30 by 30 List: Month 9

Seriously, month 9!?!  How did that happen?  Three months from now is the big day....deep breaths, Tiffany.  Deep breaths.  For now, let's take a look at what I was able to knock off the list in July.

4.  Check 5 items off my bucket list (5/5 completed!)

That's right kids....5 bucket list checkmarks have been crossed off the list.  The final two were obtained in July when I went dancing at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth and got two articles published in a magazine.  Love getting those checkmarks!

Billy Bob's Texas - July 2013

7.  Read 24 more books (12/24 completed).

Yikes.  I better get my reading in gear!  This month, I read a book by one of my favorite church figures--Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York--called A People of Hope. 

I thought it was fabulous.  I mean, seriously great.  Maybe the best explanation I've read on the Church's position on various hot button issues.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants a better understanding of Christianity or the Church or Cardinal Dolan.  A few of my favorite quotes:

What I really believe is that God never calls you to do something without giving you the grace to do it.

I can never reduce another person entirely to his or her political positions.

I'm not the kind of guy who goes looking for conflict, but if you're asking me if I'm willing to take a stand sometimes in order to try to keep the Church's door open as wide as possible, then the answer is yes.

There aren't too many things that can't be solved, or at least calmed down, over a couple of beers and a cheeseburger on the patio.

It may plant a seed of reconciliation that will take  years to flower, but the fact that it's been planted is important.  Sometimes we can get so caught up in a managerial way of looking at things, concerned with efficiency and returns on investment and so on, that we forget to also look at our choices through the eyes of faith.  From the point of view of faith, time spent in reaching out to the lost and hurting is never lost time.

We need to constantly be reaching out, constantly be willing to talk, constantly striving to make our lofty language about the Church as a family a reality.

I think one of the things we should not be afraid to do is to let people know that we have struggles and we have doubts.

(Discussing his niece fighting bone cancer)  I never doubted that God was in charge, but I was really somewhat vexed at the way he was running this.

There are times you, Jesus, don't make much sense at all, and I just love second-guessing you, but I've come to believe that even though sometimes it doesn't make a lot of sense with you, it makes utterly no sense without you, and I don't know where else I'd go.

Question:  So it's not like Pope John Paul II, if I came to your chapel in the middle of the night, I wouldn't find you prostrate on the floor in the shape of a cross?
Cardinal Dolan's answer:  Not unless I had fallen out of bed because I had too many beers!

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month (9/12 completed).

The Boy from Texas sunburned himself twice in the last month.  Like, bad sunburned himself.  I told him to put aloe on it.  He said he didn't have anything in his house except for soap, toothpaste and deodorant.  Seriously, how has natural selection not taken care of every unmarried male on the planet?  Anyway, I decided that was not acceptable and put together a little care package of items that belong in a bathroom for injuries/sunburns/etc. I threw in a picture of us and some snacks for good measure and girlfriend bonus points.

9.  Eat in 10 new restaurants (16/10 completed).

Ahh, this one brings back happy memories.  It's amazing I don't weigh 500 pounds guys.  Seriously.  First, up is a sandwich/salad place here called Newks.  I went with one of Super Mom's friends for lunch and it was amazing.  I had seriously one of the best chicken salad sandwiches I've ever had on bread that must be what the angels serve in Heaven.  For real, it was that good.

Next up we have a place in Ft. Worth called The Woodshed that Ski Trip John recommended.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  It was amazing.  Great bbq sandwiches, homemade chips, live music, a table overlooking the river, it was seriously an awesome lunch.  Plus, add in this little cutie who spent lots of time sitting with Aunt Tiff and it just couldn't have been much better!

Me and Mr. Animal House's family at The Woodshed

13.  Create a gallery wall (again).

Okay, I know I already checked this one off my list.  Twice.  But I put together a cute gallery wall at my office of canvas prints of some of my favorite photographs and wanted to share!

29.  Bring home a bouquet of flowers once a month (9/12 completed).

The flower purchasing continued with this pretty summer bouquet from HEB.  Fresh flowers just make a home a happier place!