Top 10 Moments of 2025 (and, as always, honorable mentions)

Wowzers... what a year!! I'm not sure there have been so many major life moments to cover in a single year!! Lots of changes, lots of all-time highs, and yet also some all-time lows!! As a reminder (for those who have actually read all of the previous years), not everything on the top 10 is positive... they are simply moments that had the biggest impact on our lives. There were at least 25 key moments this year, so the fact that we got it whittled down to 15, I was amazed. HA! However, to honor the tradition of only picking a top 10, I had to move 5 into honorable mentions... so hard, but I think I can make a solid case for life impact by those top 10 in a huge way. Additionally, this isn't something I publicize, though public, this is really just "accountability" for me to take the time to remember every year. So without further ado... 

Honorable Mentions:

*) Link Year Graduation (Very cool moment we got to share with Jackson, as he graduated from his "gap year" program in Branson. His year consisted of working, studying, reading, and defending his beliefs... not to mention a long trip to New Zealand, which I know will be one of his top ten moments of the year. Update on his life since... he started working at a gym as a personal trainer and quickly got promoted and is now the head guy and also started his own company... so proud!)

*) Kanakuk 100 Years Celebration (This was such a sweet moment for our family as Kanakuk, the kamp where Courtney and I met, celebrated its 100th summer, and ALL three of our kids got to serve and we got to sneak a pic during the 4th of July celebration. So fun!)

*) Senior Spring Concert (Though we have attended several of these concerts over the years... this was the first one I was asked to sing at since I was in school. Creighton asked if I'd be interested in singing a duet with her this year for her senior year... so stinkin' fun!! We sang "Love is an open door" from the Frozen soundtrack.)

*) Fellowship Men's Retreat  (Like many of the moments being discussed on this list, a men's retreat is not anything new, BUT this year was the first time Jackson came as a man and not just my son... It was a very special time to see him connect, pray, converse, and even crush an F3 workout. This year's event was with Fellowship Bentonville at the Buffalo River!)

*) Sibling Day(So it was actually the second sibling day, but the first one where we were able to enjoy the entire day in Tulsa... We enjoy breakfast, talking, thrifting, more food, more food, and of course, much laughter! We may have also shot a calendar for our parents... enjoy October.)

Top 10 Moments of 2024:

10) #WalkReadConnect (At the beginning of '24 I made one singular commitment... to Walk, Read, and Connect often. Looking back now, it's amazing to see how God was shaping me to just relearn how to be present... Present in a walk outside, present reading for pleasure and not JUST to "learn" or self-help, which is my normal pla,y and of course to be present in connection with old friendships and relationships I just hadn't made time for for many years. In the end, we totaled 100+ walks, called or had lunch with every friendship since high school, and read 15+ books: Leaf by Niggle, Extreme Ownership, 24/6, David & Goliath, Mind Shift, Blink, To Hell with the Hustle, Ragamuffin Gospel, What the Heck is EOS, Traction, The Dichotomy of Leadership, Seven, Bleachers, The EOS Life, Hawaii.)

9) Rae's Graduation (Last year, we had Jackson's graduation, so I thought this one would be easier, but when it's your daughter, it just changes everything... again. So proud of this top 10%, 4.0+, college credits, club VP, FCA leadership, true student-athlete. She worked so hard for so many years and endless nights of study, preparations, and class projects. So happy for her moving on to the next level at MidAmerica!)

8) College Volleyball (What a sweet moment this IS... you get lucky enough to play college ball yourself, you even get to watch your wife coach college ball the first two years of marriage and then you go on to watch countless matches of school ball and club ball BUT now to see her reap the rewards of her time, dedication and effort for herself... is so sweet. Additional fun this year was seeing her FINALLY getting to play libero, a position she was born to play. Onto next season... Go Neers!)

7) Selling our NWA House (This should probably read: selling our Dream Home. And man, what a hard decision AND process this was... In 2020, no one wanted to be looking at homes but we knew we were supposed to be in Bentonville, so we pushed forward and were able to get the literal home of our dreams... everyone got their own room, an amazing open living room for people, sick game room upstairs, "Berg Gym 2.0" and a neighborhood where we had zero concern for them to walk around after dark. Probably still my favorite home, but it was exactly what was needed in that season. P.S. took us months, countless showings, and dropping the price nearly $60k but we got it sold and for that I am thankful.)

