December 24, 2008
December 02, 2008
November 11, 2008
REMEMBERING | courage
Syberen & Hendrina Potma
My grandparents were remarkable people. I admire their conviction of faith and the courage it took to live it out in dangerous times.
Following is a story from that time.
Food ration coupons, issued by the Nazi occupational forces, were often the only way for Dutch people to get enough to eat during the war years. Jews were excluded from the food ration distribution, and many Jews were starving or hiding in safe houses. The Dutch underground, of which Opa Potma was a part, set out to forge food ration coupons and distribute them to Jewish families in hiding and to the Dutch families who took them in. Those who were caught assisting Jews were sent to the concentration camps or executed.
The coupons were first printed at secret underground presses, and then stamped with a forged Nazi ink stamp. There was one final step to make the forgeries complete: a signature of the Nazi district officer. There were only a few people capable of taking on this job, and one of those few was Syberen Dirk Potma. As an artist and calligrapher, Opa was able to use his gifts to assist the underground movement and save many Jews in the process. Secretly and methodically, Opa signed the forged food coupons and bundled them, ready for delivery. (some of the older children may recall seeing stashes of printed material hidden around the Potma home in Heerenveen, with never a word about their purpose)
Opa was also part of the coupon distribution system, and one day he loaded up his bag with bundles of forged coupons and set off on his bike to distribute them throughout the underground network. Suddenly as he rounded a corner, he was stopped by a Nazi checkpoint. The first Nazi soldier ordered him to get off his bike and to open his bag. Opa knew that if they discovered his cargo, he would certainly be killed or sent to the concentration camp. But just as he was slowly dismounting, a second Nazi soldier said, “No, that’s Mr. Potma – let him through.”
Opa could hardly believe what he had just heard – he didn’t know a single German soldier, and none of them knew him by name! Later as he reflected on this experience, the only conclusion that he could come to was that it was not a Nazi soldier at all, but an angel in disguise, sent by God to save his life and the lives of many more through him
My grandparents were remarkable people. I admire their conviction of faith and the courage it took to live it out in dangerous times.
Following is a story from that time.
Food ration coupons, issued by the Nazi occupational forces, were often the only way for Dutch people to get enough to eat during the war years. Jews were excluded from the food ration distribution, and many Jews were starving or hiding in safe houses. The Dutch underground, of which Opa Potma was a part, set out to forge food ration coupons and distribute them to Jewish families in hiding and to the Dutch families who took them in. Those who were caught assisting Jews were sent to the concentration camps or executed.
The coupons were first printed at secret underground presses, and then stamped with a forged Nazi ink stamp. There was one final step to make the forgeries complete: a signature of the Nazi district officer. There were only a few people capable of taking on this job, and one of those few was Syberen Dirk Potma. As an artist and calligrapher, Opa was able to use his gifts to assist the underground movement and save many Jews in the process. Secretly and methodically, Opa signed the forged food coupons and bundled them, ready for delivery. (some of the older children may recall seeing stashes of printed material hidden around the Potma home in Heerenveen, with never a word about their purpose)
Opa was also part of the coupon distribution system, and one day he loaded up his bag with bundles of forged coupons and set off on his bike to distribute them throughout the underground network. Suddenly as he rounded a corner, he was stopped by a Nazi checkpoint. The first Nazi soldier ordered him to get off his bike and to open his bag. Opa knew that if they discovered his cargo, he would certainly be killed or sent to the concentration camp. But just as he was slowly dismounting, a second Nazi soldier said, “No, that’s Mr. Potma – let him through.”
Opa could hardly believe what he had just heard – he didn’t know a single German soldier, and none of them knew him by name! Later as he reflected on this experience, the only conclusion that he could come to was that it was not a Nazi soldier at all, but an angel in disguise, sent by God to save his life and the lives of many more through him
October 11, 2008
THANKSGIVING
we've all got something to be thankful about.
i'm thinking these guys were happy they were being shot
by a Nikon D40
somewhere along a back country road
between stoney creek & stratford
wednesday, october 8th
HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!
