12/30/2007

Reflecting and Resolutions: My Annual Questions...

Here we are at the end of the year again! I've been browsing through my journal and am reminded page after page of sweet lessons or insights I'd already forgotten! I'm a slow learner and need lots of review. I love this week between Christmas & New Years. I look over those resolutions from last year and realize:
  • Hey! I actually did perform a song in Chinese! I thought that goal was far-fetched, but I ended up doing it TWICE!
  • Ugh. I still haven't taken a dance class. This is the 5th year I've made that resolution! Should I go for a 6th year of putting it down?
  • I didn't get on top of organizing my mailing lists, or start flossing regularly, or cut out coffee.
  • But I did start drinking the coffee black, journal in RED PEN the large and small miracles of the year, read a book aloud to Cameron, start asking for more advice, and survived the packing/storing/moving/settling in Pasadena!
  • Yeah! It may have been a tough one, but looking it over, it's been a GOOD year!
A few years ago in Singapore I started going through some reflective questions and then looking ahead to the new year with friends.

I've put the reflective questions below. You don't have to fill them all out, but let them be inspiration for a little reflecting. If you'd like,
type out what you come up with, and paste them here as a comment! (you can even post anonymously if your a more private person!)

We can make a collection of our milestones right here. I'll put mine in there too. It'll be fun to see how this turns out!

Here's some subjects to reflect and journal:
  • In 2007 I learned to…
  • I grew most in…
  • Another way I saw myself growing was…
  • One of my best adventures was…
  • I saw/knew God was doing something when…
  • A real gift from God was…
  • Something I really enjoyed doing more of was…
  • One of the happiest memories of 2006 I’d like to freeze in my mind…
  • I was really brave when…
  • Something I’ve grieved about this year was…
  • I’m still trying to learn what God wants to teach me through this hard experience…
  • The best word of advice or encouragement I can remember is…
  • One thing I’m looking forward to in 2008 is…
After hearing from one another on these reflections, I get out stacks of post it notes to brainstorm new years resolutions. The post it note method is my way of saying, "they're just ideas, so if you don't do them, you don't have to feel guilty about it." We take a break to individually do the brainstorming, then come back together to share a few. It's fun because we find that some of us have the same goal, and realize that we can do it together. There are 6 categories for brainstorming resolutions. You don't have to do it ahead of time, but I'm putting them here so you know what's coming...
  • Physical
  • Spiritual
  • Service
  • Important Relationships
  • Professional/Intellectual
  • Adventure/Risk

1 comment:

K!Mberly said...

In 2007 I learned to…
be more thankful & grateful.... COACH and work toward ICF certification....Drafting.... Perspective Drawing.... Make a model.... Google pages.... Visual Journaling.

I grew most in…
Theatre History knowledge, scenic design, and technical theatre (even the shop tools!)....Joining in with the family in their never ending talk about sports, I could actually enjoy watching some of it and talking about it (some of it)....my teacher role as lecturer at TCA and teaching in other arenas.... going with the flow, being less driven HA! I grew in my flakeyness....i also grew in my frailty and weakness. Tears came very easily this year.

Another way I saw myself growing was…
that I can give up on the wish that I'd been more understood and less subtly alienated in my perfect happy family as a child and young person. They love me and celebrate me now. And have for years. I can gratefully embrace that now and let the rest be bygones.

One of my best adventures was…
Organizing my little drama club to sing and dance in Chinese at Outram MRT for Chinese New Year.

I saw/knew God was doing something when…
M. opened her previously unopened Bible and becan to read the Gospel of John to me.... I loved listening to Podcasts from American Theatre Wing so ARDENTLY.... Praying for miracles, actually saw some happen!

A real gift from God was…
friendship with Namiko Chan & Leezibet Heinz-Raiden.... Hearing the song UNWRITTEN on my birthday, and then being able to share it the same day with EDR who needed to hear it too.... EVENING PRIMROSE.... Being a part of the CRM Women of Influence conference in Colorado and next in Austria.

Something I really enjoyed doing more of was…
spending time chatting with Stephanie McDermott in her kitchen while Cameron had cello with Matthew.... praying with and for people.... exploring enacted prayer.

One of the happiest memories of 2006 I’d like to freeze in my mind…
how proud my boys were of their mom after the Alabaster Jar concert.... well, that whole concert was pretty amazing.... especially the impact of GRATITUDE on the audience.

I was really brave when…
I sang a CHINESE song in that concert.

Something I’ve grieved about this year was… just about everything it would sometimes seem. Loonni's family and their seemingly hopeless poverty (and that they represent millions of others i DON'T KNOW).... the lostness of man.... Crystal's challenges as a former convict.... Deanna Hoff's 2nd child - after the 1st was stillborn - is down syndrome.... child abuse or prostitution or sweat shops.... the church and how alienating it is to newcomers.... feeling like an alien in my home country.... not knowing what I'm to do to help in important issues to change the world for good....

I’m still trying to learn what God wants to teach me through this hard experience…
why was tyler's setbacks in playing (not playing) football so emotionally devastating for me? I think I've got it figured out - it triggered and then opened up the core of some deep memories and wounds between me and God. A series of events in my teens that I didn't handle well. I'm not letting go of it until I really have clarity!

The best word of advice or encouragement I can remember is…
Evening Primrose & glucosamine for premenstrual depression and painful creaky joints! (thanks Caroline Farris!)...."You don't realize how valued your words are and the influence you have. People respect you. People listen when you speak." (Paul Rhodes CRM VP said to me in Thailand. I think my mouth was gaping open when he said it, but as the year went on, I realized that I could humbly accept this and hopefully walk in it responsibly)...."Everybody's equal to you at the foot of the cross." (Stephanie McDermott having observed me at something I was unaware anyone paid attention to.)
"I will not leave you bereft." -Scripture, the words of the LORD.

One thing I’m looking forward to in 2008 is… winding up our family time in USA well...
but i can't just say one thing! ....taking a dance class.... spending more time with my family.... the Christians in Theatre Conference at Azusa Pacific Univerity - helping with the Theatre in Missions track.... a Seasoned Sisters group with RHCC female friends.... a trip to teach drama to Christians in Cairo, Egypt.... How God is going to provide more financial supporters as we head back to Singapore.