The Central Perspective-10 Years Later

This weekend the EC Central Class of 2001 will hold our 10 year class reunion. And due to circumstances beyond our control, I am unable to end this monumental event and I am sad about it. While I don't have the fondest memories of high school, my senior year is where I began to flourish and realize that life exists outside of high school. My senior year, I served as the editor of the school newspaper. I was instrumental in making sure our school newspaper was a source of fun, information and opinions. So as a tribute to my class I wanted to provide some headlines from over the last 10 years-- Cheers to the Class of 2001!

2001 8/26-R&B Singer Aaliyah killed in plane crash; 9/11- Terrorists strike the World Trade Centers in NY with plane crashes in Penn and VA killing 3,000.

2002 9/11-- 9/11- One Year Later: Now What?; 10/24/ John Muhammad and Lee Malvo AKA Beltway Snipers are captured after a terrifying 3 week shooting spree along I-95. Deaths: Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes.

2003 3/19-War in Iraq begins; 6/4Martha Stewart indicted for obstructing a federal investigation;12/13-Suddam Hussein, former president of Iraq is captured. Deaths: Nell Carter (Actress Gimme a Break); Nina Simone (Songstress); Barry White (Singer); Frank O'Bannon (Former Indiana Governor)

2004 2/1- New England Patriots win the Superbowl (and go to Disney World); 2/4-Facebook was founded in Cambridge, Mass at Harvard U; 2/12 San Francisco issues marriage licenses for same-sex couples; 11/19-Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers engage in a brawl, causing Ron Artest to be suspended for the rest of the season; 12/26- World's largest earthquake hits Southeast Asia killing 186,983. Deaths: 11/13-Ol' Dirty Bastard (Rapper)

2005-- Many of us graduate from College! :) 1/20-George Bush inaugurated into a 2nd presidential term; 4/25 Pope Benedict XVI succeeds; 8/29- Hurricane Katrina hits the Golf (including New Orleans, LA) killing 1836- several still unaccounted for. Deaths: 1/23- Johnny Carson (Late Night Talk Host); 3/22-Clemente Dominguez y Gomez (Spanish spiritual leader); 3/29-Johnny Cochran (Lawyer known for the OJ Simpson Trial); 4/2-Pope John Paul II (Pope of the Roman Catholic Church); 7/1-Luther Vandross (Singer)

2006 (My high school sweetheart and I got married!)-2/19-69 miners are killed following an explosion in Nueva Rosita, Mexico; 11/5 Former Iraq President Suddam Hussein is sentenced to death by handing; Deaths: 1/30- Coretta Scott King (wife of Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.); 6/23- Aaron Spelling (Creator of Beverly Hills 90210); 12/30-Suddam Hussein

2007 Not much activity in 2007 to report about.. Deaths: 2/8-Anna Nicole Smith (Former Model/Socialite); 3/12 Antonio Ortiz Mena- Mexican Politician; 5/15-Yolanda King (daughter of Martin and Coretta King); 6/14-Ruth Bell Graham (wife of Billy Graham); 12/4- Pimp C (Rapper)

2008 1/2-petroleum (gas) hits $100 a barrel for the first time; 2/3-US Stock Market plunges 3% after inquiry into an economic recession; 2/19-Fidel Castro resigns; 5/3- over 100,000 killed by Cyclone Nargis in Burmar/Myanmar; 8/8-24- Summer Olympics held in Beijing; 11/4 President Barack Obama is elected 44th President of the United States--the first African-American to hold this office. Deaths: 1/22- Heath Ledger (Actor, Brokeback Mountain); 7/22-Estelle Getty (Actress, Golden Girls); 8/9-Bernie Mac (Comedian);

2009 1/20-the First African American President-Barack Obama is inaugurated in Wasthington, DC. 4/24-World Health Organization concerned about influenza traveling from US and Mexico (later known as West Nile Virus); 9/29-30 Earthquake triggers a tsunami near Samoan Islands killing 189 and 1,000 in Indonesia. Deaths: 3/18-Natasha Richardson (Actress/wife of Liam Neeson); 4/25-Bea Arthur (Actress, Golden Girls); 6/25- Farrah Fawcett (Actress- Charlie's Angels)/Michael Jackson (American Pop Star/humanitarian); 7/17- Walter Cronkite (Journalist); 9/14-Patrick Swayze (Actor-Ghost); 11/16-Antonio de Nigris (Mexican Footballer); 12/20-Brittany Murphy (Actress- Clueless)

2010 1/12-7.0 magnitude earthquake hits the island of Haiti killing 230,000; 2/12-28- Winter Olympics are held in Vancouver & Whistler Canada; 2/27-8.8 magnitude earthquake hits Chile, causing a tsunami over the Pacific killing 497; 7/28-Wikileaks releases over 90,000 internal documents concerning the war in Afghanistan; 8/10-World Health Organization declares the H1N1 Influenza pandemic over. 8/5-10/12-69 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days-- survived and were rescued. Deaths- 1/13-Teddy Pendergrass; 1/27-JD Salinger (Author); 5/9-Lena Horne (Actress/Musician); 5/28-Gary Coleman (Actor-Different Strokes); 6/3-Rue McClanahan (Actress-Golden Girls); 11/29-Leslie Nelson (Actor-Top Gun); 12/26-Teena Marie (Songstress)

2011 (the first half)- 3/11-9.1 magnitude earthquake hits Japan causing a tsunami killing over 15,000 and 8,000 missing; 5/1-Osama Bin Laden-terrorist and mastermind behind 9/11 is killed and buried at sea. 7/21-Space Shuttle Atlantis completes the NASA Space Shuttle program. Deaths: 5/15-Nate Dogg (Rapper); 5/23- Elizabeth Taylor (Actress); 6/23-Peter Faulk (Actor-Colombo); 7/23-Amy Winehouse (Songstress).

Reminiscing,
~Mrs. G

T-E-S-T-imony.com

DISCLAIMER: This post is in no way to show sympathy toward our situation but to testify to the Power of Prayer, Trusting God and understanding struggle is important. Please pray for us--that's all I(we) ask.

Durham has provided many ups and downs, lessons in Faith, strength in our marriage and leaning on the power of God. While it seems like we've had more downs than ups (to me), God has revealed so much to us. I feel like I've cried out for God more than I have in my entire life. Jeremy and I have worked extremely hard at Faith Traveling but I figure in order for me to understand God more, I needed to testify.

In the past year: we've met new friends, explored churches, worked jobs that we both appreciate and hope for better, established various relationships, listened and pleaded with God, found favor with our daycare, had multiple disconnect notices, two eviction notices, two impaired cars, one unhealthy spouse, one exploring toddler, two unemployed mothers, experienced divorces, witnessed births both near and far, skyped with loved ones, prayed for each other, shouted at each other, emailed, facebooked, youtubed and g-chatted blogs, scriptures, resumes, requests, and pictures.

Now--I've shared some of these Gilmore moments with you because the things that seem impossible (no place to live, one car, familial issues) God has provided. He has shown me that our testimony of faith, progress, struggle and favor may help the married couple who wrestle with leaving their family or that being uncomfortable comes with a price but a great reward at the end or that you have to do what you have to do, to grow in Him and most importantly, within yourself.

My hope in this post is to empower you to share your TESTimony or if you don't have a TESTimony, hopefully, our TESTimony will provide you with the skills to endure. I would love to hear your testimonies, so email me at gilmore06@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section. You never know who may be encouraged by what God is doing in your life.

TESTed,
~Mrs.G