A year of Grace 2012-2013

Most persons start their resolutions on Jan 1 using the calendar year as the start of their year. I will use Christmas as the start of my year. Understand that the mental planning probably started in last Sept and is now becoming actualised.  There are several factors which contributed to this decision which may help the early start  of implementing resolutions to work. You do not start projects with knowledge of factors which work against them and do not attempt to address the factors or have several possible solutions. Whether you articulate the factors or the possible solutions that is up to you. Articulating/documenting  the factors takes trust and most persons do not operate from a point of complete trust.

Partial view of the Synagogue in Curacao  This was a point of faith and the continuation of  questions

So back to the factors,~ #1~ Presently I am on vacation with time to think or to try to think. It is rare for me  to think or to acknowledge what I need to think about. After all during the normal course of things, there are persons who are interested in where you are at and where you are going. And many times there are unplanned events which can have  a big impact on your current delivery but which are important for other persons delivery. Focus point: Have time to think. let the things which you cannot or will not bring to the surface come forth and identify how you are going to deal with them. Give yourself space and time to think.  The location may be important also! The location determines whether you are dealing with pie in the sky or mission impossible.

There are many factors working to accomplish goals each time a ship passes .

#2~ I am starting another project in Jan which may take up to two years to complete. This has a high level of uncertainty of success  and I cannot shift the timeline for start or finish or the deliverables during each period or phase of the project. Why is this project important? It is for self improvement,  will utilise different skills and develop other skills as well as provide knowledge. Am I excited? Possibly, because it is like freedom. It is also impacting on other areas of my life..... What is the chance of success.... I can fail the exams and have to resit, so the overall goal may not be accomplished in the time set out, however all I have to do is try.... I know from past experience that there are other things which I will learn as I progress, which I will have to deal with.  Focus point: Have something that you will develop you as you go along. Make this a priority, because you are important:

The other side of the fence

#3 Carnival is around the corner. Literally Carnival falls in the week of Feb 13, 2013 which is early in the year this time around, so there will be a two day break from work. This break means re arranging of  meetings which are set for the month, other deliverables  will need to be rescheduled. Yes there will be the usual rush to get things done and given certain situations which we are all aware of, from now there will be the emotional gamut which we will all experience and be exposed to. :) Focus point: Schedule breaks for yourself. Know what provides a break/ recharge for you  and how to make use of the breaks which are there. 
As I progress, I will add other factors, however these are the ones which I think are important at this time.
PS: The title A year of Grace was supposed to cover all the factors which you put in so that you can experience a year of Grace. My factors tend to be from the point of where I am and where I need to be. I know what I want to keep and where I need to be at the end of the day......

Copyright Jennifer Bailey

Christmas Novena 2013

This year I made it through the Novena. Imagine nine days of Masses at six a.m. There was determination to attend all of the masses partly because there was the promise of hope, that things will be better, or you will work whatever it is out of your system by the change of praying for nine days about it, instead of making a decision blindly. After all Mass at six a.m. every day creates a change. There is the "combined effect of no breakfast", concentrating for an hour with participation as there was no sleeping or reading of the Catholic News during Mass, no seeing everything from the back due to a change in seating which was supposed to bring me closer to my family. Something must work.
Well there was the impact of all of the above on other areas of life, work was not dealt for at least 3 days as there were additional responsibilities which did not go away just because I wanted them to. The truth of the matter is that I did  not want them to go away.
Did the mini break work? Well I cheated by working on something late one night which had the snowball effect of making me slower and more tired the next day. My brain has not been working creatively however I have been realising that there are deliveries which I would like to make  which I would need to deal with.
During the Novena, the attendance at Masses allowed for relief to work through  a situation which was unplanned and which had the potential to be emotionally devastating.
So in conclusion, has the object for which the Novena was intended been dealt with? No! But perhaps God and his saints were walking with me throughout the Novena.

Copyright Jennifer Bailey