Instead of a prototypical cynical post about this past crazy year, I'm gonna be like the bull elk in the background of my photo; I'm gonna act like everything is under control, and I just want to sit here and enjoy the moment. Looking back, I realize there was a lot to be thankful for in 2022.

Seriously, I have much to look back on and appreciate from this past year.

First and foremost, this has been one of the best years of 21 years of marriage. My wife and I are closer than ever, and I feel like God has smiled upon our marriage. Oh sure, He has His sense of humor I'm sure, and chuckles at how we gripe about things like canceled vacations and busted pipes in winter, but at the same time He allows us to use opportunities like those to appreciate each other all the more.

Then there is the opportunity for witnessing for Jesus in 2022. I've been able to share my faith to literally dozens of middle school kids, both directly and indirectly; testimony in a group setting or one-on-one mentoring. Thanks to the good Lord helping me read my way through the Bible from beginning to end, and already midway through again, my fervor for discussing belief in God and His work in my life continues to increase. I pray I can continue this into 2023.

Over the past year, I also got to see my son become more independent, more skillful with his hands, and more open to discussing serious matters with me now and then about the future. It is humbling, because the older he gets, the more - and less - I see of myself in him. The strengths he seems to have learned from my wife's dad, as well as my father, are magnified as he gets older...along with the strong will (and yes, Fort stubbornness), Christian moral compass, and overall common sense approach to life I believe he learned from his old man.

My writing took a different turn over the past year. I published my blog posts from the years 2014 to 2021 in January of last year in one book, and just last month I released my short memoir about growing up with my two brothers. I took a step back from the fiction for a year, and began writing and planning on writing more personal things. I still plan on working on more writings for family, to leave a positive stamp on the world before I'm gone. But I jumped back into fiction this fall, and found a whole new desire to write a different kind of book. I intend to keep writing more than ever, but I've also tried to settle down some of my "watchman on the wall" writings, well, frankly because people will either get punched in the face by reality one day - or not. Hopefully a different approach to my writing can make a difference.

I have seen people close to my family, and even my own family members, suffer and struggle, and have just shaken my head wishing I could take their pains and burdens away. I've learned more in 2022 than any other year, that the best thing I can do for them is offer a listening ear, and pray for them often. Age is funny that way, I guess. You start to realize your own vulnerability when more of the people around you suffer. I pray God uses that to keep me humble.

And I pray that God blesses each of you in the New Year. Perhaps He can bless you with curiosity, to learn more about Him.

Happy 2023, good people.