2010 Reflections

I'm fortunate to be having one last day off before hitting it hard at work again. As such, I've been reflecting a lot on the past year, both in my personal life and in the world (via news articles). Things I've noted:

Personal:

1. I let my work own me. This year I am praying and striving for a better grasp on what it means to do my work well without over doing it.
2. As work owned me this year, my walk with God has faded. Collin & I are both praying for growth here personally and as a family.
3. Since 2000, I have worked to remember that I needed my next tetnus shot in 2010. I never took care of this. Fail.
4. I've been sick a lot. I mostly blame this on working with sticky little kids, but not sleeping enough, not eating well, and not working out doesn't help. This is secondary to working on my spiritual health, but also a priority for me in 2011.
5. I have contentment issues. I often put hope in future events rather than Jesus. Fail.
6. More than ever I am cherishing unhurried time, especially with my husband. As time always seem to go to fast, it continues to remind me that I must be made for an eternal life.
7. I like fiction books a lot more than I previously thought. Reads this year include some Andrew Peterson, some A.S. Peterson, C.S. Lewis... good stuff.

World:

1. Technology is taking over the world, and it's sort of creepy. Supposedly 93% of people in America have a mobile phone of some sort. This really hit me when I met a 2 year old that had an iPhone at daycare. I think her mom had let her take it to console her. Who does that? "Here, Lucy, take this $300 comfort blanket to daycare with you to soothe yourself when I leave." You can tell who is really the boss in that relationship.
2. Technological "battles"- i.e., wikileaks. Fascinating... but again, creepy.
3. Lots of natural disasters, the biggest being Haiti, let us see where are weakness are as a global community.
4. I still think lots of people worship sports. It contiually baffles me that we pay people more to play games that we can watch than we pay the teachers that educate our children. The pay ratio here is unbelievable.
5. People don't just sit and talk much anymore. A text here. A wall post there. So that makes you friends? I don't know. My friend was telling me how disconcerting it is that every time she tries to have a conversation with her family, they all can't put down their iPhones. They'll choose playing that weird bird game (angry birds, maybe?) that's all the rage over talking about life with a loved one. I don't think they're alone.
6. In the western world, we continue to change our definition of a family. Still trying to gather articulate thoughts about this that I can communicate wisely and kindly.

Any reflections you have on the year gone by?