Downshift Musings

Yes, I know, Christmas is long over and it’s the new year, 2018. Some folks may already be giving up on their well-intentioned resolutions while I have yet to make any!

I very much enjoyed this holiday season with the kids home and all of the traditions, comforts and fellowship that make our time together special. I am reluctant to move on, I think, so I am once again being very slow and intentional in thinking about goals for 2018.

Last year was kind of a monumental year in many ways:

• I went back to work full-time.
• Both kids are now in college.
• We walked the Camino.
• My husband Rich started his sabbatical.
• We paid off the mortgage!

I really wanted to reflect on the year so I completed a personal year-end reflection workbook from a favorite blogger personal year-end review which I think is really worth sharing. Looking back at the goals I set for myself in 2017, I accomplished some of them, but others turned out to not be very meaningful.

A sermon at church on a recent Sunday struck a chord with me when our priest mentioned Epiphany is a season for listening… listening for God, or for understanding, or to hear one another.  It is exactly how I am feeling right now.

I know this year will seemingly speed by in with an onslaught of news streams, deadlines and todo lists, but I hope to take time to really listen to discover where God is speaking to me and what I am meant to be doing. So my one and only goal for 2018 is to listen.