January's almost gone? WHAT?

Man. I can't believe it.

January has been good and bad, and I'm really ready to put it behind me, because February promises some awesome in its own right. There will be an end-of-the month wrap-up in addition to the regular Monday posts... tracking progress and such. Bold type are completed tasks. Italics are tasks that were tougher, and why, and maybe even offer a solution.

The resolutions:

-Be closer to God

-prayer every morning This one has been hard... I think doing a devotional will be more effective... and the whole idea is to be in a routine, which with the presence of classes next month will be better.

-be thankful in writing every night

-Sew!

- chocolate dress

-blue-ish turtleneck I made it, but it didn't work out. I did learn from it and alter my pattern, so another attempt will be made soon.

- wine-colored skirt

-makeup bag almost done, just needs finishing touches.

-Budget

-don't buy clothes (I even got rid of some!)

-collect reciepts

-Be healthy

-run an easy 4 miles Well, first there was snow. Not safe. Then there was craziness. The getting-into-a-routine will help with this goal too.

The bad:

My car has been out of commission for most of the month... a first-world problem, to be sure, but that does not change how much I miss it. It's also going to be a budgetary thing to get it back and keep my finances in a fairly stable place... A student income is not friendly to major car repairs. Or major expenses of any kind.

And ending on a good note:

I love the positive changes I am seeing in myself already. A trend in my resolutions is that they are all about developing and reinforcing positive change in my life... It's my way of making sure I am as ready as I can be to do what God asks me to, and getting into that mindset is pretty good for me so far.

Also, seeing all of my friends again has been great after the break. I'm getting good feedback from the ones I've talked to about what I'm trying to do, and it's awesome.

We finally have pretty, not chilly weather. It's making my heart happy.

This week is a break between J-Term and regular classes. Also heart-happiness there.

But... I have butterflies too.

I found out last week that I'll be going before the Commission on Ministry next week... For you non-church folk, this is the board that tracks my progress toward ordination through Seminary and helps to guide me along the process toward ordination. They are the people who will eventually decide when I get to be ordained, so it's a pretty big deal to have their affirmation.

This week, I am writing a paper for the commission on my sense of call and my intentions for ministry. It seems strange to sum up where I've been and where I'm going in 3-5 pages, but at the same time, it'll be good to reflect and see what I learn about myself in the process.

Maybe I'll share part of it here... I guess we'll see.

Right now I'm off to track down transportation and potentially a friend to walk some puppies... well, dogs. They are probably doing the potty dance so I am going to sign off.

Progress report and month-in-review next week.

Resolutions

Even if nobody's really reading this, I feel as if publishing the big list of resolutions is one way of making myself accountable for them, which is great.

And so I will.

And I apologise- This is becoming more and more a conduit for thoughts with resolutions, which is not what I set out for it to be... But it's output. I don't know.

In no priority order whatsoever:

• Grow close again to God. There was a day when it was not unusual to pick up a Bible outside of work or school. When I thought about God of my own volition(ha) and unrelated to anything I was learning. Don't take this to mean those moments don;t exist-they do. But I want more of them. I would like a deeper prayer life, and I want to take time for me and God. It's why I took up running, and oh, I miss it. This ice and snow makes it so hard to do it and not be terrified of falling. And I need my team again.
• Get healthy. A while ago, I read an article on skinny fat- I can't find it now. The premise was that being thin does not automatically make you healthy. I know what I cook with and what I eat and drink, and I know I could balance that more. But the real challenge for me will be finding an exercise regimen that works- toning and working my muscles and still giving me time to run- maybe even to swim.
• sew 3 things a month. I am not myself when creative outlet doesn't exist. I am a more peaceful, happy person when I sew or bead... and sewing will help more with the next one...
• I am the worst, but I am placing myself on an I-will-not-buy-clothes plan. A while back, Wardrobe Refashion closed down, but the idea is still there. I can make or alter much of what I need, allowing myself one purchase a month outside of undies and socks/tights. Everything else? Yup, refashioned, made new, or gifts/hand-me-downs.
• This is partially a matter of making a budget and sticking to it... I'm a grown-up and I should start addressing my finances as such.
• Be good to my home... It needs TLC- I am trying to become a better housekeeper. This means not leaving dishes in the sink, picking up after myself, and generally reducing the clutter. The idea of minimalism is not for me, necessarily, but I know I have too many things and I can work to correct that.
• Be better in my relationships. There are friends I owe letters and phone calls- thank you notes long overdue. I have lost touch with more people than I care to admit, and I want to rectify some of that. I also need to appreciate my friends and family now- have dedicated time with them in any way I can. Life and the people you live it with are precious.
• Be good to my education. Short version: Less time on facebook, more time hitting the books. This is treasured time. I need to embrace that.
• Be an asset to my church. This new position is a Seminary dream job, and I need to live up to that.