September 22, 2008
Rev. George Tunks
"I woke up happy
and I'm happy I woke up"
A favourite quote from one of my favourite people.
He was in church yesterday.
He'd spent a few weeks in hospital.
Was feeling well enough to go home and to join us for worship.
He passed away yesterday afternoon.
I'm going to miss him.
You can read about him HERE
July 12, 2008
VACATIONS CONTINUED
we've done a few day trippy things ...
Niagara Falls was just yesterday.
we love the falls.
i love the colours ...
i love the sound of the roaring water
we ran to Lake Erie for a day ...
Glyn's mom has a trailer out near Knight's Beach ...
the back country roads have a lot to offer ...
one of my favourite parts of July is the Tiger Lilies along the roads.
on the way home we spotted this mamma & baby
On Thursday I bought a wedding dress ...
It looks NOTHING like this one ...
July 08, 2008
VACATIONS!
no spectacular plans for the week ...
some running around ...
some day trips will occur ...
we're being more diligent with the bike riding ...
The Dundas Rail Trail is a great bike ride ...
and you get to see old Canadian Pacific trains ...
and it was even in Sepia tones ...
or maybe that's the wonder of digital camera technology ...
some pretty things at the top of the rail trail ...
sometimes you need to just lay your head down on the deck and relax ...
Calvin's pretty content to have me home for the week ...
more photo's will follow ... i'm sure
June 09, 2008
SIX RANDOM THINGS ...
I had been given permission to ignore ... but what the heck ... here ya go ...
Numero Uno … When I was 9 years old (I think 9 … if not exactly 9 then some where around there … give or take a year) I hid a terrible secret from my parents. I was found out … eventually … as kids who keep secrets from their parents usually are. I was ratted out by a “PAST DUE” notice mailed to the house. Yep, the secret was out … I’d snuck out and got myself a library card from the Public Library that used to exist at Eastgate Square … up on the second floor … overlooking the food court. Apparently I’d failed to return my Little House on the Prairie book on time …
Dos … I originally went to school to become a History teacher. Did my four year degree at McMaster … decided somewhere around 2.75 years into the program I didn’t so much want to teach, but wanted to finish out the degree … perhaps I could translate it into something in Law … or museum work … or HEY why not go to do another 3 years at EPBC and do something ministry related … after that I began working “temporarily” in the office at the church on the mountain … needing to pay off those student loans. The first week of July I will have been at my temporary job for 15 years … yes indeedy that is correct. I’m expecting much fanfare and bro-ha-ha-ishness in celebration of that fact.
Tres … I lied about the last sentence in Numero Dos
Cuatro … I’m still seriously considering running away to get married … I can’t handle the pressure of the “who makes the invite list.” Glyn was asked by his mother this weekend if we were inviting church staff … she thought that we should … I think … “if I want a wedding with about 100 peops I really don’t want about 25% of them to be church on the mountain co-workers and their spouses … and if I don’t invite them all how do you decided WHICH ONES make the list?” … And the money that we are presently saving for THE DAY and the DAYS TO FOLLOW can be spent rather nicely on a house down payment … who knows … You may all one day read … “hey we ran away” …
Cinco … I’m incredibly nationalistic ... and eagerly looking forward to the Olympics in August. I can get weepy watching the Olympics and watching Canadian singing along as the anthem is played. Seriously … have you ever checked out Chandra Crawford and her singing during the national anthem … no timid little lip syncing with that girl!
Seis … I don’t speak Spanish … but I think it would be a sexy linguistic to pick up … or maybe I’ll just see if Glyn will learn to speak English with a Spanish accent … that would work too. :)
Numero Uno … When I was 9 years old (I think 9 … if not exactly 9 then some where around there … give or take a year) I hid a terrible secret from my parents. I was found out … eventually … as kids who keep secrets from their parents usually are. I was ratted out by a “PAST DUE” notice mailed to the house. Yep, the secret was out … I’d snuck out and got myself a library card from the Public Library that used to exist at Eastgate Square … up on the second floor … overlooking the food court. Apparently I’d failed to return my Little House on the Prairie book on time …
Dos … I originally went to school to become a History teacher. Did my four year degree at McMaster … decided somewhere around 2.75 years into the program I didn’t so much want to teach, but wanted to finish out the degree … perhaps I could translate it into something in Law … or museum work … or HEY why not go to do another 3 years at EPBC and do something ministry related … after that I began working “temporarily” in the office at the church on the mountain … needing to pay off those student loans. The first week of July I will have been at my temporary job for 15 years … yes indeedy that is correct. I’m expecting much fanfare and bro-ha-ha-ishness in celebration of that fact.