6) Unemployment (Gosh, I don't know what all I want to write here... so highlights: I left my role at BN after five years, and in so doing, Walmart after ten years, having had zero issues, loving our team, the support of those at BN, and doing impactful work. BUT also waking up and just knowing something wasn't right, knowing some of my "joy" was just gone... There are many things I can point to, but ultimately, after counseling, some meds, and creating space, I just knew I needed a break. Secretly, I knew I would be right back into something after a month off, but you know the joke: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans!" Three months passed with no work, and I'd say I hit rock bottom... HOWEVER, God loves it when we finally stop fighting and trust the process, even with no "hope" on the horizon!)

5) Living with the Steele's (There's so much to this story that I will keep close to our chest for our family, as this means so much more to our hearts than it would to others, even after explaining it. But let this moment be remembered and documented as a testament that LITERALLY only God could be writing... 16+ years later, God is so good!)

4) New Tulsa House (That's right... after five years in NWA, it was time to move home. So many fun details to record from Tulsa Remote, to Courtney's work, to old friends reaching out and offering me a new opportunity, to Charleigh getting into her private school (and being so brave), to finding a house that is just what we needed for this season of life. So thankful for this season and can't believe we can be where we are and live the life we are living.)

3) New Job... New Career! (Like so many of these moments this year... the details are endless and full of His fingerprints. Highlights: After months of time off and several job opportunities coming and going, I was finally resolute to do "leadership development" and not settle for anything else, and would you know it, that in that moment, I got a phone call. That's right, after months of looking for jobs, applying for jobs, willingness to settle at a job... the perfect job found me. But better than just a job, it was because of core values, old relationships, and the perfect combination of 12+ years of vocational ministry and 10+ years of retail, training, and development experience. In just 6 months, we've done so much, and I know for a fact that the best is yet to come as we cultivate a new and holistic approach to development for everyone.)

2) Hawaii... 50th of 50!! #BergFamily50StateTour (HOLY SMOKES WE ACTUALLY DID IT!! After 10+ years of taking focused and intentional vacations, work trips, and club volleyball, we made it through every state in the United States. Wildly, we ended our 50-state tour with more "once in a lifetime" moments than I can count... AirBnB ON THE BEACH in Maui, sunrise and sunsets, night snorkling, Nakalele blowhole, scuba and surfing lessons, banana nut bread from the side of the road, shaved ice, Road to Hana, countless whale breaches, turtle interactions, and a stinkin' "doors off" helicopter tour of the islands! I am reluctant to use the word blessed because it's all worldly, but I hope and pray every moment leads to a lifetime of thankfulness and appreciation of what we have given!)

1) 100 Hangouts (It's hard to try and think there could possibly be something more monumental then a new house, a new job, and Maui, but having a legendary marriage was my number one goal for as long as I've been making real goals in my life, and this year we made a huge commitment... 100 hangouts together! So yes, if you do the math, that's so much more than planning a date night once a week, which is a great and noble goal for couples... We just chose to step it up this year after being challenged by a friend (TDoe). It takes a true commitment to be intentional every 2-3 days to spend real time together. It takes countless moments where you have to choose to be intentional, it takes countless moments to be creative and calculated, it takes countless moments for BOTH of us to put in the work, it takes countless moments to CHOOSE US. And after a full year of moments, EVEN in what "luck would have it" be the biggest year of moments we've ever had, it was our best year of marriage yet... 22 years and I can honestly say I'm more in love with this woman than I thought was possible, as I was already at "full" last year!!  Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me with this true jewel in "my" crown... Blessed beyond measure!! P.S. we ended the year with 103 and already have one for '26)

It never fails to get to the bottom of the list, and no matter how I am feeling at the time of making the list... I look at the moments, and it's clear that God's fingerprints are all over it. Thank you again, Father, for never letting us go at it alone. God is good and this year was proof... and that has nothing to do with money (just to be clear)!!

