Goals....
Like several folk, I spend the time around New Years setting up goals for the coming year. This year was no exception. I have goals for work that involve increasing my activity in business development for my employer. And I have goals at home as far as “projects” to achieve, like painting in the house and creating a new pond and waterfall out back.
But lately, I have been feeling some distinctive pulls to setting up goals that are not just projects, but are goals to increase my own feeling of self-accomplishment. Goals that are not easy to attain. And frankly, they are goals that will create a conflict inside of me, because they are goals that involve my creativity.
My first goal that I’ve been thinking about quite a bit since last fall is working on becoming a choral director, with the final goal of being a choir director at a church part-time. This has been on my mind since last October when I saw that a local church was looking for a director of music. I was too late for that position, but I did feel at that time (and still do) that it is a calling for me. I’ve been reading a book about choral directing, but I will need to do some private study in the areas of score reading and interpretation, conducting technique, and vocal pedagogy. I still have not figured out who will be sources for that, but I have some ideas.
The next goal that I recently decided to pursue for this year is returning to my photography - my large-format photography. I have been in contact with some folk on Facebook who are encouraging me in that, and have located a local lab that can develop my 4x5” black & white negatives. Now it’s a matter of pulling the camera out of storage, and refresh my mind on the various exposure systems used for large-format photography. This is simply a goal to give me some creative outlet. I know realistically that I cannot sell my work, so it’s simply for self-edification that I do that.
Another goal is to work on friendships, both with old and existing friends, and make new friendships. We attend a church in Orange that has a few families in our age-range, and I plan to make it a regular thing to have those families over for dinner. In addition, I wish to make time to meet friends for after-work drinks, or coffee, or just get together to chat. I have also talked to some of the men of the church about establishing a men's group.
My final goal is not so lofty, but will probably take the most self-discipline: to focus more on God. I want to spend more time in both private and corporate study of God, discussing God with like-minded and even possibly opposite-minded folk. I want to ponder and think about God, write about Him...immerse myself in Him. I believe by doing this I will improve not only the friendships that I wish to have, but my relationship with both my wife and my kids.
Goals.....
But lately, I have been feeling some distinctive pulls to setting up goals that are not just projects, but are goals to increase my own feeling of self-accomplishment. Goals that are not easy to attain. And frankly, they are goals that will create a conflict inside of me, because they are goals that involve my creativity.
My first goal that I’ve been thinking about quite a bit since last fall is working on becoming a choral director, with the final goal of being a choir director at a church part-time. This has been on my mind since last October when I saw that a local church was looking for a director of music. I was too late for that position, but I did feel at that time (and still do) that it is a calling for me. I’ve been reading a book about choral directing, but I will need to do some private study in the areas of score reading and interpretation, conducting technique, and vocal pedagogy. I still have not figured out who will be sources for that, but I have some ideas.
The next goal that I recently decided to pursue for this year is returning to my photography - my large-format photography. I have been in contact with some folk on Facebook who are encouraging me in that, and have located a local lab that can develop my 4x5” black & white negatives. Now it’s a matter of pulling the camera out of storage, and refresh my mind on the various exposure systems used for large-format photography. This is simply a goal to give me some creative outlet. I know realistically that I cannot sell my work, so it’s simply for self-edification that I do that.
Another goal is to work on friendships, both with old and existing friends, and make new friendships. We attend a church in Orange that has a few families in our age-range, and I plan to make it a regular thing to have those families over for dinner. In addition, I wish to make time to meet friends for after-work drinks, or coffee, or just get together to chat. I have also talked to some of the men of the church about establishing a men's group.
My final goal is not so lofty, but will probably take the most self-discipline: to focus more on God. I want to spend more time in both private and corporate study of God, discussing God with like-minded and even possibly opposite-minded folk. I want to ponder and think about God, write about Him...immerse myself in Him. I believe by doing this I will improve not only the friendships that I wish to have, but my relationship with both my wife and my kids.
Goals.....
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