My Best Year Yet...

Dearest friends and family,
If you were invited to follow this blog, you were a part of giving me one of the most amazing gifts I have ever received!  Thank you!  Each of you were asked by my dear husband to write me a letter for my birthday, and include a challenge for me to complete before I turn 30.  Mike placed each of your letters in a beautiful album, and I will cherish it always.  Each and every one of your letters is a treasure.  Each one has already blessed my heart deeply, and I feel confident that they will play a role in making my 30th year an amazing one!  I have taken my time carefully reading each of your beautiful letters over the last couple of weeks, and I am overwhelmed by your love and encouragement.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
One of your challenges to me was to start a blog so all of you can follow me as I complete each challenge over the next year, so I thought that might be an appropriate one to start with!  I've already gotten started on a few others, and I'll post more about them soon.   
The list is below.  Some of you gave me the same of similar challenges, so here is my best summary.  I am SO excited to embark on this great adventure this year!  Thank you for encouraging me towards Christ and being more of who God made me to be.  
Some of your challenges were words of wisdom, and reminders for how I should live day-by-day.  I have typed up your words and I am going to hang them on the wall in my bedroom, as a constant reminder of how I want to live this year, and of the amazing friendships God has blessed me with, so if you don't see your words below, they are on my wall!  I loved seeing a few of the same challenges from multiple friends, and it affirms to me that God has a plan for these things in my life:  Three of you challenged me to complete a triathlon.  Three of you encouraged me to memorize an entire book (or chapter) of the Bible.  Two of you asked me to record myself singing.  FIVE of you told me to slow down and take time for myself.  I'll post updates periodically, as I work on or complete these challenges.  I also want you all to know that I am trying not to add these to my "to do" list because, as most of you know, there are already too many things on it.  I'm trying to just be prayerful about this list let these things help me reorganize priorities and make myself and my personal relationship with the Lord a priority each day this year.  I'd love your prayer for me as I embark on this adventure!  Thank you for your constant love, support and friendship.  I am so grateful for each of you!

Complete a triathlon

Sign up for a fitness challenge I’m not sure I can do (another marathon, long triathlon, etc)

Sign up for, and take a divinity course

Thank the Lord for three things every day, including myself!

Record myself singing “How Great Thou Art”

Skydiving or bungee jumping (we’ll see!)

Look for ways to do things or invent time where my passions overlap

Start a blog for all of your challenges (DONE!)

Splash around like a kid in the Neptune Fountain on the Plaza and take pictures

Make time weekly to do things just for myself

Memorize my favorite book of scripture and meditate on it daily

List something that brings joy to me each day

Go deeper with people:  Aim for 30 people...10 friends, 10 acquaintances, 10 people you’ve never spoken to

Read back through all of your journals and remember my Ebenezers

Join/start a girls’ group.

Remain a child.  Read and reflect on The Little Prince.

Meditate on Matthew 18: 1-14 as often as you feel led

Find a “signature dish” with Mike

Record myself singing a lullaby or other song for my kids.

Write a letter with something special and set aside for my kids in a safe deposit box.

Pray for a life-long friend for Claire.

Zone out.  Lose yourself in a book (non-fiction).

Go out and dance the night away twice in KC.