2022 in review

I decided to reflect on this past year and do a yearly reflection post.

2022 highlights

January

• Starting off the New Year hiking at Fall Creek Falls with Charlie, Cliff, and Riley (the retired guy) on our way home from a short get-away
• Attending my niece's baby shower
• My great niece was born!

February

• Minister's Convocation in Pigeon Forge with Amy Oden (making it two times in 5 months I got to hear her speak)

March

• 18 year Anniversary

April

• Charlie's 21st birthday and our surprise trip to NYC to celebrate with him!
• First time to be able to do Easter sunrise service in cemetery! at Forest Hills
• Residency #3 at Columbia Theological Seminary in the Spiritual Direction program

May

• I attended my first wrestling event in Red Bank with Charlie

June

• attended MooFest in Athens, TN for my 2nd year
• Holston Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska with extra days for hiking
• Family trip to Park City, Utah so my dad could visit his sister!

July

• Officially began family leave of absence and working for my parents-- family ministry
• FUMSDRL/HOF virtual retreat with Carrie Newcomer

August

• Family trip to a cabin in Hayesville, NC
• Family trip to Grassy Creek, NC
• I tested positive for Covid for the first time (and only so far)

September

• Charlie flew back to NYC for school-- and I said good bye outdoors from a distance
• Went to Welcome Home of Chattanooga with Riley to meet the director (and have been volunteering ever since)
• Gave Sanctifying Grace talk on an Emmaus Walk

October

• Had our 40th High School reunion-- how did time go by so quickly!?!?!
• Charlie flew in for the weekend and we attended a super and wonderful wedding!
• Colorado trip-- spent time in Grand Lake and got to see cousins, hike, etc.

November

• Residency #4 at Columbia Theological Seminary in the Spiritual Direction program (final residency)
• Went to Buccee's for first time

December

• Reconnected with former Bryan College student at the Erlanger waiting room
• I gave blood again for the first time in a long time! I am O- so I like to give blood.
• Charlie came home for the holiday break
• Got to spend Christmas Eve with family and share in family dinner and game playing and gift exchange
• Spent the last 3 days of the year hiking a total of 10 miles

There are many other activities, events, and adventures that happened in 2022. Brunches, coffee meetings, phone calls, lunches, dinners, etc. 

Overall, it has been a year focused on family. I have been able to visit with cousins who have traveled through here or near here and we have traveled to see them. We have spent much time with our grown kids and that is a gift. I have spent time with my family of origin and that, too, is a gift. We have seen Riley's brother and sister and extended family.  Wonderful times.

I hiked quite a bit this past year. Though I didn't record all the hikes, I did record 30 hikes this past year, totaling 56.39 miles and 34 and a half hours of hiking. I didn't quite make what I did last year in 2021, which was 72.33 miles, 38 hikes, and 45 and a quarter hours of hiking. A great hike I haven't posted about yet was during our Colorado hike. I might go back and post that one. It was around a lake and in the woods. It had snowed and was beautiful.

I didn't ride my bike hardly at all in 2022. I can definitely beat this year's record. I clocked 17 miles. Last year I rode 154.44 miles. In 2020 even more. One reason for not riding was rain. Another has been getting into my schedule going back and forth to Dalton. A solution is for me to put the bike on the bike rack and take it with me. Then, I can stop and ride.

Though I didn't record all my walks, I did record 67.57 miles of them. That doesn't come close to the recorded 220 from last year, but it's okay. I was still moving. 

I have room for improvement in the realm of exercise. 

2022 was a year of transitioning for me.... transitioning out of pulpit/church ministry into family and family business ministry. I'm still learning, but I've learned quite a bit about the businesses. I still get to preach some and do other types of ministry that use my gifts and graces.

I meet monthly with Bamboo Encounter, an outdoor worship service. That's a great time of worship in God's creation that brings peace and wholeness to my soul.

I meet with a Spiritual Director, a therapist, a Supervisor, and directees monthly. These connections offer me perspective, healing, life, and glimpses of the Holy Spirit working in mysterious ways.

