Over the next three weeks we'll be rolling out some questions and ideas that will hopefully help in taking inventory of the past year- looking back over the past 12 months to analyze, reflect and plan for 2009.

The first question: How much have your hobbies been part of your normal life routine over the past year? Hobbies and life passions are a huge part of helping us stay in balance as well as staying healthy and emotionally energized. Most of us don't have the luxury of our full-time vocation and our hobbies completely overlapping. If that is you, you are blessed!

For me, my hobbies have not been exercised this past year as much as I would like. The four biggies- golf, snow skiing, hunting, and music/guitar have been unfortunately placed in the corner over the last 12 months. It's time to get them back out and rediscover why I love these four things- they give me energy and margin. They help in creating the rhythm of rest and season. And they allow for time with friends and family. In fact, I am duck hunting with some of the team from Healing Place Church in a couple of weeks down in Baton Rouge. Quack, quack.

Take inventory for yourself. Did you put your hobbies in the corner this past year?