Tres … I lied about the last sentence in Numero Dos
Cuatro … I’m still seriously considering running away to get married … I can’t handle the pressure of the “who makes the invite list.” Glyn was asked by his mother this weekend if we were inviting church staff … she thought that we should … I think … “if I want a wedding with about 100 peops I really don’t want about 25% of them to be church on the mountain co-workers and their spouses … and if I don’t invite them all how do you decided WHICH ONES make the list?” … And the money that we are presently saving for THE DAY and the DAYS TO FOLLOW can be spent rather nicely on a house down payment … who knows … You may all one day read … “hey we ran away” …
Cinco … I’m incredibly nationalistic ... and eagerly looking forward to the Olympics in August. I can get weepy watching the Olympics and watching Canadian singing along as the anthem is played. Seriously … have you ever checked out Chandra Crawford and her singing during the national anthem … no timid little lip syncing with that girl!
Seis … I don’t speak Spanish … but I think it would be a sexy linguistic to pick up … or maybe I’ll just see if Glyn will learn to speak English with a Spanish accent … that would work too. :)
May 18, 2008
90 | 65
Those are two pretty significant numbers.
Tonight, at the church on the mountain,
we celebrated those two numbers.
They are a quick description of the life of a man.
Rev. George P. Tunks
He celebrated his 90th birthday on Thursday.
Tonight we celebrated his retirement ...
from 65 years of ministry.
He was born 1 year before the official formation of the
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.
The same year as another great preacher:
Billy Graham.
His first wife, Ruth, was the first women ordained by the PAOC.
At the age of 83 he was hired part-time, to pastor our Seniors,
he told our Senior Pastor:
"I can give you seven years!"
Can you imagine?
Almost 20 years past the time everyone else is looking to retire ...
I can't even begin to imagine the number of lives he has touched.
The souls that are in the kingdom because of his faithfulness to the Call.
A humble man.
An intelligent man.
A gentle man.
A man faithful to the Word.
A man who's appeal reached across generational lines.
A man with a snappy sense of humour.
"I woke up happy ...
and I'm happy i woke up."
I'm going to miss him around the office.
I'm glad I'll still see him in the pew.
May 13, 2008
May 12, 2008
VACATION - DAY 3
... Calvin was given a bath ...
... Glyn & I got passport pictures taken ...
... we looked at wedding bands ...
... we picked up the bikes from their spring tune ups ...
... we had dinner at Milestone's ...
... it was our 1 year anniversary since the first date ...
... and it was FREE ...
... he had a $100 gift card from Horton's ...
... something about a thank you for 7 year safety record ...
... i wonder if my employer could do something like that ...
... ok ...
... i've stopped laughing about that now ...
... here's the picture of the day ...
BLEEDING HEARTS from the back yard
they look a little like pink turtles to me
May 11, 2008
VACATION DAY 2
THANKS MOM!
my mom and the ginormous arrangement from my brother.
he's just finishing up a 3 year work term in Qatar for Exxon/Mobil
the first year he sent flowers, the delivery slip said:
"called in from Khandahar"
the arrangement was HUGE
bigger than the one's he typically sends
i'm thinking they misheard Qatar / Khandahar
and thought he was some Canadian soldier
sending his mamma flowers and made it HUGE for him
next year when the call comes in from Calgary
it will probably go back to normal
May 10, 2008
VACATION DAY 1
i'm going to do my best over the next 10 days
YES 10 DAYS!
i love it when a vacation week ties into a long weekend!
