A Look Back at 2024
- Emily E. Finke
- Dec 31, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 8
⭐️ 2024: A Year of Refinement ⭐️
1 Peter 1:7 KJV
A Month-by-Month Look Back
Another year is coming to a close, and thus continues the tradition of retrospection in the form of a monthly lookback. While closing this chapter of my memory book can feel bittersweet (like saying goodbye to an old and dear friend), this reflection also stirs my excitement and helps prepare me for the new year. One needs to occasionally see where one has been in order to see where one is going. This time of year is the occasion for me to do so.
So, I hope you enjoy this stroll down memory lane with me ❤️
January:
As has become tradition, the new year began with a bit of rest as I enjoyed a small vacation with family after a hectic holiday season. A few cold nights around a warm fire and lazy days with no deadlines works wonders in rejuvenating a person’s spirit. However, the rest did not dull my excitement and anticipation for the new year full of new possibilities. I had lots of plans mulling around in my mind, and I couldn’t wait to get started on them. January also continued the health treatment program I began in December. While not easy, I was optimistic that 2024 would be a year of healing. Upon returning home, I jumped back into music with DOUBLE TROUBLE X2’s first performance of the year. Unfortunately, illness struck, and I spent a week in bed. While not ideal, it gave me a chance to finish an embroidery project I was working on for my county fair. Once I was feeling better, it was time for a livestream in The Community to wrap up my Christmas series “An Adventures in Record Collecting Christmas”.
February:
February was a slower month as I focused on my health and dealing with the side effects of the health treatments. Even then, I entered 3 projects in my county fair winning 2 blue ribbons and a white ribbon, I penned one of my favorite poems I’ve ever written - “Tomorrow Shall Be Told”, and I joined my favorite musicians for another performance with DOUBLE TROUBLE X2. Of course, I also attended the The Florida Flywheelers Annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show where I picked up some goodies at the swap shop. In between these events, I was also working behind the scenes on a secret project.
March:
As I slowly started feeling better from my health treatments, I was excited to return to the Sebring International Raceway to work for Cadillac during the 12 Hours of Sebring. This event is always a highlight of the year and was extra special this year as an old and dear friend visited to join us in working for Cadillac. Getting to catch up with our friend after several years as we gathered around our dining room table for a meal after a long day of work are some of my most treasured memories from the year. March also brought another performance by DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 at the lovely Tropical Winery.
April:
The year was moving along quickly and picking up in pace as April brought more performance opportunities at both new and familiar venues. Sister Violins shared classical and oldie favorites at the Heritage Festival, and DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 had fun at the new Agape Family Farms. I also hosted a new livestream format in The Community, “The Community Hangout,” to have some fun and share my secret project with its members.
May:
The beginning of the busiest part of the year, May began with an appearance by DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 at the American Legion then Tropical Winery followed by Sister Violins Music Studio’s annual student recital. In between performances, I launched my merch line and geared up to announce my secret project publicly. Due to unfortunate circumstances beyond my control, the project had to be put on hold and awaits the right time to relaunch. With Summer just around the corner, the family loaded up for the first part of a vacation: a roadtrip to visit family in Tennessee after a few days of camping in Alabama. Days spent outdoors hiking and biking were welcome changes to the busy work schedules of the past months. With work and deadlines off the mind, creativity was flowing, and many lyrics were penned in our travels. While in Tennessee, Sister Violins gave two Memorial Day performances (at Life Care Center of Sparta) before heading back to the Florida panhandle where sunshine and beaches awaited. A day in the saltwater was the perfect end to the month before heading home to work and project deadlines.
June:
Continuing the busiest part of the year, June kicked off with Sister Violins Music Studio’s Summer Camp. It was a fun and successful week sharing music and instruments with the students. I also recorded an audition for a competition, joined DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 at Tropical Winery, and got busy working on and preparing for my virtual festival, “Emily’s Summer on Broadway.” As we approached the end of the month, it was time for the second part of a vacation: family time and outdoor fun. The family headed up to the panhandle where we celebrated a belated Father’s Day canoeing a lovely, spring-fed creek. We managed a couple of trips to beaches in-between Summer thunderstorms, then it was time to head home again.
July:
July was a hectic month preparing for “Emily’s Summer on Broadway.” There were songs to arrange and record, videos to film, and photos to take. Due to my health beginning to decline, the festival was pushed back a bit till August. An Independence Day performance on July 3rd by DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 at the American Legion was a fun start to the holiday. The 4th was filled with traditions as we watched James Cagney in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” followed by watching our local fireworks display. While not filled with much variation, July was one of the busiest months of the year with work as my virtual festival was right around the corner.
August:
My virtual festival was finally here but not before the final preparations had to be made. There were videos to edit, programs to write, marketing materials to create and share, and a website to design. Despite the seemingly endless work and lack of sleep, “Emily’s Summer on Broadway” was a success and so much fun to host. Following the end of my health treatments, testing revealed that infections persisted and were the cause of my decline, once again. With these new results at our disposable, we formulated a plan to repeat treatments with more vigor with the hopes of conquering the infections once and for all. The hopes that I began 2024 with seemed to be waning as August marked the beginning of a long and tiresome road in my health journey.
