Twenty Thirteen

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2012, much like 2011, was  a roller coaster year full of ups and downs. At times it brought me great joy as well as great strife and sorrow. 2013 holds the same promise of both good days and not so good days, of heartache and laughter. Of a much anticipated trip to England but also continued stress with finances and health issues. And while I'm bracing myself for the bumpy road ahead, I still wanted to make room for some yearly goals.

My goals from this past year were simple and Lord-willing I was able to accomplish all of them satisfactorily. I still struggle in the area of being in the Word, and I didn't actually finish an unread book of the Bible, but I am closely studying the book of Genesis now (rather than just reading through it) as a result of joining Bible Study Fellowship International.

My resolutions for 2013 are still simple in nature but are a little more weighty in heart and are meant to have results that last a lifetime, not just a year.

1} Live out Mark 12:30. Jesus pins this as the Greatest Commandment of them all, and until recently I never really considered what it means to live that out intentionally. What does it look like to love God with all my mind, my heart, my soul and my strength? I'm going to spend this next year finding out and then do my very best to live it out fully.

2} Purse true health. I think I commit to this every year, but this time it's without the goal of losing weight. I want to feel healthier.  I don't know if being truly healthy means being vegan (as I've been practicing),  but I know I want to apply clean eating to my life as much as time and resources allow me. This also means drinking lots of water, getting enough rest and getting up early to exercise. While I can't control some of the health issues I'm facing, I hope that by doing these things, I will return to better health.

3} Spend less time online. I want to be present and not so connected to what everyone else is doing via Facebook. No, I'm not going to delete my account (I've tried that) But I am going to do my best to limit the number of times I log on and the number of people I follow on it.

4} Sing more. I've been singing in front of people (at church) for about 5 years now but since changing churches I never joined the worship team. Singing is something that brings me great purpose and fulfillment and joy and I hope to expand my opportunities to sing, whether it's at a coffee shop or by starting a worship night with some friends.

5} Play more. With my kids that is. Care less about a tidy house and more about creating memories. Even if that means getting messy with finger paint or acting like a complete weirdo. Life is too short to take it so seriously, and I know my boys would love it if every day were a dance party. Plus I'm pretty sure it would my heart some good.

The theme here, it seems, is to live life wholeheartedly. To be present in the moment without distraction.  Something I tend not to do.

So here's to 2013 - 

may it be a year of joy and peace

and loving God fully.

Resolutions in Review

Back in January, I made a list of resolutions I wanted to achieve in 2012. With just under three months left in the year, it's time to see if I'm going to reach my goals by December 31.

The Goals:

{1} Intentionally build into someone else's life (outside of family) on a practical as well as spiritual level  - i.e. invest time, thought and care into the relationship through communication and acts of kindness.

{2} Get back in shape after having baby (i.e. dust off the elliptical).

{3} Read one book of the Bible I have never read in completion.

{4} Make time for creative projects (photography, drawing, painting... something) 

at least once a month, if not more.

{5} Continue to work towards having "nothing in my house that I do not know to be useful, 

or believe to be beautiful" (as inspired by this).

The Progress:

{1} In May we began attending a new church and ever since, this goal has become almost effortless (though still intentional).  The dear friends we have found there already feel like family. Our journey to this place of joy has been a long one, and I can't wait to expound on it at the end of the year when I do a full report on my resolutions. I will say that I feel as though I'm glimpsing what the early church experienced in Acts 2:42 and I couldn't be more thankful!

{2} I don't want to focus too much on this one because no one needs to hear another woman worrying over body image. Not to mention it's something I've struggled with for years and not always dealt with in the healthiest ways. But for the first time in a long time, I did manage to reach my goal (by switching to a plant based diet) without even really making it my goal. I pursued the vegan diet purely for health & wellness reasons and the weight loss was simply a by product.  Anyways, I still need to stay on exercising regularly and drinking water (which I'm terrible at) but for the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I am comfortable with the skin I'm in.

{3} Um - this is my biggest struggle. To be in the Word on a regular basis without it feeling like a "duty" is a challenge. I have yet to read an  unread book of the Bible in completion, however I did join the local BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) chapter and have found it immensely helpful in keeping me in the Word. The key is for me to be in it every day, even for just 5 minutes. I need to recommit myself to this. TODAY.

{4} I am totally rocking this one guys. And just like 1 & 2, it's happening naturally alongside my life without really needing a whole lot of mental energy. I have had a number of commissioned art projects - one of which is due Saturday! - and have been on a photo shoot craze the past several weeks (it is autumn, after all). Here are some pictures I took today:

{5} Well, we all know I failed to do this for every day in the month of October. But I have done my best to keep things minimalist and I'm quick to purge and donate. I've also added some things to my home, but always with much thought and intention. So far so good. 