**Past years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024!!

Top 10 Moments of 2024 (and, as always, honorable mentions)

It's wild that every year I start out remembering I need to do this post but overwhelmed with the idea of putting it all back together YET... EVERY. TIME. I am absolutely thankful to relive so many memories and moments. Candidly, I even forget some of these that were so important yet time and life just moves forward. Thus, I guess if others are seeing this and appreciating it or not, I'm blessed beyond measure and need this time of reflection often to remember. Thank you, God!! 

So let's get into it...

Honorable Mentions:

*) Dallas Cowboys (I believe the Cowboys have made the list every year since I started this tradition of making a top 10 list... Why you ask, because I have been a fan my entire life and EVERY time I get the opportunity to go to a game... ESPECIALLY with my Dad AND MY SON, I'm reminded that all of it is so much more than a silly game, it's tradition, it's legacy. I don't know how much longer Dad is going to have season tickets but every year, I am reminded how special these times are... even if they (Dem Boyz) continue to hurt my heart - HA!).

*) Jock (Honestly, if you know me, this is a pretty strange one... Don't get me wrong, I do like dogs a lot and have even shed a tear or two over the years for my pets BUT I think this is the first time I have felt like one was part of our family. This stinkin' dog is just not normal! From how excited he gets to go on walks with me, to always needing to cuddle with whoever is near the couch, to only eating dinner when we do... it's truly weird and funny at the same time. I've never seen a dog have such a specific personality).

*) Weddings (Not sure why that is plural... Only officiated one wedding this year and it was so fun and special. Also had a range of emotions when I saw this picture, as I had accidentally grabbed my son's button-up shirt and didn't know until we were 30 minutes from ceremony time and a suit jacket that I hadn't worn since college. So ridiculous but still a blast to not only get to be invited to a wedding but the blessing of being in the best seat "in the house" as the minister for your little sister. So good.)!

Top 10 Moments of 2024:

10) Work (It's always nice when work makes it to the list, however, it's making the list this year not because everything is amazing but because it's been such an impactful item in the year of 2024. My first trip to Canada happened this year because of one of our clients, lots of transition has happened this year for all the folks I work with AND my oldest daughter even got to go with me on a super fun work trip which lead us to the Museum of Play in Rochester, NY! **Way more work news happening but will probably land on the 2025 calendar!).

9) Senior Pics... AGAIN!! (It's wild that last year, we were doing senior pics for our first child and I think at some point I forgot that the next kiddo was RIGHT BEHIND him. How did she get this old... I can't believe it and am so thrown back by the fact that I see so much of Courtney in her... she's so beautiful in countless ways!!).

8) Teenage Employment (Both big kids are now officially employed. The middle found a great job at Chick-fil-A and is really enjoying it. I have loved hearing her talk about their values and the reasons they do what they do. So many great things for teens to learn from getting a job, even if they're a straight 'A' student that plays HOURS of volleyball. Of course, the oldest has been mowing for years and even worked at two other businesses in the past but I believe his newest job will become an incredible career and love the fact that there's a photo that popped up in my wheelhouse of him working at Walmart!).

7) Kid's Sports (There were so many pictures to pick from to add here as both girls have school ball and club ball now in two different sports. The youngest has got back into soccer this year and not only made a great club team but also the freshmen team at BWHS. The middle has also decided to play her final season of club volleyball but also just wrapped her senior season at BWHS. However, the most exciting moment was her signing day, as she's been given a scholarship to play at MidAmerica Nazarene in Kansas!)

6) 1st Dances (Though the older two have been to several and even the youngest has been to the middle school dances... This year was the first HS Homecoming dance for the freshmen and she was BEAUTIFUL!! Yet, also a first, both bigs had High School Prom and though they went with others, we were able to snag this amazing pic of them both AND Papa John came over with his Rolls Royce SilverCloud III to take them... WHAT!!)

5) Board Games (Board games continues to make the list year after year and I hope it is something my kids pass on to theirs... We have had friends join us, grandparents and even dates but this core continues to crush games and as always: no matter what, the winner puts their name in the box!!)

4) Dates & Man Time (SO MANY to choose from and for that I am forever grateful! From jumping in the car last minute and going to a Battlehawks game with my son, to breakfast buffet with my oldest daughter and even visiting "Stars Hollow" with my youngest... we crushed some dates and man time this year. But SmashLab was a pretty epic fun night for all of us on Mom's birthday... You should see the video!!).

