First, I have 76 items on The List. The List was created by brainstormingly writing down everything that popped into my head. At the moment, I thought it might be possible. Then I realized that while I'm crazy, that is insane even for me. I've gone through January and have checked off one thing. And I don't want the things on The List to just get "checked" off. I want to enjoy all of them and I want the items to create opportunities for missional theophanies.
Secondly, I've come to realize I would be quite sad if I never accomplished some of these items in my life but could live with others never receiving a black checkmark.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the Lord seems to be making some of His own revisions to The List ... so in a sense, The List itself has become a missional theophany. I'll write more about that and the unexpected events in our life the last few days in the days to come. Let's just say priorities change when the Lord allows you to unexpectedly participate in Kingdom work.
Now, I am one of those right brain / left brain people. I dream in color and produce musicals in my head while delighting in creating spreadsheets to find investigative patterns. So, today, while I waited for an appointment, I spent some time reviewing The List and realized the items broke down into nine categories with many items fitting into two or more categories including Relationships, Creativity, Fun & Fellowship, Health & Wellbeing, Education, Job/Career, Spiritual Growth, Home & Finance and Just Because. I put the entire list in a spreadsheet and gave a point everytime an item legitimately fit into a category. I also realized some of these items could change my life while others would just make my life more fun and some were things I kept revisiting for more years than I could count. Some were both. So, I added three more columns - meaningful, fun and on the list - and scored each item accordingly with 5 being major meaningful or fabulous fun or have been on my list or in the back of my head for a long time and 1 being not so much. Then I added bonus points to any item my husband had specifically requested we do this year.
And so The List meets The Score and I am considering ways to focus accordingly. A perfect score is 29. Only one item on the list qualified ... Be More Like Jesus. Obviously I will never complete my top item ... but I hope to be more like Jesus at the end of the year than I was at the beginning. As I mentioned, the Lord is revising some of these items and as I consider how to go about accomplishing them I will blog as I go in the days, weeks and months to come. I will likely accomplish some of the very low scored items much sooner than the higher scored items just because some of easier to do than others. So, once again ...
Behold ... The List:
Be More Like Jesus | 29 |
Lose 70 pounds | 26 |
Visit Josh and Joanna in Boston | 24 |
Visit Sean and Ena | 24 |
Cook Dinner for all my kids at the same time | 24 |
Discipleship with Debbie | 23 |
Start a Writer’s Group | 22 |
Bible Study w/the Boys | 21 |
Memorize 1 Peter - IN PROCESS | 21 |
Get Published | 21 |
Write a Book | 21 |
Write a Blog - IN PROCESS | 21 |
Memorize 10 Piano Pieces | 21 |
Climb a rock wall | 20 |
Teach at Coffee Break - IN PROCESS | 20 |
Complete a 5K | 20 |
Seeker’s Bible Study for my Neighbors | 20 |
Finish my Degree | 19 |
Host a Open House for my Neighbors | 19 |
Organize a Block Party | 19 |
Wisconsin Dells | 19 |
Learn ASL | 19 |
Learn to share the Gospel confidently | 19 |
Go Backpacking w/Josh | 19 |
Facilitate Agape 2011 Trip - IN PROCESS | 18 |
Spiritually Franchise Friday Dinners | 18 |
Visit India | 18 |
Take a Silent Retreat | 18 |
Visit Pacific Garden Mission - DONE | 18 |
Ravinia with Dan | 18 |
Make Lobster for Dan | 18 |
Book of Ruth with Rose | 18 |
Spin Class with Nicole | 18 |
Makeover after losing 35 pounds | 17 |
Mississippi River Boat | 16 |
See Mercy Me in Concert - IN PROCESS | 16 |
Bears / Lions Game | 15 |
Ballet Lessons | 15 |
Build a Deck/Porch | 14 |
Go Camping | 14 |
B&B Weekend with Girlfriends | 13 |
Clean My Garage - DONE | 12 |
Go Fishing | 12 |
Play Percussion at Church | 11 |
Sears Tower with Dan | 11 |
Finish Beth’s Afghan | 10 |
Go Kayaking | 10 |
Cooking Lessons w/Knife Skills | 10 |
Go on a Picnic | 10 |
Plant an Herb Garden | 9 |
Plant Roses | 9 |
Skate at Millennium Park | 9 |
Learn to Sketch | 9 |
Remodel House Out & Up | 9 |
Learn French | 8 |
Paint my bedroom | 8 |
Build a Nativity for the Front Yard | 8 |
Go to Ann Arbor Art Fair | 8 |
Teach Martell How to Swim | 8 |
Agape Volunteer Coordinator | 7 |
Swimming w/Belugas | 7 |
Direct the Christmas Musical | 7 |
Hip Hop Lessons | 7 |
Shedd Aquarium Tour | 7 |
Renew My Passport | 6 |
Singing Lessons | 6 |
Act in a Drama | 6 |
Prepare an Entire Indian Meal | 6 |
Sing in the Choir | 6 |
Go to a Blues Club | 5 |
Stain my dresser | 4 |
Find a Cello for Bill | 4 |
Build a Greenhouse | 4 |
Knit a Scarf | 2 |
Try Sushi | 1 |
Get a new Sari | 1 |
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