2012

The saying goes, "In like a lamb out like a lion; in like a lion out like a lamb." Well, my year was in like a lamb and out like a lion. At the start of the year, I was married, had a decent paying job and was relatively happy. The lion came quickly, though. The marriage got rocky, but I started a band with someone I never expected to become such a great friend. I won't go into details about how the marriage began to fall apart in January, it's a piece of my past that is still making me who I am today.

I had fun getting the band started with Justin Deluna and watching it evolve into something great, and a total blast. We named ourselves Limits From Lies, a line taken from a song by my favorite band, Thrice. And through the process of finding a drummer I met someone who quickly became an amazing friend as well; Austin Stewart. He invited me to join a Death Metal project he had been working on. I became the vocalist for a Christian Death Metal band while I played guitar in a Hard Rock/Metal band. I loved both bands and it was hard to eventually leave them. Both Justin and Austin became two of my best friends the last few months of my time in Colorado.

I was glad to have the band as an outlet because things started to change at work and, even though it was a bit frustrating at times, it turned out to be a good thing. I lost my two biggest accounts, but I got my weekends back. It was during this time that my marriage fell apart as well. As painful as it was, it was also a burden lifted off of my shoulders that I no longer had to worry about. And as much as I know God hates divorce, He blessed me through it by bringing friends back into my life that I had lost because of the relationship. I am ever grateful for that.

This Fall, things at work continued to change and get worse. It got to the point to me not wanting to work there anymore. Being newly divorced, and after a failed attempt at a dating relationship, and after talks with my mother and brothers, I decided to move back home to California. I got to spend Christmas with family for the first time in two years, which was the best gift I received this year.

I reconnected with an old friend and because of her invitation to her church, I've reconnected with another old friend and am looking forward to building those friendships up more. Along with those relationships, I'm building up a better relationship with my brother, Mike, which was hurt a bit because of my relationship with my now ex-wife. Also, I finally am building up a good relationship with my wonderful sister-in-law, who is a true sister in my eyes.

But one last event had to happen just before the end of the year. Yesterday I had to go to the ER because I was passing a kidney stone. I guess I'll be drinking more water and less soda from now on!

So where am I now as I head into 2013? I'm back with family; I'm recovering from a kidney stone; I'm unemployed; I have a church that will possibly become my home church; I'm divorced and still single, but that's okay for now. I've got good and bad all around, but I'm right where God wants me. Here's to a better 2013!