Resolutions for 2016

It has come time to commit my 2016 resolutions to paper. None of them are Earth shattering, but they are all intended to keep me focused on my goals. Without too much commentary, here are my New Year's resolutions.

• Become more healthy. I've decided not to mark this with weight loss (although that would be nice!) this year. Instead, I'm more interested in how I feel. I plan to increase how much water I drink. I want to become more active so I feel better. I want to feel comfortable with how my clothes look on me and how they fit. I'm not pursuing a number....and I think this is going to be a better method for me.
• Increase my personal reading. I'm getting back into the habit of reading daily for pleasure. My goal for 2016 is to complete 24 novels.
• Reconnect with treasured friends. When I was frantically piecing together a life with several part-time jobs, I allowed myself to become too busy to nurture friendships. I take responsibility for that decision. Now that I'm settled in one place without all of the family responsibilities, I intend to repair and re-establish some of the friendships that I miss the most...and hopefully build some new ones as well!
• Visit two cities I've never been to before. This sounds like it will be more difficult than it really will be. I'm living in a new part of the country and haven't done a lot of exploring yet. It's time to hit the road and see what I can find.....

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Goals for the New Year

Happy New Year! I'm sure that many of you made resolutions this year. I have found that it is important to set goals in order to have something to aim for.  Even if I don't reach the goal, any amount of progress is an improvement from the current situation. Additionally, by making my goals public on this blog, I know that I will be held accountable throughout the year.

This year, I've created goals in three areas:  personal, musical, and spiritual. Here are my 7 goals for 2015 with a brief explanation of each.

PERSONAL

• Begin a personal savings account. I'm thankful that I am not reckless with my money, but I've never been one to stash away cash for the future either. There always seems to be something that the funds are needed for immediately. This year, I am going to strive to put a portion of each paycheck directly into savings. I've not come up with a plan yet -- whether I'm pushing for a set amount each month or a certain percentage -- but I have a few days to figure this out. January is not a major source of income for me.
• Increase my personal reading. This continues to be an annual goal. 2014 was not a good year for me as a reader with health crises on every hand. In 2015, I plan to read more than I did last year (21 books is the number to beat). Honestly, I'm hoping to regain the momentum from 2013 and improve on that year's number of 46 books.
• Lose 10 pounds. Weight loss has been the unattainable goal for the past several years. Fast food, lack of time to exercise, and sleepless nights are the major culprits. Rather than shooting for the moon as I normally do -- hoping to drop below 200 pounds -- I decided to be a little more realistic and aim for 10 pounds. To hold myself accountable, I'm going to publicly admit that at the time of writing this post, the scale reads 229. (Ouch...that's painful to admit!) Let's see what happens in 2015 with my waist line and my weight.

MUSICAL

• Improve my knowledge of orchestral repertoire. I love classical music. I am fairly well versed in piano literature and song repertoire. My short coming comes when I begin to think about orchestral music -- symphonies and concertos.  My goal is to become familiar with 24 major works by the end of the year. That works out to 2 works per month. What will determine "familiarity"?  If I know more of the work than when I started, I'll be satisfied. I'm going to let my interests guide me through the year rather than feeling tied down to an arbitrary list. I plan to begin with Tchaikovsky's Pathetique (Symphony #6, Op. 74).
• Perform a solo piano recital. This is going to happen in 2015! I've finalized the program for the most part and now I'm in the process of learning the repertoire. I anticipate this will be performed in early fall.  Here's what's planned:

 

·  “The Alcotts" from Piano Sonata 2 by Ives

·  Sonata in F Major, K. 332 by Mozart

·  A nocturne by Faure (either the Eb minor or Db major)

·  Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 21, No. 1 by Brahms

·  Prelude and Fugue in C Major, WTC Book I by Bach

·  Napoli Suite by Poulenc

• There might be another short piece included.....I'm just not sure right now.

 

SPIRITUAL

• Read through the Bible. I've done this a couple of times, but feel a need to commit to an entire reading of Scripture again in the New Year. One of my challenges in the past has been not having a Bible physically with me when I'm on the road. This year, I am using The One Year Bible Online. The website sends a daily link to my email account that I can access from my phone, tablet, or a computer. I actually began this project in mid-December and have found the process to be very convenient.
• Become actively involved in a Bible study group. Now that I've settled down and found a home church, it's time to make connections and commit to a small group. I'm picky when it comes to Bible teachers that I will sit under each week. So far, my solution has been to avoid Sunday School all together. That's no longer acceptable.....so this weekend, I commit to beginning my search for a Bible class.

Now they're out there......so I have to get to work! What are your goals for the New Year? Do you share any of mine? If so, let me know.....I'd love to have an accountability partner.

