I’ve Got Some Thinking to Do: A Year-End Audit
By Drake Richey
“Now run away and play with your toys. I’ve got some thinking to do.” —Taylor Caldwell, Bright Flows the River
In Taylor Caldwell’s novel Bright Flows the River, a character speaks this line with equal parts exasperation and clarity. After a week or two of full houses (i.e. kids, grandkids, extra meals, altered routines, and constant togetherness), this line feels less like dismissal and more like wisdom. Not escape, but space.
The ending of one year and beginning of the next has a way of offering that pause. The calendar loosens. The house gets quieter. And for many of us, it’s the first moment in a while to step back. Not to react, but to reflect.
This kind of thinking isn’t about fixing everything or setting aggressive resolutions. It’s closer to an audit—not of numbers alone, but of alignment. A chance to consider whether the way we handled money this past year supported the life we’re building, the relationships we care most about, and the responsibility that comes with what we’ve been entrusted.
If you find yourself with a quiet cup of coffee, a long walk, or a moment to sit together without distraction, these questions may be worth holding. They work whether you’re reflecting on your own or talking with someone you share life with.
A Gentle Financial Audit for the Year Behind Us
This is not a checklist to complete—just prompts to sit with.
- When we look back on the past year, where did our money clearly reflect what we value most?
- Where did it quietly drift away from those values—without intention or awareness?
- What financial decisions brought peace rather than pressure?
- Which money conversations strengthened our relationships, and which ones felt rushed, avoided, or unfinished?
- Did our financial choices support the life we were actually living—or the life we felt we were supposed to be living?
- Where did fear or urgency play a larger role than wisdom or trust?
- If nothing changed, where would our current habits likely lead us over time?
- What does “enough” look like for this next season—not someday, but now?
- How do we want money to shape the culture of our family, household, or future in the year ahead?
January doesn’t demand answers. It simply offers enough quiet to ask better questions.
Sometimes stewardship begins by stepping back and saying: I’ve got some thinking to do.
