New Year

So, this is the new year (cue Death Cab for Cutie song, circa 2003). I must say ,there isn't that much to update the world on regarding the life of the Lyles and you know what, I'm ok with that. I actually feel accomplished in the fact that I have been intentionally restful, present, and not overbooked for the past few weeks. While the month of December was fun, it was also jam packed with appointments, parties, dinners, and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Don't get me wrong- I loved Christmas and all of the joy that it brings, but I love stopping to enjoy the season in all its glory too. So, the week of Christmas I scheduled my self to be not-scheduled. I literally came home to do nothing each night, aside from baking the occasional sugary treat or binge watching my ever growing collection of holiday films. It was magical. After that week of intentional introverted stillness, I have decided that while I still love to be the social butterfly of the town- I also benefit from deliberate rest and want to continue that in the new year. I also made a few other New Year resolutions. I hope that by sharing them and by writing them down here, it makes it more concrete for me and will serve as a visual reminder to stay on track. Some of them are kooky, some of them have been trialed and have honestly failed in the past, but I'm going to give them all my darndest this year. This year, I also decided that I needed to be more conscious and calculated when it came to my resolutions. So, every single resolution has a why behind it. I also wanted to ensure that my goals included a relational one (what good is an accomplishment if you can't share it with your neighbor?), a spiritual growth component and a challenge for my intellect and physical being (what sort of a new year's resolution list is complete without some sort of physical goal? Am I right?).

Resolutions: aka Intentional and Deliberate Plans to Challenge Myself to an Adventure

-Read More: Why?: As long as I'm living, I should be learning. I also feel that since I spend countless hours on the Metro going to and from work and everywhere in between, I should spend the time usefully. So far I have read 4 books, joined a book club for accountability, and have started to beef up my Amazon wish list (recommendations welcome).

-Learn Calligraphy: Why? Call me an old Southern Belle, but the lost art of regular correspondence is one that I cherish. I also feel like I need to touch base with my artsy roots and challenge myself to learn a new craft. Plus, the bonus is that I know that I can regularly share the fruits of my learned labor with others.

-Make Physical Exercise a Habit: Why? I'm officially in my late 20's and that metabolism doesn't get any faster with age. I also allow money to flow out of my account and straight to the neighborhood gym each month. So, I'm basically throwing money down the drain and doing nothing good for myself by not going.

-Answer to Leadership Opportunities in the Church: Why? When we were in Birmingham, John and I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of a church plant. Through that experience, we had possibilities to serve in the church (being a greeter, playing with the band). So, when we moved here and started going to a larger church- we still longed to play more of a role in the church.

Cheers to striving for an intentional adventure and another wonderful week in the District.


"So everybody put your best suit or dress on
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
As thirty dialogs bleed into one

I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then i could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speed trains, or freeways
There'd be no distance that could hold us back."