The Adventures to come in 2014

I am very excited to announce several things I will be doing in the next year.

If you must know, I believe in dreaming big and planning little... Joke. But a lot of this has been on my mind and heart for the past few months. SO, here it goes. I will give you a general overview of what I Plan to do in the next upcoming year.

Social
1) The top number 1 plan of 2014, I am going to smile more. This sounds so corny but I have met with so many people the past two years who have NO CLUE that they are worth smiling about. It is as a professor once told me and later a Pastor "A smile indicates to that person, they are worth smiling about!"

It is my simple plan of showing people they matter.

2) I will get married this year. JOKE, but I have made a point to at least go on dates. I have not really made time for this in my life. I use to not really care, but recently, I guess you could say, I have started to care? So, needless to say, I have created a simple application for women to fill out.... Obviously that was a joke, probably came from my insecurity of talking about this subject publicly.

3) I am going to dance more!!  Seriously, I love dancing. NOW, I am not talking about the grinding their booty into my body dance. I want to look the person in the face that I am dancing with. Nothing is better!

4) I will try my hardest to see my parents, brothers and sister-in-laws, and all my nieces and nephews at least once every 6 weeks. I want to see them play soccer, go to school events. I want to see them grow up! Those kids really do mean the world to me!

4.5) I will try to see my extended family at a minimum three times in the next year! Even if it is for a day! (It does help that most live in Florida)

5) I will try to eat at one new restaurant and try some new food, once a month. Even if I find it to be repulsive, I will try it. Unless it is tofu. OK, maybe tofu.

6) I am going to cook a HUGE meal for as many people who can show up. It will be southern style. It will have sweet tea. And you will be invited!

7) I need to visit friends who live in different parts of the country!

Adventure
1) I plan to visit four countries I have never visited before. Here is the best part.... I am going to let my subscribers/facebookers/twitterers decide two of them. I am going to let my jr highers decide the other two. SO... Start thinking of places to send me. While I am there, I will have to do one crazy thing.... That you all will vote on as well.

2) I am going to hike a mountain. One in 'Merica, one not in 'Merica. Yes, I will conquer this fear of heights by hiking some pretty tall mountains. And, I will do so by bravely crying ever shaken step of the way. Unless my hands are cold, then I will just want to punch something out of anger, and no fear will be involved.

2.5) I will jump off a cliff into water.

3) I am going to Kayak for several days. I want to plan a several day kayaking trip where we Kayak pretty far (or by myself). I haven't kayaked since college, and I am craving it!!

4) I am going to fish. Deep sea fishing, shallow sea fishing, lake fishing. I will also learn to fly fish. I am excited!!

5) Jack Caron will be teaching me to golf.... I hope I do not swear during the process.

6) I am going to play soccer with some kids in the slums in one of the countries I visit. Naturally I will destroy them, but if they win, I will admit to a tie.

7) I plan to finish my reading list (about 16 books behind, currently in the middle of 5 books)

Missional
I plan to create two partnerships this year internationally, two partnerships domestically and two partnerships locally.

1) Internationally: International Justice Mission will be an organization that I partner with. I will also be partnering with an Orphanage. The ONLY problem is, I will probably want to adopt 90% of the children.

2) Domestically: I want to help a few friends who will be starting their Social Enterprise/Non-profit within the next few months. I will also be looking into

3) Locally: I know some areas that I really want to help in. But I am looking into groups like Tubmen, who help families who are displaced from their homes due to domestic violence. I also want to do more with Food Banks. SO if you know of areas needing help, let me know!

I want to also point out one thing, if none of these happen or all of these happen, I will be grateful to the fact that I went into this year having a family that loves me, friends that support me, a job, a car, shelter, and free flights....

Now... The question is... Who wants to join me? Who wants to add to this adventure? I am willing to change parts of this, invite you in on this and thoroughly enjoy every part!!

So, join me in the adventure of 2014!!