Time for Accountability - 2014 Resolutions Recap

On this final day of 2014, I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at the New Year's Resolutions I made on January 1, 2014 and see how I fared. I'll examine each goal individually and let you know how things went.

Become actively involved in a strong Christian fellowship of believers. It took me a while to finally settle down, but I'm happy to say that I did. After much internal debate (and dealing with childhood feelings about "church membership"), I joined First Baptist Church of Marion, Arkansas in the fall. It was around the same time that I began to get involved in the music department of the church and once again use my talents to exalt my God. I've had a few failed attempts at joining a Sunday School class and haven't dared to enter the children's ministry yet, but those issues are definitely on my radar and things that I plan to do in 2015. I am so thankful to sit under the anointed preaching that comes weekly with practical application for my daily life.

Increase my total reading activity. This has become an annual resolution for me. This year, I fell short though. In 2013, I read a total of 46 books.  Due to lots of doctors' appointments and stressful times during the summer and early fall, the 2014 total peaked at 21. I'm not going to make any more excuses.....it happened. Now it's time to get back on that horse and get back to reading again!

Take control of my health - emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Let's call this a 2/3 success. I feel as though I am in a better place emotionally and spiritually than I have been in a very long time. Much of that is due to my involvement with First Marion. My physical health could definitely use some attention. I continue to have no time for workouts -- much to my chagrin -- and cancelled my gym membership in 2014. I don't have a plan of action for this even though I know it's something that I need to get a handle on.

Memorize 2 major works for solo piano. I don't know what I was thinking when I made this resolution! I was so busy learning collaborative works that I had very little time to practice any solo repertoire.

Improve the consistency and quality of my blogging - especially on Collaborations. This is another failed resolution. While I am happy with the quality of work that I put out this year, the consistency declined on all my blogs in 2014. Once again, the summer of medical visits was when things began to fall apart. I'm in the process of putting blog topics on a calendar to see if I can get back to a regular blogging routine in 2015. We'll just have to see how things go, I suppose.

Consistently schedule activities that will bring rejuvenation and relaxation. I'm not really sure how I feel about my progress in this area. I think I was handling life better in the early parts of the year and taking care of me. My attention shifted from me to Dad during the heart surgery and now I'm finding it difficult to take control of my life again since the Geriatrics have gotten back into the habit of relying solely on me for many things. I don't know that there is a solution to this problem until I am able to move away from Crawfordsville.

As you can see, 2014 has been a year of successes and failures for me personally. I'm hoping for more successes in 2015 as I'm sure you are. Here's to putting the mistakes of 2014 behind us and moving into the New Year with hope and confidence that brighter days are ahead.

Happy New Year!
Kennith

Bible Reading Plans

2014 is off and running. Many people have made resolutions to improve their lives in the coming year. Amid the resolutions to lose weight, become more organized, and devote more time to family, it seems that many include a spiritual goal. Whether you want to grow spiritually, maintain a daily devotional life, or simply read the entire Bible this year, a plan of attack is helpful to help you achieve your goals.  Here are some tips that I have found helpful in reading the entire Bible in one year.

Select your plan carefully. The Bible is a wonderful book, filled with encouraging stories of faith. At the same time, it can be daunting and overwhelming to the uninitiated. Where do I start? By the time the reader gets to Leviticus, he may find himself wondering what happened to the story line!  Two of the most popular approaches are canonical (reading straight through) and chronological (in historical order). I've tried both and had difficult times. I found it really tough to plow through the Old Testament prophecy day after day.  The good news is that there is a plethora of reading plans available on the Internet; one of my favorite sites to find a large number of them is youversion.com. At this time, I am using the plan found at www.Bible-Reading.com; each day of the week is devoted to a different type of Biblical literature (e.g. Sundays are for NT letters, Mondays are for Law, Tuesdays are devoted to History). I find the diversity of reading a different literary genre each day quite refreshing. I began reading with this method in June and am just over halfway through the plan.

Decide on a translation. There is no right or wrong choice. I enjoy reading in a translation that I am not terribly familiar with to give the words new meaning. If you have never read the entire Bible through, I recommend using the New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), or the English Standard Version (ESV).

Set aside time. It is important to your success to make a daily appointment for Scripture reading just as you would any other appointment. Our society is driven by our calendars; if we block the time out, we are more likely to follow through.

Don't be afraid of technology! Modern conveniences make my daily Bible reading much easier to fit into my life. I include a daily reminder to read on my electronic to-do list. The youversion Bible app is downloaded on my phone and iPad, allowing me easy access to whatever version I'm reading from without the need for a wi-fi connection. Since I'm not using one of the reading plans included in the Bible app, I use an app like Evernote or Notes to make a list of my daily readings for the week.

