Six new things.

Hey, do you remember yourself four weeks ago? Making New Years' resolutions as 2013 ended? 2014 was all shiny and new, and everything was going to be different?

Yeah, me too. I like resolving new things. And although it's easy to be cynical about resolutions (Have the hardly-used treadmills cluttered up Kijiji yet?) there is value in making them.

2014 has never happened before. (from the TWLOHA 2014 calendar, if you still need one)

Anyway, resolutions are good, goals are good.  I've enjoyed Don Miller's Storyline and My Subplot stuff, and putting my goals as a "subplot" and thinking in narrative form was very helpful.

Don Miller posted about another guy with goal-setting stuff, more of an overall 'life plan' thing. And I rolled my eyes at the over-hyped phrases like "creating the life you've always wanted." And I'm almost morally opposed to Life Plans with sailboats on the cover.... But I didn't dismiss it outright. I thought I'd give it a shot.

And you know what? Despite the package, the content was pretty good. So I began trying out that format. I wrote some goals down in early-mid 2013, along with specific commitments to get there.

 (you can download it here, but sign up with an email where you can filter out their constant offers. Also, if you imagine it in a nicer font with different pictures, it seems a lot cooler. I promise.)

Then I got some external motivation. The staff at The Summit Community began to work on our goals/resolutions together. We've been preparing things and praying on our own. We're starting to have some conversations. We're asking where we need to be, and what steps we see ahead.

Here are my top six. There's one shared resolution with my husband, Jarod; the other five are all me.

There will be some posts explaining these soon. For now, here's the list that's been on my mind this month.

1. I will wait 21 days before talking about significant new habits/endeavours.
2. I will undertake a "spending fast" from buying "stuff" for a year, using that money instead to build relationships.
3. I will re-read the Gospels constantly this year, while reading through the Bible as usual.
4. I will stop saying I am "busy."
5. We will give 1% of our income, above our tithe, to Kiva micro-loans.
6. I will spend the entire "first quarter" of my pastor-work days differently.

I will soon post about the first. In the meantime - what about you?