23 in 2023

"The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." – Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace.

Thought I'd do another year-in-the-life-of-La post.  It's been a while.  Since it's 2023, I'm going to list my 23 favorites - not in any order except the first will be my most favorite.  Here we go!

BIBLE VERSES:

John 15:11 (my word for the year is JOY)

Jeremiah 33:6-7

Isaiah 26:3

Joshua 1:5-9

Exodus 15:26

Psalm 32:8

Ephesians 1:19

Proverbs 31:25

Matthew 16:20

Ruth 2:12

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Nehemiah 1:4-11

Proverbs 16:24

Daniel 9

Hosea 6:1,3

Zephaniah 3:17

Matthew 15:28

John 6:29

Romans 5:1-5

Ephesians 6:10-20

Revelation 1:10

Mark 13:33

Jeremiah 15:16

SONGS:

Holy Forever by CeCe Winans

Praise (feat. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore) by Elevation Worship
Feels Like A Blessing by Benjamin William Hastings & JUDAH

Stuck Together by Joey McIntyre and the Bravehearts

I Rise by Pentatonix

Hallelujah Anyway by Rend Collective

Happy Now by Pentatonix

I Have Seen the Lord (Live) by Antioch Music

You Got My Heart by NKOTB

Gratitude (Live) by Avalon

Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful) by Phil Wickham

Praise You Anywhere by Brandon Lake

Pray For Me by Forrest Frank & Powfu

As I Am Still (feat. Chloe Williams) by Saint Augustine's Music

Oh But God by Davy Flowers

Down in My Heart (Joy) by Joseph O'Brien

This is the Gospel by ELEVATION RHYTHM & Joe L Barnes

In Your Eyes by Christy Nockels

Sunday is Coming by Phil Wickham

However You Want to (feat. Karen Espinosa & Kendall James) by Family Music

What are we Waiting For? by for KING & COUNTRY & CeCe Winans

Seasons by Thirty Seconds to Mars

Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble (Live) by UPPERROOM & Elyssa Smith

MOVIES:

Journey To Bethlehem

The Little Mermaid (the new, live action one)

Wonka

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Leo

NYAD

Love at First Sight

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

A Man Called Otto

Lady Chatterly's Lover

The Wedding Year

Saw X

Past Lives

Maybe I Do

Flora and Son

Family Switch

The Family Plan

Still:  A Michael J. Fox Film

The Beanie Bubble

Tetris

Quiz Lady

Genie

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

TV SHOWS:

MAX:

The Gilded Age

Netflix:

Workin' Moms

Queen Charlotte

Alchemy of Souls

FUBAR

The Recruit

The Night Agent

Partner Track

Elite

The Tailor

The Hookup Plan 

Obliterated

Survival Of The Thickest

Glamorous 

Apple TV+:

Buccaneers

Shrinking 

Peacock:

The Irrational

The Way Home

Hulu:

Will Trent

The Wedding Agreement

Paramount+:

Lioness

Amazon Prime:

Wheel Of Time

The Summer I Turned Pretty

 

BOOKS:

I only read 30 books this year and most weren't that great...so this won't have 23.

The Bible

Court of Thorn & Roses series by (5 in the series, I'm almost done with the last one)

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Joy and Strength by Candace Cameron Bure

The Practice of The Presence Of God by A.W. Tozer

Red Moon Rising by Pete Grieg

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher

Next In Line by Jeffrey Archer

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

A Christmas Memory by Richard Paul Evans

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

SIGNS OF THE TIMES:

• Average price of a home in America:  $412,000 as of September 2023.
• Average price of fuel in America:  $3.09/gallon for regular unleaded.  Colorado is at $2.79.
• I have a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (it has the S-Pen) and Travis has the iPhone 12 Pro and we both have smart watches.
• There is a war going on in Israel:  Since the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has conducted numerous airstrikes in densely populated Palestinian refugee camps in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank as part of its military operations in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.
• There is a war going on between Russia and Ukraine. It started in 2022 and continues.
• AI - whew.  I'm equally terrified and excited by Artificial Intelligence. 

2023 was a year to remember.  I WENT TO PARIS!  I still dream about it, think about it, talk about it ad nauseum, and still can't believe it.

It was also the year of cancer.  So many loved ones (myself included) are fighting it.  Mom, Andy, Stephanie, Jill, Drew, Joe (one of Travis's guide buddies)  GAH.  If one more person....

I changed jobs in 2023.  AT&T farted on my face and I was SO BLESSED to get hired at Consumer Care Direct Network.  I worked there before moving to Denver and I'm so happy to be back.  I get to work from home full time and TRAVEL!  Next month I'm going to Chicago and/or Missoula (vendor management is part of my role and it's their annual meeting, not sure where yet).

We were blessed with a new pastor for church in 2023.  God said, "You know, you've been obedient through the trials, I'm going to send you my best."  Jim & Sue Ladd are gems on fire for Jesus.

I was sponsored (by Bonnie Freeman) got accepted into Order of the Mustard Seed - Year of Preparation and acquired a Spiritual Director (Tamara Murphy). 

I joined the Board of TUMI of Colorado.  Because of staffing, we can't do volunteer programs at the prison during the weekdays (most were in the evenings during the week).  Right now, TUMI gets one hour on Sundays.  Since I can't do most Sunday's I haven't volunteered since early 2020.  I really miss it, but being on the board, I can stay connected and still serve.  I am the Secretary and it's awesome.