9 goals, some with many parts, all things that can be broken down into smaller pieces and implemented if I take the time to change my mindset to make it work. Looking at the list, I see more and more of these things are really about mindset, determination, and concentration. I know I can do this. If it doesn't all happen in the next 11 or 12 months, I know I'll be okay with that, because, God willing, I will have grown. Something about this exercise will make it past my thick skull. When it all boils down, I want to be someone I would look up to if I were half my age in all aspects of my life... my faith life, my school life, my relationships, all of it. Working with more people who are younger makes me realize that. This blog will be part of the journey.

Truly, it's the little things...

...like 2 perfectly scheduled snowdays

...or being on the right path to keep some resolutions. I have projects planned. A more thankful conclusion to every day. A pile of reciepts. Bills paid. A cleaner apartment. Drawers of clothes gone through.

I made a whole lists of resolutions, and I think I'll do better than I have in the past because I have a plan, and it's manageable because making it has come with instructions.

My guide? You would think someone who's perused as many self-help, get organized type thing would have thought to make lists... but man, this planner... when you sit down and make the lists, the stuff almost does itself. Really. Good lord.

Okay, okay, I'll stop with the teasing. There's a story behind this one. My friend Celia from undergrad is one of the most organized people on the face of the planet, and in her blog, she mentioned Michele Connolly and her Get Organized Goals and Priorities daily diary. And at that point, I followed my nose from her facebook page to the free link, and really, if I didn't already have an awesome calendar, I would switch over completely. The diary breaks it down. You make a list- and then you don't try to do everything on the list in one month. In fact, you do 3 things a month, using specified tasks you come up with at the beginning of the month.

And already, I'm checking off some specified tasks.

It's good. I'm relishing the small stuff.

Today is day 2 of being snowed in for the city of Atlanta, and it has been a glorious 2 days of doing... nothing. That's right. A lot of sitting around, watching movies and seasons of awesome shows, being with friends, drinking warm things, cooking pasta, and, well, generally being pretty lazy.

It was really nice to follow up my time with close to 250 youth with a spell of sitting. Nice to be able to take it all in, and just be proud of how awesome the accomplishments of the Youth Activity Council and regional staff were for encouraging so many young people to "Broadcast YOUR Faith" and "Turn It Up"... the themes of the weekend. So many amazing stories out of some truly amazing young people. Even cooler? I saw a handful of the people I went to the same

event with when I was a teenager, and adults who mentored us. Crazy.

I was blessed to lead a small group and one of the challenges listed in the curriculum was asking the question- in 160 characters or less(the length of a standard text message) how would you tell your faith story, or share your faith? Their answers were profound. Seriously amazing. I don't know how kosher it would be to post their responses here, but man, am I proud to have shared them within our small group.

So... Could you do it? Tell someone about your faith in 160 charachters or less? Wanna share?

A new foray

Well folks, I'm doing something kind of silly. I'm terrible about posting on one blog, so I'm starting a second one, and I'm going to attempt to keep up with both.

Here's the thing. In a Nutshell, Anachronism is supposed to be about craftiness, not every single detail of my life. I have used it as a place to have everything, and while I'm sure some of the sewing buddies I have would LOVE to read about all of the things I do, somehow, I feel the need to not share everything. So, In a Nutshell, Life was born.

I have no notion that these will be completely separate entities. They will link to each other all the time. But for those of you who know and love me without the crafting and want to know about school and life, I want to give you the chance to read about it because I want to stay in touch with you in that way. And I'm sure many of the people who know and love my crafty side and read about my sewing and crafting don't want to hear about finals and family things and seeing old friends and the journey to ministry that has become my life.

If it doesn't work, there will be one Nutshell, and somehow I'll resolve that. The goal is to take some time every Monday to tell you about what's going on. We'll see how it works out. And if it gets read. And all that jazz.

In a nutshell, that's why I'm doing this. Because I love you guys.