2006 – A Year of Dramatic Change

2006. Wow.

 

There is no way to summarize last year. 2006 contained more change than any year I’ve ever experienced. 2006 was a year that was filled with the happiest and yet the hardest times in my entire life. When we look back we tend to want to focus on the worst… and yet, even in the midst of extremely difficult times, it is good to remember that God never fails to bring joy in the midst of suffering… if we take the time to look.I started this blog, PastorKarl.com, in April of 2005 when I went on sabbatical in order to chronicle my adventures during those fantastic six weeks, but I’m so glad the habit stuck. Any time I am down and wondering where is (or where was) God, I can simply click through the archives of my blog and am flooded with memories of great times and great memories, super friends and special kids, especially when I miss most of what was once my daily life.

Indeed, 2006 brought a lot of changes, and at times, more than I could handle, and I failed miserably in keeping on top of everything, and yet in that brokeness God has taught me and shown me things I would never have seen otherwise – I was moving too fast to ever hear His soft voice calling me to a quieter deeper place of abiding in Him. Life today is much slower, thoughtful, and restful…. and balanced.

Most noticably, in 2006, on April 1st, my wife, Sara, and I suddenly became parents overnight to the most adorable little boy, named Luke. Finally, after years of heart-aching prayers, my childhood dream of being a DAD has come true. But it was also a year of stepping down from pastoral ministry after it became painfully clear that I was unable to maintain the life I was building especially once I became a father. But GOD IS SO GOOD and I continue to trust Him to work all things out together for good in His time.

In light of these changes, I have renamed my blog Kidologist.com for the new year while I am taking a break from being a full time children’s pastor. But my heart for kids and my life mission has not changed: To reach and teach as many children as possible with the Good News of God’s Love, and in the process to Enlist, Equip and Encourage others to do the same!


Below are some of the highlights of this past year that can be found within this site. I hope you enjoy these glimpses into 2006 as much as I did. (Clicking on any of the months will take you to the archive of that month which will contain the stories and pictures below, plus more!)

JANUARY

PIE IN THE FACE!
It so fun to let kids have fun at your own expense!

CPC FUN!
(www.incm.org)
See ya in Orlando and San Diego this year,
but taking a break from speaking, will just be attending.

MEETING MY CHILDHOOD CRUSH

GOING DOWN A PAINFUL SLIDE!
(one of the best posts of the year, by feedback!)

RAINY DAY AT DISNEY

FEBRUARY

GETTING MY INTEL MACBOOK PRO!

ARENA FOOTBALL FUN!
(with crazy fan friend)

MARCH

SAVED A TURTLES LIFE!

KID U CHICAGO (with Mary Rice Hopkins)

APRIL

GOT BEAT UP BY SOX FANS
(went undercover as a Blue Jays Fan. Why? Read and find out)

TOOK A BABY HOME!
Here is where the huge changes began!

SARA BECOMES A MOM OVER NIGHT!
Aren’t they beautiful?

HANGIN’ WITH “W” IN WASHINGTON
(I had sooo much fun doing this, there is a gallery of pics)

MAY

ON BEING A FATHER FINALLY

REMEMBERING MY MOM

LEARNING ABOUT RAISING A BABY

JUNE

REFLECTIONS ON MY DAD

ENJOYING BEING A DAD

PARENTS AT LAST

SPORTS CAMP

JUMPING OFF A ROOF?

JULY

CHANGING THE SMOKE DETECTOR
(One of the best posts of the year!)

LUKE IS SIX MONTHS

LUKE GOES CAMPING

AUGUST

BACK YARD WATER BLASTS!

HEADIN’ TO TENNESEE

SEPTEMBER

UGLY SPIDER PICS
(Sorry Henry!)

LUKE LOVES MOUNTAIN DEW!

LUKE HEADS TO KID U!

OCTOBER

BACK TO MR. G’s
(after 18 years!)

PICKIN’ PUMPKINS

DRESSIN’ UP AS A RAT?

TRICK or TREATIN’

NOVEMBERA POTTY PARTY?

LUKE’S FIRST FLIGHT!

DECEMBERLUKE’S ADOPTION DAY ADVENTURES!

GROWN MEN ACTING LIKE KIDS… a video!

WHITE CHRISTMAS in COLORADO!

TRAPPED IN PARADISE!

THOSE WERE THE DAYS?
You know how when you look at pictures from the past you often think, “I had no idea how lucky I was…” or “wow, those were the days” or “If only I’d known to savor the moment more…” because there is something in those pictures that we miss or wish we could have or do again, or at least we miss the feelings we had then… in those moments. That’s what my blog is for me. Stats tell me a lot of people read my blog, but I write it for myself. Others reading it (and leaving comments) encourages me not to quit, but I think in the end, I will always get the most out of it, because it is here I get to savor the memories again, and close my eyes and reflect on just how wonderful these events and the people in them were. I was just thinking about how despite all the pain and change in this past year, there were so many good times too, it was a year filled with fun memories that if I’d hadn’t snapped some pictures and blogged them, I might have forgotten them altogether overwhelmed with the ‘big things’ of 2006. That’s when it hit me.TODAY IS TOMORROW’s “THOSE DAYS”
Today will be tomorrows “those days.” Think about it. This week, this month, THIS year, will be one that you will soon (and long from now) be looking back on as ‘those days.’ So no matter what 2006 was like, good or bad, (or some of each) focus on making some new ‘those days’ now. You can’t change the past, and you can’t determine the future, but you CAN make today count, you can seek to make this week, this month, this year one of the best yet.

Over Christmas my dad took me out for breakfast, and a little sign above our table read:

“Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, Live Today.”

I thought that was pretty good advice for me, and I decided to make it my motto for 2007. We can spend too much time on either missing the past or day dreaming about the future, and miss TODAY, the day that matters most. Lets get Livin’ (and bloggin’) ;)

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Kidologist

Karl Bastian is the founder of Kidology.org, the creator of ToyboxTales.com, and the author of OrderoftheAncient.com. His personal website is Kidologist.com He is Big Kid with a passion for equipping and encouraging those who minister to children.

One Comment:

  1. That was so mean! EVIL!!! Luckily, I noticed web showing up in the picture so I was able to shield my eyes after only a split-second glance of the HUGE spider. I don’t know if I’ll be able to look at the blog for a while again :p

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