Alright, enough about me and my goals. The Presidential debate is on. And even though I'm not a citizen (proud Canadian, folks) I still want to watch this showdown. 

Reading Material & Resolutions

Just like most people, I love reading material that captivates me in that can't-put-it-down-ever kind of way. This summer I read some great books and re-read some old favorites. I often alternate between the old and the new, the old more often than not being children's novels I read when I was younger.  One particular series I read every few years is Enid Blyton's Malory Towers (I'm currently on book four of six).

While I'm in the hospital this week, I'm also looking forward to tucking into The Heart of Simple Living by Wanda Urbanska. My hope is that it will inspire me to continue my journey towards well, living simply. I also keep hearing about this e-book on various blogs and since its only $5 (and has gotten so much praise) I think I might just have to invest.

One of my goals for 2012 is also to read a book of the Bible I have yet to read in completion. I haven't decided which yet, but I'm leaning towards something from the Old Testament since I'm more familiar with (and tend to favor) the New. Speaking of that list of goals, I've re-worked and paired down my original list to something more realistic and attainable:

{1} Intentionally build into someone else's life (outside of family) on a practical as well as spiritual level  - i.e. invest time, thought and care into the relationship through communication and acts of kindness.

{2} Get back in shape after having baby (i.e. dust off the elliptical).

{3} Read one book of the Bible I have never read in completion.

{4} Make time for creative projects (photography, drawing, painting... something) 

at least once a month, if not more.

{5} Continue to work towards having "nothing in my house that I do not know to be useful, 

or believe to be beautiful" (as inspired by this).

There are other things I hope for this year, like doing my best to maintain a tidy house or being better about cooking well balanced meals, but I hate to put those things down as "must" do's since they are already daily givens - things I hope to achieve on a regular basis rather something to work towards in the long run. They are also things I know I'll fail at sometimes often, in the wake of adjusting to raising two children under the age of two. So for now, I will keep my list to this simple list of five goals that I hope will enrich the year.

let's try this again.

At the beginning of this year, I was inspired by my cousin Tara to create a list of ten things I wanted to achieve in 2011. I was able to think of four and only managed to achieve .... one. I read 3-5 books (double that, if you count the fact that I read The Little House series for the zillionth time as well as a few Nancy Drew books):

I know it's not quite the end of the year and I still technically have time to achieve the other three goals, but the chances of me "writing a song on the guitar" or "starting and finishing a knitting project" are slim to none - mostly none. The Etsy shop thing is also too far beyond my current priorities to bother with at the moment. {Guess which one (the only one) of Tim's goals he clearly achieved for the year}.

Although 2011's list might have been a complete fail, I'm undeterred and already thinking about a list for 2012. I'd like to try and put down ten this time, though number one might just have to be "Getting through 2012" since I'll be conquering the world of 2 kids under 2 (please say a pray for me that Tim does NOT set the same goal #3 as he did last year).  So far, this is what I've got:

{1} Learn to use my Canon camera on manual and take the next step up with my photography.
{2} Get back in shape after having baby (i.e. dust off the elliptical).
{3} Start or join a home group.
{4} Learn how to make two household products (i.e. laundry detergent).

This time I'm not stopping at four - I will get five* more things down on that list before January 2012. And hopefully in a year's time I'll be able to claim victory over more than just one of them.

* wow can you tell I'm bad at math? It took me about three proof reads before I noticed that 4 + 5 does not = 10. Thankfully I already thought of a fifth anyways:

{5} Finish reading all three of Francis Chan's books (Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, and Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity, and The Things We Made Up)

The List (so far)

I haven't finished the list by any means (so much for the end of weekend deadline) but I've made progress. Here is my list of goals for 2011 thus far, and in no particular order of importance:

{1} Start and finish a knitting project

{2} Write a song on the guitar

{3} Read 3 to 5 books, cover to cover

{4} Open an Etsy shop (and hopefully sell something)

I know these are simple goals, and I'm hoping the other half of the list will be a bit more ambitious and big-picturesque. But for now I don't want to set my sights too high, since having a baby and a husband means that my goals must take their needs into consideration as well. Back in the day, I'm positive this list would have included "Move to a new country" or something of that nature.

