Friday, March 12, 2010

Project 101 in 1001: The List



As I wrote my List of 101 goals, I constantly reminded myself of some important things:

Firstly, I focused on two Bible verses about making plans.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.“ - Proverbs 16:9

“'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” - Jeremiah 29:11 (emphasis mine)


Secondly, these “plans” of mine are firmly set in jello. In other words, life happens, things change and sometimes my plans don’t work out. I’m making a pledge now that I am going to be okay with that, even if it means everything on my List doesn’t get checked off.

Thirdly, there were some long-term goals that I wanted to focus on while constructing the List:
  • Staying home with our future kids while working from home part-time to contribute to family income
  • Having more flexibility to serve, travel and go on mission trips
  • Give more of my life and comfort for the benefit of others

And lastly, my 1001 Days will be completed about seven months before my 30th birthday. I think this is a pretty cool way to bring in the year of the Big 3-0.

So, without further ado – here is the List.

Project 101 in 1001
Launch Date: March 10, 2010
End Date: December 5, 2012


Personal Goals 
1. Create a blog to chronicle Project 101 in 1001  
2. Blog a personal/life update once-a-month for six months
3. Take a sewing class 
4. Sew an article of clothing and wear it in public  
5. Take an exercise class  
6. Take a class about using coupons 
7. Use at least one coupon for every grocery purchase for four weeks
8. Learn how to use the espresso machine 
9. Learn to ski or snowboard 
10. Hike Fossil Creek 
11. Hike the trail in Gisela, AZ and float back down on the river 
12. Go to a rock gym or go climbing on actual rocks 
13. Do the “Daniel Diet” – eat only fruits, vegetables and water for 10 days 
14. Make dinner two nights a week for one month
15. Try a new recipe once a week for one month

16. Read ten books off of the BBC’s Top 100 Books list 
17. Watch ten movies off of the AFI’s list of 100 Top Movies 
18. Attend five plays, musicals, or symphonies  
19. Attend a show at Ethington Theatre (the theatre at my alma mater) when it re-opens 
20. Act in a play 
21. Attend an Art Walk in downtown Scottsdale and dress to the nine 
22. Clean/organize the guestroom closet 
23. Clean/organize the bedroom closet 
24. Organize and pack costumes and old clothes at mom and dad’s house 
25. Before my annual dentist appointment - floss every night for 30 days  
26. Do a ten-day “Media Fast” – no TV, movies or non-work-related internet use 
27. Scrapbook three pages a week for six weeks 
28. Finish the photo album from our honeymoon 
29. Build/maintain a garden on our back porch 
30. Get up at 6:00am every weekday for two weeks and have breakfast/devotionals on the back porch 
31. Pack a lunch for work every day for three weeks 
32. Get a professional massage 
33. Get a pedicure on the first day of summer 
34. For Christmas one year, hand-make all gifts 
35. Start a recycle bin at home 
36. Find a ministry to serve in (see goals 60-62) 
37. Read the Bible once a day, every day, for 30 days 
38. Memorize ten passages of scripture 
39. Read Calm My Anxious Heart 
40. Grow hair out

Relational Goals 
41. Have friends over for dinner four times, over the course of two months
42. Go sailing with Lynn and Bob 
43. Have a weekly date night with Devin for at least 6 months
44. Go on 20 of the dates listed in the books Dates on a Dime and Coffee Dates for Couples 
45. Watch the marriage series Love and Respect with Devin or with a small group 
46. Host a “How to Host a Murder” dinner party 
47. Have a Back to the Future party with friends and watch all three movies in one day 
48. Baby-sit Joshua (my nephew) at least ten times
49. Organize a game of laser tag with friends 
50. Take swing dancing lessons with Devin 
51. Send Jordan, Julia and Katie (my youngest siblings) a card for every major card-selling holiday in 2011
52. Make a real friend at church (not just an acquaintance)

Financial Goals 
53. Attend a class on Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University with Devin 
54. Live six months radically frugal 
55. Tithe 10% of income every month
56. By the end of 1001 days, have enough saved for a house down-payment (including closing and moving costs - estimated $20,000 or more)

