Taking Stock Reflection Tool: Summer Edition
I feel like I sometimes head into new seasons with either one of two energies: rushing headlong into new activities and rhythms or dragging my feet, not wanting to face changes and shift my patterns and preferences.
A few years ago, I discovered a reflection tool called “Taking Stock: In This Moment I Am.” While I can’t find the original post, it was a challenge issued by Jo Chunyan, a creative coach for businesses who want to be conscious and intentional.
It captured my imagination and since then, I have recopied it into new journals, used with friends in Canada and Thailand and Michigan in emails and video messages, adapted for ice breakers with groups, and jotted in my own notebooks for a handle on how to note the small and big things defining new seasons.
Yesterday, we used an adapted version at Immanuel as a way to mark the end of the regular Sunday School year and the beginning of many families of summer (or at least different summer routines).
Here are the prompts we used yesterday. You can fill in the blank with a word or a sentence, choose to answer two or twelve, use a picture instead of writing or just sit and think about each category.
As summer starts, I am…
Noticing __________________
Lamenting/ grieving __________________
Celebrating
Questioning
Experiencing God’s love in
Sharing God’s love by
Asking God for
Enjoying
Not looking forward to
Hoping to learn
Hoping to connect
Hoping to receive from God
Hoping to receive from my church community
Hoping to receive from my neighbors
Wanting to share with God
Wanting to share with my church community
Wanting to share with my neighbors
The original challenge included these words if you wanted more or different prompts: Making :: Cooking :: Drinking :: Reading :: Wanting :: Looking :: Playing :: Wasting :: Sewing :: Wishing :: Enjoying :: Waiting :: Liking :: Wondering :: Loving :: Hoping:: Smelling :: Wearing :: Following :: Noticing :: Knowing :: Marveling :: Needing :: Thinking :: Feeling :: Bookmarking :: Opening :: Giggling :: Planning :: Creating
As summer starts, I am…
Noticing some tension in my body from super full schedules and upcoming summer changes or routines. There is so much to do before travelling soon.
Lamenting/ grieving changes in my children’s friendships. Elisa in particular has a close friend moving away and others changing schools. I’m also lamenting the ways the kids in her class seem older and more world-weary than previous years.
Celebrating the growth of my kids in trying new things. Watching Ezra play soccer and Elisa perform jazz while making new friendships has brought delight.
Questioning how even at a super diverse school and in a dual-language program, most of the family friends we have or in our extracurricular activities are white or just friendly acquaintances. How do we build mutual relationships with families different than our own?
Experiencing God’s love in the flowers that are blooming in our yard, in picking berries and anticipating gratuitous, generous abundance of the summer season.
Michigan blueberry bounty
Sharing God’s love by offering hospitality to other school families and neighbors
Asking God for more patience and regulation with our middle kiddo who has been really overtired and reactive lately. I need God’s love for him even in chaotic times.
Enjoying getting to teach a few art classes at Gemeinschaft women’s home. The pride and delight these women display in their creativity is humanizing and beautiful.
Not looking forward to summer screen time battles and wet towels everywhere.
Hoping to learn more about intergenerational faith formation. There’s a webinar I’ve started but want to complete about this interest of Karla and me.
Hoping to connect with the Latina mamas who sit in the shade near our house. The other night we had a chance to chat and watch our kids play and hear about upcoming babies and laugh together.
Hoping to receive from God continued healing and peace. Certain memories of anxious times are hard to remember and be patient with how they still hurt.
Hoping to receive from my church community joyous connection over summer picnics where we can slow down enough to learn about each other.
IMC cheese table picnic at our house last year was one of my favorite memories of the summer!
Hoping to receive from my neighbors advice on growing things in my garden. Too often, I’m in helping roles and want to learn from them, too.
Wanting to share with God my sadness and frustration with Christian nationalism. It makes me feel ill and cynical, and I want to access God’s heart and curiosity about why it is so compelling to other believers (vs a critical spirit toward them).
Wanting to share with my church community how grateful I am for a place that tries new things, loves hospitality, follows Jesus and cares for shalom in our city.
Wanting to share with my neighbors at least one meal or dessert this summer. We used to do summer VBS one Saturday each summer before COVID. I feel God’s pleasure when we can gather and eat with those on our street.
How will you reflect on this space between spring and summer and the start of different rhythms? What surprises may you find when you pause and take stock of this moment in time?
