I've written a couple of New Year's posts: Twelve Things that I'd love to see happen in the coming year and Ten Things that happened in the previous year that stand out as momentous. Now, my Twelve Things list doesn't always happen... I'm pretty sure that in the past I have not made the list with the intention of completing a check list so much as encouraging the art of dreaming and thinking. This year I may be a bit more practical. But I don't expect everything here to happen. I've been really challenged to think more about long term, manageable goals. I love the idea of having big, dreamy goals, too. But at the end of a year that seems to have taught me to be a lot more realistic, I want to be much more thoughtful about how I spend my time and what I pursue in my life. I'm turning 30 this year; I really didn't think I would get panicky about a number, but in all truthfulness I do feel a little overwhelmed by the idea of being thirty. Maybe I'll write about that soon; but it does give cause to reflect and process some of these goals. What do you really want to spend your time pursuing?
Twelve Things
12. Find a Job
It's no secret: After seven months of being unemployed, I would really, really, really love to be working again. I know there's got to be work out there somewhere...
11. Go Back to School
I'm in the process of applying to graduate school. Admitting this terrifies me. What if I don't get in? What if the assistantships don't work out? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. But really, this is what I hope to be the next step in my life. But not until August.
10. Continue to Exercise
Here's one from last year that I actually managed to begin and maintain! I love to walk... treadmills, parks, neighborhoods. And I feel so much better! I want to keep walking!
9. Read the Bible
Every year I have this desire to try this again, and when it comes down to actually doing the reading, I get about as far as Leviticus before I get distracted. And while the idea seems... prosaic... I also see how dry and difficult my life has been without the Word of God. While doing vocational ministry, I was in the Scriptures daily as I met with students, taught small group, or went to Large Group each week. Reflecting on this, I am reminded of the power of Scripture in a believer's life.
8. Get Rid of THINGS
I'm already in the process of accomplishing this goal (there are two big boxes to my left as I type this). Trying hard to continue to be a good steward of the time, space, money, and life I have been given, mastering the world in which we life and not being mastered by it, to my detriment. Sometimes I am amazed at the amount of time I have to give to what I own.
7. MLB Stadiums
Okay, this is still a dreamy goal. But a do-able goal. This year? Maybe Kansas City or Chicago?
6. Learn to Paint
This is a perennial goal; but I'd really love to learn some sort of visual medium. I always say I'd like to take up photography, too. But I think maybe the real goal there is to learn how to stop and pay attention to detail... and then to think to capture it with a camera.
5. Keep Writing
Like so many things in my life, there is an ebb and flow to my writing. These past few months have been dry and uncreative. But I feel as though I am coming out on the other side of the desert and so maybe there is much to be said now. Maybe.
4. Go on a Date
What? No, really...
3. Learn a Second Language
French or Spanish, I think. French in all likelihood for the purposes of graduate school. Spanish for the purposes in living in a multi-lingual world. Russian if I wanted to be cool.
2. Travel
Anywhere. Chicago; New York; Prince Edward Island; Edinburgh; Brasil; New England; Africa. I need to renew my passport... and get a job.
1. Keep Growing
The biggest thing I am learning right now is that it's just too easy to settle into a routine and be content with what is, rather than to continue to stretch and scare yourself. I really like my safety, I dislike being in places I cannot control or manage. So here's to new challenges and exciting adventures!
Ten Things (In No Particular Order)
1. Moving Home
It wasn't what I wanted... yet. It wasn't under the best of circumstances. I left behind a fabulous roommate and puppy, amazing friends, and a job that I loved. At the same time, I returned to a city I love, amazing friends and family, and some time to really rest and contemplate. It's been difficult, and I'm still looking for some sort of "resolution" to this part of my life. But I suspect I will look back on this time and see it as a major turning point in my life.
2. Driving the Church Van
Have you ever driven a fifteen-passenger van? With twelve people and their luggage? To Florida and back? I have. I think I will consider it as one of the finest achievements of my life.
3. Living
We all have an idea of what we want our life to look like. I think that between January and August of 2011 I saw my life look as close to that ideal as I had ever seen it. A few reasons: students were in and out of my house, living life together. There was food being made and eaten and savored with friends and guests. Friends were over often; I don't think I've laughed as much as I did this summer. Ideas and books and movies were being discussed, music was being made and enjoyed. I miss those friends, and those sweet times of laughter and delight. But I am so thankful for them, as well.
4. Cardinals Win the WORLD SERIES!
So, I didn't really have anything to do with this, I know. You can read my thoughts on the World Series if you like. I have a strong attachment to the Cardinals, to baseball in general. I really thought that this stood out as one of the most spectacular Championship series, it was so much fun to watch two really talented and classy teams play some incredible games. Maybe it seems silly to take so much from a game... a game. Especially one you aren't playing, or even sitting in the ballpark to watch. But for me, this game and this particular run of games were magical.
5. The Avett Brothers - LIVE
I got to see one of my favorite bands live in November. My sweet friend Evelyn treated me to a great weekend in her town of Normal, Illinois. It was a refreshing weekend, and my favorite moment was when Scott and Seth sang "Just a Closer Walk with Thee". And Joe Kwon. How can you not love Joe Kwon as he vertical jumps and plays the cello?
6. U2 - LIVE
It was a good year for live bands (I also saw Over the Rhine and Lucinda Williams and some smaller bands). But the cherry on top was seeing U2 at Busch Stadium in July with my good friends Anna and Jessica (and about 50,000 other friends). There is something amazing about seeing this band in person. The band puts on an amazing show and Bono is the ultimate showman. I mean that as a compliment. Now I've seen them in person twice - I'd love to do it again! My favorite moment was when they did "With or Without You" at the end of the show. The little dots of light floating through the darkened stadium, the still heat of July in Saint Louis, and the longing ache of what might be...
7. Words
The written word holds a lot of meaning to me. I love the beauty and power of just the right word in just the right place; you might think that it is silly to love words, but I truly enjoy thinking about how a word is used, how it has different shades and nuances that impact us in different ways. Think of that word: impact. Haven't you experienced that punch in stomach that one word can deliver in a poem, a song, a story? This year, I have been reading and writing more. You may not always see the fruit of that reading and writing on this blog, but a deepening of this love will always be one of the joys of my life.
8. Royal Wedding Sleep-Over
Yes, we stayed up all night, watched the Royal Wedding live, ate a British breakfast, and then went on with the rest of our lives. It was a beautiful way to spend an evening/night/morning with some of my favorite ladies. And I really enjoyed hearing 'Jerusalem' somewhere other than a Monty Python sketch.
9. TV
I spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the TV this year. I'm not sure that's something I'm really excited about... but I really hadn't done that in so long. I watched the full run of Monty Python. A lot of Gilmore Girls episodes. 30 Rock, The Office, Community, Project Runway, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Downton Abbey, The Big Bang Theory, Sherlock. And lots of movies. Fievel Goes West, On a Clear Day, Groundhog Day, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Gosford Park. So many good movies. But I've taken a bit of a break from TV again...
10. Snowmageddon
It was lovely; we cooked; we watched movies and drank hot chocolate; we were snowed in. I got my car stuck in a snow drift and had to have help to get out... a man arrived in a white truck to rescue me.
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