Know from the beginning that life happens. Schedules will become hectic and there will be times that you miss your daily reading. Relax! You have not failed at reading the entire Scripture in a year because of a single day. Many new reading plans build in catch-up days to allow for these inevitable obstacles. In my current reading plan, I know that Wednesdays and Thursdays tend to have shorter readings; when I get behind, I can use those days to do some catch up reading.

Keep the Focus the main focus. We are not reading simply to mark something off our bucket list. We read Scripture in an effort to know the Author of the Book more personally and allow Him to make a difference in our life. Keep your focus on the transformation occurring in your life because of the time you are devoting to reading the Word of God.

I'd love to hear from you. What plan are you using this year to read through the Word? Can you add tips that you have found helpful? Share in the comment section of this post and let's support each other throughout the year….then we can celebrate the greatness of God in our lives together at the end.

Accountability Time……and Planning Ahead

Happy New Year! It's difficult to believe that another year has come and gone. I'm looking forward to 2014 and all that it might bring. Before I get too far into the new year, I wanted to make sure that I provided some accountability on the resolutions that I made last January. (If there's no accountability, there's little likelihood that anything will change.)  So here's how I made out on my five resolutions for 2013.

1. Reading more. This is an annual goal. I always want to read more than I did the previous year. At the end of 2012, I had read 32 books in the calendar year.  That total was CRUSHED in 2013!  I ended the year having read 46 books! I'm getting closer to that goal of reading approximately one book per week.  Since I know I'm not the only one out there who likes stats, here are how things broke down:
• 13 audio books (I listened)
• 33 paper/electronic books (I read the words on the page)
• And to break down the types of reading I did……FICTION led the way with 34 novels. CHRISTIAN LIVING came in next with 6 books. MEMOIRS and MUSIC rounded out the categories with 3 books in each.
2. Lose 20 pounds. This is the most frustrating of all my resolutions. I was well on my way during the winter and summer. I was headed to the gym 3 times a week and actually enjoying it. Life had other plans though. When school was in session and I was spending hours on the road each day, I didn't physically feel like working out. I was much more interested in survival. I guess that's an excuse….but it was my reality. What I did learn is that I am capable of losing the weight; I just have to figure out how to fit it into an insane routine. I'm not giving up…..but I'm not putting as much pressure on myself either. I'm more interested in feeling healthy than looking fit.
3. Write on a more consistent basis. The goal was to publish blog posts 4 times each week; 3 of them were to be here while the other would appear over on Collaborations. My writing went through spurts (again attributed to my busy schedule), but I'm pretty happy with the year's overall productivity in this area. Again, I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.
• Livin' Life - 118 posts
• Reading for Me - 49 posts
• Collaborations - 29 posts
• TOTALING 196 POSTS! (That works out to 3.77 posts per week….YEAH!)
4. Find time for rest. When making this resolution, my life looked very different. I didn't find 8 hours each week to devote to personal enjoyment as I had originally hoped. I did make the decision to resign one of my jobs. Since making that decision, I am much healthier and find myself enjoying the bulk of my life again.
5. Spiritual Growth. Isn't this something we all long for? It's so difficult to measure too. This has been a rough year and one that I am glad to see in my rear view mirror. While I went through some dry seasons, I rejoice in the fact that I actually enjoy going to worship again. I'm not the most regular attender at the moment (partially because I'm still trying to settle down in a single church home and because I'm still enjoying the liberty of not having responsibilities that demand my attendance), but I am growing in my faith. My quiet times have become essential to my daily routine. I find myself wanting to be with God's people and loving them. Those two things alone signify tremendous growth from where I was this time last year.

Now that I've been accountable, here are my RESOLUTIONS FOR 2014.  You'll see that many of them are extensions on what I've already accomplished in the past year.

1. Become actively involved in a strong Christian fellowship of believers.
2. Increase my total reading activity.
3. Take control of my health - emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
4. Memorize 2 major works for solo piano.
5. Improve the consistency and quality of my blogging - especially on Collaborations.
6. Consistently schedule activities that will bring rejuvenation and relaxation.

I Resolve....

Now that we are a week into 2013, I'm finally ready to commit to my resolutions for the year. I guess I had to take things slowly and thoughtfully since making a public announcement makes me more accountable.  Some of these will be observable by everyone who knows me; the accomplishment of others will be things that only God and I will know.  Here's goes nothing......