3) Family Roadtrips (With the most epic trip this summer, we have officially crossed off 49 or the 50 states. We were able to take a cruise in and around Alaska, docking to take some epic hikes and amazing crab. We road-tripped from the needle in Seattle, to the rose garden in Portland. Then from the Crater of the Moon, Inspiration Point and Old Faithful in Yellowstone... It was a trip of a lifetime for sure!! **And if you're wondering our 2025 is booked up all year for at least one of our crew, so we're making plans to finish out in Hawaii in 2026.) 

2) The Last Marble (How do you even start to write something about this as it has brought so many tears this past year. For over 15 years we have had three jars full of marbles in our entryway... each week we move one marble from each jar into the big vase. This year, we moved the final "blue" marble, our oldest's, into the vase. No, he's not dead!! But it has been a great reminder daily to cherish our moments before graduation. Of course, the last marble brought on graduation and now "move-in" day at college. Man, that big vase is beautiful and forever cherished!! **Recently been thinking of adding a marble BACK every time he comes home... what do you all think of that!?).

1) This Woman (I'm sure to many, this will seem cliche or even sappy but the truth is... 23+ years later I am literally MORE infatuated with this woman than the first day I met her. She is my rock in hard times, my excitement on most days, the person I think about anytime I have something to share and I can't wait to spend, God willing, our "older years" together. **Love doesn't feel like a strong enough word when I think of you baby.)!

The craziest part of this list is the fact that lately, I have been pretty down, yet when I can take a step back and see all the smiles, memories, and moments... I remember what all of this is really about. **God is good... ALL THE TIME!!**

**Past years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023!!

Top 10 Moments of 2023 (and, as always, honorable mentions)

Having not really thought about what all took place over the past 12-months until now, it's clear this year wasn't full of "DDWs" but learning to live and simply enjoy the life we've made. I spent a lot of time this year thinking about what all of this life is about and I'm so thankful we didn't miss any of these "mundane" moments... because [here's the secret] that's what it is in fact all about!!

With it being 1:09am on Monday, Jan. 1st... My prayer is that I'll spend this next year giving God praise for answering so many prayers and focusing on the daily discipline of not taking any of it for granted!

Without any further ado... here's my year in review's top ten moments!!

Honorable Mentions:

*) Dallas Cowboys (This has been a fun season... As of TODAY, it looks like the Boys will be not only going to the playoffs but have home-field for the first round or two! I've been to a lot of games and even got to see Jimmy Johnson FINALLY inducted into the Ring of Honor this week... But the best game in a long time, was being present for this home game against the Eagles. So stinkin' fun!).

*) Bible Studies (I'm sure if I was more involved in these it would make the top 10 but even though I didn't do anything, it still deserves to make the honorable list as both big kids stepped up this year to lead bible studies... Jackson with the Football guys and Creighton for Charleigh's volleyball team. #GodIsGood).

*) Journey Graduation (So Journey was my #1 last year, so it's fitting that the graduation, where I completed the process should make the list. I'm thankful for the time spent and though I don't think it is necessary for every believer nor the only tool out their to push deeper connection... I am forever grateful to have pushed through and finished with this group.)!

Top 10 Moments of 2023:

10) Unplanned Moments (I have no clue where to start with this note but as I reflected above... so much of this year was unplanned and simply trying to figure out if this was the life we always wanted. As mentioned, though minimal "big moments" took place, the daily unplanned miracles in the mundane abound. God is so good!).

9) Small Group (Going into last year, we knew it was time to get involved or bust. I'm so thankful for this group and to see them rally behind one another to dig a little deeper and do life together. Though so much as happened this year, the relationships have been made the investment of time and energy has been spent... Life with others matters!).

8) Kanakuk (Yes, Kamp is a regular here on the top ten list but this summer was a little different... probably the last time all three will attend as kampers! As I write this Charleigh just found out her big Christmas gift was going back but Creighton has a big Choir trip (Austria) and Jackson has officially applied and accepted to be a CIT at K-Kauai this next summer.).

