I started the year by making 10 goals. In the past, I’ve tackled 2 or 3 ideas that I wanted to accomplished each year, but this year I went all out. I was inspired by another local blogger who seemed like she was having such fun knocking things off her goal list. I definitely felt that way about certain items on the list, but for others, they became a headache and guilt trigger. I concluded in month 2, that I had to drop one item off my list because it was a vanity item that was causing more stress than assistance. Others, I found I just didn’t care that I stopped working on them. Apparently, those things I didn’t really want to accomplish.

9) Practice 12 spiritual disciplines.

Take this one. In some esoteric way, I wanted to move each month through another spiritual discipline, until I had a dozen sacred “belts” earned. I honestly wanted to see if the discipline of Bible reading, memorization, prayer, simplicity, service, fasting ,etc. would open the door for a deeper spirituality that I find lacking. I can’t tell you if that would happen, because I didn’t accomplish it. Life, like spirituality, isn’t routine. Its more rhythmic. At least for me. At least this past year.

Perhaps the key to this goal is to focus the entire year on one or two disciplines. I believe I actually did that this year with Bible reading and service. I read through 2/3 of the Bible, and was pleased to offer my services in two major commitments this year. I was trained and sworn in as a CASA, and am advocating for my first child. I also re-connected with our ESOL Alpha at Westminster Chapel. I adore this opportunity as it makes me interact with international seekers and Christians I would not normally connect with. It has been a source a great joy this year. I just love looking at those faces below!

8)   Complete 12 credits toward MDiv.

I completed 14 credits. Perhaps exceeding this goal will cancel out the ones that I didn’t make? Nah, I don’t think it works that way.  I am 46 credits into my 94 credit degree – almost halfway!

7)   Connect with one person a week.

The purpose for making this goal was to get me out of my cloistered existence. It rather goes hand in hand with my spiritual discipline goal, as I often find “hanging out” a chore. Well, at least the process whereby you make friends close enough that I can simply “hang out.” All the folks I’ve been closest to are far removed, and so connecting with others is rather a bother. I judge this goal as accomplished, even though I didn’t accomplish it exactly as it was laid out.

6)   Complete writing a 12-week Bible study.

I didn’t write a 12-week study, but I did write a 6- week study that incorporates the material I hope to include in the 12-week course. I plan on teaching this Bible study in May-June 2018. Its called The God of the Matriarchs: women at the beginning.

5)    Learn how to needle felt and create 25 sculptures. 

4)    Complete 12 house/yard projects. 

Accomplished! Do I include all the little things as well as the big ones? The biggest project that adds up to more than 12 by itself, is the completion of another bedroom in the basement. First the before:

After:

Before we could even work on the bedroom, we had to install a larger electrical line and a new box inside and out. We had the new line buried.

Our upstairs bathroom was put on hold to finish the basement bedroom, but we did get the shower sealed and installed a chandelier.

I had a small project on my list. I wanted to make a reading plank for the bathtub. I had an old piece of cedar from a stash we had from my childhood home in Georgia. I also took the hutch off my childhood rolltop desk and painted it.

We finished tiling our front steps and completed the exterior siding and sealed our upstairs patio.

We replaced our main bathroom light fixture and Stephen built a new linen closet.

I re-designed my garden layout and Stephen built new garden structures for me.

3)    Move at least 15 minutes a day.

Accomplished! In fact, I’d say I got at least 30 minutes every day.

2)   Fix my teeth. 

The tray on the left is my first Invisalign tray. It shows how crooked my bottom set of teeth were a year ago. The tray on the right is my last tray which will be complete the first week in February.

1)  Hike to 12 new places.

This one was only half completed. I gave up on it after summer. I didn’t make the time to make it happen. Hikes completed:  Twin Falls, Little Si, Snoqualmie Tunnel, Franklin Falls, Stone Mountain, GA, biked Milwaukee Trail.

So to wrap up, out of the 9 goals for 2017,  2 goals were only half completed, but 2 goals were exceeded! 4 goals were accomplished, and 1 was not met. I am grateful for the health and ability to hope, plan and attain a little more from my life.