Life really does seem to speed up as you get older... I can't believe 2012 is already drawing to a close. I love these times of the year when it's natural to reflect on the past and make goals for the future. And one of the reasons I blog is to have a little record of where my head is at at certain points. I just re-read my new years reflections from last year. Here are some of the things I was hoping for for 2012 and how I think they went...
Practically I want to be diligent about meal planning and spending less on food. I want to put my clothes away at the end of the day (I know, I'm 30 something and still struggle with this. Shame on me!). I want to continue my quest for a simpler more generous life. Relationally, I want to invest in some new friendships and continue to strengthen the old. I want to pick up the phone more. I want to love my husband better and be a more engaged mom. Spiritually I simply want to learn how to become friends with God.
- I definitely improved on meal planning and most weeks had our dinners written out. I could do better at spending less on food and not wasting as much.
- Picking up my clothes? (still laugh that this was a goal, but hey, sometimes it's the little things). Still not perfect but now that we host a small group at our house and our bedroom is one of the meeting places, it's clean at least once a week. And I usually don't let the mess go on as long. I'll have to let Joel weigh in on that one.
-Living a simpler and more generous life is huge on my radar these days and I've made good steps towards that, including being part of a small community that meets once a month to bounce ideas off each other and grow. Again, still a long way to go. I think I have at least eight blog posts in my head related to this topic.
- We've definitely developed some new friendships that are growing. I can give us a clear check mark for that. We have people in our home way more than we used to and enjoy practicing hospitality. There is a greater depth we'd like to go in many of these new relationships and that takes energy I don't often feel I have, but I also know it takes time.
- Pick up the phone more? No, completely failed on that. Do people like to talk on the phone any more? I actually enjoy a good phone conversation but always hesitate because I don't want to bug people. Email and texting is safer. I admit, I like safe!
- Loving my husband better and being more engaged as a mom...steps forward for sure but I'll be working on those two for the rest of my life. I've become more aware of how selfish I can be and my addiction to comfort. I'm learning to make more decisions that aren't about me.
- And friends with God? Very very slowly but in a better place than I was a year ago. And the good thing is I feel no guilt about that. That's progress for sure.
I have much to be thankful for and today I'm especially grateful that I have grown from the person I was a year ago. Life is a journey and I'm enjoying the ride. Stay tuned for my goals for 2013. Happy New Year!!!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas Time
Christmas is only a few days away. Read my thoughts about Christmas last year from part of my living simply series. (I have many more thoughts to add to that series, just working on how to articulate them).
This is the first Christmas that the boys really have some idea of what is going on. That don't really know that Christmas is an actual day, they just know it's Christmas time. That means we decorate a tree, have a manger scene (where the donkey gives everyone a ride!) and light our advent candles each night. Their favourite Christmas songs are Away in a Manger, Jingle Bells and Up on the Rooftop (thank you daycare!).
I am feeling quite thankful that we have embraced the idea of a simple Christmas. We've decided that in our little nuclear family we are only going to do stockings for each other. This is pretty easy at the moment as the boys are still young. I am not anti-gifts and they will still have presents to open at extended family gatherings but they really don't need more from us. I want Christmas to be more focused on giving to others in need, spending time with family and sharing experiences together. And of course, celebrating the gift of Jesus. Lighting the advent calendar this year has more been a lesson in counting than anything spiritual. Such is life with toddlers.
It continues to amaze me how much Christmas seems to be about stuff. By far the biggest question I'm asked is if I'm done my Christmas shopping. People also ask if my kids are excited about Santa. Santa wasn't a big part of my childhood. I'm not going to go out of my way to teach them he isn't real but I'm not telling them he's bringing them gifts. He's more a figure we see on TV and sing about sometimes. (As a side, I will always remember a favourite moment last year, sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Some kids were acting up and their dad was threatening to call Santa to cancel their presents. He was on his way to dialling before they smartened up. I would bet any amount of money that no matter what they did he was never going to follow through.)
