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Thursday, January 6, 2011

25 Before 25

I'm not big on the whole "New Year's Resolution" thing. Why should I set myself up with goals that I know I will not meet. I'm done with the weigh less, look prettier, finally find love crap that I always set myself up with.

That being said, I do have things that I would like to do over the next few years. Jon Acuff, the writer of the Stuff Christians Like book as well as the blog by the same name, recently posted his "40 before 40 list". It inspired me to do the same thing. Instead of doing 40 though, I am focusing on a closer birthday. My 25th birthday. That gives me a little over 3 years to accomplish the things on my list. So without further ado, here is my 25 before 25 list.

My 25 Before 25
1. Graduate from college
2. Run a 5k
3. Start my own business

4. Go to Time Square for the New Year's Eve ball drop
5. Become better at slowing down and enjoying the moment
6. Weigh less so I have more energy and get off the sidelines.
7. Learn biblical Hebrew and Greek
8. Take dancing lessons
9. Learn to play the guitar better
10. Visit Martha in Buffalo
11. Go on a mission trip to Haiti
12. Move out of my parents' house
13. Buy my first car
14. Go geocaching and actually find something
15. Help (at least) one person to become more compassionate toward the world outside of the USA
16. Spend less time angry with God, and more time in praise-filled prayer
17. Go on a cross-country road trip
18. Spend time in Seattle
19. Help build a house (with Habitat or another group)

20. Go back to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding
21. Visit Ground Zero in New York
22. Go to Daytona for the Student Life at the Beach youth conference.
23. Go back to DC for a little while
24.Try Deep Fried Kool-Aid

25. Pay off all or most of my student loans (this one may be a stretch, but a girl can dream)

As I accomplish things on this list I will cross them off right here. That way, by my 25th birthday I will have a totally crossed off list. That day will be such a good day; one truly worth celebrating. :)

BTW: If you want to buy Acuff's book (which I would highly suggest), you can do that here.
Or you can check out his blog here.
And here is a link to his "40 before 40 list", just for good measure.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Chazown By Craig Groeschel

Chazown is a really interesting and thought provoking book. Craig Groeschel leads you through a number of different categories and life circumstances that help in the discovery of what it is that God created you for. He helps you to discover what your core values and your spiritual gifts are, as well as what past experiences helped form you into the person God desires you to be. According to Groeschel, where these three overlap you can see what God's vision is for you life (your Chazown).

It is a very well written and well thought out book with a strong biblical base. I had a difficult time with was that some of the chapters seemed to be geared towards someone who was older than my 21 years. Eventually, however, I will be at the point in my life where those chapters fit better. So, that's not much of a quarrel, and more of a need to wait and read it again later.

This book is absolutely worth the money ($14.99) that it is listed for on the back cover. It facilitated many nights of retrospection and introspection. Both of those lead to some very surprising, and oddly comforting, realizations about my life and future. I would highly recommend this book.

Buy it here.