The Single Life: Autumn Bucket List 2014
The kids are back in school, and this weekend is Labor Day weekend which is considered the unofficial end of summer. It is a time when people pull out their autumn bucket lists. The ones that are filled with hayrides, bonfires, apple picking, etc.
For the last couple of years I have made my own autumn bucket lists. This year I plan to do something a little different with my autumn bucket list.
This year the Lord has been teaching me a lot about community and relationships so I want this year’s bucket list to be focused on relationships and community building and loving others. It is more about being a doer of the Word than simply a hearer or reader of the Word.
1) Crochet 30 hats for children with cancer in September.
2) “Adopt” a country and learn about it. I am praying that I get to go on a mission’s trip to Guatamala in March with the church that I grew up in so I am going to “adopt” Guatamala for the next 6 months. I plan to brush up on my Spanish. Learn about the country. Learn about its customs, food, and people. I also plan on learning more about the orphanage that they are going down to help. Maybe even sharing about it here on the blog.
3) Have a “hometown” mission trip. Everybody has heard of a staycation where you take your vacation in the city that you live. Well, what if we did the same thing with a mission trip? I’m not talking about passing out tracts or Bibles to people that you pass in the street. I’m thinking more like spending a week volunteering at a homeless shelter or weekends serving at a local food pantry.
4) Start a gratitude journal. I have started gratitude journals at different times in the last few years. I want to be a more grateful person, but sometimes it is hard for me to see the gifts in front of me. I have decided to start using Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare Collection and my camera to start a visual journal by taking photos everyday of the things on her list. (And hopefully adding in a few things of my own.)
5) Have a Sole Hope shoe cutting party. At a shoe cutting party, you take old jeans and cut them out for Sole Hope’s shoemakers to make shoes with. Then with a donation of $10 you send the cut out denim to Sole Hope. From there they use them to make shoes for children in Uganda.
6) Start a book club. I love reading, and I believe that starting a book club will be a great way for me to reach out and start rebuilding my community. Now that my grandmother is doing so much better I’m hoping that I can be more involved with things outside the house.
7) Join a Bible study or start my own.
8) “Boo” a neighbor.
9) Have a fall “carnival” or find one to volunteer for. I love the idea of hosting a “carnival” for the neighborhood kids on Halloween or one weekend around then, but I might just wait to see if the church I have been attending has one that I can volunteer at first.
10)Start or join a card ministry. I have been participating in the #fmfpartysnailmail. In the party we mail cards on a weekly basis to someone on our list. There are 8 people on each list so that is one card per week for 7 weeks. It has been so much fun and so encouraging to send and receive these cards. I have decided that I want to do this on my own. I’m going to write up a list of people to send cards to and then send at least one per week.
11) Have a football party. I love football, and the KC Chiefs are my favorite team. I want to check the schedule and then plan a Sunday to invite some friends over to watch the game.
12)Make autumn cookies with my niece and nephew.
13)Have a monthly Girls’ Day/Night with my mom & sister.
14)Organize photos with my grandmothers.
15) Start a prayer journal. My relationship with my Heavenly Father is the most important relationship in my life, but spending time in focused prayer is not a strength with me. I used to keep a prayer journal that I wrote in sporadically, but I’m thinking I need to learn more discipline in this area and start journaling on a daily basis.
What are some of the things that you have on your autumn bucket list?
25 Comments
Blog of an Overcomer
I need to start something similar. Need to do a post about what I actually read as opposed to what I really wanted to read. Need to get back into blogging more. Thanks for the great ideas! Have a question though: what is ” “boo” a neighbor”?
Misty
“Boo”ing a neighbor is when you leave an anonymous gift for a neighbor around Halloween. Usually something like homemade cookies or candy but can be something else. You also leave them a little note that says they have been “boo”-ed and asking them to “boo” someone in return. It is a great way to do a random act of kindness for the people in your neighborhood.
Blog of an Overcomer
Ohhh, well that’s nice! Thanks for sharing. I had never heard of it before. 🙂
welcomesue
love your list – you better hope for a longgg Fall – now, what will you do if you don’t check them all off? (: Fall is my Fav. I just hung my Fall front door decor (maybe bec of your post! I should’ve put it on my list!) even tho it’s 81 today… I’ll try boo- ing, too! blessings, misty! thanks for reaching out!
Misty
Hi, Sue! I can already tell you that I probably won’t get to everything on my list this autumn, but if I don’t I’m okay with that. I never have completed everything on a seasonal bucket list before. I’m learning to be more intentional and that is what a lot of this list is about being more intentional in my relationships and serving others.
welcomesue
And I think that’s great and what we need our lists for. To be intentional! You’re a great example !
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Sharita ~7DaysTime (@7DaysTime)
Girl, we are cut from the same clothe. I am a total sucker for bucket lists, seasonal or otherwise. I started my “official” life bucket list as a senior in high school. Although that was before the term “bucket list” was popular. I think I just called it my “Things-to-do-before-I-die” list. 🙂
I love these suggestions and already do some, like the gratitude journal. I started my 1000 gift list in Nov 2011 after reading Ann’s book and just recently crossed 4000 gifts on my list.
Love this inspiration and encouragement– you motivate me to face fall with enthusiasm! Thanks for sharing this over at #EverydayJesus.
Misty
It amazes me that you have 4000 gifts on your list. I keep starting gratitude journals. I will get about 20 on my list and then quit. It is something that I really need to work on.
Lux
Nothing like an amazing list to give you a drive everyday. This is a wonderful list and I hope you’ll be able to tick off each one this Autumn. Life abundantly! 🙂
Misty
Thank you, Lux!
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Susannah
Wow – how fabulous to have your bucket list focusing on others! This really challenges me to think outside of myself. Thanks for linking up with the Faith and Fellowship blog hop!
Rachel G
I think this is an excellent, excellent kind of bucket list to work on during this season. Go for it!
Misty
Thank you, Rachel!
Buife
Misty, this is totally a great list! I find the one about 30 hats inspiring–like, it’s something I can totally do.
About learning Spanish, is it easy…? I’d really love to learn another language other than English and my native language–Ibo.
Misty
I took Spanish classes in high school and college so really I just need to start practicing again, and I thought it was easy to learn.
Wanda W.
I hadn’t heard of booing a neighbor before Misty. Reading your list is so inspiring girl. I especially like the idea of the card ministry and hometown missions. And I totally need to get back to cooking cookies with my nieces and nephews.
Misty
Hi, Wanda, and thank you! I found the “boo”-ing a neighbor on Pinterest a couple of years ago.
Michelle F
I like the looks of your Autumn Bucket List. Great idea!
Praying you’ll be able to go to Guatemala and looking forward to posts about it.
What do you suggest for the `Boo` your neighbor?
Have a great weekend!
Misty
Thank you, Michelle! For the “Boo” your neighbor, I would say that it depends on how well you know your neighbor. If you don’t know your neighbors well, I would start with cookies, some type of baked good, candy, a plant or a small basket of fall flowers. If they are new to the neighborhood, make a “Welcome to the neighborhood” basket with things that they could use around the house. The dollar stores are always a good place to get things like that inexpensively. Obviously, the better you know your neighbors the more you can personalize it.
The Curried Nut
Brilliant list! 🙂 I stumbled across your blog from the SITS Girls and can tell I am going to be a repeat visitor!
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Dakota Smith
I am so blessed to have found this blog, I am also 30 something, single and thirsty for more connection with othe single people. What a fun way to connect with other single believers all over the world.
Misty
Hi, Dakota! Thank you so much. I need to get back to writing again and plan on it soon.