2012, In Which Danul Will Get His Sh!t Together

Ever since the dawn of this new millennium (is it even new anymore?), each time January rolls around, I have such a hard time wrapping my head around the new year. I can't exactly put my finger on what irks me, but something about saying "two-thousand-twelve" out loud has me thinking I should be wearing a shiny one-piece spacesuit with colored trim a la Zenon: Girl of the Twenty-First Century.

Seriously, does anyone else have this issue? No, just me? Story of my life.

SPEAKING OF WHICH it is that time again. The time when people examine all their pratfalls and shortcomings of the past 365 days and resolve to "do something about it, gosh-dangit." It's funny how little we reminisce about the things we got right in the preceding year. It brings to mind one of the proverbs I took away from summer camp staff training: "people never forget your failures and never seem to remember your successes." It would seem, in our approval-obsessed world, that we place that same that same expectation on ourselves. SHOCKER.

As the trend-bucker I try so hard to be, I have compiled a shortlist of things that made my inner self-critic proud in 2011:

• I have become a bit wiser in how I spend my money. Granted, a lot of it still goes to my movie collection, but not nearly as much or as often as in the past.
• I didn't lose a lot of weight in 2011, but was able to keep myself at a constant weight through sparser-than-it-should've-been exercise and watching what I ate.
• Prayer has become a bigger focus for me. I've spent years looking for a good way to remind myself to pray more. Turns out, writing prayers on my bathroom mirror in dry-erase marker works wonders.
• My summer was a success on every level- the Steger-Priem wedding weekend, summer camp, mission trip with the high schoolers, the Harry Potter finale- all perfect.
• I've come to feel like an actual part of the Longview community, thanks in large to the friends I've made here.
• I GOT A DOG AND I NAMED HIM REMUS AND HE IS ADORABLE AND HIS IS MY REMUS.
• The First Lutheran high school youth program (we call it F.L.Y.) has absolutely taken off this year. It hasn't always been in the direction I'd necessarily envisioned, but I couldn't be happier with the group of kiddos I get to hang out with every Wednesday.

But what kind of New Year post would this be without a list of resolutions? I've been stewing about these for a while and have tried to come up with totally reasonable and easily reachable goals for this, so we'll see.

• First off, I really, really, truly want to write more. You who read this blog are the main reason I write at all. Not to put another resolution on your already-full plate, but I count on your comments and houndings on Facebook to drive me to put words to Word. I'm also working on putting my camp memories down in stories. Those may or may not find their way on to here.
• Second, I need to get into better shape. I know my Lurch-like height allows me certain excuses for weight, but I honestly am not proud when I look in the mirror. So that needs to change. I've downloaded, like, five apps designed to help, and I'm literally snacking on carrots as I write this, so that's a start.
• I also need to read more. I love my time in front of my NEWFORTYINCHFLATSCREEN *ahem* but there's a shelf full of books waiting to be read right next to it that has been guilt-tripping me for months now. Off the top of my head, I'm committing to finally finishing Mockingjay, getting through all of Donald Miller's works, at least starting the Artemis Fowl series, and completing John Eldredge's Wild at Heart.
• Oh, and does it go without saying that I want to continue all the things I got right in 2011? If not, I'm saying it now. Specifically, the praying, the spending, and the maturation of F.L.Y.

Perhaps the most imposing resolution is this last one. I really need to get a handle on where my career is going. Even as I am enjoying the blessing of working in a church that welcomes both my ideas and my idiosyncrasies, I've been pondering whether it's where I'm supposed to be long term (church ministry as a whole, not this FLC specifically).

With that, there's so SO MUCH to consider. With friends droppin' proposals and pumpin' out babies all over the place, I've started thinking about my own future family. Am I in a position to support others? Am I saving enough for a house? A car? AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE DAMN SCHOOL LOANS?!

To be clear, I've no plans to leave my current position; if and when I do, I'll let everyone know. I've been in this job for two years now, and my next step is appearing on the horizon. It'll just be a little longer until God finally reveals what that next step will be.

Retrospectively, this is a pretty heavy list. Here's hoping 2012 is not the end of the world. I'd really be pissed to fulfill all of these only to have the untouched paradise of the Second Coming to look forward to. Though I guess with all that paradise, I'd get over it pretty fast.

But still.

I'd love to file 2012 in the "success" bin. Let's make it happen, Jesus!

-Danul