Hi Friends!
So March has flown into action, and I'm here to give you the monthly update on my New Year's Resolutions! Those of you who read my January review might remember that I was pretty on top of it during the first month of the year. February had a whole different pace and set of adventures, so my success rate between goals varies. I'm ok with this, but would still like to keep up the goal setting and achieving. And so without further ado, here's a look at how I did in February.
- Reading 2 books a month. Check. As I mentioned last month, I had started Those Who Save us by Jenna Blum in January and wrapped it up in early February. Traveling Merices came second by Anne Lamott, and I liked it for a few reasons. One: It was a collection of short anecdotes that were easy to dive into as she painted the picture of her own life and faith. Two: It was a great combo of honesty and humor. I thought Anne did a great job of sharing her bumpy, but refreshing road, and I plan to pick up some more Anne Lamott books in the future.
- SheReadsTruth. Check! I Soul Detoxed and am now reflecting on those meditations for a week before #SheReadsTruth starts its next plan called "Songs of Ascent," covering Psalm 120-134. I've continued to share verses and thoughts from the daily devotionals on Instagram and Twitter and have loved reading the responses of others! (Here's a link back to a post about #SheReadsTruth if you are unfamiliar!)
- Church involvement. We've met some very sweet couples and have loved some of the Lenten activities at church! For me, the highlight activity in February was attending two talks by Fr. Leo Patalinghug. I could write 10 posts on Fr. Leo, but to give you a shorter idea of how great he was, I'll just give you a little information about his background. Prior to becoming a priest, Fr. Leo was a martial arts championship title holder and award-winning break dance choreographer. He's a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who formed an apostolate called Grace Before Meals, a motion to strengthen families and communities around the dinner table. And oh yeah, he took on Food Network star Bobby Flay in Throwdown with Bobby Flay...and beat Bobby Flay. Fr. Leo was a HOOT to listen to and if you've got some time, be sure to check out Grace Before Meals or this video to see how he's bringing joy to the table! It's awesome.
- Blog 3 times a week. Nope. But I did have an awesome time spending a few snow days with my cousins, participating in a shopping night for to raise funds for a mission trip through Horizon International fundraiser, and creating some custom designs that I'm excited to share in the near future...all of which I count as positive substitutes!
- Go crazy with my Etsy shop. Yes! I've added some listings and am expanding my product horizons! I still have a couple more items that I'd love to add and hope to have them up by the end of the week. My most exciting news regarding the shop will be attending Making Things Happen in a week!!!!! It's a conference designed to "get you fired up and get you on a powerful path to making big things happen in life and in business." Eeek! The quote above is one by Lara Casey, a leader of the conference, and just reading it makes me excited! I can't wait to go and soak up as much as I can, as well as spend some time in North Carolina with my brother and his fiancee! I'll keep you posted as I prepare!
Sending you warmth and joy!
Caitlin