Keeping myself accountable...

Okay, this past January I set some goals. They were not resolutions but were honest and heartfelt goals that I thought would be worthy of my time this year. I thought that since we have just passed the midway mark through the year it would be a fine occasion to look to those goals and see where we stand. Thanks for humoring me.

Goal #1: Read all the unread books I have in my library. I'm going to track my reading this year just for the heck of it and I really need to work my way through a bunch of books I already own!
Okay, I'm so so here. I have read some of the books in my library but at the same time have, well, amplified said library with occasional trips to the bookstore as well. But, some is better than none. There's some improvement here at the least!

Goal #2: Finish up my bachelor's degree, finally.
August 1st will be my last day of class and I will be free, free, free. Thank God Almighty, I'll be free!

Goal #3: Take a vacation. I haven't really had one in nearly seven years, since our honeymoon. It's time for a legitimate getaway.
While we didn't really take a getaway to anyplace special, just a week or so ago Erin and I took a whole week off together in order to just breathe and regroup before our new edition decides to make her pretty face seen. It was wonderful and relaxing and we're looking forward to more times of peace like this!

Goal #4: Go on a spiritual retreat, preferably to a monastery.
We'll have to see about this one. It's going to depend upon how things are with Peyton when she's born and such!

Goal #5: Write. And then write some more. I can't aspire to be a writer, or whatever, if I don't in fact actually discipline myself to do just that. My initial goal is to build to writing for at least a half hour a day and go from there.
Okay, the half an hour a day thing isn't happening just yet but I have started writing some. I've had one article published on the RELEVANT site and am working on a few other things to submit to them and to INFUZE just for the heck of it. I really want to keep working at it and refining my craft if I could.

Goal #6: Be intentional about developing community with others and loving and serving them as Christ.
Hmm...Not sure how to evaluate this one. I have begun meeting regularly with a couple friends in order to just come together and discuss life and faith together. I've also made some conscious efforts to be more loving and missional as I encounter others. I've got a long way to go though...

Goal #7: Turn the television off more.
We're doing pretty good on this one. While Erin still likes firing it up quite a bit despite my encouragement that she pick up one of those antiquated items known as books, we've kept it quiet a little better than we were. I've just been fueled lately with a voracious appetite for reading and have been trying to devour books. Not sure why but I'm enjoying what I'm reading thus far. Currently, I'm reading The Soul of Sex, by Thomas Moore; Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne; and Stranger Than Fiction, by Chuck Palahniuk.

Goal #8: Experience silence and solitude more.
This is one I still struggle with but I'm doing better. Solitude is difficult to come by, especially with a family but I try. Silence comes and goes but I'm doing better. Still some work to be done.

Goal #9: To take action against injustices in practical ways. To align myself with organizations and needs that I can take part it in order to help and serve others.
I've still got some work to do in this area but the drive to do this is growing and growing. I feel a burden within that keeps pushing me to engage and start utilizing what I've learned rather than to allow it just in my head.

Goal #10: Love more, especially in terms of my family. To make more tangible effort to show them that I love them deeply and truly.
Hopefully, I'm doing this. Time will be the ultimate response to this one.

Well, there we are. Again, thanks for going along with me here so I can see where I'm at. I obviously have some room for improvement but am confident that we'll get it worked out!