{"id":223,"date":"2010-01-01T12:18:03","date_gmt":"2010-01-01T12:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/flirtingwithfaith\/2010\/01\/new-year-new-decade-now-what.html"},"modified":"2010-01-01T12:18:03","modified_gmt":"2010-01-01T12:18:03","slug":"new-year-new-decade-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/flirtingwithfaith\/2010\/01\/new-year-new-decade-now-what.html","title":{"rendered":"New Year. New Decade. Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been reading a lot of blog posts, newspaper articles and email newsletters written by people who seem to have a handle of their intentions are for 2010. Whether listed under the heading of resolutions, goals, guiding principles or dreams and wishes, many of these folks seem to have a clear vision of where they are going and a decidedly confident sense of how they intend to get there. <\/p>\n

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I used to be like that.<\/div>\n
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When the 90s became the naughties ten years ago, I was quite the planner and driver toward goals and objectives that made sense to me: better job, bigger house, more disposable income, well-padded retirement and college accounts. I was convinced that I was the master of my own destiny. That if I could harness and direct the right combination of smarts, determination, hard work and insight, I could do anything.<\/div>\n
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And it worked pretty well. I got everything I ever wanted.<\/div>\n
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But something changed in me over the course of this decade that not only shifted my priorities, but changed the way I approach times of obvious reflection and forward-looking like New Year’s Day. As a result, rather than focusing on what I am going to make happen in 2010, I find myself especially conscious of how little control I have over what will come my way in the coming months that will define 2010 and years that will define this next decade of my life. It doesn’t mean I won’t work hard – but that I will come to that work with the humbling but liberating understanding that I am not in control and that what I want may be a limited view of what my life could actually be.<\/div>\n
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Here’s what I mean…<\/div>\n
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On this day in 2000 I was the director of public relations for a company that no longer exists and September 11 was just a date on the calendar. Nobody in my immediate family had ever experienced a serious illness and I had never even thought about being a college professor or a writer. I barely believed in a “power-greater-than-myself” and I thought Jesus was a ruse for angry power-mongers bent on controlling the lives of unfortunate and ignorant believers. Martin had never acted, never painted and barely played music because he was way too busy growing his business.   <\/div>\n
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What a difference a decade makes…<\/div>\n
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So I sit on the cusp of 2010 with the kind of love for my family that comes from enduring loss and hardship together, a career in writing and teaching that inspires and challenges me, a cherished community of friends (close and online) that would have been unimaginable 10 years ago and a sense that my best attempts to set a target for what’s ahead would fall short of the unimaginable adventures that await me.<\/div>\n
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So come 2010, come. Bring blessings, challenges and everything in between and the strength of character to face them with grace, honesty, wisdom and gratitude. Surprise me 2010. Guide me toward a deeper love for God, my family, my friends and my enemies. Change me 2010. Help me to become more of the woman I am meant to be and open doors for me to encourage others to do the same… <\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve been reading a lot of blog posts, newspaper articles and email newsletters written by people who seem to have a handle of their intentions are for 2010. Whether listed under the heading of resolutions, goals, guiding principles or dreams and wishes, many of these folks seem to have a clear vision of where they…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":181,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spiritual-growth"],"yoast_head":"\nNew Year. New Decade. 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