Having reached Day 362 of 2024’s 366 days, it’s probably safe to make some assessments of the year now nearly past. I’ll go with “a very good year.” Of course, any assessment of any year is going to be subjective. Queen Elizabeth famously tagged 1992 as “annus horribilis” – a horrible year – and it was a horrible year for Her Majesty. Three of her four adult children had significant marriage problems and in November a fire caused extensive damage to Windsor Castle. “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure,” the Queen said. I don’t remember all of the details of my 1992, but it’s safe to say I look back on it with a pleasure significantly less diluted than the Queen’s.
And 2024? Sure, there have been some disappointments and sorrows that dilute the pleasure in looking back on the past twelve months, but, subjectively speaking, all in all, it’s been a very good year.
I don’t keep a Journal, but the collection of photos stored on my phone form a pretty good record of the year. So, what story do those several hundred photos tell other than that I need to edit my albums? The best of the photos fall into four categories. 2024, then, was a year filled with the gift of family, the joy of routine, the continuing call to ministry, and an adventure in Portugal.
The gift of family: The gift of family is a rich gift for Becky and me. Three wonderful children, three great children-in-law, and those nine precious grandchildren. Plus brothers and sisters and others scattered about. But it is photos of children and grandchildren that fill my digital album for 2024. I could go on and on about family, but suffice it to say, that family is the best thing that has ever happened to me. 2024 was a family year.
The joy of routine: In my vocabulary routine is a good word. I love the routine of our life in Indiana – our house, the friends we have made, the meals and conversations we share, the church where we worship. The photo of a sunrise over the farm fields near our house is a good reminder of the joyful routine of rising early each morning for a run through the neighborhood. Especially this fall, those sunrises have prompted prayer as I recall the promise of Psalm 30 that joy comes with the morning.
The continued call to ministry: The photo is of a window at one of the churches where I preached this year. Five years ago, I did not know exactly what soon-to-come retirement might mean in terms of ministry. I thank God for friendships made and opportunities to give and to share that have come my way as a retired pastor. I am amazed and grateful as I look back on 2024 and see the ways God has been at work in some of what I have done through him. Thanks be to God.
An adventure in Portugal: As with family, I cheated a little bit using three photos to make one image. Only two of 2024’s 52 weeks were spent in Portugal, but what wonderful weeks they were. The photo on the left is from a visit to a cork farm in the Alentejo region in the east of the country. The image in the center was taken on the riverfront in Porto, a city on the northern Atlantic coast. The final photo is of Évora, a medieval town in Alentejo. Add Lisbon and castles, waterfalls and mountains, and you just begin to get a sense of what a terrific trip this was.
Yes, I could say more, and, yes, there may be some memories that could dilute the pleasure of looking back on 2024, but all in all it’s been a very good year.
Do you have any photos you’d like to share with me?