Resolutions: Wrapping up 2013

Each year I try to check something off my lifetime bucket list. Each year, I also consider changing some of the 101 things ON the list, but I still haven't. Here is what I am checking off for 2013:

#4 - Go on an African safari with Allen. Okay, this one is extreme enough I am half-checking it off. I went on a safari in June when I was in Uganda. The reason I can only HALF check it is that Allen didn't go... but Ellen did!

 #15 - Feed a hungry family. I've decided I can check this one off even though I don't remember the names of the families I helped feed. I volunteered at St. Paul food pantry weekly from the end of January until the end of May. I took the kids to help at the pantry a few times in the summer, then I volunteered again once school started until October. When I worked there, I stocked shelves some, but usually I filled orders and handed boxes of food to those who needed help. I loved the time I spent with the volunteers, staff, and families at St. Paul, and I hope to return soon!

#95 - Go on a trip planned by Allen. I know I checked this one off before, but last week, Allen planned a weekend getaway for us. I enjoyed it so much, I'll just check it off again and put 12/2013 next to it.


I think this will be called my "seven year" for awhile. My three friends who did the challenge with me still call it the same, and all of us came away from it changed for the better. I know the experiments have all done a lot of good for me and for our family. Look at all I gained (or lost) this year because of Seven!

• I ate healthier foods (usually) and learned that some of what I HAD been eating made me feel cruddy
• I volunteered at and really enjoyed working at the food pantry
• I lost 11 pounds
• I volunteered for Parental Care Ministries 
• I was inspired to go on my first mission trip
• My friends helped me raise funds to go to Uganda when we sold all the things we didn't need
• I went to Uganda
• I was fairly comfortable packing light and eating little while in Uganda
• I lost another 5 pounds
• I found compassion for underprivileged and joy in serving others
• I discovered a new confidence in my faith and in sharing it with others
• I saw God do many miracles this year -- for others, for me, and with my heart
• I have relaxed a bit (but still have to learn to chill out a bit more) with parenting 
• Stuff and money don't mean as much to me -- God blesses us so we can share it
• I realized that God gives each person different gifts and they are all meant to be shared for His glory. I had been taking mine for granted and minimizing the value they really had.

So, what's up for 2014? I like the idea of smaller projects -- with each of the Seven experiments being only a month long, it was a nice taste of how life could be different if I wanted to keep going, but I don't have a plan for the whole year. I plan to start 2014 with my seven foods again, though. I think I'll aim to stick with those seven for a week, then start introducing other whole foods slowly enough to figure out how each food makes me feel. I plan to eat only unprocessed foods in January, and I'll take what I learn into February and figure out what I can eat then. I probably SHOULD make plans to exercise, but it's not on my list... yet. 

I'm also planning to do the Love Dare for Parents in 2014. I have a few more hours to decide how to do each of the 40 dares for each of my four kids. Should I do each dare once per kid then move to the next dare? Or should I do all forty for one child, then start all the dares again with the next child? Or should I read a few, do a few with each kids, then continue? Or maybe I'll do a mix of those... I just don't know yet. But I DO know, I want to do a better job of loving each of my children as they need to be loved, and that's going to be my focus for 2014. As much as I changed with 2013's challenges, I am really excited (and a bit nervous) about this next challenge!