1. Increase my personal reading.  Some of you are probably aware that I maintain another blog, Reading for Me, that details my path towards recapturing reading for personal fulfillment and pleasure.  The ultimate goal is to read 52 books in a single calendar year.  2012 saw the greatest number of books in a single year with 32.  My goal is to read at least 33 books in 2013.....but hopefully more!  The most difficult time of year to maintain my reading is when school is in session. Although I love the sensation of holding a book in hand, I am attempting to use my iPad as my primary reading device.  I hope this will enable me to continue reading even when I only have a few moments to spare throughout the day.
2. Lose 20 pounds.  This goal has caused me the most difficulty.  I want to set a goal that is achievable, but not too easy either.  In the summer of 2012, I began working with a personal trainer. With all of the ups and downs that the year brought, I have netted a total weight loss of 8 pounds.  Diet is a struggle when I'm on the road.....and keeping a consistent workout regiment is tough when I'm not at home.  To help with this process, I moved my gym membership today to Anytime Fitness;  Anytime also has a facility in Jackson, Tennessee.  Now I just have to get my mind in gear to workout when I'm working away from home.  You can follow my progress in my weight loss journey on my most sporadically published blog Just Have to Start Somewhere.
3. Write on a more regular basis.  Seeing that I have four blogs, it should be clear to most people that I enjoy writing. I don't necessarily think I have anything of tremendous value to share....it's just therapeutic to put my thoughts down and share with anyone that actually wants to read. Like my personal reading, I've struggled with maintaining a regular schedule when school is in session. I think I was trying to publish too regularly.  So I've changed my approach and am hoping for good things.  I intend to publish posts on Reading for Me and Just Have to Start Somewhere when needed....no regular schedule there.  This blog is the oldest of them all and the one that I think I owe the most writing to.....so I hope to write here 2 or 3 times each week.  I'm shooting for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  My professional blog is Collaborations and was dormant for much of 2012.  My goal is to have a new post on Thursday of each week.  You can be part of my success in this endeavor; your comments on the blog site reminds me that other people are reading them which motivates me to carry on.
4. Schedule times of rest.  Most workers look forward to the weekend.  It's a couple of days to rest and revive their energy for the challenges that lie in the week ahead.  Since I'm piecing together several part-time jobs to make a living, my schedule rarely works out where I have entire days without any work.  I'm sensing the beginnings of burn-out and fatigue in my personal life and feel directed by God to correct the constant work-mode that I have maintained in the past year. Since taking a "Sabbath" day is not possible at this time, my goal is to allow myself to divide the "Sabbath" up throughout the week, finding chunks of time during the week that I can block out for rest and relaxation.  Since school hasn't started, finding these days of rest has been easy so far.  (I'm actually enjoying one today!)  Once the semester kicks off next year, I'll be looking for 8 hours (at least) each week to devote to me.  Given my mindset and work ethic, I know this will be a challenge for me.  I am committed to making it a priority, however.
5. Spiritual growth.  This will be the resolution that I will keep most private for obvious reasons. I am not satisfied with my spiritual condition and I don't think that any growing Christian should ever be satisfied! As such, there are several things that God has placed on my heart to develop me into the man He has designed me to be. I'll be pursuing these quietly behind the scenes and I pray that they will display themselves in my life so others can see the light and love of my Savior.  I would appreciate your prayers throughout the year as I pursue a more intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father in the coming year.

That is what's motivating me as I step into the early days of 2013.  Now it's time to get going and see how I can make these resolutions reality!

Happy New Year!

2013 has arrived. As usual, the whole clan gathered at my parents' home for food and fellowship. We decided to stick with the tradition we began a few years ago of departing from tradition for the lunch menu.  Today's lunch featured garlic crusted chicken, potato salad, slaw, English peas and fettuccine Alfredo.

There were a few things that were a bit different from normal. I wasn't found in the kitchen very much today as I am still recovering from my run in with Dad's desk chair last week. The swelling has gone down a lot and the bruising is looking much better, but I still can't put much pressure on my left foot. I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow morning to just make sure everything is healing as it should. (I had planned to see the doctor on Thursday of last week, but the office was closed for the week.  When I called on Monday morning, I was told I could either come in first thing on Wednesday or be worked into their busy appointment schedule. Since I wasn't in a ton of pain, I opted for a Wednesday appointment!)

What's ahead in 2013? Your guess is as good as mine! In keeping with my approach for the last few years, I'm using the entire week to formulate my resolutions. I like to have time to think and pray about them while making sure that the goals are realistic while not being too easy. I'm sure there will be something related to weight loss and another thing related to reading.  The thing that is really on my mind at the moment is coming up with a plan for regular times of rest. Since I'm not working a traditional job, I don't always get days off that are strictly for me. Most of the time, I have to leave home in order to get away from all the responsibilities. That's unhealthy and something that I have been convicted over personally. I've got to do something or I'm going to suffer incredible burnout soon. I don't know what the solution is -- and I know it's not going to be easy to work out -- but it's something that I am committing to do in 2013.  I'll be better for it if I do.

Priority Check!

It's hard to believe that another year has come to an end. If you are like me, you've probably spent some time reflecting on 2012 and its successes and failures. Like wide-eyed children, we look forward to 2013. It is a blank slate; the coming year is filled with hope and possibility! I suppose that is why many people make New Year's Resolutions.