I love that Christmas is not stressful for us. It's about people, not stuff, and celebrating God incarnate. I think going against the consumerism of the season will get harder as the boys get older. They will begin to notice what happens around them. But we're determined to be intentional about learning to be a family that lives counter-culturally and gives generously especially at this time of year. And I'm thankful to be part of a community that values this as well. There are million ways to do Christmas and I love learning from others. I have a long way to go. What are some ways you've changed the way you do Christmas over the years?
Sunday, December 16, 2012
27,000 Children
As most people seemed to be, I was shocked and saddened to hear about the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut this past Friday. That night I was feeling overwhelmed for those who had to experience the horrors and for the families of those who died. It is a devastating loss. Almost every post I read on Facebook had to do with the events that took place and the understandable emotions that we were all feeling. But something didn't sit right with me.
In the past few months I have been working my way through this book. I just finished reading a chapter called 'One Hundred Crashing Jetliners.' The premise was that whenever a plane crashes, it makes the news. And yet, nearly 27,000 children die A DAY of preventable causes related to poverty and we almost never hear about it. This was fresh in my mind as I heard about what happened on Friday.
I get it. It is easier to feel things when it happens close to home. We can relate. It affects us. It's all over the media. Children dying of hunger, malaria, lack of clean water... that generally happens to people far away and we can't relate. I have met some of these people and I still forget. Days go by and it doesn't cross my mind. It's a truth I'm not proud of.
So what does that mean? As our pastor put it this morning, it means repentance. Repentance for not thinking about the poor and doing enough to help them, while I focus on acquiring more stuff and being comfortable. It means taking a long and hard look at my life and being intentional about making choices that help those in need, instead of focusing on me. I love the now famous prayer, prayed by Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision... "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." That means the loss of innocent children in the United States, AND the loss of innocent children around the globe. None of them should suffer.
While people debate gun laws and media coverage, I want to look at myself and ask, what can I do to help those who are suffering and prevent senseless tragedy that happens day after day. And I want to put in the hard work of not forgetting so that it will cause me to act and make a difference. The posts about the killings in Connecticut will soon disappear and it will eventually leave the minds of those of us not directly affected. It's just what happens. But tomorrow 27,000 children will die that shouldn't, and the next day 27,000 more will die. The good news it the number has been decreasing in recent years but it's obviously not good enough. I pray that I would not forget and that I would do my part each day until that statistic no longer exists. God help us!
In the past few months I have been working my way through this book. I just finished reading a chapter called 'One Hundred Crashing Jetliners.' The premise was that whenever a plane crashes, it makes the news. And yet, nearly 27,000 children die A DAY of preventable causes related to poverty and we almost never hear about it. This was fresh in my mind as I heard about what happened on Friday.
I get it. It is easier to feel things when it happens close to home. We can relate. It affects us. It's all over the media. Children dying of hunger, malaria, lack of clean water... that generally happens to people far away and we can't relate. I have met some of these people and I still forget. Days go by and it doesn't cross my mind. It's a truth I'm not proud of.
So what does that mean? As our pastor put it this morning, it means repentance. Repentance for not thinking about the poor and doing enough to help them, while I focus on acquiring more stuff and being comfortable. It means taking a long and hard look at my life and being intentional about making choices that help those in need, instead of focusing on me. I love the now famous prayer, prayed by Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision... "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." That means the loss of innocent children in the United States, AND the loss of innocent children around the globe. None of them should suffer.
While people debate gun laws and media coverage, I want to look at myself and ask, what can I do to help those who are suffering and prevent senseless tragedy that happens day after day. And I want to put in the hard work of not forgetting so that it will cause me to act and make a difference. The posts about the killings in Connecticut will soon disappear and it will eventually leave the minds of those of us not directly affected. It's just what happens. But tomorrow 27,000 children will die that shouldn't, and the next day 27,000 more will die. The good news it the number has been decreasing in recent years but it's obviously not good enough. I pray that I would not forget and that I would do my part each day until that statistic no longer exists. God help us!
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