Bringing in the New Year—Carolyn R. Wilker

We’re nearly two weeks into 2016, but for a few moments I want to reflect on the old year that we’ve just put aside.

This past year was momentous in so many ways and sad in others. Three people in my circle of acquaintances and friends—some for as long as 30 years—died in 2015, plus one young teen who attended our church. As I mourned the loss, I also felt grateful to have known Kathy, Susan and Patricia, and Samantha. I reflected on the blessings they brought to my life. Susan was part of my early writing life and edited my first book, Once Upon a Sandbox. Kathy had invited us to her place when we were new members at the church and then to the Bible Study she often hosted. Patricia was a kind and generous neighbour who became a friend, and Samantha is gone too soon at the age of 16.

 Even while I mourn the loss, there were good times aplenty. My husband and I gained a new granddaughter, an addition to the two small grandchildren we already have. I had new publishing credits (Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon and Tower Poetry) and requests for a column in our national denominational magazine, Canada Lutheran, and publication therein, but also invitations to do my memoir workshop in new locations to new organizations. There have also been new friendships in the making and a fabulous writer’s critique group in my corner.

 Perhaps you’ve read the verse in the Bible about “putting your hand to the plough” and not looking back. The analogy works well for ploughing where you need to keep your eye on the furrows ahead and turn carefully. I think there’s much value in assessing what you’ve brought with you from the year in order to move ahead to the next.

On December 24th, Vitaliy Fursov, a fellow Toastmaster and acquaintance, offered his planning guide to fellow Facebook friends. He wrote, “This time of the year I usually take a quiet moment and enjoy a planning session for my next year. Well, that's what I've learned to do as a professional PM (project manager?). If one fails to plan, one plans to fail. I call it a year design.”

I downloaded his year design and began to think through the categories one at a time. Among the categories were things we’ve learned, challenges we’ve faced, and things that happened during the year that we’re proud of.  Then looking toward the new year the lessons we want to take with us. Those included things we perhaps need to delegate, keep, or leave behind (which might mean quitting something).

Going through the plan gave me some clarity, especially when I needed to make a decision this week. I looked at my notes and realized what needed to stay, what I must set aside and what I wanted to accomplish this year—which is not a resolution made on the spur of New Year’s Eve, but a longer range plan for using abilities and gifts.Perhaps even continuing on with a goal not yet achieved but what is on its way to completion.

There is value in looking back in order to move ahead. Specialists in mental health and therapy have done this for ages to help their clients. We can gain from it too. It doesn’t exclude praying for guidance or letting God help us make decisions. We can make plans and sometimes the goalpost moves and alters things even while we’re serving. With those items more clearly in focus, we can move ahead.

 I know what my goals are, but do you know yours?

 www.carolynwilker.ca

PARK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR-By Heidi McLaughlin

“Everything is wrong with this place. We don’t have all the tools we need, not enough billable work hours and even the air conditioning is not working.” Those words whizzed through the air like scud missiles! I knew they were intended to shock and intimidate me; but in that emotional moment I knew I was simply the target for the release of someone else’s frustration and unresolved anger. Years ago I learned that to be a woman of Godly influence, I had let go of my own insecurities and display integrity and grace in my workplace by learning to “park my ego at the door.”

 For thirty years I have been the only woman in the board room. For ten of those years I was the administrator of a large law firm, and prepared the agenda and chaired the monthly board room meetings. For the past twenty years I continue to be the Controller of two automobile franchises and again, I am the only woman in our weekly board room meetings. I have had to learn that when we allow selfish, pleasure seeking egos to dominate the agenda and conversations; an ugly tension permeates the room.  When our egos are threatened, we have a tendency to feel stupid, shamed, rejected and insignificant.”

