Monday, January 2, 2012

No Brilliant, Guaranteed Plan Yet



It's natural at the end of every year and the beginning of the next to do a year-in-review of our life, highlighting the lows and highs, remembering moments that touched our hearts, and racking our brains to come up with a brilliant  plan sure to guarantee monumental success and achievements in the next 365 days.

I hate to disappoint, but no brilliant, guaranteed plan yet.

(In fact, I feel like my brain has been on vacation for a month and just writing this post is a little challenging.)

But, as I browsed through my posts from the beginning of 2011, I found myself in a similar place.

I also resolved to do something waaaay out of my comfort zone in 2011 and actually followed though:

The conference was amazing and I hope to attend again this year. I made a lot of new friends, gained confidence in my writing, had my first two publisher meetings, and downloaded a lot of valuable information that is helping to push me forward (still have lots to learn and apply).

In 2011, I also made a lot of plans that didn't happen and started some things I didn't finish. For 2012, I am resolving to finish some of those projects.

I am excited about new opportunities and what sometimes seems like a blank canvas before me. God is moving and I am choosing to move with Him. What about you?

There are some areas I am (still) working on and (by faith) changing in order to put my best foot forward.
  • Time Management
  • Discipline (which goes hand in hand with #1)
  • Organization (which goes hand in hand with #2)
  • Focus (which goes hand in hand with #3)
  • and Efficiency & Productivity (which will be a direct result of all of the above)
For Christmas, God answered a prayer by providing a new computer (free of charge) for my writing through the generosity of some sweet friends. And when Santa filled my stocking, he included the kitchen timer I've been needing (for my time management, ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique?) so I must get busy before the buzzer sounds.

With the kids going back to school tomorrow, I am hoping to finish a plan of action by the end of the week. Next week, the coffee breaks will be fewer and the alarm will ring early. I am ready for the challenge this New Year will surely bring (I am, really).

So, I don't really have a list of resolutions, just some things to finish and the desire to be better. As I said in my last post, "We are all on a journey to becoming." Becoming more like Him...becoming less of us. That doesn't take a list of impossible resolutions or unreachable goals. It takes acknowledging that we can't do this thing called life without the Life Giver Himself. It takes humility to recognize when and where we are wrong. And it takes willingness to change.

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18.


Prayer:
Father, Thank you for the gift of another year to serve You. A new beginning, a fresh slate, a blank canvas. Give us courage to trust You to write this chapter of our story. Open our eyes to see areas displeasing to You and give us a desire to change so that we might become more like Your Son, Jesus. Show us the tools you've already placed in our hands and teach us how to use them. Let everything we do this year bring glory and honor to You. Thank you for grace as we sit on this potter's wheel, being shaped and molded and transfigured into Your very own image. Amen.






5 friends had this to say:

Brandee Shafer said...

Happy New Year! My pastor said, Sunday, to be careful to concern ourselves more with God's plans than with our own. I thought that was an excellent point, but I don't know how the Scouts (with their motto of "Be Prepared") would feel about it! :)

Shelly said...

Happy New Year, Brandee! And I like what your pastor said...I need to repeat that 3 times a day or post it to my bathroom mirror...

Eileen said...

"We are all on a journey of becoming" I like that Shelly! Happy New Year to you!

Unknown said...

I"m so excited for you. So much promise and I know He is so faithful to continue on His amazing work in you!

Anonymous said...

I love yoru blog and I am so happy you attended your first writers conference. I did the same thing last year and loved it. I hope to go again this year. Good luck!!!