it's that time of the year again! looks like there's an inverse proportion of my blog posts to the years i have kept this online journal. oh well...priorities do shift, but i do enjoy sharing my thoughts here once in a while.
let's look at this year's resolutions and see how mel has fared:
1. being closer to God. upon reflection, I realized God has brought me closer to Him through the trials in the last 2 years. my hope is that my family and friends will be able to get some essence of Him while interacting with me. i'd like to have good prayer and quiet time everyday.
--it started strong and now has leveled off to being lukewarm. i have reconciled with all my siblings, though my oldest brother hasn't quite settled with what i did. my relationship with God will be addressed in 2015's resolutions
2. being a happy bride, I've gained 10 lbs since I got back. *gasp* let's be realistic and set the weight goal to 120 lbs.
--still of the same weight, but i think i'm fine with this weight. what matters is healthy lifestyle, which i have not quite achieved this year either
3. run a 5k! that means...running the entire race too. 2013's 5k was held in nusa dua, bali. definitely once in a lifetime event because I was able to jog past forest, beach, an array of hotels, and clean roads all in one!
--didn't happen :(
4. get a job, possibly in business analyst. it'd be a challenge especially with the time gap for work visa, but I do have hope!
--i have been having a good job (operations engineer in a start-up software company) since june 2014. enjoyed the work due to many possibilities of improvements and being able to implement change quickly without hitting layers of bureaucracy
5. be a better listener to caleb. putting away all judgment while having a discussion or making a decision.
--i think i do have become a better listener, but there is still room to grow. listening is not a passive interaction. m. scott peck said, "listening well is an active exercise of our attention and, by necessity, is hard work...when we extend ourselves by attempting to listen and communicate well, we take an extra step or walk an extra mile."
now, to my 2015 resolutions:
1. lead healthy life. exercise twice a week. eat more fruits (at least 1 serving per day) and drink 8 glasses of water daily. ideally, having weight of 120 lb is wonderful, but healthy lifestyle trumps having ideal weight
2. re-establish quiet time with caleb regularly. we know that evenings do not work. this means earlier shut eye and waking up earlier at 6:30 am. this shall be the most challenging resolution, but being able to talk to God as couple prior to going to work sets off the day in positive way
3. i'd like to be able to sit down and do my meditation after waking up. it will help in planning my day, setting my goals for the day, reframing my attitude (especially toward people at work), being contemplative, and thus more efficient
2015 might bring good changes, especially since we are hoping to start a family soon. :) this year has brought many joyous blessings not only to our household, but everybody whom we have been praying too. for me, the latest blessing is the current state of contemplation, a time of quietness when i can put down my thoughts, enjoy my cup of coffee, write my letter to kar ning, and rest. oh...and i've discovered hallmark channel's christmas movies that are way too predictable, but give me heart warming feeling of gratefulness and bliss.
merry christmas and happy new year!
let's look at this year's resolutions and see how mel has fared:
1. being closer to God. upon reflection, I realized God has brought me closer to Him through the trials in the last 2 years. my hope is that my family and friends will be able to get some essence of Him while interacting with me. i'd like to have good prayer and quiet time everyday.
--it started strong and now has leveled off to being lukewarm. i have reconciled with all my siblings, though my oldest brother hasn't quite settled with what i did. my relationship with God will be addressed in 2015's resolutions
2. being a happy bride, I've gained 10 lbs since I got back. *gasp* let's be realistic and set the weight goal to 120 lbs.
--still of the same weight, but i think i'm fine with this weight. what matters is healthy lifestyle, which i have not quite achieved this year either
3. run a 5k! that means...running the entire race too. 2013's 5k was held in nusa dua, bali. definitely once in a lifetime event because I was able to jog past forest, beach, an array of hotels, and clean roads all in one!
--didn't happen :(
4. get a job, possibly in business analyst. it'd be a challenge especially with the time gap for work visa, but I do have hope!
--i have been having a good job (operations engineer in a start-up software company) since june 2014. enjoyed the work due to many possibilities of improvements and being able to implement change quickly without hitting layers of bureaucracy
5. be a better listener to caleb. putting away all judgment while having a discussion or making a decision.
--i think i do have become a better listener, but there is still room to grow. listening is not a passive interaction. m. scott peck said, "listening well is an active exercise of our attention and, by necessity, is hard work...when we extend ourselves by attempting to listen and communicate well, we take an extra step or walk an extra mile."
now, to my 2015 resolutions:
1. lead healthy life. exercise twice a week. eat more fruits (at least 1 serving per day) and drink 8 glasses of water daily. ideally, having weight of 120 lb is wonderful, but healthy lifestyle trumps having ideal weight
2. re-establish quiet time with caleb regularly. we know that evenings do not work. this means earlier shut eye and waking up earlier at 6:30 am. this shall be the most challenging resolution, but being able to talk to God as couple prior to going to work sets off the day in positive way
3. i'd like to be able to sit down and do my meditation after waking up. it will help in planning my day, setting my goals for the day, reframing my attitude (especially toward people at work), being contemplative, and thus more efficient
2015 might bring good changes, especially since we are hoping to start a family soon. :) this year has brought many joyous blessings not only to our household, but everybody whom we have been praying too. for me, the latest blessing is the current state of contemplation, a time of quietness when i can put down my thoughts, enjoy my cup of coffee, write my letter to kar ning, and rest. oh...and i've discovered hallmark channel's christmas movies that are way too predictable, but give me heart warming feeling of gratefulness and bliss.
merry christmas and happy new year!
