A different list of 37

Some people love to ask the question, “Do you feel any older?” Well, I guess I would have to answer no more then on any other given day. I started to think about this year. I belong to an online pediatric brain tumor group, and very sadly death is a topic that comes up. Families sometimes have to face treatment options that run out and then they have to face quality of life till the end. One of the Dad’s quoted William Wallace character in the movie portrayal Braveheart; “Every man dies, not every man really lives.”

Once again the old wheels in my brain started turning… I want us to be purposeful about our lives and really live. I decided as I am now 37 I would make a list of 37 things I want to accomplish before next year.

1. Get back in the habit of doing memory verses

2. Learn the words to a new song with the kids once a month (I’d love to say one a week but…)

3. Read one book a month just for pleasure (I read a lot of non fiction)

4. Write at least one hand written letter a month

5. Plan a special night once a month for the kids

6. Plan something for September “Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month”

7. Make a quilt

8. Help each child discover or develop a passion for something

9. Look for new ways to encourage my family in their faith

10. Plant a garden

11. Make maple syrup again

12. Sew a bag

13. Make enough tomato sauce to last a year

14. Make enough salsa to last a year

15. Learn to can something new

16. Try a new recipe at least once a month

17. Camp out

18. Learn to make bread with spelt flour

19. Learn to make Sour Dough bread

20. Make our own yogurt

21. Raise chickens

22. Start Scapbooking again

23. Find 4 things my family can do together to serve others. (4 is the minimum not the max.)

24. Lose weight

25. Improve existing schedule

26. Improve existing organization, ie. closets, cupboards sky’s the limit here

27. Drink more water

28. Clean and purge unnecessary items from each room in the house. (Obviously, rooms need to be cleaned on a regular bases but I want to go through boxes and bins and get rid of all the excess)

29. Exercise consistently

30. Come up with new lunch ideas that the kids LOVE

31. THROW A REALLY BIG END OF TREATMENT PARTY FOR JOEL!!!!!!!

32. Pick a name for this baby!!!

33. Make my bed everyday even if Dave is going to bed because he works that night

34. Try a new crafty homespun idea once a month

35. Dust the tops of all the really high places at least once a month

36. Begin to eliminate preservatives, food dyes etc. come up with homemade alternatives

37. Revamp my blog (there are some changes I’d like to make but… time … money etc.)

All I have to say is I am glad I am 37 and not 73. It was not easy coming up with 37 things. Some will be much easier than others. Some will require constant attention. Some may depend a bit on finances to accomplish. It may be lofty but some of these things I have been talking about for years so maybe it is high time I attack some of these things. Honestly the only way I see myself failing would be not to do any of them (then I’d have a nameless child)… but if I can accomplish a few then I am already succeeding and if I start the path and improve some of these areas even better and if I accomplish them all well WOW! I’ll keep you posted and I promise I have no new lists planned for the immediate future yet I reserve the right to throw the odd one in here and there!!!

Blessings!!