 Nine years ago I put my fragile ego to the test. I am blessed to have two accountability partners that allowed me to engage them in an exercise that was intended to bring clarity into our biggest ego struggle; the idol of pride. We made an agreement that each time something or someone chipped away at our idol, we would record the words “ka-ching”. After an entire month of this humbling and revealing exercise, we met and shared the number of “ka-chings” we had recorded.   I was shocked and horrified to find that I had allowed my ego to sabotage my thoughts to propel feelings of being stupid, misunderstood, not heard or even rejected.  Somewhere on my spiritual journey I had forgotten that God makes us all unique and He has a plan and purpose for each of our lives. This little “ka-ching” exercise affirmed for me that everything in life is not about me, I am not the savior of this world and not responsible for everything that goes wrong.

 To be a woman of Godly influence in every area of my life, it has become my personal goal to value people over process. I am a task oriented person and no one knows better than I that there are goals, agendas and deadlines to be followed and adhered to. But if I allow my brittle, flimsy and selfish ego to rule my days, I will miss out on the joy of achieving success and accomplishments that I believe God wants me to enjoy. But I must always remember that my greatest goal in life is to pour God’s love and grace onto everyone I meet. That means taking a deep breath, parking my ego at the door, and remembering that we are all God’s creatures trying desperately to find our value and place in this world.  

 

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband and special friends. You can reach her at: www.heartconnection.ca

Is There a Message from God in your Inbox? by Rose McCormick Brandon

My present journey through the Bible has landed me in the book of Jonah, a good place to land in January. When Jonah opened his in-box he found a message from God. "Go to Nineveh and warn them to repent of their sins."
"Forget it," replied Jonah. He refused to make an investment in the useless people of Nineveh. Nobody wanted that assignment.
Jonah hopped on a ship and headed for the bright lights of Tarshish, an exotic place like Las Vegas, teeming with famous faces. Money flowed in and out of the ports of Tarshish. Anybody who wanted to make it big in the world went there.
Cool people went to Tarshish. Losers went to Nineveh.
You and I have assignments from God. We are alive and breathing on planet Earth in 2013 for a reason - to serve Him in a divinely appointed way.
Like Jonah, sometimes we get sidetracked by the appeal of bright lights. Our divine project appears meaningless when compared to the important things others are doing. We say things like 'anyone can do what I'm doing. God doesn't need me.'
Or, are you one of those who is diligently pursuing your God calling and receiving little response for your efforts? Few encouraging words come your way. You plod on but discouragement presses you from every side.
Has your calling taken you to the cold outback of Nineveh when you really wanted to go to a be-dazzled Tarshish?
Today, let's commit the days we have left on this earth to Jesus. Let's refuse to see the world from a winner/loser viewpoint. In Him, there are no losers, only ordinary people like you and me opening our in-boxes and finding divine assignments.

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.

Jonah took the scenic route to Nineveh. But eventually he got there and much to his surprise the people listened to his God message.

Rose McCormick Brandon’s most recent book is He Loves Me Not . . . He Loves Me. Her articles and essays are published in magazines, books, newspapers and devotionals in Canada and the U.S. She is an award-winning writer who specializes in personal experience, faith, life stories and the British Home Child Immigration period of Canadian history. Rose is married to Doug and lives in Caledonia, Ontario. She has three adult children and two grandchildren. Visit her blogs: The Promise of Home and Listening to My Hair Grow. Contact her at: rosembrandon@yahoo.ca. 

The Morning After - MANN

I returned home from Write!Canada totally zonked. My energy drained as I willingly released it in scurrying from appointments to workshops to continuing classes. No time to put up my feet and too much caffeine slowly ushered me into the delightful position of information-overload. I hugged friends I hadn’t seen for a year, kept tabs on my VISA as I chose books in the overflowing bookstore. Thank you Word Guild for providing these schedules and a great bookstore.

I find writing this Morning Page extremely stressful as I spent my Continuing Class with Kathryn Dean, a catch-it-all editor who appeared to enjoy her class as much as I did as participant. Thank you Word Guild for your excellent choice of faculty.

