Reflections

This is the time of year when we stand at the crossroads and look both ways, backward and forward. What did we do with our time in the past year? How did we fail or succeed? What are the projections for the next year?

What did we do in 2017?

• Had family sale in January for Leroy's mom
• I started on an assignment to write a book on the history of the John F Martin company
• I spoke at 18 Mennonite schools in February and March
• Had public sale for Leroy's mom in April
• Caught our breath in May
• We celebrated our 50th anniversary in July and were honored with a party in August
• My book, Loyalty Test, finally appeared on the market the beginning of August
• I was the main speaker on a Burkholder tour arranged by the historical society in September
• I started a new writing project in October and the John F Martin book was released
• We went to see The Ark in Kentucky and Flight 93 Memorial in November and I finished crocheting an afghan
• I reached "threescore years and ten" in December

What are the plans for 2018?

• Get great-grandparent degree in January
• Go to Sarasota in March (haven't been there since 1972)
• Finish current writing project
• Scrapbook 2017 pictures

     Tentative plans

• have a quilting
• crochet an afghan
• retire from Shank Door (???)

And of course there's all the daily routines to fill the days and goals in other areas. There's the perennial need to lose weight, grow grace and knowledge of the Lord, and keep learning new things. There is no end mark for some of those  things. I'll turn my face toward 2018 and keep plugging away as long as I live.