For most of my life, I never participated in this cultural ritual. Honestly, I didn't want to make a pledge at the beginning of the year that I was certain I would never be able to obtain. Several years ago, a friend suggested that my approach to resolutions was all wrong. Rather than seeing them as promises to myself that I would certainly break, he told me to look at them more as annual goals. What would I like to see myself accomplish in the coming year? Since they are targets, any movement towards achieving them is a step in the right direction. Even if I lose my way in March or April, a quick review of my resolutions in this new mindset gets me back on the path toward my goal.

For me, the resolutions that I make are a reflection of the things that are most important to me....those things that currently hold the top place for me as well as I what I aim to make a priority in the coming year. A helpful tool in determining your current priorities is by considering what you have said "yes" to this year. Regularly submitting job applications means that making a career change is a high priority for you. Agreeing to babysit your grandchildren as often as possible shows that building a relationship with the youngest members of your family is high on your list.

It is not only important to look at the "yes" answers in your life. Examining what you have said "no" to can be just as insightful. I may say that becoming a better musician is very important to me, but if I regularly neglect practicing my instrument then my words are simply hot air. All the good intentions in the world to lose weight are worthless without making changes to my diet and exercise routine. No matter how much I may WANT these things to be priorities, my actions define what I truly value.

Dare I say it? Does this same concept apply to our spiritual lives as well? As a Christian, I say that I want to be a servant who shows the love of Christ to others in both word and deed. Do my actions support the words claiming this is a top priority? Thankfully, only two beings truly know the answer to that question:  God and me. No one else is able to judge the condition of my heart. However, Paul does invite us to "examine ourselves" on a regular basis. Now it's time to be honest with myself and take a hard look at my actions.

Each of us know the areas that are most difficult for you. See if any of these scenarios sound familiar? They may bring to mind some other items you need to consider.

• I say that I love God and want to worship Him with all that I have. Do I allow any excuse that presents itself to keep me away though? I'm too tired.....it's so far out of the way.....the children......the parents......I'm just not interested.  
• I don't study the Word because I don't understand.....I'll just wait and let the teacher explain it.  After all, God understands! 
• I don't talk to my colleagues about God because I don't want to offend them...after all, I can't push them away since I have to work with them.  
• Don't ask me to work with senior adults (insert "children or teens or adults" at will) because they annoy me. I don't have to like everybody, I just have to be kind to them. [Does that really sound like a CHRISTian response to you?]

Before anyone gets offended and thinks that I am speaking directly to them or their situation, please know that this mirror is pointing back directly at me. Are my words that describe my "priorities" matched and supported by my actions? If not, I'm not fooling God. If we're honest with ourselves, we're probably not being fooled either. Time for a priority check! I want to make sure that everything is in its proper order as I enter the New Year.

Bucket Lists

I've always been intrigued by people's bucket lists. You know, those lists of activities that a person wants to make sure they experience once before they die. In a way, I find them rather morbid and depressing. On the other hand, I think it's liberating to clearly express what is important to you and to spend your life pursuing interests away from career and family commitments.

Does a person start a bucket list when they are diagnosed with a terminal disease or when they reach the age of retirement? By that time, it seems as though there isn't enough time to do everything I would hope to do! After all, I do enjoy an adventure (or at least, what I define as an adventure). As the bucket list morphs as you age, is it fair to say that those things that cease to be included on your ultimate list were never truly on the list? Things are getting too philosophical now, so let's head back to safer territory.

There are many things on my personal bucket list, but most of them involve travel. Many of the items currently dominating my list also involve helping my parents achieve some of their remaining dreams. My mother, for instance, has always wanted to say that she has visited all 50 states. (I always tease her that driving through a state and visiting are certainly not the same thing. For her purposes, though, entering the state fits the bill for her.)  So there are some long distance road trips in the plans in the coming years for us. With a trip through the northwestern states and New England, we'll be fairly close to meeting her goal. Then I just have to convince her to hop on a plane with me to visit Hawaii and Alaska since she's adamant that she won't take a cruise!

After visiting Europe in graduate school, I definitely want to get back there. I plan to return to Germany, but I also fantasize about seeing Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Greece, and Great Britain. As soon as I cross those things off of my list, I'm sure I'll add a few more countries!

I fell in love with symphonic music while a student at Pepperdine and am becoming a greater fan of opera now that I am teaching about it. A lifelong goal has been to hear the major American orchestras in their home concert hall. When traveling with my family, concerts are not at the top of the list so I've not made much of a dent in this bucket list; so far, I've heard orchestras in Memphis (although not what I consider a major American orchestra), St. Louis, and Los Angeles. As you can see, I have many more to hear. Opera involves more world travel as I wish to see productions in major houses around the world. Thus far, I've seen performances in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (LA) and the Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich). I have plans to visit the Houston Grand Opera this fall, and hopefully the Met.