September:
As I trekked out with renewed vengeance to conquer my health struggles, September began with a rocky start. Starting with a fun time building a little garden, things quickly changed as we attended the services for my cousin after his unexpected death. However, a new season was soon upon us, my favorite season of the year, and spending time performing with DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 is always a balm to the spirit. The month rounded out with an early birthday present to house my ever-growing record collection.
October:
Probably the most unexpected month of the year, October continued the trek of aggressive health treatments that left me feeling like I had the flu for three months straight. It’s in these times of struggles that we lean more closely on God, and He always carries us and continues to fill us with Himself. For even in the midst of my weakness, exhaustion, and pain, God brings to mind a vision, a plan for which He inspires creativity and gives the strength with which it can be accomplished. A hurricane brought days without power and a cancelled performance by DOUBLE TROUBLE, but God used the storm to bring rest and inspiration. A vague idea from many months before became a sudden reality as I wrote, arranged, recorded, and mixed a new song in just three days. “Daddy Was a Soldier” was a surprise even to me, but I trusted God in His timing and plan to release this song. Thus began three weeks of craziness as the song was mastered and submitted for distribution, marketing prep began, the music video was filmed, and everything began falling into place for the November release.
November:
November continued with the unexpected nature of October as Sister Violins received a last minute call to perform with a choir at our state college. Prep for the release of “Daddy Was a Soldier” was still underway as press releases were sent out, radio stations were contacted, and interviews/podcast appearances were being made. The release day and following music video release day were both exciting and successful days as I breathed a sigh of relief that the majority of my work was coming to an end. Thanksgiving was quickly approaching, and with work for the month completed, it was time to head out for time with family. I enjoyed a beautiful holiday with family from out of town joining the festivities. The temperatures were dropping, Christmas was on its way, and I was finally starting to feel improvement in my health.
December:
The month that always seems to go by in the blink of an eye, December brought many exciting events. DOUBLE TROUBLE X2 gave their final performance of the year, and I was nominated in four categories in the Elite Music Awards for “Daddy Was a Soldier." With the hardest parts of my health treatments behind me, the side effects were wearing off and my symptoms were subsiding. A calm during the storm of events, Christmas movie nights brought fun and rest and opportunities to be crafty (I knitted many hats during the Christmas season). The week before Christmas was a tight schedule with holiday baking, gift preparations, Sister Violins Music Studio’s Christmas Recital, an evening of Christmas light viewing, attending a Christmas Eve service, and preparing for our post-Christmas trip. Christmas Day was a wonderful celebration with family and watching the beloved film “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The day was over too soon as we quickly jumped into preparations to leave to visit family and begin our New Year’s vacation. Bright and early, we set out to begin our trek, stopping in the panhandle for a few hours’ sleep before continuing our journey to Tennessee. After a day’s visiting with family, we started the long drive back to the panhandle where rest and recuperation awaited. With one day left in 2024, I will soon be signing off to enjoy the rest of the year and beginning of the new year surrounded by my family in the place that I love.
Conclusion:
As all years are, 2024 has been a year of good and bad, tears and laughter. While not everything progressed as I had hoped when the year began, I know God’s plan is the best plan, and I trust in His timing. This year has not been a big year full of milestones but rather a steady year with opportunities to make decisions that would continue to better myself and my life - in all aspects of life. It is not always easy to feel God working in your life, sometimes He is quiet or subtle - moving softly, directing us gently. Other times, He makes His presence known very loudly, through fire and pressure. In whatever way God chooses to, He is always refining us if we let Him. This year has felt very much like a year of refinement - a year for being introspective, for making plans, for building connections, and for laying foundations. In this day and culture where things are often instant and only the big moments in life are shared and celebrated, it can feel disappointing to not see immediate results or have any big milestones to share. However, life is always worthy of being celebrated and waited on. Many of the best things in life happen with constant work over long periods of time. Many of the best things in life are the small moments of time spent with the people we love doing the seemingly mundane things that everybody does. It is in these simple moments and moments of waiting and working that we draw closer to God and on which the big moments in life are built.
Each year, I become more and more content in waiting on God and letting Him guide the way for the new year. It is so fun to dream and hope for the future, but my ultimate resolution lies in His plan. I know that His plans are always so much more exciting than my dreams if only because I know His plans are perfect. If 2025 continues the refinement that began in 2024, I will live each day with renewed joy just because it is a new day. If 2025 brings new projects and exciting events, I will cherish each moment as if it is the last. My prayer for 2025 is simply that I will not take even one second for granted or let it be wasted.
Friends, I am so grateful for this year that we had to spend together, and I cannot wait to share 2025 with you all. Thank you, once again, for being here and sharing this journey with me. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. God bless you all, and may He bless your new year beyond measure. Happy New Year!!
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 1 Peter 1:7 KJV
Thanks for this review, Emily. Happy New Year to you and your family!