... as i was saying ...
i will do my best to submit a photo a day
but we all know about the best laid plans
of mice and men
here's number #1
my new neighbour
appears to be an only child
the nest is under the carport
it's really the perfect location for the home of a bird
out of wind, rain and the reach of critters that might do harm
April 03, 2008
March 29, 2008
March 08, 2008
February 23, 2008
February 07, 2008
STEVE AUSTIN
A car barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild it.
We have the technology. We have the capability to build it to be
better than it was before.
Better, stronger, faster.
yeah ... ummmm ...
"cracked coil pack"
"nothing to do with the accident"
REALLY?
"nope"
BUT ...
"can't run it through insurance"
HOW MUCH?
"$536"
OI!
so ... it's fixed ... it's running ... smoothly and effeciently
i'm thinking that apart from another idiot running stop signs ...
I'm good for another 5 years or so!
February 03, 2008
A GROWING APPRECIATION ...
So …
I picked up the car on Saturday … looked all spiffy and shiny and stuff. Drove the future mother-in-law to the airport … car was hesitating a little while idling at stop-lights. I thought to myself … maybe it’s because it’s been sitting for 3 weeks …
This morning on my way to church … I hop on the Red Hill. It won’t accelerate above 80 km … and then … Losing power … drops to about 40 km …
Toss on the hazard lights and pray my car to the first exit (Mud & Stone Church) … get on to Mud Street thinking … I’ll go to the Petro-Can at Mud & Paramount. The car picks up speed again as I’m on level ground and gets back up to 80. I pull into the station.
Thinking to myself … maybe if I top up the fuel with some premium …
I do that … and hop in to see what it will do … and it won’t even start.
GOOD GRIEF!
Hop out of car … and enter Petro-Can … I’m developing a fondness for them of late. Petro-Can girl lends me her phone to call CAA … I’m on hold for awhile. So I’m glad I’m using her phone instead of my pay as you go cell … because I’m thinking my $13.25 wouldn’t have lasted long. While on hold I’m texting people that need to know I won’t be at church any time soon.
Waiting on CAA … Petro-Can girl offers me a free coffee. It’s not Second Cup, but I’m taking. We’re chatting … we’re catching up on the tragic details of Heath Ledger’s life. CAA arrives and we return the car to CARSTAR’s lot because the work is guaranteed. While in the lot someone comes and asks him to get him into their car … keys locked in … in some industrial spot across the street … he says “you got $40?” He gets them in … and as we’re driving away I say … “and of course they ARE the owners of the vehicle” He responds … “the keys were in the ignition … I don’t ask for proof of ownership … if they have the cash I get them in.” Kelly thinks to self … “excellent!”
From there we head to Enterprise for a new rental (what do you think it will be this time????) … uh oh … CLOSED! ACK! He gives me a ride to the Stoney Creek arena … I’m walking home from there … because … well … after the whole I don’t ask for proof of ownership issue … I don’t know that I want him knowing where I live.
SO … Glyn will drive me to Carstar tomorrow morning … we’ll have them arrange a rental … and hopefully I’m at work early enough to not waste the day but late enough to miss the Monday morning meeting!
I’ll be sure to let ya’ll know what I’m driving.
I picked up the car on Saturday … looked all spiffy and shiny and stuff. Drove the future mother-in-law to the airport … car was hesitating a little while idling at stop-lights. I thought to myself … maybe it’s because it’s been sitting for 3 weeks …
This morning on my way to church … I hop on the Red Hill. It won’t accelerate above 80 km … and then … Losing power … drops to about 40 km …
Toss on the hazard lights and pray my car to the first exit (Mud & Stone Church) … get on to Mud Street thinking … I’ll go to the Petro-Can at Mud & Paramount. The car picks up speed again as I’m on level ground and gets back up to 80. I pull into the station.
Thinking to myself … maybe if I top up the fuel with some premium …
I do that … and hop in to see what it will do … and it won’t even start.
GOOD GRIEF!
