2009...it's a good year.
So despite some emotional downs and struggles recently, I am feeling very good about this next year. I am feeling good personally but I also feel good about life outside of me. I don't know. I am somewhat of a relentless optimist and perhaps once I realize, three months down the road, that I have failed or nearly failed all my goals, perhaps then my optimism will be crushed. But probably not.
Personally, 2009 is the year of goals. I have always struggled with those. I get along and I try to improve on things but really setting, evaluating and completing goals all the way through...that is a goal in and of itself.
My brilliant husband has developed somewhat of a resolution formula for all those goals you strive to achieve come the new year. I figured I would share some. Rick (my brilliant husband) writes a list every year that is composed of these 4 types of resolutions or goals: No, Yes, More, Less.
If you haven't already read about his list, check it out on our blog:
CHRISTINE'S 2009 RESOLUTIONS
No's
No sweets and treats (desserts, cookies, donuts, etc.)
No Junk food (pizza, chips, soda, coffee, etc.)
Yes's
Yes read a book-a-month
Yes workout 3-5X/week
Yes spend daily time with God
Yes get involved in a Church
Yes pay off all debt this year...woo-hoo!
More's
More learning about nutrition
More reading
More making friends in the Northwest
More quality husband time
More hobbies and spending my time wisely
Less's
Less TV - limited to LOST, American Idol, the Mentalist
Less Computer time - I spend too many hours a day in front of a computer
Less laziness altogether
Less negative self-talk
So there it is. My list is still a work in progress but I love the challenge. I love to grow and I have felt pretty stagnant lately so I am excited to be so proactive. So far, as I head into week two, I will say I have been moderately successful. Not perfect but heading in the right track. I hope to keep you updated on how things are going.
Personally, 2009 is the year of goals. I have always struggled with those. I get along and I try to improve on things but really setting, evaluating and completing goals all the way through...that is a goal in and of itself.
My brilliant husband has developed somewhat of a resolution formula for all those goals you strive to achieve come the new year. I figured I would share some. Rick (my brilliant husband) writes a list every year that is composed of these 4 types of resolutions or goals: No, Yes, More, Less.
If you haven't already read about his list, check it out on our blog:
CHRISTINE'S 2009 RESOLUTIONS
No's
No sweets and treats (desserts, cookies, donuts, etc.)
No Junk food (pizza, chips, soda, coffee, etc.)
Yes's
Yes read a book-a-month
Yes workout 3-5X/week
Yes spend daily time with God
Yes get involved in a Church
Yes pay off all debt this year...woo-hoo!
More's
More learning about nutrition
More reading
More making friends in the Northwest
More quality husband time
More hobbies and spending my time wisely
Less's
Less TV - limited to LOST, American Idol, the Mentalist
Less Computer time - I spend too many hours a day in front of a computer
Less laziness altogether
Less negative self-talk
So there it is. My list is still a work in progress but I love the challenge. I love to grow and I have felt pretty stagnant lately so I am excited to be so proactive. So far, as I head into week two, I will say I have been moderately successful. Not perfect but heading in the right track. I hope to keep you updated on how things are going.
Connectedness
The last couple years of my Mom's life, she regularly went into Boston to see Doctor's at Brigham and Womens hospital. I was often her taxi and became very familiar with that area of Boston, the drive, the parking garage of the hospital, the best Au Bon Pain in town and some of her Doctor's. I still am not sure if I met this Doctor in particular but I will never forget her. I will never forget how we will forever be connected.
My Mom was a spiritual person. She believed there was more to life. It was extremely apparent when she became so sick she could no longer work. As much as she was plagued by addiction and struggle, she believed her life was for a purpose, a good and higher one. Work was a major part of that and when her career as an inner city special needs teacher and coordinator ended, her sense of purpose was threatened.
I never preached at her and honestly I barely spoke audibly about my faith to hear. Sure, I spoke through my actions and my faith in something higher and my strength and friendships but in conversation, not so much. Despite this, my Mom would ask me questions. This was somewhat rare but she would come to me when she obviously had been contemplating something for a while and ask my advice. And the funny thing was, I was her authority. I was her spiritual authority. My Mom never made fun of my faith, she accepted it, she was curious by it and in some ways envious of it.
