Resolution 2016

As we are to the point in the New Year that most people have thrown in the towel on their new years’ resolutions, I decided to finally make a few.  I never jump right on this at the beginning of the year but like to have some time to mull over ideas.  My list this year is a mix between resolutions and a bucket list.  My cousin gave me some thought-provoking questions to guide my resolution process.  The two questions were what resources has God entrusted to us and how can we be better stewards of those resources and what gifts have God given us and what needs can we meet with those needs.  I found that my answers to these questions meshed well with my resolutions.  

One of the resources that has been entrusted to us is our health.  A lot of resolutions tend to focus health and wellness.  Another resource we can be good stewards of is the environment or nature.  God has given us dominion over the earth but in a stewardship role.  The final resource on my list was finances.  One of Arthur’s and my resolutions is to save a certain amount of money towards the future purchase of a house.  To meet our goal we will have to use our money wisely.  Probably the resolution that will be the most difficulty for me is cooking more with vegetables.  First, I am not a big fan of veggies and it will take conscious effort to adjust some habits.  This goal actually addresses the three resources.  It’s good for our health which is obvious.  As far as the environment hopefully we will grow some of the vegetables ourselves or get them at the farmer’s market.  From a financial standpoint we want to be wise with our resource and sometimes that may be investing a little more money to support local businesses like at a farmer’s market.   

The second question, what gifts do I have and what needs can those meet, is also kind of linked to the other goals on my list.  The first gift I thought of was the ability enjoy life, even the normal everyday things.  We talked about mini adventures before—adventures in your own “backyard” and are planning on doing a mini adventure each month.  A lot of these will probably involve being outside in nature.  Arthur and I have talked about how it is almost a “need” for us to get some relaxing outdoor time on a regular basis to help with moods and our attitudes the rest of the week.  Another “need” that could be met through these adventures is inviting others to join us to build relationships and community in a world where that seems to be more and more difficult.  This may be with close friends, the middle and high school kids we mentor, or even open setting where our friends can invite others friends.  With trying to be outside frequently this probably means learning new skills for us.  We have just a little bit of backpacking experience but we are excited to learn about camping and all the skills it requires.  I might take up trail running or star gazing or learning about the plants and animals that are native to the area.  Another idea for mini adventures is a little closer to home.  We love traveling and would like to see more of the globe someday but right we can experience different cultures in a small way.  Once again, about once a month, I would like to pick a different country or region, try to make a recipe from the area and then eat it while watching travel documentaries from the same area.  The final two items on my list for this year was planning and completing a Rim to Rim backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon and running a 5K in 21 minutes. 

 As New Year’s resolutions go I probably won’t complete 50-75% of what is on my list but it is sure fun to think about all the possibilities of the New Year.  Omnia Vincit Amor.