As a Word Guild volunteer responsible for billeting, I had opportunity to place two registrants with welcoming hosts. Many volunteers and staff work together to offer the best, longest and biggest conference for writers who are Christian, in Canada. Awesome! Three, I want to mention with full appreciation with many others: Heidi – we love you. I do enjoy my chicken soup, casseroles and BBQs, Brian for your undying effort to provide books for us. And a special thank you to Adele for your story and song. What a witness – truly an offering overflowing with grace. And Charlie didn’t have to do anything to get something – a true example of God’s unconditional love gave her opportunity to affirm Jesus love for him. What a gift!

I came to the conference, tired from the previous late night at the Gala, yet vigorously elated from winning the Long-Feature-Article award. Thank you for Word Guild sponsors.

As good as it was, I reflect quickly on some missed opportunities: being in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting side-tracked in interviews and at the end of the day, wondering about some of my choices. Yet, each of the above was a learning opportunity and does not take away from invitations to submit further work, encouragement to continue in the writing process and to welcome mentorship. So I press on!

Even though my cat seemed surprised to see me sitting in my chair this morning, she tested our friendship by immediately jumping up and claiming her space. And my Happy Hubby asked, “Is this Mother’s Day or Father’s Day?” as he brought coffee and juice to my side table.

Where to from here? What do I do with the plethora of writing guidelines, purchased and free books, piles of hand-outs and notes from classes? I’m going to take some of my own advice from leading the Orientation class last year: Make my lists, set my priorities, set some goals, create a calendar and begin my writer’s prayer log, but right now, I’m going back to bed ( 9:00 AM Sunday).

Blessings,
Donna Mann

P.S. I just checked Judith’s Blog schedule and I see where I’m due on Tuesday, so today’s Morning Pages have graduated to my blog.
http://www.donnamann.org

Has Any Body Rained On Your Parade Lately? - MANN

I think I will rewrite the quote "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" (Robert Burns) to read something like, “the best laid plans of skunk and Mann went astray.” My mother always told me that I could prepare for anything except the unexpected—for that, I needed to learn how to make the best of it. Those of you who read my last blog will know that I’ve retired for the third time and that I’ve laid out perfect plans to do certain things: set priorities for writing deadlines, rewrite my website, get Hi Speed internet, arrange for a new email address and make myself more accountable to my writing space. Valerie Sherrard told us at Write! Canada that we write better in a tidy space with order. I have since found this to be true so I’ve added it to my list.

All of the above are goal orientated and measureable, so with good management I can make them happen according to plan, without the unexpected. This doesn’t always happen with plans and that’s where the rewritten quote applies.

Doug and I are good at spending quality time with our family, but this summer, we thought we’d add something new to our usual events. Doug thought he'd bring his cousins and sons together for a Mann's Day at The Meadows, and then some other relatives a few days later to complete the circle. If you’ve ever prepared picnic meals, you’ll know how important refrigerated food, location of table, chairs, BBQ and sound system is to conversation and eating space. We did our part well and prepared ourselves to finish our work, sit back, relax and let it all happen.

This is where the plans ‘went astray’. We didn’t have a skunk on our invitation list, nor did we ask one of the cats to be the welcoming committee. Added to that, we didn’t need added aroma to our already fresh smelling rural environment. Thankful that the strong breeze blew from the West, we gave a sigh of relief that we could have this picnic outdoors, after all. As if the previous unexpected plans were not enough, I confused the oven temperature gauge twice when I set and reset the timer, ending up cooking my rhubarb and apple pies three times over, while the BBQ was running out of gas before the burgers were finished. And yes, it rained on our parade, so we ate in the Shed, which ended up working well in spite of everything.

The Grace in the unexpected turn of events was in the mix of the emails we received following the picnic: the guests wrote about the things they’d enjoyed, very different than we planned—again, the unexpected. The skunk, well, we didn’t hear from him, again.

New web site coming soon. In the meantime, keep in touch through www.homestead.com/the_meadows/mann.html,
dmann@log.on.ca OR dmann@trinitysem.edu

Watch for:
Aggie's Storms: The childhood story of the first woman elected to Canadian Parliament.
WinterGrief: A Personal Response to Grief
WorkShop Resources for "Telling a Story on me or Someone Else"