Best of 2020
At the end of every year or beginning of a new year, depending on how hectic life is in either season, I like to take some time to reflect in order to prepare for the next year. I am a staunch believer that reflection helps us be more intentional and purposeful in choosing how to live well rather than simply letting life happen to us. With that said, a lot of life happened to all of us in 2020. And, so far, if you are from the US, it seems like a lot of life is already happening again in terms of politics and government. There’s just so much pain to inflict in hashing all of that out that my approach to acknowledging everything that happened in our first week of January 2021 is to simply tell you how it made me feel. I have opinions just as much as the next person, but as humans we share emotions in our common experience. So, let me say that it made me feel a lot of emotions one of which was sadness. It was an emotional experience to see the very same things that happen in Honduras happening in my country. One video that hit me in a pretty poignant way was the video of a Congresswoman praying loudly with such authority even as she was cowered beside her fellow Congress members in hiding. Below, loud banging on doors could be heard, and people were scrambling to block entrances. Regardless of how anyone feels about politics, when I think about how I would feel if I were in that position of uncertainty, it brings me to tears. Regardless of anyone’s stances, motivations, justifications, rights, or reasonings on either side, there were real human beings, real emotions, and real pain involved in all that went on at the Capitol.
Going back to end-of-the-year reflection, there are a few things I do every year. First, I ask God to give me one word as a theme to hold onto for the coming year. I started this practice a few years ago because of others in the missionary community who did it. I have found that the years I have tried to pressure a word or rush the word, it hasn’t been as spot-on. The years I have let the word kind of find me have been the most impactful and sometimes prophetic. The year my word was “beloved,” I got engaged at the tail end of the year. The year my word was “abundance,” God led me to heal a lot of my misconceptions in regard to His provision for me. This past year, my word was “promises,” and I was astounded by the circumstantial promises that came to pass after years of them being shelved heart’s desires. Sometimes, my word becomes a springboard for Bible study or give a clue into the kind of inner character work the Lord wants to do in me that year. Sometimes, I try to read books on my chosen word, and sometimes I just hold it like a penny in my pocket that gives me a reminder of what the chosen lens is to see my year through.
In addition to my one word practice, I also sit down and take some time to answer a set of reflection questions each year. Each year, I also go back and read my answers from the year before. It’s a nice way of tracking growth and change and seeing a whole year from a higher perspective. Here are the questions I answer in my journal at the end of every year:
1) What was the single best thing that happened? (I can never narrow it down to one).
2) What was the most challenging thing that happened?
3) What was an unexpected joy?
4) What was an unexpected obstacle?
5) 3 words to describe 2020
6) What were the best books you read in 2020?
7) With whom were your most valuable relationships?
8) What was your biggest personal challenge?
9) What ways did you grow emotionally?
10) What ways did you grow spiritually?
11) What ways did you grow in physical health?
12) In what ways did you grow in your relationships with others?
13) What was the most important part of work or home life?
14) What was the most challenging part of work or home life?
15) What was the biggest time waster?
16) What was the best way of using your time?
17) What was the biggest thing you learned?
18) Phrase or statement that describes 2020.
Then I will sometimes write a list of songs that were especially meaningful to me in the year. I also take the time to go back through my planner and journal to write out the highlights of each month.
In a year that was especially hard, it was helpful to be able to look back and find the ways that God was faithful even in the midst of challenges. Intention is so vital to maintaining gratitude.
This year, in addition to that kind of personal reflection, I also wanted to give a round up of recommendations from 2020. Each month I do a recap of what I’m watching, what books I’ve read, and what dishes I’ve enjoyed, so this post is a best of all of those things from 2020. Maybe there will be something you may find worth checking out in 2021. Just keep in mind that not all of my selections were new releases. They were just new to me in 2020.
Movies
Best Franchise:
Harry Potter movies
Honorable Mention:
Mission Impossible movies
Best Drama:
Tie of Just Mercy and The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Comedy:
Tie of The Big Sick and Knives Out
Best Animated Film:
Soul
TV Shows
Best Food/Travel Show:
Somebody Feed Phil
Honorable Mentions:
Ugly Delicious and Nadiya’s Time to Eat
Best Documentary:
The Last Dance
Best Comedy:
The Good Place
Honorable Mention:
Community
Best Drama:
The Crown
Best Limited Series:
Unbelievable
Best Family Show:
The Mandalorian
Honorable Mention:
Lost in Space
Books
from Barnes and Noble
Best Series:
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Best Cookbook:
Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
Best Nonfiction:
The Girl with Seven Names: Escape from North Korea by Lee Hyeon-Seo and David John
Best Christian Book:
Unpunishable: Ending Our Love Affair with Punishment by Danny Silk
Honorable Mentions:
Bending Time: Accessing Heavenly Realities for Abundant Living by Dan McCollam and Punk Monk by Andy Freeman and Pete Greig
Best Fun Reading (not a series):
Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything and I’d Rather by Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel
Recipes
Photo by Christine Siracusa
Best Appetizer:
Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Recipe for reference: https://www.adventuresofanurse.com/instant-pot-artichoke-and-spinach-dip-applebees-copycat/
Best Soups:
Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Soup
Recipe for reference: https://www.yellowblissroad.com/chicken-broccoli-alfredo-soup/
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Soup
Recipe for reference: https://www.modernhoney.com/creamy-spinach-artichoke-soup/
Best Condiment:
Pickled Onions (thinly sliced red onion, vinegar, and salt in a jar)
Best Dinner Recipes:
Prime Rib
Recipe for reference: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/prime_rib/
Photo by Nerfee Mirandilla
Spaghetti Bolognese
Recipes for Reference: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/best-spaghetti-bolognese-recipe
https://www.recipetineats.com/spaghetti-bolognese/
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/slow-cooker-spaghetti-bolognese/
Harissa Chicken
Recipe for reference: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sheet-pan-harissa-chicken-with-chickpeas-and-sweet-potatoes/
Jalapeño Popper Pork Tenderloin
Recipe for reference: https://iambaker.net/jalapeno-popper-pork-loin/
Butternut Squash Risotto
Recipe for reference: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-butternut-squash-risotto/
Mediterranean Feast:
Chicken Veggie Kebabs
Photo by Firas Hassoun
Falafel
Recipe for reference: https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/nadiya-hussains-baked-bean-falafel
Romesco Sauce
Recipe for reference: https://cookieandkate.com/easy-romesco-sauce-recipe/
Zhoug Sauce
Recipes for reference: https://cookieandkate.com/zhoug-sauce-recipe/
https://www.feastingathome.com/zhoug-recipe/
Tzatziki Sauce
Recipes for reference: https://cookieandkate.com/how-to-make-tzatziki/
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/tzatziki-sauce-recipe/
Best Desserts:
Photo by Sara Cervera
Nannie's Pecan Tarts (while this is a family recipe, there are lots of pecan tart recipes out there to find)
Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe: https://www.modernhoney.com/levain-bakery-chocolate-chip-crush-cookies/
Here's to the discovery of new favorites in 2021.
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