Not quite champagne and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs but bacon and egg rolls, warm pain au chocolat and freshly brewed coffee, whilst watching the New Years Day concert from Vienna and thinking Valentino really should design more ballet costumes, counts as really rather decadent start to the new Year!
Looking back, 2009 was (to quote our Sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth) an Annus Horriblis indeed, breakdown, sick leave, therapy, quitting parish ministry, unemployment and owning up to alcohol problems. 2010 can only be better (if it ain't, then it's find a coffin year). Funnily enough, I feel I now know myself better and am slightly more comfortable in my own skin. So moving on is more of a possibility. My New years resolution: to continue growing and putting aside things that diminish me. I will start a smoking cessation programme next week, as that's the next evil to crush. Is my approach to this year "Look forward in faith"? Not quite, more look forward in trust - because I got here alive, sane and sober and that was far from certain at one point. The year in retrospect has been a case of finding that the Faith or Credal part of my religious life is not actually as important as the trusting to the actual reality of God working for me and my best outcomes. A learning that intellectual faith is less important than the lived variety. Don't live in your head so much, live in the world.
And for a New year theme song? Oh, Francis Albert and a great Jazz number:
Looking back, 2009 was (to quote our Sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth) an Annus Horriblis indeed, breakdown, sick leave, therapy, quitting parish ministry, unemployment and owning up to alcohol problems. 2010 can only be better (if it ain't, then it's find a coffin year). Funnily enough, I feel I now know myself better and am slightly more comfortable in my own skin. So moving on is more of a possibility. My New years resolution: to continue growing and putting aside things that diminish me. I will start a smoking cessation programme next week, as that's the next evil to crush. Is my approach to this year "Look forward in faith"? Not quite, more look forward in trust - because I got here alive, sane and sober and that was far from certain at one point. The year in retrospect has been a case of finding that the Faith or Credal part of my religious life is not actually as important as the trusting to the actual reality of God working for me and my best outcomes. A learning that intellectual faith is less important than the lived variety. Don't live in your head so much, live in the world.
And for a New year theme song? Oh, Francis Albert and a great Jazz number:
Absolutely spot on, John. Congratulations on the progress you have made on every front, and I pray it will be maintained in 2010. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteA learning that intellectual faith is less important than the lived variety. Don't live in your head so much, live in the world.
ReplyDeleteYes, Yes, and Yes again! Hats off to you on getting through so many life challenges in 2009.
Grateful thanks to you all and best wishes and prayers for 2010.
ReplyDeleteGreat, thoughtful, thought-inspiring post, John. I'd like to stay on your journey this coming year...
ReplyDeletechampagne and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs
ReplyDeleteDid that once. Room service in what is now the Radisson on the Royal Mile (it was a Crowne Plaza then and I got the rooms for free :), the morning after a cavalry Ball in the Assembly Rooms.
Good news about the job.
Yes I am quite chuffed!
ReplyDelete