About two months ago, I ambitiously outlined by bucket list for the summer. A normal summer bucket list might include goals such as "get tan," or "read a new book." The 7th-grade-overachiever within me would not allow such insipid items to fall upon the list. Maybe I should have though, because now 7th-grade-overachiever me is cringing as I look at my bucket list from the beginning of the summer and see that I've pretty much failed.
Time to own up!
Summer Bucket List 2012 - Checking In
1. Love People
"I want to hand out compliments left and right, and maybe a hug or five."
Have I done that? Not exactly. I have loved people, though. I have loved people who I never would have thought I would love and received love from people who I never thought would have loved me back--if that makes any sense. I'm giving myself half-credit on this one.
2. Love Jesus...really Love Jesus.
"Why wouldn't I want to spend more time then with the God who loves me so much that he sent his son to die for me so that I could be in relationship with him and experience that love?"
Precisely. And what does it mean to love-really-love Jesus? To be obedient, to trust, to have faith despite distractions, despite life. It is hard, but it has become easier, especially when He fills my thoughts when I wake and when I rest.
But this still is not from anything I have done, it is the power of His Holy Spirit dwelling within me that continuously pulls me near the Father's love. God has grown me this summer, and while I cannot claim achievement of this second goal upon my list, I can claim that it has been achieved--achieved by Him.
"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his might power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" Ephesians 3:20.
"This summer I will work on my novel."
Nope. The notes and drafted passages of my cheesy-but-deliciously-fun-to-write love story still sits upon the shelf, untouched. I'm writing this post though, and I've written in my journal quite a bit (even if I may still be a month behind as far as recording significant life events is concerned). Third-credit? Quarter-credit? Have mercy.
4. Blog.
Half-credit. courtneyhlebo.com still lies dormant, but I have at the very least updated this beast regularly.
5. Read.
"I plan to finish reading ... this summer."
At least two-hundred more pages to go. Why is this so painful? I like parts of it, but. I have read though--and edited for my internship. I suppose I'll let that count.
6. Bake, cook, eat, and share.
"I will be making a fruit tart when I go home in the next week and a half (Gma's favorite)..."
That still hasn't happened, and I somewhat doubt it will. I did make a decadent dessert though. See here. So, once again, half-credit.
FINAL SCORE: 3.75/6 = 63%
Oh dear, and I only earned that because of my full credit on the second item, credit that I didn't even earn really but received by the grace of God.
But if summer is meant to be a time of vacation and laziness, I'll allow myself to believe that barely passing is OK.
