with my buddy Andrew who was visiting from TO
• Superbowl party at Cody's place
• Receiving a copy of Furious Pursuit from Tim King himself
• Sledding with my kids
• Going on a personal retreat at Kingsfold
• The adult fellowship murder mystery
• Going to see 300 on the big screen with a few of the boys
• Joel's hockey tournament in Edmonton where they took it all on a goal by him
• Game 5 playoff hockey between the Flames & Wings, it went to double overtime - unfortunately the Flames lost
• Beginning a mentoring relationship with Kevin (he has been a huge help to me)
• Blue Elephant & Porn Sunday
• Golfing at Turner Valley with the guys
• Being front row center for Julia's ballet concert
• Jacob drumming at his recital as Berkley accompanied him on guitar with "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
• Camping at Salmon Arm, Shrek at the Drive In, picking cherries in the Okanogan, visiting my friend Sean at his cafe & the Dutchmen Dairy
• Spending the day with our good friends Jason & Sarah after not seeing them in 12 years and getting to meet their miracle baby, Abigail
• The Millarville market
• Camping at Lake Louise, visiting Moraine Lake, driving up through the mountains to walk on the glacier & visiting Jasper - all with Leslie's mom during her visit
• Camping in Kananaskis
• Camping with our church fam
• Peel & Sarah moved to Calgary
• Tattoo convention
• Rekindling a relationship with Bram & Anita
• Beginning a mentoring relationship with Keith (this guys has meant more to Leslie & I so far then he knows)
• Receiving the Volunteer of the Year award with Leslie for our work in Deer Run with DRCC
• Seeing the Flyers beat the Flames in the home opener with Joel at the Saddledome (I've never seen the Flyers play in all these years as a fan)
• 3rd annual Turkey Bowl
• Road trip to Edmonton w/Berkley to see In This Moment, Rob Zombie & the prince of darkness himself - OZZY
• Conference in Ottawa w/Leslie - getting to spend some time with Pernell, Mike & a few other good friends
• Seeing Sid the kid with Jacob at the dome vs. the Flames
• Meeting Bret Hart with my kids & getting his book autographed
• Spending time with the Bailey fam
• Going to see "The Sound of Music" with the fam
• Meeting & getting to know Ron & Toni
• Getting a cake from Phil & Amanda as a thank you for our 3 years at South Meadows
• Countless coffees, meals & conversations with friends on the journey

Fav movies of 2007 (no particular order):

• TMNT
• Transformers
• Pirates 3
• Shrek the Third
• The Bourne Ultimatum
• Simpsons Movie
• Spiderman 3
• 300
• Beowulf at the IMAX
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Gone Baby Gone
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Fav music downloads of 2007 (no particular order):

• David Crowder Band - Remedy
• The Cult - Born into this
• In This Moment - Beautiful Tragedy
• Ozzy - Black Rain
• Billy Talent - 666
• Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
• K-OS - Atlantis: Hymns for Disco

Fav books read in 2007 (no particular order):

• Hitman
• The Present Future
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Furious Pursuit
• Spiritual Direction
• Divine Nobodies
• Exiles
• An Emergent Manifesto of Hope

Lowlight of 2007:

• The closing of our church. This was the hardest year for me personally in ministry. Sometimes misunderstood, misbelieved & working under the destructive tension of trying to live the way I believe while attempting to minister in an opposite way I don't buy into any longer.

God, it's been a good one! Here's to the next one...