Hop out of car … and enter Petro-Can … I’m developing a fondness for them of late. Petro-Can girl lends me her phone to call CAA … I’m on hold for awhile. So I’m glad I’m using her phone instead of my pay as you go cell … because I’m thinking my $13.25 wouldn’t have lasted long. While on hold I’m texting people that need to know I won’t be at church any time soon.
Waiting on CAA … Petro-Can girl offers me a free coffee. It’s not Second Cup, but I’m taking. We’re chatting … we’re catching up on the tragic details of Heath Ledger’s life. CAA arrives and we return the car to CARSTAR’s lot because the work is guaranteed. While in the lot someone comes and asks him to get him into their car … keys locked in … in some industrial spot across the street … he says “you got $40?” He gets them in … and as we’re driving away I say … “and of course they ARE the owners of the vehicle” He responds … “the keys were in the ignition … I don’t ask for proof of ownership … if they have the cash I get them in.” Kelly thinks to self … “excellent!”
From there we head to Enterprise for a new rental (what do you think it will be this time????) … uh oh … CLOSED! ACK! He gives me a ride to the Stoney Creek arena … I’m walking home from there … because … well … after the whole I don’t ask for proof of ownership issue … I don’t know that I want him knowing where I live.
SO … Glyn will drive me to Carstar tomorrow morning … we’ll have them arrange a rental … and hopefully I’m at work early enough to not waste the day but late enough to miss the Monday morning meeting!
I’ll be sure to let ya’ll know what I’m driving.
January 29, 2008
MY RIDES
I was driving the fire red dodge avenger ...
I'm presently driving the midnight blue pontiac grand prix ...
Had dropped my bro off at the bus station on Sunday night ...
Weird light came on ... pulled into the Petro Can at Main & Walnut ...
Yep that light would indicate a flat tire ...
Called the fiance ...
He came and changed it for me ...
He's a keeper! :)
I'm wondering what else can happen ...
What else can I test drive ...
While waiting for my car to be fixed
Weird light came on ... pulled into the Petro Can at Main & Walnut ...
Yep that light would indicate a flat tire ...
Called the fiance ...
He came and changed it for me ...
He's a keeper! :)
I'm wondering what else can happen ...
What else can I test drive ...
While waiting for my car to be fixed
January 15, 2008
AVENGER
... FIRE RED ...
that's what I'm presently driving.
I feel very Shera-ish while driving it.
How can you not?
An AVENGER ...
and FIRE RED ...
not just red ...
but FIRE RED!
It's totally NOT my personality.
But I'm going to see if I can alter my personality for 3 weeks.
That's how long I have the rental.
I was kinda hoping I'd get a write-off declaration from my insurance.
Because I could get a good used car ...
toss some of the spare loonies in the ING Marriage account.
but apparently it's repairable.
The frame is good.
I'm trusting the garage ...
and more importantly GOD to look after it all.
January 09, 2008
NOT THE MORNING I WAS PLANNING
so there i was ... driving mom downtown to renew her Health Card.
some dude runs a stop sign
smacks into my car ... driver's side rear ...
spins me ... ACROSS TWO LANES of ONCOMING TRAFFIC
THANK GOD ... the lanes were clear ... at 9:00 AM ... a miracle in and of itself
as I'm spinning I'm looking at someone in front of me walking on the sidewalk
"DEAR JESUS!" uttered by me ... by Mom
i come to a rest across the far lane of traffic with my front tires up on the curb
my glasses had been knocked off my head
I have no idea how the air bags didn't deploy but am grateful because sometimes they make things even worse
Mom is ok ...
I'm ok ...
my car ... not so ok
the back drivers side tire is flat and the back rear panel / back door punched in
call to CAA ... "i need a tow truck" ... "we can't release one until there is a police report"
call to police ... "is anyone hurt?" ... "no not really" ... "we can't send an officer unless there is an injury ... you need to come to a reporting centre" ... "but they won't send a truck until there is a police report ..."
