Gifts April 2019

Reminder: Word of the year is Courage

I want to be better. If you don’t know what it means to be better how will you know when you’ve become it? If I don’t define it for myself, the world will define it for me. Guarantee: The world will get it wrong.

16 Give away one item every day, for Lent

15 Lent Devotionals ~ A book and DaySpring. I’m not Catholic but I like the 40-day practice of preparing for Easter

Previous Gifts:

14 Attend ALEP Done

13 Updating my water drinking habit: 8-10 cups a day (1 cup/8 oz) Doing

12 Play piano 2-3x a week, reviving an ancient habit. Yes and No

11 Add an open cup of water to my room to see if that helps with dryness. I don’t know if it helps, but it’s Done

10 A cup of water every waking hour to help me stay hydrated. Done

9 Write faster. It will take years to re-publish my books at my current rate. At present, I have no idea how I’m going to accomplish this, so maybe this month is Formulate a Plan, even if it doesn’t work. No plan yet.

8 Begin the day with thanking God. Some days are better than others, and the days I remember are better.

7 Listen and obey when I feel those little nudges, like send her a gift card, help him, call them, take this there. I do well sometimes, but it’s one of those things that requires mindfulness. Distracted

6 Become a Slave Stealer/Abolitionist, join O.U.R. Operation Underground Railroad. https://ourrescue.org/ Start low and every year increase the amount. What they accomplished in 2018:

https://youtu.be/TnCuM97wIVM

Done. 1 January

5 Add to my savings, even if it’s only a few dollars a month.

So far so good.

4 Collect my own Christmas movies a) buy a movie a month b) keep them in their own box to be brought out in December. This falls under the category of Fun. Started with The Polar Express. End of Dec, added: The Man Who Invented Christmas and It’s  Wonderful Life. Jan: Silver Bells Feb: Finding Father Christmas Mar: Engaging Father Christmas Apr: Saving Christmas May: White Christmas Jun: Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade Jul: Operation Christmas Aug: Christmas Tail Aug: Christmas Lodge Sep: ??? Yes, I’m ahead, but I don’t want movies delivered during the summer months when the heat would damage the disks.

3 Start a Christmas fund a) put a little money aside every month b) keep my eyes open for gifts

So far so good

2 Publish A Promise of Possibilities As of 30 Dec, I’m on chapter 22. As of 1 Feb, I’m on chapter 28 of 37. As of 3 Mar, I’m on chapter 29.

1 Lose weight a) 1 ld at a time b) 1% of my body weight c) 60 lb. Numbers I need to track, once a month: Apr giving myself a break since I’ve been sick most of the past month / 2 Mar 257 46 42 54 / 3 Feb 258 46 42 55 / 30 Dec 256.6 46 41 54

Writing ~ Novellas and novels ~ Schedule deadlines and follow through ~ I want to finish Christmas Lost and the Anthology, write four novellas for another anthology, and outline a four-book Regency series with the first book written.

Creating a home ~ Clean and clutter ~ Vacuum, bath, sweep, dust, throwaway or giveaway to bless someone else. I want a routine I can regularly accomplish. The house is not mine, but I do live here. Nothing can stop me from making things nicer.

Reading ~ Fiction and non-fiction ~ Balance and reduce my TBR pile. I’d like to read 100 books.

Finances ~ Budget, spend better ~ Ledger. I want to be able to meet my financial responsibilities and have a little leftover for fun, while not scrimping on self care.

Faith ~ Bible study, prayer, church ~ War Room ~ I want my habits to be more mindful.

Health ~ Sleep, meals, exercise ~ Consistency and try new recipes. I want to be able to walk up a flight of 14 stairs using alternate feet. Right now, I mostly have to step up using my left because my right has a bad habit of buckling. With slow practice and training, I know I can change this, as long as I don’t hurry things along too quickly, which always sets me back.

Fun ~ Friends and clothes ~ Meals and Holy Clothing ~ I eat breakfast with my sister on Saturdays. I have lunch once a week with octogenarian friends and about three times a month with other friends. However, it’s important for me to acknowledge and celebrate these times.