This doesn't even begin to address everything on my bucket list. I want to become fluent in American Sign Language, climb a rock wall, attend the Winter Olympics, learn to swim, and pick up a second instrument. Some may ask if I will be considered a failure if I don't accomplish everything on my bucket list. My response is that by simply pursuing as many items on my bucket list as possible, the life I live will be fulfilling and filled with tremendous memories of adventures dear to me.

So what's on your bucket list? What have you gotten to mark off and what things are in the plans now? I'd enjoy hearing from you. Who knows, some of your items may find their way onto my personal list as well. Now it's time to mark something else off of my bucket list!

The New Year is Off and Running

Things have gotten off to quite a start in 2011.  Like most holidays, New Year's Day meant that my family gathered in Crawfordsville for food, conversation, and laughter.  We have never been terribly fond of the whole cabbage and hog jowl menu, so we don't participate in that tradition.  On Christmas day, we decided it would be fun to have a menu of new recipes that we haven't tried before.  So that's what we did.  Some were successes;  others need some revisions.

Our holiday table featured jambalaya, butter schnitzel with mushroom sauce, roasted potatoes, black-eyed peas, HUGE dinner rolls and creme brulee.  Schnitzel was a huge hit;  I don't think it would be considered "authentic" though since it was dredged pork.  It was the Cajun dish, though, that had tears rolling down our faces -- not from sadness, but from heat.  The flavor was great.  Our tongues (and stomachs) are still burning from the fire.  We're still trying to decide whether it was the hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or the Cajun seasoning that is the culprit.  Regardless, the Freeman family is breathing easy going into 2011 as our sinuses have all been cleared by the fiery jambalaya!

Resolutions are being made as well.  There is much as a family that we would like to accomplish and I am making my own list as well.  I am opting to make my resolutions over the course of this first week, however.  I feel the need to be thoughtful and prayerful about the goals and dreams I set for this year.  I have no fear going into the New Year, though, because I already know that the Author of my Salvation is already there and that He has good plans for me.  I'm just anxious to see exactly what it is He has in store for my life.

2010 in Review - The Final Chapter

It's getting late on New Year's Eve and my eyes are starting to get heavy.  I'm fighting to keep my eyes open for the ball drop, but we'll have to see if I can make it or not.  In the mean time, let's take a look at the final few resolutions and how I did with them in the year 2010.

8. Journal at least twice each week.  Believe it or not, this actually happened most weeks in some guise.  For the first half of the year, I was journaling constantly.  I took some time earlier today to scan some of those entries and am thankful that they are not meant for public consumption!  In May, however, I turned my attention to blogging.  The rest of the year became a mix of public blogs and private journal entries.  I am thrilled with the outcome and I'm looking forward to more blogging in the coming year.....I just hope you find my random discourses as entertaining to read as I do.

9.  Complete one cross-stitch project.  I am so close to accomplishing this goal but will sadly fall short of completing it before the year 2010 comes to a close.  If December had not been such a hectic month and I had gotten just one more day of quality stitching in, I would have made it.  Much of today has been spent frantically back stitching the current piece, but my eyes just became too heavy to continue.  Although I have not been stitching all year, I have realized again how relaxing the repetitive process is to me.  I hope that I will seize opportunities for needlework in the coming year once again.

10.  Read 52 books.  This is the second year this goal has been on the table and once again I missed the goal significantly.  Sadly, I didn't make any improvement on the total of 38 books that I read in 2009.  The grand total for 2010 comes to 29 books read.  This is yet another resolution that will reappear in 2011.  One of these years, I'll meet that goal.  For those of you interested, here is the list of books I read during the year. (Parenthetical dates indicate when they were completed.)

1.  Redefining Children's Ministry in the 21st Century:  A Call for Radical Change - Becky Fischer (1/5/10)
2.  The Concubine's Daughter - Pai Kit Fai (1/15/10)*****
3.  The Unmotivated Child:  Helping Your Underachiever Become a Successful Student - Natalie Rathvon (1/21/10)
4.  The Rest of Her Life - Laura Moriarty (2/4/10)
5.  Basketball Jones - E. Lynn Harris (2/9/10)
6.  Still Alice - Lisa Genova (2/24/10)
7.  The Magician's Nephew - C. S. Lewis (2/28/10)
8.  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis (3/5/10)
9.  House Rules - Jodi Picoult (3/18/10)*****
10. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis (3/27/10)
11.  Deeper Water - Robert Whitlow (4/5/10)
12.  Higher Hope - Robert Whitlow (5/6/10)
13.  Look Again - Lisa Scottoline (5/25/10) *****
14.  The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom (5/30/10)
15.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer (6/2/10)
16.  Greater Love - Robert Whitlow (6/13/10)
17.  The Unlikely Disciple:  A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University - Kevin Roose (6/24/10)
18.  Broken on the Back Row - Sandy Patty (7/13/10)
19.  Home Safe - Elizabeth Berg (7/20/10)
20.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender (8/2/10)
21.  American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld (9/30/10) *****
22.  Every Last One - Anna Quindlen (10/9/10)
23.  The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown (11/10/10)
24.  The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult (11/21/10)
25.  The Choice - Nicholas Sparks (12/10/10) *****
26.  The Perfect Christmas - Debbie Macomber (12/18/10)
27.  Cast of Characters  - Max Lucado (12/22/10)
28.  The Real Mary:  Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus - Scot McKnight (12/26/10)
29.  My Name is Mary Sutter - Robin Oliveira (12/31/10)