7) Club Ball (Though both girls made teams this year, Charleigh's was one I wanted to highlight. Not only did she make the team on her own... she worked so hard all year to upgrade her game so she'd be ready for the 8th grade school team AND SHE MADE IT! Another cool note was that Courtney was able to coach this team and honestly, was the best group of girls and parents that I've ever seen... not one time was drama an issue, and let me tell you, that's not the norm!)

6) The Injury (Not sure what to say about this one... Creighton ended up going down at the end of this year's club season and it was so hard and sad. HOWEVER, as mentioned, it was essentially the end of the season so we didn't miss a ton and was able to jump into school ball. The sad news here, was it happened AGAIN at the end of the school ball season. Thankfully club allowed her to send a "tape" in for try-outs and she made the 17-2s... so proud of her!)

5) Board Games (Without planning, we have ended up with a bunch of family traditions... I'm not sure I love any of them more than the reality that boardgames, card games and basic hangout happens more nights than not. I love that this crew chooses to hang out together over and over again!! P.S. Yes, the victor still gets to sign their name and date the box lid after each win.)

4) Men of West (Though this is more about WINsday and Friday Morning Motivation... Men of West was also taken up a notch this year! Every Wednesday, I led the guys in different team competitions from tug-o-war to Pop the Balloon. Then every Friday I was able to come in and do a pep talk around our core values and how they can be applied for life: FAST = Fundamentals, Attitude, Selflessness, Toughness and Core, Committed, Community & Crowd. On Thursdays we did our traditional MoW and I was able to arrange a Walmart buyer to bring power tools one week, ties & dress shirts another and even meats from Hall of Famer: Earl Campbell).

3) Family Roadtrips (In 2023, we finished the NorthEast: We flew into Buffalo, saw Niagra Falls, Canada and ate the original buffalo wings. Then after our flights were canceled we decided to drive to Maine through Vermont and New Hampshire. We had lobster on the shore in Bar Harbor, saw Acadia National Park and so much incredible countryside. In Boston, we walked the Freedom Trail, visited Harvard and had the best Chinese of our lives in Chinatown. In Connected we visited Yale and had Frank Pepe's Pizza and in Rhode Island we saw the mansions and a few more pit stops on the beach!) 

*As I write this, we are putting the finishing touches on our June 2024 trip where we will hit 6 of the remaining 7 states!

2) The end of Football (I'm still not sure what to write here... It's been almost two months since the season ended and I still feel I missed so much. Time will tell if he will look back on it with no regrets and decide if all the time, energy and hurt was worth it. It's the one sport you don't really ever get to do again...and I can't believe it's already over).

1) 20th Anniversary (No better decision have I ever made then asking this woman to be my wife. She makes me better in every way and more importantly, has continued to be exactly what I have needed in every season. God truly made her with me in mind and I couldn't be prouder to have celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this year... We even got to go to the same hotel AND ROOM from both our first honeymoon night and our 10th anniversary.)!

Bottom line... God is good and oh so faithful, may I never forget this NOR take it for granted!!

**Past years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022!!

Top 10 Moments of 2022 (and, as always, honorable mentions)

It's only 3 days after the new year and we're back. That is significantly better than last year's post which was 8 MONTHS late! All in all, this might be the only tradition I'm keeping up with these days. That's not to say cool things aren't happening, I'm just saying 2022 was a big year of introspection, re-evaluating everything in my life and then trust Him with one step at a time (versus my usual 5-10 year plan :)). 

It's funny how looking through pictures brings back so many memories you forget about, even if it's only been a few months. Our day-to-day lives are so powerful in building and shaping our attitude yet we often only remember the mountain tops or valleys. 

I'm excited about this years top 10 moments and as a reminder, these aren't just the highlights, these are the moments that shaped the year!

P.S. And as always... the previous years of these are linked at the bottom.

Honorable Mentions:

*) Trash Creamery (Yes, that's right... An ice-cream shop has officially made the list. If you understood the sheer number of photos, and thus dollars, that have been spent here you'd understand ;))!

*) Professional Wrestling (Our good friend and colleague, Terrence, is also a ring announcer by night and he invited us out to a local wrestling match and let me tell you, it did not disappoint... Look at that face!).

