52 Things update for January

I've stalled a bit... this past month I spent Christmas with my kids (and my parents) in TEXAS and finished my scrap knitted scarf (and I love it!). I've also read some more books trying to get "caught up". I'd planned on making soap in the RV, but realized I'm out of some supplies. Plus I got a sweet supply of homemade soap for Christmas from my parents!

1. See a live starfish in its natural habitat. Hold one if I can?
2. Try stand up paddle-boarding
3. Kayak a river or lake
4. Run a 5k race once a month at least for the rest of our travels, if we can find a race that works for us. (I did run a 5k distance in September but nothing that far since then… I’ve lost my enthusiasm for running!)
5. Visit Washington, DC
6. Visit Asheville, NC
7. Visit Charleston SC
8. Visit Savannah GA
9. Visit as many "homies" as I can (Kristen, Crystal)
10. Get a tattoo
11. Make a supper and invite any "late-arriving" camper that is close to us to share it with us.
12. Make soap in our RV
13. Spend the day in Central Park in NY
14. Highlight my hair with a wild color
15. Buy coffee for the person behind me at a drive thru Starbucks
16. Finish my granny square quilt
17. Finish my scrap knitted scarf
18. Bake treats for grumpy campground hosts (or friendly ones if we don't encounter any grumpy ones) How about pumpkin bread for the guys at the Collision Shop we lived at for almost a week?
19. One month of primal/paleo eating
20. Swim/wade in the Atlantic Ocean
21. Lie on a beach and read
22. Run on the beach
23. Recover the valances in our RV
24. Make covers for the dinette benches
25. Figure out some kinda cover for the loveseat
26. Buy fresh eggs from a roadside stand
27. Eat New York pizza
28. Eat shrimp and grits
29. Eat vegetarian for a month
30. Sit by a fire on the beach
31. Cook a meal over a fire
32. Go to a drive-in movie theater
33. Walk barefoot in the rain
34. Knit a pair of socks
35. Drive the truck pulling the RV!
36. Switch "jobs" with D for an arrival/departure day
37. Go on a dinner cruise
38. Try a new-to-me kinda food/restaurant (Indian, Thai, etc.)
39. Take a cooking class
40. Hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail
41. Attend a yoga class or two
42. Read 52 books (13* read)
43. Be a work camper somewhere
44. Volunteer at a food bank
45. Make a patchwork skirt
46. Hoop every day for a month
47. Make a dream catcher
48. Refashion 12 clothing items
49. Allow D to pick a challenge for me and do it! YIKES!
50. Spend Christmas in Florida Texas with my kids
51. Go to an art exhibit or art museum
52. Live every day like the adventure it is!

 *books read:

1. The Gutter – Where Life is Meant to be Lived, Craig Goss
2. A Watershed Year, Susan Schoenberger
3. Practical Theology for Women, Wendy Horger Alsup
4. Crazy Love, Francis Chan
5. The Reunion, Dan Walsh
6. The Power of Half, Kevin Salwen
7. Hollywood Nobody, Lisa Samson
8. The Best of Me, Nicholas Sparks
9. Touching Wonder, Jon Blasé
10. Finding Joy, Charlotte Davis Kasl
11. Hold Love Strong, Matthew Aaron Goodman
12. The Trouble with Angels, Debbie Macomber
13. Finding Hollywood Nobody, Lisa Samson

One Word 2013 {authentic}

“When we are alive, acting on the deep callings to love, serve, create and try new ways of living, we are cultivating ‘heaven on earth’ here, now.” ~Kathy Escobar

Once again, I've debated continuing to blog or not... I don't truly consider myself a writer, nor do I have a "need" to write. I journal "old school"... I have a group of online friends that I write to about life things. I have met some wonderful people through this blog and even though I read their blogs it's nice to "offer" a little something back. So I'm still not sure if I will continue to blog or not... I'm going with the flow.

Which brings me to my word of the year... authentic. For the last few years I've chosen a word to focus on for the year in place of resolutions. The key for me is keeping that word in front of me throughout the year in various ways. Blogging about it is one way (although I didn't blog the previous years I had chosen a word).

I went through a couple of "exercises" to come up with my word for the year. I ended up being overwhelmed as I had too many words to choose from. So I took a day off from thinking about it. I prayed for clarity and a word from God. 

My two desires for 2013:

1. I want to truly get God's love for me

2. I want to live freely - not live by shoulds.

 

Then asked myself what word come from those two desires... I actually came up with two words (of course).

 

Free - freely accepting... Because of God's love I am free to be who I am - free spirit.

 

Authentic - God loves me for me. He made me unique and wonderful. I want to live authentically honoring who He made me to be... authentically me.

 

Then in Jesus Calling read this...

 

I am leading you along a way this is uniquely right for you. The closer to Me you grow, the more fully you become your true self - the one I designed you to be. Because you are one of a kind, the path you are traveling with Me diverges increasingly from that of other people. However, in My mysterious wisdom and ways, I enable you to follow this solitary path while staying in close contact with others. In fact, the more completely you devote yourself to Me, the more freely you can love people... Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself thru losing yourself in Me.

 

Thank You Jesus for answered prayer! So I'm down to two words and just because I like the word AUTHENTIC more than the word FREE... I'm choosing authentic for my 2013 word.

 

Did you  make resolutions for 2013 or did you choose a word to focus on for the year? I'd love to hear about it!

Currently

listening... to the sound of rain hitting our roof

loving... the coziness of our tiny house

thinking... ahead to the freedom of choosing where to live and build our lives

working... on still being in the present

wanting... to live authentically

needing... some Mexican food!

reading... Far From Home and the Power of a Praying Wife

creating... a crocheted beanie for my oldest and knitted drop stitch cowls

pondering... whether to keep blogging or not.

DPP:: twenty-five

 a day late, but wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas season!

DPP:: twenty-four

 
Again, Christmas: abiding point of return. Set apart by its mystery... the season seems in a way to stand outside time. All that is dear, that is lasting, renews its hold on us: 

we are home again.

Elizabeth Bowen

DPP:: twenty-three

holiday, once-a-year, loaded-with-sugar-and-processed-foods treats!

DPP:: twenty-two

Fun night with our whole family + one girlfriend and our best friends and their daughter! Out for dinner at Frank, then a LONG bus ride to the Trail of Lights where there were too many people but it was still fun! Christmas lights (lots of the them) still awe me!