New, Next, Not

The new year is rapidly approaching and with it a fresh start, a new beginning. Every day, and perhaps even more specifically every moment is a new beginning, but there's something grand about a new year.

Many people make resolutions, commitments, things to change. They go strong for a week or two and then falter. And they throw in the towel and wait 365 more days for a grand fresh start.

This year I decided I would like to make a list of 11 (based on the last 2 digits of the new year) lifestyle changes I would like to make. And when I say lifestyle change, I understand it shall be gradual, I will not always do it, but overall, these are things I would like to aim for. So here they are:

1. Read a book every 2 weeks
2. Cut chocolate out of my diet
3. Use only re-usable mugs/water bottles
4. Use all my own fabric bags when shopping
5. 20 minutes of activity per day
6. Floss daily
7. Be in bed by midnight
8. Lose 5 pounds per month
9. Don't buy anything other than food and clothing
10. Eat all the stockpiled stuff in my fridge, freezers and cupboards
11. Write one letter per week

There you have it. Not too difficult, but I am excited for the changes and have already started implementing quite a few of them and I feel better all around.

What are 11 little changes you'd like to make in this next year?

Scavenger, Seasons, Sad

As promised, here are some photos from our youth photo scavenger hunt from last week. For those of you who don't know what a photo scavenger hunt is, it is when you split into two teams and both teams have to get pictures of random things. You have a list and you have to try and get as many of those pictures as you can!

Jumping off a swingset

With a worker in a grocery store

Hugging a stranger

Team in a shopping cart

Getting money out of the ATM (LOVE all the green in this pic)

Doing what a sign says

Upside down

Jumping

On a playground

Everyone in a chair

Handstands or Somersaults

Group Hug
"I can't believe we all fit in here"

So those are just a few of the photos, from my team! Haven't found out who won yet, but we will have the winners on Tuesday!

A couple weeks ago after a lot of back and forth decision making, I resigned from my job at the church when my contract ends in June. It ranks up there with some of the hardest decisions I have made because there were so many factors involved, but in the end, I feel peace about this one. It has definitely be an adventure running the youth group and sometimes I don't feel like I've done that great of a job, but it is what it has been and I will celebrate it! And I'm excited that I can still be involved with youth in the fall, even if not leading it. So that makes "leaving" easier, but I was still sad on a lot of levels.. so we will see what the next season brings!

Turtles, Trying, Transformed

Today I realized that I have a habit of exhibiting turtle-like behavior.

In some ways, I have built myself a shell of protection. I look around and when something upsetting or difficult comes along, I retract into my shell instantly. I hide. I try to ignore what's actually happening around me. I think of any possible way that I can get out of it. When the going gets rough, I run (okay, so turtles don't run, but I guess that's why I'm not 100% turtle).
Or I will respond defensively and irrationally and get fairly upset or angry, making things far worse than they ever were. That's when I allow emotions to take control (kind of like the above angry killer turtle).

Anyway, in the last couple of weeks, I have been faced with 2 situations where I instantly was overcome with my turtle instincts of pulling my head back into my shell. Instead I have risen to the challenge and faced these things head on. What a difference it makes! For my thought processes and for how I feel physically even. I love this, because it shows evidence of the transformation taking place in my life bit by bit. That as I surrender areas of my life to God, He is faithful to change me as I walk in that direction. And it's exciting to see evidence of it. So I'm befriending my inner turtle and letting it know I don't need to stay in my shell. Life is far more beautiful outside the shell anyway.

{side note: writing this post has made me want to go eat chocolate turtles}

This is a picture of the final piece being put in one of the puzzles I was making with a friend. What a great feeling to have the whole thing completed! I love how puzzles are such a great picture of us and our walks with God. But since I have probably already mentioned that numerous times, I will leave it at that. :)

Yesterday while working on my Antarctica photo book, I had both my computers on, because I wanted to be working at my desk, but my photos were on my laptop. So I used the desktop to look up information for the book and the laptop to make the book. My favorite was when I'd grab the mouse and wonder why my cursor wasn't moving on the laptop.

I just started reading Julie & Julia and am loving it so far. I really enjoyed the movie, but from what I can tell, I love the book even more!