Day 1

Welcome to my blog.  Why would I write a blog?  Well, it is not because I have an innate desire to write a blog and I certainly do not have a desire to do something "techy." I have no great philosophy or wisdom to share that has not already been shared. No, it's more of a discipline I need for myself.  You see, I read a book by Lu Ann Cahn this past December titled "I Dare Me."  Here is a bit of what I read that hooked me: "From the outside, my life at 53 looked fine. I had a good job. I had plenty of acccompishments as a journalist. My marriage of 25 plus years was stable. Physcally, there was nothing wrong.  And yet in 2009 everything was wrong.  I felt lost, angry and frustrated... For the first time in my life I felt old and out of touch.  Worst of all, I did not like this version of myself. I had survived having my entire large intestine removed when I as 33.  I had survived breast cancer at 35. I had survived kidney cancer at 45. I should have been dancing every day like Gene Kelley in Singing in the Rain just to be breathing, right? But I wasn't. Perhaps it was because I had survived all of that that I was even more distressed.  Days, weeks and months were going by and I wasn't appreciating or enjoying them. I didn't want to get out of bed. I also knew being stressed and unhappy for that long wasn't good for my head or my health. And I didn't have time to move to Italy to go find myself, or meditate on my navel in Bali. Still, something had to give: I had to figure out how to get unstuck."

OK, so maybe I don't feel lost, angry and frustrated.  I do feel that I should be living a more joyful life. I have so many reasons to be joyful. I have a great family that I love and enjoy very much. I married way over my head and am grateful that I did.  Marriage is fun for Laura and I and it is not something that we have to "work" at.  I am a follower of Jesus and pastor a great church that is very loving and appreciative. So, I have so much to be joyful about and I am, but not as much as I think I should be.  As a follower of Jesus, I believe strongly that life with Christ should be an adventure and it bothers me that my life may seem boring to others; especially to my children and church family. Even worse than seeming boring is that it is boring too often.That's probably pretty normal for someone in their 50's but I am not a big fan of normal. I want to break out of normal and live a more fulfilling and adventuresome life.  I just can't imagine the disciples of Jesus witnesssing His miracles, hearing His teachings and seeing the impact He had on people and being bored with that.  I would think that 5000 people following you and others wanting to kill you would be more than boring. I rather think they were walking around with their heads spinning wondering what was coming next.

This is where Lu Ann's book comes in.  She wrote how doing something every day that she had not done before recharged her life. So, that is what this blog is about. I am going to attempt to do something every day for the next year that I have never done before. It will be a year of firsts.  Here is a word of explanation.  I am borrowing a few of Lu Ann's rules for myself.  I do not plan on doing anything that I have to sign a piece of paper that has the words "in the event of death" on it.  I am not an adrenaline junkie nor am I a naturally adventuresome person.  This is to help me break out of some of the predictable routines of my life not an outlet for my naturally adventuresome spirit. The problem is that I am naturally too tame.  I have no desire to jump out of an airplane or wrestle an alligator.

If there is something I have not done in the last 15-20 years, it can count as a first.  Climbing a tree at 53 is a different experience than climbing a tree at 9.

I also reserve the right to pull out something that I have done in the last month. There were several firsts there that I might write about.

So, here I go. I am going to attempt to do something every day for the next year that I have never done before.  Some will be pretty small like trying a new food or drink.  Others may be bigger like conquering a fear.  If you choose to read this blog and it brightens your day or encourages you a bit, I'll be grateful. If not, you won't have wasted much time.

So, my first for this first day is writing a blog.  I have never written a blog about doing something new every day for a year. I have never written a blog about anything. I am afraid I will run out of ideas in a short time. I am excited about the possibility of this being a year that I will always remember as a year of abundant living in Jesus. I am praying for the abundant life deal over the "I'm out of ideas" thing.

If you want to suggest things I might try, feel free to do so.  If you do, please don't be offended if I don't take your suggestions.

Looking for more abundant life in Him

Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. A recent supper at TJ Ribs with Joel
2. Staying up with Hannah Grace and welcoming the new year in.
3. A friend who tips $100 to a waitress in need