U is for Update and V is for Veneration

Well, this will be a quick, quick post because I have a "W" all lined up in my mind (which also means I'm caught up!).

The U is for update, which is an update on my 30 before 30.

1. Read 30 books. 
In April, I read...
The Kitchen House / Let's Just Pretend This Never Happened / 

2. Do at least one non-meal Pinterest craft every month. 
In April I took this pin as inpiration: 

So, I'm going to frame it and put these pictures on either side:

the first time the Sarge saw the (Pacific) ocean
at our first duty station in California

Our first time visiting the Atlantic ocean together
in Cocoa Beach, FL

12. Answer the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind". 
As of April, I have answered about one of these so.. yeah.. not much in the way of progress, but it's more than nothing!

19. Establish wills for myself and the Sarge. 
Sergeant J did his this month. So we're half way there.

21. Paint/finish the bathroom. 
YAY!! This one is actually done!! Read the post here: 

23. Buy a dress that makes me feel pretty.

26. Get promoted with Perfectly Posh. 
The goal is to get promoted to Pink Plus 3. I got promoted to Pink Plus 2 at the end of March and it was official April 10th(ish)! So yay!!

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And, since I don't have much time, the "V" for veneration will be short. 

But recently I've been really convicted about what takes precedence in my life, and what should. Veneration means to hold something in high esteem, or even to worship it. 

Jesus tells us that where our treasure is, our heart also is (Matt 6:21). Since in our culture time is money, it seems to me that where we spend our money and our time says a lot about what we value and what's important to us.

What do I spend my time and money on?

-The first thing I do when I wake up is often check my phone/facebook.
-I have be known to buy video games at full price because I want them as soon as they come out.
-Sometimes I go on App "shopping sprees", easily spending $10 or more on apps that I probably use one or two times. Not a very good steward!
-Often when I can't sleep, I "kill time" on the computer.

We are to be good stewards of what we've been given, including time. Time wasted on the things I listed is time NOT spent "binding" the words of God on my arms and forehead (or in my heart); it's time I'm not serving (or even thinking about) others. What is important to me? I mean... what is REALLY important to me? Not just in word, but in deed?

Am I proud of these things? NO. But I want it to be clear that I'm not just writing these types of posts to preach to you, I'm preaching to myself as well. My seminary's PhD program requires students to chronicle every hour of every day for three months. I'll bet that is a pretty eye opening exercise for people who have dedicated their "lives" to service to God and the Good News of the Gospel.

What do you venerate??