... as the circle of frustration continues to grow a tow truck arrives unannounced and unsolicited ... but I'll take ...
he says ... Eastgate Ford uses blah blah garage I can take you there from the reporting centre ... and arrange a rental ... I'm like "ok"
... get to reporting centre and the dude there says "where are you having the car towed" ... i tell him and he says to the cop at the desk ... "Would you take your car to blah blah?" NO is the response ... "the tow guy is getting kickbacks and they are brutal" ... GRRRRR (can i say how much i despise people that take advantage of people in a vulnerable place?)
ok ...call my garage for their recommendation (they don't do body work) and they say ... "Take it to Eastgate Ford they have a body shop right next door (CARSTAR) and they are the best in the city" ...
i tell the tow dude and he's all bent out of shape ... "well this tow will be costly ... i would have just billed this into the insurance thing" ...I'm like ... "buddy's insurance is covering this ANYWAY ... take me to Eastgate Ford" ... he does ...
the lady there says ... "yeah ... that's a scam why would we send our cars to someone else when we have CARSTAR next door?" They arranged my rental ... which is covered in my insurance anyway
...OI ... after all that we ran downtown and got her health card (as hers expires next week ... and she's got Doc appointments the week after) ... run up to BGT to say "I'm going home" ... share the details with coworkers for a bit.
I went to the Urgent Care ... my neck is stiff and sore ... back too ... just wanted it documented medically. Doc said ... "i don't think we need to bother with Xrays ... you've not broken anything ... but we'll get this documented for Insurance or police reports"
HOME ... call insurance company ... call Glyn ... he's like ... "I'm coming home now" I said ..."you don't need to ... I'm fine ... just come down after work"
OI ...I've taken a Tylenol 3 and I think i will lay upon my couch ...
I'm weary ...the adrenalin has worn off
OI ...
GOD IS GOOD ...what could have been ... scary
some dude runs a stop sign
smacks into my car ... driver's side rear ...
spins me ... ACROSS TWO LANES of ONCOMING TRAFFIC
THANK GOD ... the lanes were clear ... at 9:00 AM ... a miracle in and of itself
as I'm spinning I'm looking at someone in front of me walking on the sidewalk
"DEAR JESUS!" uttered by me ... by Mom
i come to a rest across the far lane of traffic with my front tires up on the curb
my glasses had been knocked off my head
I have no idea how the air bags didn't deploy but am grateful because sometimes they make things even worse
Mom is ok ...
I'm ok ...
my car ... not so ok
the back drivers side tire is flat and the back rear panel / back door punched in
call to CAA ... "i need a tow truck" ... "we can't release one until there is a police report"
call to police ... "is anyone hurt?" ... "no not really" ... "we can't send an officer unless there is an injury ... you need to come to a reporting centre" ... "but they won't send a truck until there is a police report ..."
... as the circle of frustration continues to grow a tow truck arrives unannounced and unsolicited ... but I'll take ...
he says ... Eastgate Ford uses blah blah garage I can take you there from the reporting centre ... and arrange a rental ... I'm like "ok"
... get to reporting centre and the dude there says "where are you having the car towed" ... i tell him and he says to the cop at the desk ... "Would you take your car to blah blah?" NO is the response ... "the tow guy is getting kickbacks and they are brutal" ... GRRRRR (can i say how much i despise people that take advantage of people in a vulnerable place?)
ok ...call my garage for their recommendation (they don't do body work) and they say ... "Take it to Eastgate Ford they have a body shop right next door (CARSTAR) and they are the best in the city" ...
i tell the tow dude and he's all bent out of shape ... "well this tow will be costly ... i would have just billed this into the insurance thing" ...I'm like ... "buddy's insurance is covering this ANYWAY ... take me to Eastgate Ford" ... he does ...
the lady there says ... "yeah ... that's a scam why would we send our cars to someone else when we have CARSTAR next door?" They arranged my rental ... which is covered in my insurance anyway
...OI ... after all that we ran downtown and got her health card (as hers expires next week ... and she's got Doc appointments the week after) ... run up to BGT to say "I'm going home" ... share the details with coworkers for a bit.