Others-Focused Goals
57. Write my Compassion sponsor children once a month for a year
58. Write a thank you letter to five people who have made a difference in my life
59. Send hand-written notes of encouragement to five friends/family members 
60. Volunteer at an local orphanage or foster home center
61. Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center
62. Locate a local theatre ministry and attend a production
63. Go on a mission trip with Devin
64. Give up buying coffee for four weeks and give the money I save to Mocha Club. (This will provide approximately fourteen Africans with clean water for one year!)
65. For my birthday one year, ask for cash and donate it to House of James Orphanage
66. Serve breakfast to the homeless
67. Join the Peace Feast Project and eat at five different Middle Eastern restaurants
68. Organize a food, toy or diaper drive for a charity at Christmas time
69. With Devin, donate a bridal session to an underprivileged couple
70. With Devin, donate a portrait session to an underprivileged family
71. With Devin, donate family portraits to the families staying at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital
72. Find a ministry that needs graphic design an donate 20 hours of services

Business Goals
73. Make enough beaded crosses to sell at Easter and Christmas
74. Learn to make jewelry
75. Have a jewelry party
76. Sell my own work at a craft show
77. Learn to draw caricatures
78. Start doing Lady Jennifer shows again
79. Attend the Phoenix Wedding Expo with Devin to gather ideas for design and photography
80. Create samples of invitations, announcements and cards
81. Launch invitation-designing side of business
82. Design something new, for fun, every week for eight weeks
84. Create freelance design website
85. Launch freelance design business
86. Create/print promotional materials for freelance design business
87. Attend a Creative Connect
88. Enter a design competition
89. Have Devin teach me more about photography- specifically composition and lighting
90. Create a “look-book” of photography ideas/inspiration
91. Shoot at least five weddings with Devin
92. Work from home full-time

Travel Goals
93. Visit Compassion sponsor girls in Uganda
94. Visit New England in the fall
95. Take a “flip a coin” road trip with Devin
96. Take a trip to South Carolina to visit Stephanie, Daniel and Mia
97. Go camping in Yosemite National Park (my favorite camping spot)
98. Go camping in Woods Canyon Lake (Devin’s favorite camping spot)
99. Stay at a bed-and-breakfast as a weekend get-away with Devin
100. Take a “Girls Trip” with girl friends
101. Plan a surprise get-away with/for Devin

(too see how I'm coming along on these goals, click here)

12 comments:

  1. WOW! Jennifer. Way to go! And your "first three important things" should keep it all in perspective because the only thing certain for THIS life is uncertainty. But our God remains unchanged. (Ps. 102:27)

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  2. Love this, Jen! So many of these are things I'd put on my own list (if I were half as ambitious as you).

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  3. @Marla Taviano - Come on now - between the two of us, only one of us is a multi-published author and has visited 52 Zoos in 52 Weeks... and it ain't me!

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  4. This is so awesome, Jen! I'm getting inspired to make a list myself, although I can't imagine coming up with 101 things. Maybe 25. :)

    Goals that make me smile: #22,23,24 (if only there was an area left in my house that needed organizing...), #32, 33 (a little pampering is crucial), #39 (goodbye anxiety, hello peace!), #74, 75 (yay for jewelry!), and OF COURSE #96! I think that's the best one on there!

    I can't wait to be updated on your progress!

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  5. Great verses to go along with this list. I also love how you've divided them up and mixed the serious with the fun with the God/spiritual focused.

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  6. FYI, we own the Love and Respect DVD series!

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  7. I also liked your three important things to keep in mind when making a list of goals. We should make goals, but keep our palms open, let God be in control and allow Him to change them in the process if He wants.

    You have inspired me to make a list of goals for myself! I don't want my days to slip away from me and for me to look back and think of all the time and potential I wasted. I'm so excited about keeping up with your blog! How often are you planning on updating it?

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  8. Grandmother RobisonMarch 13, 2010 at 9:31 AM

    Jen, I'm so proud of you. However, I'm very disappointed not to find " a visit to Dallas" listed as one (or several) of your projected plans.

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  9. @Bethany - I should be completing about three goals every month in order to stay on track. So I'll be blogging at least that often! Can't wait to hear what sort of goals are on YOUR list :-)

    @Grandma - Of course we are taking a visit to Dallas! It just isn't on the List because it's a trip we already assumed we'd be taking (Christmas trip).

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  10. What awesome goals! Wow! I can personally say I have done several of these myself and have felt like a better person! YOU CAN DO IT! I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOU :)

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  11. oh.. AND ANOTHER THING.. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO DO THIS! SHESH! NOW... MY TURN :)

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  12. This is such a great idea! You've inspired me to take a look at where I am in life and where I'd like to be. Also, I have to say that my favorite is #96 but that's mainly because I'm from SC lol.

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