(Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By Dale Every

So this is Christmas and what have you done?

This time of year I know many of you are hearing the famous song by John Lennon “The War is Over”, a Christmas classic.   In case you don’t recall the lyrics from the song here are a few:

So this is Christmas,  And what have you done, Another year over, And a new one just begun

As I have listened to the lyrics over the past few weeks I began to ask myself what I have done in 2014, and do I have any plans for 2015.  Here are some of the things I have done:

• I spent time with my mother on her 91st birthday.
• I saw my little girls turn 14 and 11 and enter the school year as a freshman in high school and a sixth grader in junior high.
• I spent quality time with my family on various vacations.
• I committed to take a mission trip to Kenya in 2015 with my oldest daughter.
• I continued my role and responsibilities as President of the 100 Black Men of Central Illinois
• My brothers and Icontinued to maintain and operate our family farm, as well as a family cemetery and church in Missouri.
• I moved into the Marketing Department at my company.

So as the New Yearbegins some goals I hope and pray I can do in 2015 are:

• Spend more time on enhancing my spiritual journey in life – one item is to complete my mission trip to Kenya.
• Spend more focused time with my wife, daughters, other family members and friends.
• Continue with my non-profit work to make our community a better place to live.
• Explore more of the items on my punch list – things I have put off for years.
• Laugh, smile and love more.

I hope you all take time as the year closes to review what have you done this year and how you plan to spend 2015.  I leave you with some more lyrics from the song and wish you and your loved ones –

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

Dale Avery, CPCU, is the assistant vice president – Enterprise Services at State Farm® Corporate Headquarters in Bloomington, Ill.

Avery began his career with State Farm in 1982 as a personal lines underwriter in Lincoln, Nebraska and assumed his current position in 2006. Avery, a native of Missouri, received his bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University. He earned his CPCU in 1991.

Dale resides in Bloomington with his wife, Laura and their two daughters; Megan and Jenna.

The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Cumulus Media, Inc.