Lessons from 2009

I stopped making New Year's Resolutions a long time ago, but, looking backward, here are nine things I learned in 2009:

1.) A family of nine produces a heck of a lot of trash.

2.) The prospect of losing everything wonderfully clarifies the mind.

3.) It's good to have a spouse who watches your back.

4.) Tuesdays at Carmella's is best before 5:30 pm.

5.) An ounce of authentic friendship is worth a pound of exciting stage ministry.

6.) Responding to enraged critics is like stepping in dog doo.

7.) Having young children is like watching the Sermon on the Mount.

8.) The faithfulness of Jesus has saved my skin.

9.) We're all natural screwups who start things that go nowhere and stop things that are working, but somehow God helps us bear fruit anyway.