*) #JeepLife w/ JoJo (Making the honorable mentions for the THIRD year in a row... It's not worthy of bumping out my kids in the top ten, but man, there's not a lot I enjoy more personally than taking the top off, woman by my side, kids in the back and looking for some dirt roads or Jeeps to duck!)!

Top 10 Moments of 2022: 

10) Hot Tub (I hate putting a "liability" on the list BUT if you only knew the smiles it brings, the conversations it starts and the therapy it produces you'd understand. Many years from now, feel free to tell my teenagers that they actually didn't trick me into letting them stay up late because of the hot tub but that I knew they would talk about every aspect of their day while in the tub ;)).

9) Dallas Cowboys (12 years of Dad having season tickets and I still love every minute of it... I'm hoping by this time next year I will get to show you pictures of a Super Bowl win and thus, a much higher on the list Dallas Cowboys representation! #WeDemBoyz).

8) Kanakuk (Another year and another top ten mention for Kamp. Though this is and continues to be a HUGE financial commitment, it is something I knew I wanted to give my kids since I first stepped foot through the K-Kountry gate 24 years ago. This year everyone went for two weeks: Bigs to K2 and the youngest to K-West... Additionally they received the Spike, Heart & I'm Third Awards!).

7) Working Out (It's been a rough year emotionally and physically, thus the weight has been a struggle all year. At times this year, I was nurturing a couple solid injuries, work was very stressful or I just flat out couldn't get my daily disciplines together as a result of depression and anxiety. Miles of rucking, hours of Workouts and endless Hot Tub/Cold Plunges later... we're back on track) 

**Side-note: 286lbs was reached this year, NEVER again!

6) Kids' Sports (This has again made the top ten list and rightfully so... So much of our time is spent coaching practices, watching practices, cheering them on at games, working out in the off-season and discussing the highs and lows of competition. We wouldn't want it any other way... Football, Volleyball & Soccer still rule (Club Volleyball has begun for both girls this year))

5) Teen Dating (Now this is one I knew was coming but was still not ready to post about... I struggled deciding what picture to use as there's a few choice ones, some of them are not my story to tell and others are not what it's all about. The below picture shares a win but I promise it hasn't been all butter-flys and rainbows. God is good and faithful!)

4) Driver's License #2 (That's right, teen driver #2 and vehicle #4 in the house. Though this has been a great addition and we found a perfect cute little SUV, it's still surreal that I'm old enough to have that many cars in my driveway. P.S. her name is Betty White).

3) Date Nights, Man Time & Berg Family Fun Days (So I was told by many that date nights with the kids and family nights would end as they got older... please don't tell them that!! Most days we are still able to pull off dinner at the table, most weeks we still have Family Fun DAYS (had to move it to Sunday afternoons, as open evening have become difficult), and most months we're still finding time for one-on-one dates with each of the kids... I will cherish these memories FOREVER!) 

2) Family Roadtrips (So at the close of 2022 we have now been to 37 states as a family and essentially have it nailed down to four trips remaining (NE this summer, NW next spring break and then Hawaii and Alaska as senior trips for the bigs). This year's trip ended up being the longest roadtrip yet: Packer Nation in Wisconsin, U'ppers in Michigan, Mall of America & a family friend's lake house in Minnesota, "the wood chipper" in Fargo, ND, the Corn Palace in SD, Lake Okoboji in Iowa and Creighton Univ & the Zoo in Nebraska).

1) The Journey (As mentioned in #7, it's been a very up and down year for so many reasons but mainly because I have been re-evaluating and re-discovering every aspect of my life. One step I took this year, was finally joining a Journey group through Influencers (and our church). Though there is no real magic formula and I didn't love some of the material, the process is to lead us into an abiding relationship with Christ and for that I am forever appreciated.)!

*Scripture Read, Thought Conveyed, Application & Response)

Big picture and to summarize the year... Keep being the SPARK the world needs (your world) and remember to take 3 seconds to TAKE THE PICTURE (then put the phone away :))!!

*Want to follow me more regular: FB, IG, LinkedIn & TikTok (@TheSurgeBerg)

**Past years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021!!