Embracing 40: Year 1
I have almost completed my 41st year (which means I will be 41 soon). As I switched from my thirties to my forties, I promised myself that I would accomplish some dreams before I turn 50. Of course, I need God's empowering and equipping to accomplish these dreams. 2015 marks a year of urgency, as our youngest will start school in the Fall, after which I will endeavor to enter the work force again. While I do consider myself quite busy with my daily household duties, parenting and volunteer positions, I know my fairly flexible schedule will diminish as work takes a significant chunk out of my day. So this year, I hope and pray that I will get ahead on some of these goals instead of procrastinating the start.
So here are the goals and my accomplishments thus far.
1. Learn to play the piano. No. Not yet. However, we have started a piano saving fund so we can actually purchase a piano for our house. We are searching for a good quality, decent looking, used piano. After the purchase, we will enroll our daughter in piano lessons in the Fall. Then, I plan to learn along side her.
2. Learn to read and write either Hindi or Urdu. I have elected to learn Hindi, as that is one of the main languages of India. Thus far, I have learned the beginning vowel letters and one other letter, 13 in all. I just have 36 more to go! Plus the symbols for the vowels in the middle of the words. Yes, I am at a very preschool level with my Hindi.
3. Travel the world with you two kids and your Daddy. One day? Maybe 2020, 2021? This is one of the reasons why I need to enter the work force, so we can save a significant chunk of cash for a semester's worth of travel. My rough estimates indicate that we will need at least 20 - 30 grand!
4. Explore the arts through painting, photography and writing. I changed this goal from the first time I wrote it down about a year ago. I added photography at the end of last year and now I've added writing. I hope to take a painting class one day. Not sure when. I am exploring photography, and loving it. And there have been several incidences over the past year where I was given the opportunity to share my parent's experiences as new immigrants in this province. Many people have been fascinated with the anecdotes I have shared. Plus, as my parents age and their health diminishes, I feel a sense of urgency to document their voices for my family and my children. So I aim to write. Not to get published. Not to become famous. But rather to celebrate and commemorate the pain-filled AND joy-filled years my parents spent in the middle of nowhere.
5. Accomplish a challenging physical feat. Truly, I have no idea what to do about this goal right now. My body seems so messed up these days. I need to see my massage therapist for my hip! And get some exercise after a food-filled Christmas celebration. But one day? A marathon? Learning to swim more than one lap? Climbing a small (very small) mountain?
6. Read the whole Bible, one more time. In September of last year, I decided to follow a guide to read the Bible in one whole year. While I am behind in completing it in one year, I am choosing not to stress about about the timeline and instead focus on enjoying the experience. Though, it is amazing how reading checklists motivate me to continue! As for the reading plan itself, I purposely choose one with some variety, where I read an Epistle first, followed by The Law, History, Poetry, Prophecy and The Gospels. Every Sunday I read a few chapters of Psalms. Right now, I am reading Proverbs.
7. Re-establish my teaching career. I purchased a brand new suit for future interviews thanks to some Christmas money. I hope to resurrect my resume in the next month or two. In the meanwhile, I plan to study some upper level Mathematics to get that part of my brain working again!
To help assist me in accomplishing some of these goals, I will schedule "learning evenings" for myself, where one evening a week, I focus on one of the above goals (or the ever present pile of scrapbooking that I am perpetually behind in, which is another goal list!). My husband has kindly agreed to put the children to bed that night so I can focus on learning. I am excited!
In the end, I commit all of the above to my Lord and Saviour. Ultimately, I desire to follow His Goals, His Desires, His Dreams. Even if that means my goals, my desires and my dreams don't happen.
So here are the goals and my accomplishments thus far.
1. Learn to play the piano. No. Not yet. However, we have started a piano saving fund so we can actually purchase a piano for our house. We are searching for a good quality, decent looking, used piano. After the purchase, we will enroll our daughter in piano lessons in the Fall. Then, I plan to learn along side her.
2. Learn to read and write either Hindi or Urdu. I have elected to learn Hindi, as that is one of the main languages of India. Thus far, I have learned the beginning vowel letters and one other letter, 13 in all. I just have 36 more to go! Plus the symbols for the vowels in the middle of the words. Yes, I am at a very preschool level with my Hindi.
3. Travel the world with you two kids and your Daddy. One day? Maybe 2020, 2021? This is one of the reasons why I need to enter the work force, so we can save a significant chunk of cash for a semester's worth of travel. My rough estimates indicate that we will need at least 20 - 30 grand!
4. Explore the arts through painting, photography and writing. I changed this goal from the first time I wrote it down about a year ago. I added photography at the end of last year and now I've added writing. I hope to take a painting class one day. Not sure when. I am exploring photography, and loving it. And there have been several incidences over the past year where I was given the opportunity to share my parent's experiences as new immigrants in this province. Many people have been fascinated with the anecdotes I have shared. Plus, as my parents age and their health diminishes, I feel a sense of urgency to document their voices for my family and my children. So I aim to write. Not to get published. Not to become famous. But rather to celebrate and commemorate the pain-filled AND joy-filled years my parents spent in the middle of nowhere.
5. Accomplish a challenging physical feat. Truly, I have no idea what to do about this goal right now. My body seems so messed up these days. I need to see my massage therapist for my hip! And get some exercise after a food-filled Christmas celebration. But one day? A marathon? Learning to swim more than one lap? Climbing a small (very small) mountain?
6. Read the whole Bible, one more time. In September of last year, I decided to follow a guide to read the Bible in one whole year. While I am behind in completing it in one year, I am choosing not to stress about about the timeline and instead focus on enjoying the experience. Though, it is amazing how reading checklists motivate me to continue! As for the reading plan itself, I purposely choose one with some variety, where I read an Epistle first, followed by The Law, History, Poetry, Prophecy and The Gospels. Every Sunday I read a few chapters of Psalms. Right now, I am reading Proverbs.
7. Re-establish my teaching career. I purchased a brand new suit for future interviews thanks to some Christmas money. I hope to resurrect my resume in the next month or two. In the meanwhile, I plan to study some upper level Mathematics to get that part of my brain working again!
To help assist me in accomplishing some of these goals, I will schedule "learning evenings" for myself, where one evening a week, I focus on one of the above goals (or the ever present pile of scrapbooking that I am perpetually behind in, which is another goal list!). My husband has kindly agreed to put the children to bed that night so I can focus on learning. I am excited!
In the end, I commit all of the above to my Lord and Saviour. Ultimately, I desire to follow His Goals, His Desires, His Dreams. Even if that means my goals, my desires and my dreams don't happen.