13 Things to Ask Yourself About 2013

 

Hey, everyone! This began as a "Dear 2013" prompt, but I liked this idea more because it's a little more introspective. So… As I answer these questions from The Lady Okie blog, I hope you’ll take some time to do the same.

1.      What am I most proud of this year?

I guess I’m most proud of the fact that I went to Mission Camp Macon this summer. It was a life-changing experience –even though the experience wasn’t exactly what I expected.

2.     How can I become a better ______________?

Servant. I hope that I can become a better servant of Christ (and others) in 2014. In in the years since I got saved, I’ve learned that when I seek to serve my Lord, I naturally develop more of a servant’s heart and I believe that a servant’s heart is key to effectively ministering to those around me.

3.     Where do I need to allow myself grace?

Eww… I’m probably a little too hard on myself about pretty much everything. I think I should focus on allowing more grace in ALL areas, not just matters concerning myself.  

4.     Am I passionate about my career? (Or major, if you’re still in school?)

I firmly believe that everyone should be passionate about his/her career. The very idea of waking up every day for 30+ years to do something you hate just so you can get up the next morning to do something you hate I appalling to me. Honestly, I can’t say that I know what I want to do with my life. What I DO know is that my future career will be as much of a ministry as a career.

5.     What did my finances look like?

This one’s a little weird for me because my job was kind of sporadic and it didn’t pay all that much (I babysat a special-needs child). My Mama’s always jokingly told me that I “know how to hold onto a dollar,” so I assume I’ve already mastered the concept of saving money pretty well.

6.     What projects have I completed?

I haven’t completed many projects this year other than knitting. Yes… I have some grannyish tendencies. One of them is knitting. The other is collecting teacups.

7.      How did I spend my free time?

I’m ashamed to say that I’ve wasted a good bit of time this year. The fact that I had such a difficult time with that last question tells me that there’s a problem somewhere.

8.     In what ways can I restructure my time?

I’m happy to say that I’m sort of being forced to restructure my time this year because I’ll be moving into a dorm in January. I hope to spend more time reading and writing rather than watching TV or playing video games.

9.     When have I felt the most alive?

I feel the most alive when I’m on vacation in the Smoky Mountains. There’s something about the mountain air that invigorates me. I think it’s because I feel closer to God when I’m up there. Before you roll your eyes at that, I think it has more to do with general revelation than elevation.

10. How can I improve my relationships?

This one’s easy. I need to learn to listen more, talk less, and look for way to serve. Simple.

11.   What lessons have I learned in 2013?

I’ve learned several lessons this year. Here are a few:

-          Appreciate the small things in life. They’re beautiful and precious.

-          Every person you meet has a story to tell and every person is worth getting to know.

-          When you start seeking God (rather than chasing your own selfish ambitions) and taking delight in him, He will give you the desires of your heart.

-          Life is not a snapshot... It’s more like a movie. It’s not a matter of finding that ONE moment that encapsulates everything, it’s ALL of the moments coming together to create a unique story.

12.  What old habits would I like to release?

I want to stop procrastinating.

13.  What new habits would I like to cultivate?

I fully intend to begin/end every day with devotion and prayer. I pretty much already end the day this way, but I need to start my day better. I also want to develop a blogging/writing schedule.

Well, those were some of my 2013 reflections.

 

What about you? Anything you’d like to share about your year?