Day 1: This was rough. I didn't know what to do with myself. So I ran a million errands, visited a friend, and looked for a job. Also, I went to Zumba. Zumba was the right choice.
Day 2: So much better. So much more settled. I got a lot done, and didn't get very much done all at once and in the same day. I also started watching season 1 of Call the Midwife, which may have influenced the "didn't get very much done" part of my day, but it also reminded me of why I quit my job! To go to London and be a nurse (because its about nurses in London, so... win/win). It was horrifying and inspiring and beautiful and terrifying. Just as life is/should be.
Day 3: So far, its mostly been cold. Writing this may or not be the first productive thing I've done all day. Ok, let's be honest... it's not. I also made pancakes. And a fire. These two activities were totally unrelated...the fire was intentional and in the fireplace.
But enough about me! Let's talk about... me... some more. More specifically, my New Year's resolutions!
And while we're talking about/not talking about things, we definitely need to not talk about how I did on my 2013 goals.
Goal 1- Lose weight
Duh. Because of course that's going to by my goal after 2 months of holidays and eating my many mixed feelings about leaving my job. Of course this involves sleeping enough, being active at least 30 minutes a day, and eating healthier, but that's all boring stuff, so let's be more specific:
Goal 2- Eat less meat
This is a dietary goal, but maybe more than that... a budgetary goal. As things stand right now, the name of this blog is a mis-nomer. For those of you who are new-ish, DINK, stands for "Dual Income No Kids." So we're "Dinkin' Around" because we have two incomes and no kids. Except that's not true... we just have one income at the moment.
The point I'm trying to make is this-- with the loss of one income, 6-14 weeks of living in the most expensive city in the world, and nursing school looming ahead, we need to be watching our pennies a little more. Eating less meat with hopefully help with that.
Goal 3- Give Right Away
I would say that one of the ways I grew the most in 2013 is being truly grateful for what I have. I am so overwhelmingly blessed in so many ways, I just don't even know what to do with myself. One of Life's Big Questions that I truly grappled with this past year is Why did God give me these blessings and not someone else? This is a question I will never really be able to answer, but here are two things God has helped me to understand.
1) These are gifts from God and I need to be grateful, not guilty. He gives us good things to enjoy, so we need to see the blessing and not beat ourselves up because someone else doesn't have that.
2) He gives us blessings so we can share them with others. If He just gave everyone the same amount of everything, that might seem kind of nice and "fair," but... how boring! Think of how much MORE joy and beauty He allows us to experience by dividing things differently so that we can chose to give and receive! Think of how it feels to give a gift to someone who truly appreciates it. Or remember how you felt when you received something wonderful! God is so great... instead of keeping that privilege all to Himself, He allows us to participate in it! It's kind of like if you help with a food drive, and others donated the food, but you get to deliver it. You love being able to give that, but you make sure to let them know it is from someone else. That it's BIGGER than just you giving it.
I was reading in Proverbs the other day and this passage really hit my hard:
"Do not withhold good from those deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor,
'Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow'--
when you now have it with you."
Proverbs 3:27-28
When I have something to give, I should give it RIGHT AWAY. Money, a gift, a compliment, my time, encouragement, help... anything! God has given me so much, because He wants me to share it. Not everyone who I encounter knows Him, so they don't know what He's like. So I need to show them what He's like, by giving good things.
I have lots of other goals, but they don't fall under the New Year's Resolution category.
How about you? Did you set any goal for yourself?
I LOVE your last resolution. I know I struggle with that. Chip has taught me a lot about being a giving person. He shocked me a few times when we first got married with his attitude about being a right away giver. He didn't have to think about it. He is a good example for me. I pray that God will give both of us that attitude.
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