2013 in review

facebook (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

Facebook has this new feature where it puts the most important moments of the year in a timeline for you. So according to Facebook, my top moments in 2013 were eating an ice-cream, watching someone construct an IKEA chair and cooking cheese on toast. All in all, a pretty exciting year.

Of course, Facebook cannot tell you what my most important moments of 2013 were. Heck, I can't even do that. In years to come, I'll probably be surprised and realise, "Oh, God, that's what that was all about in 2013…" However, I will do my best to distill 365 days worth of happenings into one succinct post.

January
I learnt a few lessons about my arrogance and stupidity. I had to apologise to a good friend because I was a complete idiot. Like a really big idiot. There is a draft post about it saved somewhere and it may get published, but for now all you really need to know is that I was stupid for a pretty long time. Also, I learnt how far an apology can go. "I'm sorry," were probably the best two words I said in 2013.

February
February was a mess. It was such a difficult month. I wasn't happy in my PGCE placement and this put a lot of pressures on me in other aspects of my life. I broke up with my girlfriend, which was really hard. Things got difficult in Mosaic as well. However, February taught me that God is good all the time. So, so very good.

March
I became an uncle. This was a real blessing. My niece is absolutely adorable, but I don't get to see her as much as I like. The PGCE difficulties worked themselves out. March was quite a good month.

April
I went to an old friend's wedding, where I wore a ridiculous wig. I attended Justin Welby's first Easter service as Archbishop of Canterbury. I realised I'm not Jesus.

May
I finished my final placement; I handed in assignments.

June
I qualified as an NQT teacher. I left for Bulstrode, the headquarters of WEC, for my orientation course. This was to prepare me for my mission trip in South East Asia. The orientation was really helpful.

July
I was in South East Asia for most of July. I loved this trip and I'm hoping to go again next August. It was a real eye-opener and I definitely saw God's amazing provision.

August
I landed with a bit of a bump. It was difficult coming back to 'real' life. I managed it by doing a week and a bit of WEC camps, where I got to give a talk about my trip. I also went paint-balling for the first time. I got shot a few times by a very good friend (probably to get me back for being such an idiot and only realising in January).

September
I started my full-time teaching post. It was quite tough, but I am enjoying it. I also became The Godfather to my niece.

Cover of The Screwtape Letters

October
I began to realise that my salary does not go as far as I thought it would. I also made the journey between Southampton and London eight times in one week.

November
Not a lot out of the ordinary happened in November: fireworks, sparklers, meals out.

December
Christmas meal and party season. My family survived a two-day power cut over Christmas Eve and Christmas day. This was even more problematic as we were hosting two international students. Everything was meant to be done at my parents' house, but instead we went to my little pad in Southampton and had it there.

I also got The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis for Christmas and finished it in a day and a half. I'll probably read it again as it had so many things worth remembering.

Somewhere in that lot I also ate an ice-cream, watched someone construct an IKEA chair and cooked cheese on toast.