2010 is now officially in the history books.  I have been blessed beyond measure.  I have been forsaken by some who called me friend.  I have learned lessons about my own strength and character.  I have no regrets, but I do look forward to the New Year and all the possibilities that it brings with it.  I pray that you have a healthy, prosperous, blessed 2011!

Kennith

2010 in Review - Part 2

Tonight, I want to look at the last of the spiritual resolutions that I made for the year and begin looking at some of my personal goals. 

4.  Read through the entire Bible.  Sadly, I must admit that I have never accomplished this task in a single year.  I don't become frustrated where you would expect -- in the Laws and the prophets -- since I find these passages fascinating.  Where I struggle is when I hit the familiar stories that I've heard since childhood.  I find myself getting bored when I know what is coming next.

I've tried so many different approaches to reading the text that I now struggle to find one that I think might work.  I have stumbled upon one that I plan to use in 2011.  It's published by Discipleship Journal and has only 25 selections each month;  the absent days in the schedule allow for the inevitable period of getting behind in the reading.  I'm not trying to study Scripture with this approach;  I simply want to get a good overview of how things are put together.  I am really praying that 2011 will be the year that I finally do this and stop feeling guilty about it.

5.  Travel to one U.S. city I have never visited.  There were no problems accomplishing this one.  In addition to my normal visits to Houston and Los Angeles, 2010 also took me to three new cities -- Honolulu, Branson (Missouri), and Frankfort (Kentucky).  Obviously, I loved my time on the island and treasured getting to explore its landscape with a dear Pepperdine friend, Tiff.  I think we even saw a rare red whale that had gotten washed ashore.....or maybe not......my memory is fading! 

Branson was a berg that I had always avoided.  I pictured a place filled with geriatric patients on walkers listening to lots of country music.  What I discovered is that Branson is a charming little place that has something for everyone.  The food was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the Chinese Acrobats show.  I'm already scheming to see if I can escape for another weekend soon.

Frankfort was a business trip - one of three job interviews I had in 2010 - so I didn't get as much time to explore as I would have liked.  However, I was fascinated by the city and hope to get back there as well when it's not quite as cold so I can walk the historic downtown area at a leisurely pace.

6.  Schedule one event each week for my personal enjoyment.  This was more difficult that I thought it would be.  Holding three part-time jobs makes a balanced schedule an impossibility at times.  I will gladly admit, though, that I did a much better job of taking care of myself this year than I have in the past.  I consciously found time to attend movies, operas, plays, and readings as well as frequently scheduling mini-vacations throughout the year. 

I plan to keep this resolution for another year, but with some modification.  Movie nights at home can suffice (thank you, Netflix!) as well as quiet afternoons in the park, bookstore, or library.  What I learned is that by attempting to define "personal events" I had backed myself into a corner and made what was supposed to be relaxing another source of pressure.  Lesson learned!

7.  Lose 20 pounds.  Most of you know that I have struggled with my weight for most of my life.  I've never considered myself morbidly obese, but carried enough extra weight that I didn't feel good and battled low self-esteem as a result of my body image.  Weight Watchers was not something I enjoyed necessarily, but I accomplished the goal and lost 20 pounds early in the year. 

Sadly, life happens and focus shifts.  As life became more frantic and my parents grew less disciplined in their weight loss efforts, we all resorted to old habits and regained some of the weight.  I'm not back to my heaviest, but some of the clothes that I bought to reward myself for losing the weight are beginning to feel a bit tighter.  That means that January 2 will be the beginning of another round of Weight Watchers.  I'm expecting more success this time since I know I can lose the weight.  Now I just have to determine in my mind that I am going to finish what I started. 

That's if for tonight.  Tomorrow night I'll take a look at the final 3 resolutions......and we'll ALL find out if I finish the novel I'm reading right now and the cross-stitch project that is in the hoop.  (Always so dramatic....I'll do ANYTHING to keep my loyal readers in suspense, won't I?)

