25 Before 25

Oh my goodness, y'all I am 24 years old! 

I do completely understand that I am young... but I've been hit with the realization that I have almost lived a quarter of a century. I am definitely not at the place in life that I thought I would be... but I can clearly see how God has worked everything together in my life for His purposes. This birthday, more than any other, has inspired me to live my life more intentionally, more fully. 

I want to make the most of my time and utilize this season I am in where I am young and passionate and loved and so, so broke. I want to live with focus on the ultimate goal- to bring glory to Jesus. I want to live, drinking in life, the good and the hard and the overwhelming, with arms open, and not ruled by fear or indecision or concern for man's approval.  

So with these thoughts in mind, I have compiled a list of goals that I would like to accomplish before I turn 25. Some of these are fun, some are silly, and some are serious. Each of them should be quantifiable in some way so that I can mark them off of the list as I complete each one. 

25 before 25 

1. successfully bake French Macarons



2. read the Divergent trilogy



3. get involved in a small group (and soon!)
4. start actually using my Starbucks card and earning stars (right now I have a mental block about setting aside money for coffee, when in fact, this will save me money.)



5. go to a yoga class (this was one of my new years goals and has yet to be crossed off my list!)



6. get all A's in seminary (I had an excellent GPA at UT, so this is possible!)
7. take a fun trip with my sister Lindsey. Right now we're thinking Harry Potter at Universal Studios



8. find a way to bring in income from home (right now I'm considering Scentsy or reopening my Etsy shop)
9. grill steaks by myself (no help from dad!)



10. read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp 



11. bake and decorate a tiered cake 

source


12. maintain a consistent daily schedule 
13. read Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman 



14. make fresh mozzarella cheese
15. visit my grandparents more often 
16. host a Bible study in my home 
17. make my own yogurt
18. decorate my house to look more like an adult lives there
19. read through the entire Old Testament
20. start doing creative writing again 
21. write punctual thank you notes, even for the little things
22. invest in glasses that I actually like 

not these. 
23. perfect making homemade tortillas 
24. set and keep a monthly budget
25. seek after Jesus above all academia, study and scholastic commentary

It's going to be a good year. 
I am immensely blessed.
Here's to 24! 

Girl Behind the Blog Vlog, Part V: Begin, Accomplish, or Change

It's time for another vlog!

I am pretty excited about the prompt this month. It's all about the dreams and goals that you have that may get pushed aside because of practicality. I'm sharing a little bit about where my journey will take me in the next month and how I hope to respond!

Check out the others here and send some love and encouragement to all of the goals and dreams!

Prompt:

Introduce yourself and your blog

What is one thing you are hoping to Begin, Accomplish, or Change?

Why is this goal important to you?

What are your plans to achieve this goal?

I would complain about the thumbnail but aren't everyone's awful? 

* sorry about all of the umms, lost thoughts and repetition! definitely not a speaker ;) *

Renewal and Resolutions

Setting goals for myself has always been something that kept me motivated

... if I cared about that goal.

So, these things that I'll be working toward in 2012 are things 

that I care enough about to share in a place with accountability.

Here are things I'm praying over

practicing, 

and working to see more of in 2012:

1. Develop humility

If I want to be more like Jesus, this is the first one I've got to work on.


2. Eat less processed foods 
I want to cut down on the canned, packaged, sodium laden products that I've depended on and instead lean more on fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade meals and DIY products (such as my DIY Vanilla Extract, dressings, or syrups). I'll be practicing this by making weekly menus, visiting farmer's markets, and packing lunches in mason jars for when I know I won't have time to cook. I'm not saying I won't eat Kraft Mac and Cheese or some Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch. I just want to be more proactive in using homemade or fresh foods when I can.


3. Develop an exercise routine
For 2011, I resolved to join a gym and work out three times a week. And I did! ... when I had a gym buddy. But after graduation and moving and spraining my ankle, the treadmill has not been a possibility and I actually kind of despise running anyway.  I want to still take care of my body by exploring options like yoga or Pilates; that way I still stay active and can get away from running. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy exercise?


4. Invest more time in my students
I will have more time to invest since my church has generously brought me on full time for the remainder of my time with OMBC and I was able to quit my second job. I want to go to band concerts, wrestling tournaments, powerlifting meets and mariachi performances to support my students. But I also want to sit down and talk and pray and find out what's going on in their lives... and then play an active role in it. 


5. Be more organized and responsible financially 
I have taken measures to limit my expenses in a city that's pretty expensive to live in- sharing a room, paying off my car, living in a house of four ladies and dividing all the bills- but I still require some budgeting and planning to keep a tight control on what God's blessed me with. I want to be a faithful and wise steward of those funds! 


6. Do things now that I won't be able to do later
I want to enjoy all the beautiful and unique things about Austin that I won't have access to when I leave for seminary in the fall. I want to be present when spending time with people whom I'll be leaving. I want to take more chances and risks now, before I am responsible to a husband and family or restrained my a school schedule again!

What are some of the goals you've set for yourself this year? 

Or what ideas are driving you in this fresh start?