I went to the Urgent Care ... my neck is stiff and sore ... back too ... just wanted it documented medically. Doc said ... "i don't think we need to bother with Xrays ... you've not broken anything ... but we'll get this documented for Insurance or police reports"
HOME ... call insurance company ... call Glyn ... he's like ... "I'm coming home now" I said ..."you don't need to ... I'm fine ... just come down after work"
OI ...I've taken a Tylenol 3 and I think i will lay upon my couch ...
I'm weary ...the adrenalin has worn off
OI ...
GOD IS GOOD ...what could have been ... scary
January 01, 2008
BE IT RESOLVED ...
TOP 10 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008
1. Get out of debt or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)
4. Get organized
5. Develop a new skill or talent
6. Spend more time with family and friends
7. Other
8. Work less, play more
9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)
10. Change employment
Franklin-Covey did the survey. (Covey is of the Stephen Covey of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) They polled 15,301 people and this was the sum of all their hopes and dreams for 2008. Franklin-Covey also discovered that 35% of people break their resolutions by the end of January. 40% say it’s because they have too much on their plate, and 33% say they aren’t really committed to their resolutions. Only 23% attain their resolutions.
They’ve come up with 8 things that will help you be part of the 23%
1. Think of your resolutions as goals (they are more specific than vague resolutions … which is funny when you think of the phrase I resolve … that doesn’t seem vague that seems rather firm to me!)
2. Set only 1 or 2 realistic goals (see we’ve already changed the vocab!)
3. Write down your goals (so you have a record of future failure! :) You are supposed to write them and keep them in a place you can review them periodically … so napkin scraps tossed in the back seat don't bode well for the 23% success rate!)
4. Take baby steps (break your goal down into manageable bites and schedule them … already … the creative part of my brain is atrophied … I don’t schedule things well)
5. Go public (this is part of #3 … so your failure can be mocked by a good friend!)
6. Track Your progress (where is that scrap of napkin ???)
7. Reward Yourself (I have no issues with that … I’m all about that)
8. If you slip-up … Recommit (Don’t get discouraged if you slip up. Everyone has bad days. Just forgive yourself, recommit to your goal and keep moving forward. Stay energized and motivated to achieve the end result. … I actually really like this last statement … pretty much summarizes the Christian walk … except we also get to count on God’s showing us Grace, Mercy … )
The question is … do I do a resol … I mean set a New Year’s goal?
1. Get out of debt or save money
2. Lose weight
3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)
4. Get organized
5. Develop a new skill or talent
6. Spend more time with family and friends
7. Other
8. Work less, play more
9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)
10. Change employment
Franklin-Covey did the survey. (Covey is of the Stephen Covey of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) They polled 15,301 people and this was the sum of all their hopes and dreams for 2008. Franklin-Covey also discovered that 35% of people break their resolutions by the end of January. 40% say it’s because they have too much on their plate, and 33% say they aren’t really committed to their resolutions. Only 23% attain their resolutions.
They’ve come up with 8 things that will help you be part of the 23%
1. Think of your resolutions as goals (they are more specific than vague resolutions … which is funny when you think of the phrase I resolve … that doesn’t seem vague that seems rather firm to me!)
2. Set only 1 or 2 realistic goals (see we’ve already changed the vocab!)
3. Write down your goals (so you have a record of future failure! :) You are supposed to write them and keep them in a place you can review them periodically … so napkin scraps tossed in the back seat don't bode well for the 23% success rate!)
4. Take baby steps (break your goal down into manageable bites and schedule them … already … the creative part of my brain is atrophied … I don’t schedule things well)
5. Go public (this is part of #3 … so your failure can be mocked by a good friend!)
6. Track Your progress (where is that scrap of napkin ???)
7. Reward Yourself (I have no issues with that … I’m all about that)
8. If you slip-up … Recommit (Don’t get discouraged if you slip up. Everyone has bad days. Just forgive yourself, recommit to your goal and keep moving forward. Stay energized and motivated to achieve the end result. … I actually really like this last statement … pretty much summarizes the Christian walk … except we also get to count on God’s showing us Grace, Mercy … )
The question is … do I do a resol … I mean set a New Year’s goal?
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