Tim's list, thus far, is:

{1} Read the entire Bible

{2} Record an EP with Lauren and Cameron

{3} Get Lauren pregnant

When I suggested we make these lists, he asked whether we were going to share our goals with each other. In consideration of goal No. 3, I'm glad we did. It's good to be in the know for those sorts of matters. Not telling me would also be a just a bit divisive on his part: "What?! I'm pregnant?! How did THIS happen? ...... Tim!!!"

So to all of you out there who heard our speech on the benefits and joys of having just one baby, who felt the force of our vehement defense against your cries of having a "spoiled" and "lonely" child (which I will always disagree with).... apparently, you win. It took Tim less than a month after having Jack to decide that one is not enough and two must be had. He gave up trying to convince me of this a while back and now just states very matter-of-factly that we will unquestionably become a family of four.

And try as I might to convince Tim and myself that this is not the plan I signed up for - that having just one baby is what I truly want, Tim is always quick to catch the beginning of a smile that forms at the corner of my mouth as I ponder the thought of gazing down at another little Myers.

Ten Things.

Inspired by a recent post on my cousin's website, and in light of the jump start I've already gotten on my "year of accomplishment" I've decided to make a conclusive list of ten things I want to achieve this year. I've asked Tim to do the same.


Doing so brings to mind my past affinity for goal.set.achieve. and the adventure that mindset brought to my life. The biggest being my move to England five years ago. Truth be told, I haven't set any big goals since then. Call it what you will, whether lack of vision or the fact that since that time I met, married and had a baby with Tim (which was a dream come true in and of itself), I think it's high time I start dreaming big again.


Dreaming apart from God is unwise, so I want these goals to be pleasing to Him as well, knowing all the while that, from my point of view anyways, they will only be achieved with His help. I've given us until the end of this weekend to make up our individual lists. I haven't decided whether I'll share those lists on here; it will be dependent on how personal the goals turn out to be.


I'm already excited for December 31st, 2011 to see where the list has taken us. I'm hoping for twenty check marks next to twenty dreams!

Resolution Report.

January, thus far, has been a good month for accomplishing the things I set out to do. I received my guitar about a week and a half ago (I'll post a picture soon) and have strummed out a few chords quite nicely. I'm sticking with G and D for now, but feel hopeful that the more time I put into it, the better I'll get at positioning my fingers (reason would stand to agree with me....). The biggest challenge at the moment is that while my fingers are long and can stretch across the frets, they're not exactly nimble and I tend to have to "hand place" them on the strings for more difficult chords. I'm going to assume this gets better with time....


I've also learned the basics of knitting. And for all my apprehension about taking up this hobby, I actually really enjoy it! It's very therapeutic - much like coloring - since its the same repetitive motion and there's not a whole lot of thought involved once you get going. It's also much easier than anticipated. Who knows what sorts of hideous projects I'll create at first?! Tim thinks I'll end up making some sort of large "sleeve" for Jack that just slides over most of his body. A wool sack, if you will. Here are the fruits of my labor thus far:

The next thing I'd like to put into practice is taking time each day to be quiet; to have about a half hour's time each morning to pray and read and listen to God. I have a stack of good books I want to get into including this one and now this one. That's the beauty of working for a church - devotional time is always encouraged.

"... to seek God does not narrow one's life,

but brings it, rather, to the level of highest possible fulfillment."

2011. The Year of Accomplishment.

Today, the first day of 2011, is also the first day of returning to reality. Of going back to life before Facebook when you wrote letters and paid someone a visit instead of silently and secretly staying in touch by watching their life unfold on a wall.


Today is the first day of getting back to one on one time with my world and to spending each day purposefully. It's a return to the life I always want to live but never get around to because I'm too absorbed in watching everybody else's unfold online. I don't want to get to the end of my life - which could be tomorrow or eighty years from now - and realize that most of my free time (or time in general, really) was spent on a website. In virtual non-reality. I don't say all this to make you Facebook users feel guilty.... in fact, I'll happily admit that my break up from Facebook will be a difficult one that I may even regret from time to time. But I also know when something has taken too grand a place in my life than it deserves and virtual social networking is one of them.

Hi my name is Lauren and I'm addicted to Facebook. Or was.

Today is my first day of sobriety.

I'm dubbing these next 365 days "The Year of Accomplishment" and hope I live up to its name. I want to look back on 2011 with a sense of productivity and purpose. I want to know that I gave life my all and was the best of myself in every measure. I want to feel confident, at the end of it all, that very little time was wasted. That every breath, every minute was spent with intentional pursuit of the next.

This year I want to ...

knit.draw.develop.create.love.soak.learn.teach.
submit.sing.strum.seek.pray.laugh.embrace.excel.