faretheewell

This morning, I am saddened to hear the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI: a man I believe to be a truly great Christian leader, with such influence, in this ever-darkening world.  Having read his Jesus of Nazareth trilogy this past year, I found myself inspired by his compassion and heart for the world, his devotion to Scripture and orthodoxy, and his personal relationship with his Savior Jesus Christ.  

Having not paid much attention to the former bishop of Rome (to my detriment, I think; I was young, not denominationally Catholic, etc), I'm sorry that I cannot speak to Pope John Paul II's greatness.  However, I do know that the Church is losing yet another godly man as shepherd in Joseph Ratzinger.  I pray that the man who succeeds him will be in the same spirit and direction.

to do: read Gen-Rev

Kevin and I have begun reading through the Bible again!  Instead of going book-by-book as per usual, we'll be going through it chronologically.  To see/steal/use/judge the plan we'll be following, click here!

Goals for 2012

Is it that time already?  

Here are the things I'd like to accomplish in 2012.
  

Some of them were not quite finished (or started...shhh) in 2011, so they've rolled over onto this list.  I also figure that 18 is much more manageable than 30.  

At 6 mos. I'll check back and let you know how I'm doing!

1) Learn German (my friend Faith and I have a pact to learn it together - hopefully this coming summer!)

2) Read through the complete works of Shakespeare.

3) Go hiking/camping on a mountain with Kevin.

4) See sunrise on said mountain.

5) Use the paint supplies I have acquired.

6) Use the Pilates DVD and mat I bought myself for Christmas.

7) Write a letter to a friend a week.

8) Journal weekly.

9) Read through the collected works of Milton.

10) Read through the collected works of Lewis.

11) Read through The Making of a Sonnet, and attempt one a month.

12) Work harder than absolutely necessary.

13) Develop relationships with the girls in the youth group at church.

14) Sing out.

15) Develop better posture.
16) Finish the application process and become a certified teacher in the state of Colorado.
17) Learn more about pre-K education.
18) Collect and read as many of my childhood-favorite books as I possibly can!

I think that's a decent enough list.  We'll see how this goes!  What are YOU going to do with 2012?

Seventeen/Eighteen

HAPPY DECEMBER 17-18!

17. I'm thankful for books.  I love to read.  I love it.  I love falling into a story like Harry Potter plunges into Dumbledore's pensieve.  I love the feeling of books: smooth covers, turning rough pages, ink that sometimes rubs off on my fingers if I'm clutching the book a bit too tight.  I love experiencing the different stories, and concurrently learning the lessons the characters learn.  I love that after thousands and thousands of years of literature, there are still creative souls expressing beautifully their stories.  I'm thankful that we have the freedom to express and read.  That books are free to exist as living souls, with rights, sanctity.  (Do not support, purchase, use ebook readers!) 

18. I'm thankful for sleeping in.  Not setting an alarm.  Waking up to the smell of the coffee Kevin made before he left for work.  Laying sprawled out on the bed while I check my Facebook, email, play a little solitaire on my iPhone.  Lounging in my bathrobe till noon.  Having nothing to do but straighten up a bit.  Let's do this again tomorrow.  

Eleven

HAPPY DECEMBER 11!

I'm thankful for quiet times.  Today, strangely, the Packers game was nowhere to be found on any channel in our apartment or in any sports bar we tried.  So, Kevin and I had a quiet and relaxing day in our cozy little flat above the "bustling" streets of Idaho Springs.  Maybe it wasn't so relaxing for Kev, who was stressing about the outcome of his game... but he had plenty of friends texting him updates.  

While Kevin studied for an exam, I was able to be so productive!  

I did some much-needed cleaning and straightening of the apt, 

proofread my brother's awesome poli sci paper, 

planned a Christmas party for our youth group, 

worked on a work schedule for Sbux, 

drank not a little bit of coffee, 

went grocery shopping, 

planned a menu for our friends' visit in a mere two weeks,

shopped online a bit for Christmas presents,

listened to a Christmas mix of James Taylor, Harry Connick Jr, and Mannheim Steamroller

read my Bible,

and started reading an exciting new book!  

update on my goals for twenty-eleven

I began this list in late January.  In June, I gave a six-month update.  Now, in the middle of November, I want to see how much more I've gotta focus and put the pedal to the medal for the next month and a half.    I think I did pretty well!  Care to see?  How are you doing on YOUR New Years' Resolutions?  Oh yeah, remember those?  :)

1) journal weekly (in my journal, not my blog)
2) teach like I mean it—student teaching was rough, but I can say with confidence that I started each day as if it were on purpose!
3) graduate PBU (get certified, succeed as a teacher, all that jazz)
4) see an obscene number of friends get married!—and still so many coming up!
5) move away (pref. to Colorado!)--we're here!!  
6) twice a month, write a letter to a different dear (if distant) friend—yes!  I've gotten better at this one since the half-way mark!  I love love writing (and receiving!) letters of encouragement! 
7) get a piano—an electric piano counts.  I guess.
8) learn 5 new pieces by Chopin—I've *begun* learning two.  Shoot, I'll work on this one!
9) read (and appreciate!) a Russian novel--I read Crime and Punishment this summer.  "Read"-check.  "Appreciate"-...I'll let you know.
10) finish reading the works of Shakespeare in its entirety!--my next project after reading through the NT.
11) write something worth reading--this is up for debate.  
12) go hiking & camping with Kevin on a mountain--hiking, yes.  Camping, no.  
13) see sunset and sunrise on said mountain
14) learn to knit and/or crochet
15) research Trivits heritage
16) learn German… begin learning German

17) learn to cook - not really Julie & Julia style, but kinda
18) give people the benefit of the doubt, every time
19) learn and play a number of different card games
20) acquire painting supplies, use said supplies

21) learn to love Kevin more than I love myself; support him; dream with him (aka be an awesome wife!)—definite improvements!

22) learn when and how to be a follower rather than a leader (and vice versa)—definite improvements!
23) read through the Bible again—in progress!
24) have Kevin teach me Greek—in progress!
25) sing somewhere--every Saturday night, I get to help lead worship at my church!
26) grow a garden (even an herb garden, come on!)
27) learn to exercise (& do it regularly!)
28) remember to not be too serious

29) study up on world religions
30) …get a new and decent job.

21/30!!  Not too shabby... and a definitely improvement from June's 13/30.  Now you know what I'll be up to for the next 1.5 mos till December 31!  

Crime and Punishment

Yep, the title pretty much sums up my experience with Dostoevsky's iconic novel.

I finished reading it just the other night... finally... after two months of being within seventy pages of finishing, I mustered up the attention and interest necessary to learn to what end Raskolnikov comes.  I take some relief in the knowledge that Thomas Hardy never finished, and RL Stevenson compared C&P to a disease.  Because that's mostly how I feel.

The afterword cleared up quite a bit for me - its significance as a progressive piece of literature (using a third person, omniscient voice to narrate) as well as the symbolism for sin and redemption, throughout.  It is a beautiful story... but about 500 pages too long.

As to my goal for this year: I've read a Russian novel.  As to the second half of that goal - appreciating a Russian novel - I'll... let you know.  I feel a bit war-torn.  Exhausted.  I don't care about Raskolnikov.  Great that he found redemption in Sofia.  But I don't believe him.  My favorite character offed himself: Svidrigailov.  He was the only interesting one.

Overall, I see its importance; I see some humor; I see some insight into human nature and the grace extended us; but, ultimately, I was not compelled.

----To see some books that I have lovvveeedddd (or didn't love) reading this year, check out my page, 23 Books!