30 Things: Birthday State of the List Address

Well friends, here is the list update I owed you last month, coming to you from the very exciting location of Cobb County jury duty waiting room. I have always managed to escape this very adult experience...so happy 31st to me. I never put this on a bucket list but guess I can check off this new experience :)

(Side update on #9--I passed my MFT test and I have my MFT license!!!! Thank you so much for praying for me!!)

While I didn't post on my birthday, I did have some time to reflect on this year in the days surrounding that day...

yes, that cake says "Sweet Baby Elisa" compliments of my silly brother.

As strange or silly as it might sound to some of you, I found I had to overcome the sense of failure for not having "finished everything." Knowing that I tend to start things and not finish them, this list was something I truly did want to complete. Life circumstances and my own hang ups have just hindered the process. But working through this frustration, I have come out on the other side very aware of 2 important things:

First, when I went down the below list to see what I DID get to do, it is pretty crazy awesome! Like...what a fun year it was to celebrate life! I experienced things that were truly beautiful and thrilling and even life changing. I accomplished things I never thought I would do. I stretched myself in ways that were incredibly growing. I was talking with some sweet friends this past weekend about how much more meaningful and even powerful it is to actually write down things/goals and then actually see them come to pass. There is something about naming our goals and hopes and dreams that is just another push towards them becoming reality. And...I learned a few hard things along the way.

Second, while I had wanted to grow myself in "completing" things, I think if I had finished everything on this list by March 30, 2015, I might have felt a large sense of both accomplishment and let down. Sort of like, well...that was fun but now I am the boring number of 31 and life is just "whatever now." Similar to that "post Christmas blues" feeling. I even have a choice to continue my list or give up. But the POINT of a list like this is to CELEBRATE the life God has given me and not to let a number, stage of life, time of year, whatever define my attitude or ability to live to the full. By still having things to complete or enjoy, it pushes me to continue this attitude as a lifestyle and not be confined to one year or decade or whatever! When I make goals, it is not meant to add pressure but just create space to live intentionally. 

If I let this list be confined to a year, that I would be reinforcing the idea that youth or fun or celebration or accomplishment is limited to an age. And it isn't. So I AM going to finish, helpfully this year, and then beyond that, I hope to add to this! 

SO, here is your update of my 30 things list! If you missed the post, click on the link...

Stained glass so far...it's coming!

1. Go on a cruise
2. Make something stained glass--I have begun, plan to finish soon!
3. Run a half marathon
4. Retreat somewhere for the weekend--I did this halfway by retreating with people, but I would like to retreat alone in the next few months 
5. Travel to Europe, someway, somehow (and at the very least, make real tangible plans to)--COMING in a month!!!
6. Skydive
7. Visit Ben out west (and part 2)
8. Paleo: Continue in this and finish what I started in terms of my mental/physical goals--Post to come!
9. Get my full counseling license-- GUYS I PASSED MY TEST!!
10. Grow something by myself, from seed--HA I am working on this. A few #fails. Attempting again.
11. Give something special or meaningful to someone in need, anonymously 
12. Share Jesus with someone who doesn't know him
13. Witness a miracle--praying and asking the Lord about this
14. Take a spontaneous day trip/road trip to a place I've never been
15. Go to a UGA football game
16. Clean out my clothes/stuff = simplify 
17. Try a new exotic food
18. Shoot a gun
19. Spend the night in a fancy hotel
20. Unspoken between me and God
21. Get a massage
22. Visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens during Christmas time--This has changed to "Do something in my city of Atlanta that I've never done before!
23. Memorize a chapter of the Bible
24. See someone in concert I've never seen
25. Volunteer somewhere new
26. Take a class to learn a new skill--working on this :)
27. Tell the people in my life why are they are important to me--also working on this :)
28. Go camping in the fall
29. Start and finish a classic book I've never read
30. Keep my blog chronicling these things = at least 30 entries--obviously working on this!

As you can see, I've still got somethings to do and look forward to in this coming year...and look for posts to come!