2010 in Review - Part I

As the year draws to a close, many are reflecting over their experiences, successes, failures, and blessings.  Others are looking forwarding to the new year and all the possibilities that it holds.  I'm no different and I decided to take you on the journey of reflection with me.

I have always enjoyed New Year's Resolutions.  Like many people, my resolutions were often left in the dust by mid-February each year.  Last year, a very wise friend told me to change my view of resolutions and see them as "dreams with deadlines."  Additionally, he challenged me to divide my life into various arenas (spiritual, professional, etc) and come up with a set of resolutions for each.  By realizing that these were nothing more than dreams, they never became a source of guilt or stress;  rather, my resolutions for 2010 served as guiding goals to keep me on track.  Each morning, I have seen this list of 10 resolutions taped to the mirror in my bedroom.  Over the next few days, I will reflect on my experiences in each area and let you know how I did with each of my resolutions.

Without further ado, here are the 10 resolutions that guided my actions during the year 2010.

1. Submit an article for journal publication.
2. Perform a chamber recital.
3. Complete 4 Bible studies/ministry studies.
4. Read through the entire Bible.
5. Travel to one U.S. city I have never visited.
6. Schedule one event each week for my personal enjoyment/relaxation.
7. Lose 20 pounds.
8. Journal at least twice each week.
9. Complete one cross-stitch project.
10. Read 52 books (the equivalent of one per week).

Before we begin, I will freely admit that I did NOT accomplish all of my goals that I laid out in my resolutions.  I am very proud to say, however, that I did take steps toward accomplishing each of these to some degree.  Let's begin by taking a look at each resolution individually and seeing how things turned out.

1.  Submit an article for journal publication.  Right away, we come to a resolution that did not get accomplished this year.  I have several drafts of various papers written, but nothing quite went the direction I intended or I ended up in territory about which I was unqualified to authoritatively speak.  I have learned more about the process and the timetable that I need to follow in order to complete an article.

On a side note, however, the pursuit of journal publication shifted slightly in the summer to establishing a blog about music.  My blog Collaborations is still rather young and has faced some difficult times (especially as the fall semester came to a close), but I have been very pleased with the positive feedback I have received from respected colleagues in the field.  I anticipate that 2011 will see a heavy emphasis in the return of quality blogging in my resolution list.

2.  Perform a chamber recital.  It may be appropriate to call 2010 the year of the recital for me.  I presented a total of 7 recitals this year in 5 states.  In addition to the classical recitals, I also served as musical director of Crittenden Youth Theater's Spring production of Pinocchio.  Not to be left out, my church job had its fair share of performances this year as well -- including a very successful Kidz Music Camp using the musical Livin' Inside Out in an Upside World and the adult choral production of The Reason for Christmas. 

Of all of the performing, three engagements stand out in my mind.  In May, I traveled to Houston, Texas to collaborate for the first time with clarinetist Jere Douglas.  Jere has become a valued friend and colleague;  I look forward to our next musical endeavor together in May, 2011.

I have directed Kidz Music Camp for several years now and feel very confident in my ability to produce a quality show while ensuring that the students have a good time.  This year's show was probably my favorite experience ever.  The students were joyful, the music and choreography was fun, and the ministry was authentic and of eternal significance.  There can be no greater combination.

Finally, the last recital of the year with Marty Bishop in Jonesboro ranks as one of the best musical experiences of the year.  As I mentioned in my review of the recital over on Collaborations, Marty is a gifted musician who doesn't forget the value of friendship and kindness.  The music was good;  the experience of making music was enjoyable -- the perfect way to end the year's music making.

3.  Complete 4 Bible studies/ministry studies.  I missed the goal a bit here, but I completed 3 of them.  The year began with an online study of Christian Education Philosophy.  I completed the study, but don't anticipate doing another online class anytime soon.  The other participants were not terribly active in the discussion, so I was left to my own resources much of the time.

The other Bible studies that I completed were very personal and spoke directly to me at crucial times of the year.  My mother and I formed a "small group" (if you can call it that with only 2 participants!) in our home and completed two of Beth Moore's studies:  Esther and Daniel.  Yes, I am fully aware that these studies were intended for a female audience, but I cannot begin to express how mightily these Bible studies spoke truth and challenges into my heart.  Of these two, my favorite was Daniel hands down!  Mom got a few weeks behind due to some eye infections so I'm still getting to review and digest this challenging material. 

The Bible study bug has bitten hard in the Freeman family.  We are already planning our next "small group" study beginning in February and are adding a few more members to our circle.  We'll be starting out with another Beth Moore study:  Jesus, the One and Only.  I'm already getting excited to dive into the depths of the life of Christ early in the new year.  (If you're interested in how we are pulling off the family small group without breaking the bank, let me know.....I'll be happy to share.)

Tomorrow, I'll pick up with resolution #4 on my list......