As I look back through 2022, I recognize that I am guarded about a good portion of it. There was hurt and pain, but I have been working on healing. It has been my goal since reading Henri Nouwen years ago to be a "wounded healer" rather than a "wounded wounder".  There are times when I think I might write about the wounds, the hurt, the pain, the rejection, etc., but I'm not ready yet. I may never be. My focus is on healing so that I am a wounded healer, more whole, more compassionate, more fully me.

Marty was a big part of 2022-- our grand-dog. He and Cliff get along wonderfully. He comes over to play and hang out. He evens stays over. 

I got a wall of built-in bookshelves this year too! Thanks to Riley and Randy! These were intended to hold the books that were currently on four ladder bookshelves and the books at the office. I don't know what happened, but books must multiply. :) 

As 2022 comes to a close, what photos best reflect this year for me? Well, you can look at all the hiking posts to see hiking photos.

Other than that, here are some that I selected:

Happy Father's Day! Utah

family time in Utah

Utah--Bridal Veil Falls

Utah adventures!

Lake Junaluska

Me and Elmo on Pentecost Sunday

Moo Fest

Wrestling Match

Wrestling Match

Marty and Cliff

Baby Stella-- October

NYC Surprise Bday trip

Baby Stella

Marty (young Marty)

My new bookshelves

Fall Creek Falls, 1/1/22

Peace into the New Year!

Deb

Hiking on the 6th day of Christmas-- a new location to me

Yesterday I got to hike a new location to me, Sitton's Gulch Trail. Though I have been to Cloudland Canyon quite a bit, I hadn't heard of this portion at the bottom that takes you to Hemlock Waterfall (without having to descend and ascend all those steps).

It's between 4 and 5 miles in and out. All Trails put it at 4.8 and other sources (see above link) put it a 4.2.  I didn't use my technology, so I couldn't say for sure. All Trails also mentioned a 1,007 elevation, whereas the above link mentioned less. Here is the All Trails link.

One of my cohort colleagues from the spiritual direction program at Columbia Theological Seminary and his wife came up from Decatur, GA because they also have some long time friends in Chattanooga, that we also know. So the six of us, plus a hiking dog, trekked this cool trail that the Chattanooga couple had just hiked the day before.

When you enter the parking lot, it looks like there are bathrooms. They are not bathrooms. They are bat boxes. Interesting. I am not sure why they couldn't put up a bathroom additionally.  There is also a $5 parking fee because it is a State Park.

The trail parallels a creek bed the entire way. At the beginning, the creek bed was dry, so it could have been a run off. But, as the trail continues, you see and hear the water. 

There is a Wildflower Trail that goes off the trail and comes back in and the Case Trail. Neither were explored yesterday, but I understand from a Camp Director that I met on the trail that there is a cave on the Case Trail. Cool! I plan to check out the Wildflower Trail in the Spring to see the wildflowers.

The rocks, the trees, the water, the ice, the icicles, the waterfall. It was a beautiful hike, both visually and aurally. Being able to be near water and to hear the sound of water flowing and sometimes roaring while on a hike is always a gift for me. 

It was also a good time to catch up with people.

In three days, I put in about 10 miles of hiking in the woods. What a great way to end 2022 (it's raining today).

I didn't take lots of pictures along the trail, but I took some. 

Enjoy the photos. 

Taking one step at a time on this adventurous journey called life, 

Deb :)

Here are the photos I took:

On the 5th day of Christmas.... a short walk in the woods

It's becoming a Christmas season theme.... afternoon walks. The weather today was in the low to mid 60s (Fahrenheit), but I didn't check for an exact temperature.

I took off from work a little earlier than normal in order to take advantage of today's weather and an area that is great for walking on the way from the office to I-75.

Being on family leave of absence and working for family allows for those flexible times and days to get out and enjoy creation.

I went to Haig Mill Lake today. I knew I didn't have time to do the entire loop today, so my plan was to go left and go to the dam and back. That is what I did, with a few side stops to a fishing pier, another one at a cool place where two trees make a great photo backdrop, and then by the water's edge to enjoy the lapping water on the edge and feel the breeze blow across the water.

