Renewed Goals
Thanks to Cari and Maria for a very fun girl’s night on Wednesday! The food was completely sinful. As for the participants . . . well, we were angels of course. We had a wonderful evening chillin, eating, talking, etc. We had a movie but we didn’t even get to it. Maria and Cari – you are two very awesome women. I admire your strength, your authenticity, your beauty and your spirits. Thanks for a great Wednesday get-away and the hilarious life-adventures.
I posted a couple of days ago that intermission was over and its back to living life. Whenever I get to one of those moments in life when I choose to start fresh or to begin anew, I do little things to signify that to myself. One of those fresh start things is a change to my hair. I don’t know why I choose that but somehow it signals to me a new me. In the past, I’ve gone big time change – a completely short haircut from a really long one. This time, I love my long hair too much to part with it. But I did have a couple of inches chopped and some layers added. Not a drastic cut at all. But I’m now a lighter blonde than I’ve ever been. Sue me. This is my self-splurge and I love it.
Also, I tend to turn my energies to some new focus or pet projects that I’m passionate about. So here are the three biggies for me right now (in no particular order):
1. Personal Health – I had a weight-loss goal in mind when I began a healthier lifestyle (note: not a diet but rather a new lifestyle) in January. I’ve lost 27 lbs to date and have 13 more to go to reach the weight I originally was going for. So, I have renewed my commitment to that and have been hitting it hard lately. By the end of September, just after my 32nd birthday, I should have this goal accomplished. Along with this, I’m going to take more care to guard personal time and to leave work at the office more than I have. I need to find ways to set ministry aside. I can’t set the minister aside – it is who I am and I don’t want it any other way. But I do need to work on delienating some personal time away from my ministry time. I have some personal goals other than weight loss that I need to make time for.
2. Common Ground – I love CG. I believe in CG. I truly have a heart for reaching young single adults in our community. I’m going to pour more energy into this as a personal thing. It isn’t an area of responsibility for me at the church but I’m committed to its success. Great things truly can happen in this group and I’ve seen people find a place of friendship and spiritual encouragement through CG.
3. Professional Development – I know that I am called to the ministry of reconciliation – reconciling others with God and with one another. I believe that my life calling is to pastor. I’m committing myself to a wide variety of methods to develop my leadership and pastoring skills. Reading will be one format. I’m also applying for a leadership program through Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for young ministers. There will be four weeklong intensives over the next year that are designed to prepare today’s clergy for the emerging church. You can read more on the program by clicking here.
Posting these here means all who read this post are my accountability partners in an indirect way. That should help although I have a very intense motivation and passion for these three goals already and am excited about working towards them. However, if you see me cramming chocolate down my throat or acting non-pastoral like, feel free to say something. I may not listen but by all means – exercise your First Amendment rights.
Peace – Melissa