One day she came to me with one of those questions. She had been seeing a new Doctor who was doing her residency at Brigham and Womens. She was a young Asian woman and professed Christian. My mom new this because she would talk about attending Park Street Church in Boston. My Mom built a relationship with her based around taking blood and talking about me, her christian daughter. Well this woman was sensitive to the spirit and would ask my Mom to pray with her before ending the visit. I didn't find out about all this until my Mom approached me one day. I remember standing at the top of the stairs and she told me all about this new doctor and how wonderful she was and how much she bragged about me. Then she asked, "do you think this is a coincidence or do you think God is trying to tell me something?" I smiled and said "It's not a coincidence. I am sure of it."
I recently took the strengths finder 2.0 test. My number one strength was Connectedness. If you were to turn the page 73 of the Strengths Finder book you would read this about Connectedness: "You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. Your faith is strong, it sustains you in the face of life's mysteries."
I would say I agree with this description but reading it was a good reminder of the gift. The gift of knowing this at my core. That the doctor was no coincidence. That that relationship was pivitoal in shaping my Mom's faith and understanding of Jesus. I made the connection, I lived it and the doctor provided the words and the fellowship my Mom needed. I am certain of my Mom's faith and experience of God at the time of her death. (more stories to come about that later)
As much as I appreciate and relate with this being a trait of my personality, it's hard for me to understand how one has this and another does not. I think it's hard to escape connectedness when you have been through extreme hurt, pain or death. We are all connected at the core. I can't really describe it to bring justice to it. There is only one word. God. Connectedness and God.
My Mom was a spiritual person. She believed there was more to life. It was extremely apparent when she became so sick she could no longer work. As much as she was plagued by addiction and struggle, she believed her life was for a purpose, a good and higher one. Work was a major part of that and when her career as an inner city special needs teacher and coordinator ended, her sense of purpose was threatened.
I never preached at her and honestly I barely spoke audibly about my faith to hear. Sure, I spoke through my actions and my faith in something higher and my strength and friendships but in conversation, not so much. Despite this, my Mom would ask me questions. This was somewhat rare but she would come to me when she obviously had been contemplating something for a while and ask my advice. And the funny thing was, I was her authority. I was her spiritual authority. My Mom never made fun of my faith, she accepted it, she was curious by it and in some ways envious of it.
One day she came to me with one of those questions. She had been seeing a new Doctor who was doing her residency at Brigham and Womens. She was a young Asian woman and professed Christian. My mom new this because she would talk about attending Park Street Church in Boston. My Mom built a relationship with her based around taking blood and talking about me, her christian daughter. Well this woman was sensitive to the spirit and would ask my Mom to pray with her before ending the visit. I didn't find out about all this until my Mom approached me one day. I remember standing at the top of the stairs and she told me all about this new doctor and how wonderful she was and how much she bragged about me. Then she asked, "do you think this is a coincidence or do you think God is trying to tell me something?" I smiled and said "It's not a coincidence. I am sure of it."
I recently took the strengths finder 2.0 test. My number one strength was Connectedness. If you were to turn the page 73 of the Strengths Finder book you would read this about Connectedness: "You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. Your faith is strong, it sustains you in the face of life's mysteries."
I would say I agree with this description but reading it was a good reminder of the gift. The gift of knowing this at my core. That the doctor was no coincidence. That that relationship was pivitoal in shaping my Mom's faith and understanding of Jesus. I made the connection, I lived it and the doctor provided the words and the fellowship my Mom needed. I am certain of my Mom's faith and experience of God at the time of her death. (more stories to come about that later)
As much as I appreciate and relate with this being a trait of my personality, it's hard for me to understand how one has this and another does not. I think it's hard to escape connectedness when you have been through extreme hurt, pain or death. We are all connected at the core. I can't really describe it to bring justice to it. There is only one word. God. Connectedness and God.
