New Years Goals

Hello friends!

If you still read this blog, you get a gold star! 2010 wasn't the best year in terms of blogging. Personally, I'm ok with this, because I was so busy with other amazing things in terms of ministry and personal life that I didn't really have time to sit down and blog! But starting today, I'd like to get back in the saddle and write a bunch more.

You could call it a new years resolution, but to be honest I'm not such a big fan of that particular tradition. For one think, I think it's something like 80% of everybody who makes a new years resolution will loose it by the 21st. Not a very encouraging number!

Instead this year, I have a couple of goals that I'd like to accomplish. I'm trying to use them as a marker of success, something tangible that I can actually see and feel good about. And each of these goals is something that the blog will have something to do with, so hopefully it will encourage more writing! So, in no particular order, the goals of 2011!

• Complete the MS 150. I've been getting into bike riding on and off for the last year. A couple of months ago at a dinner, I was talking about how much I was enjoying it, and my friend Travis asked me if I'd like to bike the MS 150 with him. It's a 150 mile ride to raise money and awareness for folks with Multiple Sclerosis. At first, I honestly kind of laughed it off. 150 is a large number of miles. But then I realized that it was something I needed to do. And so with the arrival of an indoor trainer and a fairly strong resolve, I'm in the process of training for the 150 in June. This goal has really impacted a great deal of my daily life. I'm working out 6 days a week, shifting between really hard rides and recovery rides. I'm working on eating better, including not going out to a fast food restaurant this whole month (so far so good on that one!) and eating more fruits and veggies. And even in the winter, I'm taking at least one outdoor ride for 20+ miles. I have a lot of friends helping me out with this, and it's been a great feeling to get back in shape! Soon, I'll have some information as to how you can support me both with encouragement and financially, but at the moment I'm really enjoying the ride!
  
• Write more. At Westminster, we recently picked up a printing press. Pastor Jim joked that we were on the cutting edge of the late 16th century, but still, this thing is going to be cool. Ed and I are working on a bible study/devotional for the season of lent, and I'm also kicking around an idea about a book for how to evangelize as a Presbyterian (we are soooooo horrible at that!). Also, we're working on a new blog for college students, where I will be doing a lion's share of the writing. I really enjoy writing and getting things out on paper, but for the last couple of months I just haven't been in it. It's kind of wacky. This year, most tangibly, I'd like to have more blog posts than I did in 2010. When I'm blogging, I tend to write more in other areas, so we'll start with that!
  
• One on One Time with Students. One of my favorite parts of being a youth pastor is spending quality time one on one with students. Unfortunately, a lot of times I make my schedule in such a way that I don't have time to take kids out or get to hang out with them. I'd like to try to change that this year, by committing to the goal of hanging out with a student one on one at least once a week. By the way, if you're a student and you're reading this, give me a call and we'll get together!
  

Some of those goals are pretty lofty, but I think they're all achievable. What are your goals for the new year?

Godspeed,

Jason