Dave's TOP 10 MOMENTS from 2010!!!!! Because I didn't blog as much this year, there was not near enough material for me to go back and remember everything I did. As a result, this list was a lot harder to make than last year's list. However, as a person who refuses to be daunted, I have persevered and, after lots of perspiration and long nights at the office, have finally
remembered that I actually have done more than 10 things this last year. I'm sure many fantastic moments will be left off the list (such as the Wedding Glass incident at Mike's wedding this summer), so I can apologize if I've omitted one of your favorite memories of me this year. However, if you're reading this post, you probably aren't the type of person who will be disappointed with my forgetfulness; you should just be used to it by now. Thus without adeuxing any further, let's turn the clocks backs on our memories and take a stroll down the lane of 2010 Avenue, beginning, of course, with.....
- #10- As I write this post, I am drinking hot chocolate. Somehow, while blowing on it to cool it down, it splashed up and got in my eye. I think that I am possibly the first human being ever to burn their eye on hot chocolate...
Hold on! The staff at WDWDG apologizes for this extremely boring and uninteresting way that Dave has started this Top 10 List of events form 2010. Because of this events extreme randomness and inapplicability to anything beneficial to the human species, this event will be thrown out and Dave will start again with a new #10....
Sorry about that. I promise it will only get better from here. Let's try again with...
- #10- First Collegiate Piano Recital. During Wesleyan's May Term, I performed in my first collegiate solo piano recital. I was joined on the program by my friend Sarah who plays amazingly well on the violin. Our concert lasted about an hour and we each performed our pieces that we'd taken all semester perfecting. I performed a piece by Gottschalk, a sonata by Haydn, and the Diabolic Variations by Prokofiev. The highlight of my portion of the concert came during my last piece, the Prokofiev. Even though I forgot the entire last page, I learned that glissandos are lifesavers when it comes to saving a performance from disaster.
- #9- Morton Cross Country gets 9th at State!! I feel especially proud of this even though I graduated from Morton 3 years ago. Possibly against better judgment, I drove back to Detwieller in September to see this team run into the Morton history books. The current senior class were freshman when I ran at Morton, so I still feel like "part of the team." Knowing where the program was when I left (we were aggressively average), it amazes me to see how much success these guys have achieved in just 3 short years. I'm so proud of them, and hope they know how happy they made me by all their hard work this year. Let's get back there next year, Morton!!!
- #8- Dave enters a new decade of life! On June 12, I turned 20 years old! This was the first time in my life that I'd ever been 20, so I was pretty pumped. It amazes me how old I've gotten in such a short amount of time, but I'm very thankful for the blessings and experiences that I have that most 20 year olds don't ever get to experience. What wisdom do I have to offer after 20 years, you ask? Well, loving my family, loving God, and loving others seems to have worked pretty well so far. It isn't always easy, but it's always worth it. (This picture isn't from my birthday, but it is the biggest fish I've ever caught in my life.)
- #7- C.S. Lewis Museum Trip. I have been a part of a C.S. Lewis reading group this year at Wesleyan. In April, our leader, Pastor Dave, took us on a field trip to the C.S. Lewis museum in Wheaton. It was so cool to spend the morning pouring over Lewis manuscripts and seeing original artifacts and replicas*. The afternoon was spent at the Billy Graham museum which was equally impressive. It was a great memory shared with great friends.
- #6- Getz Family Colorado Vacation. This year my Getz grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, and the family helped them celebrate by taking
a week-long vacation in the Rockies in July. Colorado may well be my favorite state when it comes to being outdoors (nothing against Illinois. It's just flat, that's all), so I was in utopia. Although the trout managed to elude my fly lures all week, I still had a great time hiking, playing music, and just hanging 
out with my amazing family. I can't wait to go back. Next year, Getzes? All right, let's crack into the Top 5 with....