It was a shorter hike/walk today-- a little over 2 miles. 

The nature I enjoyed were pine straw paths, an ivy "forest", the lake, the tree canopy.

There were runners, walkers, other hikers, and even a couple of bicyclists. There were families playing on the playground and families walking and fishing. I even ran into two treasure hunters looking for cool things from the earlier days. It is a great place to go and to be outside for families, individuals, and any grouping of people. :)

If you are so inclined, there are trash grabbers at the trail head for you to pick up trash along the way. Ironically, I saw a messed up trash grabber thrown into the woods along the way, but it was too far in for me to go get it. Plus, I didn't have a trash bag with me or a trash grabber. I did, however, pick up a few pieces of small trash-- a Starbucks green coffee stirrer, a Canela's gum wrapper, and a white plastic Kinder spatula thing.

Among the nature that I spotted was a fuzzy pod with seeds. I don't know what it is, but there were several on the bush. I noticed it on my way out.

As I sat on a log listening to the water lap onto the shore and feeling the breeze, I thought about how we don't see the wind move, yet we see, hear, and experience what the wind moves. Whether it is the wind moving the water or the wind moving through the branches and remaining leaves, what we see is not the wind, but the water, the branches, the leaves. I don't know what caused me to think more about this today, except that I've been thinking these past few days about some words that Sharon Bowers has written. Her writings this week have resonated deep within me. I think the wind of the Holy Spirit is up to something. I don't see the Source, but I am seeing things move. I am feeling things. I am experiencing things.

Here is one of Sharon's writings that resonated with me this week:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Prophetic Edge December 27, 2022 Defining Words in Difficult Times by Sharon L. Bowers 

 

You have gotten in a rut. You have been dealing with a root of rejection. Yes, the infamous “they” said no to what you believed was the next level of leadership in your life. They blocked the door and refused to open IT and let you in. They were looking at you through their lens of their personal privilege and power. This was in the natural. God deals in the supernatural.  You have spent enough time asking “why God why” and now it is time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. Often times you look at only what you can see with the natural eye. Things are not always as they appear. God has already determined your destiny. No matter how IT might look, no matter how IT might feel, your life is in God’s hands. You have to remember that “those people” don’t have the final say. Their refusal to acknowledge your gifts is temporary. They are looking at the outward appearance and through their own gaze. When others see you as inadequate, God sees you as more than enough! The Lord will make your enemies your footstool. God will bring you from the backside of the mountain to the palace. This is your season. You have a God-given appointment with destiny that no human can stop. God’s blessings on your life are irreversible. What God has blessed, no one can curse. Take some time in prayer asking God to fill you up until you overflow. Spend some time recalling just how much God loves you. God’s anointing is and has always been on your life. You are in the House of Jesse. You are in the place of blessing. Look through the lens of faith. You have been chosen to lead. Things are about to change. Don’t spend any more time thinking about who said no. Everything in God is yes and amen. Get ready to watch God perform that thing!

Samuel 16:1 Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know what, if anything, you might glean from it, but I thought I would share it. As for what it speaks to me, I don't fully know. All I know is that it resonated with me deeply and that it came to mind today as I was walking around the lake.

Being out in nature, as I have said many times, is my connection time with Creator God. It clears my head, my heart... it allows me to hear the One Voice more clearly.

I am grateful for another day to spend some quality time in nature, in creation, observing the Creator's beauty, the beauty of the earth.

I am sharing my photos with you, so you can see the path, the lake, the adventure I was on.... I hope it allows you to experience some of the experience.

I am also posting about a 1 minute video of the water lapping against the shore. I invite you to listen to it, to put yourself there, to listen to the water, to take some deep breaths in and out.

Being in nature, in creation has a calming effect on us. Even when we cannot physically be there, we can picture it or look at a photo of it and it can truly "take us there". 

May you experience some calm as I did on this 5th day of Christmas.

Peace and enjoyment on life's adventures, 

Rev. Deb

Photos and video are mine: