TEN BEST THINGS OF 2009

As a new decade is set to descend upon us in a few hours, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on the “Ten Best Things” that happened to me in 2009 (in the order that they occurred).

1. MacWorld Conference in January. This is simply a guilty pleasure. I love the MacWorld Expo and the best thing about it this year was that I won a free registration from Sheridan Jones over at Microsoft (via Twitter). She not only hooked me up with the free registration, she also made sure that I got a personally autographed copy of Guy Kawasaki’s new book “Reality Check,” and hooked me up with a copy Microsoft Office 2008 (BIG ups to you Sher Jones!!!)
2. My ACN phone call from Rich Secchiaroli. Right around Valentine’s Day I got a phone call from a friend and mentor who I had not heard from in a couple of years. He called to tell me that he had gotten involved with ACN. Soon thereafter? So did I. I’m now full-time in ACN and loving the time freedom that I have back.
3. Spring Training in Arizona in March. I’m a baseball junkie and I’m not ashamed to admit it. This was the first year that the Dodgers moved into their new facility in Glendale, AZ and my wife and I spent a good part of March in Arizona watching baseball under the sun. Ahhhh THAT’S the life!
4. Launching my daughter Bekah’s ACN business. If you are confident enough to get your own kids involved in your business, that’s saying something. Bekah was just getting ready to start her final semester at LSU so I was able to take several trips to Baton Rouge (love that Cajun cooking) to get her started and meet so many of her friends.
5. New Car in July. July was when I was able to leave my job and start working ACN full-time. That month I also bought a Mazda CX-7. It had been a while since I had purchased a car. This is a modest acquisition, but God is good. I’ve never been a big “car” guy, so this will do for now.
6. Celebrating my daughter Bekah’s 21st birthday in Las Vegas. She had five friends join her there for four days and three nights at the Mandalay Bay resort. It was great to be able to host a celebration like that for her.
7. Taking my daughter Hannah to her Freshman Orientation at UC Santa Barbara. I spent the first two years of my college career in at UCSB. To be able to escort her to her orientation there was just such a treat. I hadn’t set foot on the campus in over 25 years. I was amazed at how it had changed. But more importantly, it was great to spend the time with my daughter over the weekend. I miss her so much when she is gone now. I treasure every minute that I see her.
8. Bekah’s Graduation from LSU in December. Her mother (we are divorced) and I spent several days with her in Baton Rouge before and after her graduation ceremony. It was the first time that Bekah’s Mom and I had spent significant time together in the twelve years that have passed since we separated. We even had a two-hour dinner alone together where we were able to trade notes and observations about the kids and life. At one point, Bekah was walking with us in the French Quarter and she exclaimed “I feel like I’m five again.” I just smiled and was glad that for five days in December, her Mom and I were able to be on the same page together in celebration of our daughter’s accomplishment (did I mention that she completed her B.S. in Psychology in just three and a half years?).
9. Sending my son Aaron to the Urbana ’09 Conference in St. Louis this week. I am so proud of the man that my 19 year-old son is becoming. I always say that I hope that some day my daughters are fortunate enough to meet a man with a heart just like my Aaron. He is involved with the Inter-Varsity Leadership team on campus at Cal State, San Marcos. Earlier this year he asked me if I could help him go to the Urbana Conference (it only happens every three years). I told him if his grades were up to par, I would do so. He did his part and God allowed me to do mine. He is still in St. Louis and is scheduled to return home tomorrow night. In the conversations that I have had with him, it sounds like God has been laying some interesting things on Aaron’s heart. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for him.
10. My repentance. This has been an on-going thing. I wish I could say that it only took a day. But the truth is that there were several events that took place over the course of the year (from January thru December) that have led to me reversing the direction of my life. Without going into the gory details, suffice to say that my head and heart are in the right place. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for 2010.

So now I ask you. What are the Ten Best Things that happened to you in 2009? New Years Eve is a great time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for.