- #5- COCUSA! This summer marked my 6th year working at Camp of Champions. This year, I got promoted to being a Site Director at the East Peoria camp. I loved the new position, and really treasured the time I got to lead games, songs, crafts, and to teach the kids the bible stories from Acts. I've never felt so looked up to by young kids as I did this summer, and it helped to both keep my energy up over the summer and to do my best to be a solid role model for them.
- #4- Concerto-Aria! In November '09, I was selected as one of 6 soloists for the IWU Concerto Aria concert, and the concert took place on Valentine's Day this past February. It was a fantastic experience and one that I will treasure the rest of my life. I played the 3rd mvt. from Greig's Piano Concerto in A minor, and it was possibly the most fun I've ever had during a musical performance. Because Wesleyan is only 30 minutes from Morton, many friends and family members were able to attend the show. Thanks to all who came to support me that day; it meant so much to have you there.
- #3- Jamaica! Over Spring Break I went on a mission trip to Jamaica with DRL, the ministry group I'm in at Wesleyan (more on the group later). This trip was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the year; hence it cracks into the Top 5. We were at a School for the Blind
for several days doing VBS with the kids, playing music (they were great musicians), and teaching them various sports and activities. I formed a special friendship with a kid named Sanjay who I still communicate with from time to time. Like Jesus says in John chapter 9, thepeople who have true vision are those who see and follow Christ, and these kids definitely fit that description.
- #2- Amy Uden. Beginning in May, I have had the wonderful privilege of beginning a special relationship with a very special young woman. Amy is an extremely bright, hilarious, witty, sensitive, kind, caring, patient, humble, radiant, terrific (any relation to Charlotte's Web is pure coincidence), Christian woman who has a tremendous heart for serving God and others. We have been on many fun dates, heard lots of good music, and eaten so much bacon together** that it's hard to believe that we've only been dating since May. Thank you, Amy, for making the second half of 2010 such an awesome time.***
- #1- God. I feel the #1 spot should be reserved for the Source of the other 9. However, because of my finite humanness, I cannot adequately express spiritual things in spiritual terms. Nicodemus had the same problem. However, I can say that through DRL, the ministry group that I am a part of at Wesleyan, personal study of the Bible and other such God-related books, and simply talking with and observing other strong, Christian men, I have grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior during the past year. This fall, I began my first semester as the "leader" of DRL, though that term should be used loosely because I thankfully have 15-17 other young men and women w
ho are driven to take initiative in spreading the Good News on our campus. I have discovered that, to teach a group of 50-70 college kids about the Bible, I should probably know what I'm talking about when I 
talk about the Bible. My dad, former DRL leaders,peers on campus, and local pastors have been very influential in this area, and I thank them tremendously. Amy has also really helped me grow spiritually this year, and I thank her for all the time and care she puts into learning about God. Above all, I thank God for randomly (and I use that word loosely) bringing people into my life this semester who are either hungry for the Truth, or hungry for being hungry for the Truth. My prayer is that he continues to bless me with these opportunities in 2011.
So there you have it, folks; Dave's year reduced to 10 bulleted points. I hope you've enjoyed reminiscing about 2010 with me. If you're reading this blog, you've probably interacted with me at some point during the past year, so I thank you for being my friend. I hope that we will meet again in 2011. If you did interact with me and are furious that our meeting did not make it into the Top 10, I can only apologize and ask you do try to do something more memorable with me next year:)**** If you are the commenting type, feel free to leave a comment about some of your favorite memories from 2010.
Well, here's hoping that 2011 is just as exciting as 2010! Maybe, just maybe, 2011 will go down in history as "The Year That Dave Got Back to Blogging." But I doubt it.
Take care.
*- is 'original replicas' an oxymoron?
**- we eat other things too; that was just an inside joke.
***- that's not to say the first half wasn't enjoyable. I just didn't get to see Amy near as much.
****- for those interested in attempting this, I really enjoy free steak dinners.
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