Do You Have Goals and Celebrations?

"'It's a military academy.'

Colt McAlister looked at his dad sideways. They were in Washington, D.C., on what was supposed to be a summer vacation, but this didn't look like the kind of place tourists would visit - especially a sixteen-year-old tourist like Colt. 'I thought you said this was a camp.'"

Where are these first lines from? Answer located right before the massive goal/celebration list.

And yes, Colt's surprise feels like my own sometimes . . . wait, how did I get here? This doesn't look like a tourist stop. 

The Pacific Northwest has been experiencing a dry summer. While the rest of the USA had record snowfall, rains, and flooding, the usually rainy Northwest has had tons of sunshine, warmer temperatures, and not enough rain. If you saw any footage of the dry golf course of the US Open last week, you know what I'm talking about. It's normally green here, but not so much right now. 

So, what does this have to do with goals and celebrations? Or, even better yet, my goal to create more interesting content? Should I create a link for the US Open comment? Would that help draw visitors?  Naw, I should have done it a week ago.

I guess I'm still experiencing a shock at the change of seasons, as well as other events in life. I thought I had a reasonable plan for June, but June has been hotter both in heat and in our family schedule than I realized it would be. I'm looking around sideways and trying to figure out how it got to be the end of the month. 

The Colt McAlister quote is from Invasion by Jon S. Lewis, a YA super-hero vs. aliens speculative fiction novel. 

So, how did I actually do in June? (not just based on my emotional gut feeling about this)

1. Publication goals and celebrations:

June goal:To re-pub my Summer Vacation Devotions booklets that I created way back in 2009 for my old church. 

Goal Accomplished and I decided to send my proceeds to Peace Rehabilitation Center in Nepal. 

Underlying Long-term goal: To get work off my pc and into the world. 

July Goal for this area: I'm putting the third season of my Ashes Burn micro-fiction series into e-book format, but I'm holding off on putting out my fourth season on the Ashes Burn blog until fall.

2. Writing and Write 1 Sub 1 Goals and Celebrations:

June goals: 

Finish revision of Eight if by Sea - I need to add a few more thousand words of description for my editor.

Goal accomplished and the editor is pleased. Eight if By Sea has a tentative September release.

Finish revision of C.D. and DW1, plus write and submit at least one story.

Hahaha - whimper, laugh. Ugh. Definitely didn't get finished with the mammoth revisions. 

Underlying long-term goal: To strengthen my writing skills and finish several projects this year.

July goals:

Finish revision of C.D.

Finish revision of DW1

Write two chapters of DW2

Write and submit for W1S1

3. Marketing goals and celebrations:

June goals: Apply for spot in book fair in July. Make action-items for the rest of the year. Guest post?

1 goal accomplished! I will be at the 7th Annual NW Book Fair on July 25th in Portland! And, signed-up for the Third Annual Puyallup Festival of Books in October.

Action-items - um. Sort of.

Guest post . . . had a lead and dropped it, totally my fault. Sigh.

Underlying goal: To get better at this strange thing called marketing.

July goals: Track down that guest post e-mail, make action-item list for the rest of the year and follow it.

Go to and rock the NW Book Fair without falling over in a nervous sweat. 

Figure out my newsletter.

4. Exercise goals and celebrations:

June Goal: Bike 150 miles, walk 50 miles, get yoga routine back, start swimming/kayaking. Drink more water (not while swimming/kayaking).

Hahaha . . .urg. Didn't happen. 

Biked ten miles. walked 35 miles, tiny yoga amount, only swam once.

Underlying goal: Health and fitness.

July goal: Bike 40 miles, walk 40 miles, get yoga routine back, swim and kayak at least 5 times. Drink more water. (I think this is more reasonable)

5. Invitational goal:

June goal: Invite friends over for at least one backyard barbecue/grill session.

Sort of accomplished . . . 

We had some of my husband's cousins from Wisconsin and my in-laws over for grilled steaks and side dishes. 

I also gave a ride to two teenage kayak/canoe coaches to the Bellingham Regatta last weekend - although they did the asking and I didn't invite so I'm not sure that counts as being more invitational.

Underlying goal: To have an invitational attitude.

July goal: Invite friends and/or family over for dinner/hang-out time.

6. Spiritual goals:

June goal:  Prayer, Bible Study, Cell group, look at volunteer opportunities.

Um, somewhat accomplished three out of the four. 

July goal: same as June. 

June is ending in a blaze just as it started. This weekend includes my oldest daughter's dance recital, and a memorial service for a friend who passed away earlier this month. Larry Claar was a talented musician, a caring husband and father, and a faithful prayer warrior. His death came as a shock. It still doesn't feel real. I feel as if I could walk into worship on Sunday morning and see Larry playing his guitar, beckoning me to come up and sing on the praise team (even if I hadn't practiced and wasn't a regular part of the team), then praying tough and deep prayers in worship and in cell group, and welcoming everyone with a huge smile and a big heart. 

I am celebrating life this month - life in the present with all the craziness of a busy family and life in heaven when I hope and plan to hear Larry play his guitar again. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" performed by Larry Claar.  Please pray for his family to have comfort and hope.

What are you celebrating?