Reflection for 2013

Reflection is an important part of learning, so let's look at the goals I set for this past year.

1. Get a raise
2. Find more joy in my duties
3. Be more active
4. Finish reading my Bible

Well, I didn't get the raise...yet. I did complete all my coursework. There was one course that required me to test a student before my credit could be verified, though. I wasn't assigned a student to test until Thanksgiving (you'd have thought they'd be more eager to split the work-load!). I finished all of the testing right before break and sent it in, but the data may not be entered until after the break. I'll apply for the raise as soon as I can and hope that I met whatever the final deadline is. It would really suck to miss out on an earned raise.

Goals 2 and 3 are also a mixed bag. I have been incredibly blessed. I am very thankful for my wife, son, family, job, house, pets, neighborhood, neighbors, friends, health, everything! I have only so much energy and the list of things I want to do is umpteen miles long, though. I find myself running on empty on occasion. At those times, I wish I found a little more joy in the 50th lap around the basement chasing Shane with Bumblebee or that I checked my fantasy football stats one less time when I was with him. I'm only human. I feel like Shane and I have lots of stories together, but I would love more. I want to take him to ride a metro one of these days on break. I'd love to take Carrie and Shane to the zoo, too, but that depends on Carrie's energy level and the weather in addition to mine!

I am, and forever will be, a work in progress. I think I'm doing a pretty good job keeping up with Shane and the ever-changing art of parenting, but that could change tomorrow! Parents seem so permanent as a kid, but kids seem like dynamic little balls of ever-changing chaos to parents. I've found myself looking at Shane's baby pictures and saying "WHOA! He's grown!" before.

The final goal has been good for me. I was a bit slack at the beginning of the year with my reading, but Lent jump started me. I got more organized around summer when I realized I was losing track and re-reading Psalms and Proverbs and then the habit stuck. I didn't finish the Old Testament until the end of November and I saved the gospel of John for last. I've learned a lot and I'm glad I did it. With God's help I'll keep up the habit of reading, thinking and praying so I can be the man my family needs me to be.

The first and fourth goals were where most of my energy was spent, and I believe it was worth it.