It’s Question #10 that’s bugging me. Am I shallow or just plain lazy not to have a list of goals or aspirations for the year? I picture everyone else having their list on the refrigerator or in their phone with check-marks already by at least one.
Here’s the question: Goals or no goals? Hop on and tell me why?
Today wraps up all 10 questions looking back through 2017. All my answers are in previous blogs.
7. What was the best lesson learned in 2017?
To repent.
To keep confessions current. Remembering this: God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. Romans 2: 4. It is His kindness, not a mean judging God who brings us all to admit before Him the turn-arounds needed in our lives. Repentance is a good thing, and I hope I am not so slow to go there from now on.
8. What was your #1 step of spiritual growth in 2017?
Taking a big step and leaning in to Who God Is and who i am, and how to interpret the sadness of our off-track world, and learning to trust in the quiet whisperings of the Holy Spirit.
9. What was your deepest conviction or confession last year?
The conviction that I needed to confess.
Not just to God, but to somebody. I kept trying to wiggle out of it, but of course God would not let me go. Afterwards… the freedom, a happy heart, a clean slate, became a holy space for me.
10. What is your first goal for 2018?
I don’t have any.
Those of you who know me, I believe you’d say, Good for you, Suzanne! I’m so driven, so Type-A, so goal oriented, such a list maker, for me to have finally thrown goals out the window is huge. As I’m writing this, the voice in my head is saying, Who are you kidding? What about painting goals, and oh yeah one writing goal, and the blog post goal… I’d reply, Well, yes, but they are not standing over me with a stick. They are little guiding lights, things I’m working on, steps of mastery.
The photo of our farm driveway here in this post: that’s my inspiration. Leaving 2017 behind with only a little glimpse of 2018 ahead and rays of sunlight stretched across the way. It’s God saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. Isaiah 30: 21
Great post. I considered my new year with great contemplation. I was actually listening to an interview of Jane Fonda (no comments here) on my car radio and she was asked a question. Why do you do the things you do? She lowered her voice and answered the question, “well I am my father’s daughter.”
Wow. That lead to my deeper thought of who am I? First and foremost, I am one of God’s children. Second, I am a woman. Third, I am the daughter of my father and daughter of my mother. In my mind, I began to consider the past, present and future alignment of my life to make sure I’m in line with who “I am.”
#1 God
#2 Woman
#3 Wonderful combination of parents traits
Taking these in order, I would make sure my life reflected all of the above. I considered my love of organ music and then realized that our grandmother played the organ. My love and ability to pop poetry out of nowhere …dad loved poetry. And on and on.
Still working on it. The one I have the most trouble with is how my life reflects my gender. Maybe I should go march on the Capital steps or something!
Probably not, but maybe. I have to give that more thought this year! Maybe it’s just in doing more for the health of my female body and psyche…physical, spiritual, and emotional…maybe it’s just how I express my compassion for others through community service. If so, I need to realign there and make sure my time is well spent.
I will go through your questions and answer them.
Thanks, Steph. Don’t you think it’s amazing we spend our whole lives figuring out who we are? Then as we do, it circles back to the very basics that were there in childhood.
typo correction…”led”.