What story am I telling with my life?

A year ago I read Donald Miller's A Million Miles In a Thousand Years---a great book that explores the concept of seeing our lives as narrative. If our lives are narrative, a story---then we should want it to be a compelling one.

I've been trying to live more intentionally and to be more conscious of the story I'm telling. While I have made good progress towards writing a better story, I'm still not 100% satisfied the story I'm telling. I realize there is more to be written.

I want to help people more. This morning I heard an excellent story on NPR about a 22 year old American woman who has moved to Uganda and is now parenting 13 orphaned girls. It's an inspiring story---I don't need to move to Uganda, but when I die, I want people to say---"wow, she really helped people" and mean it.

I want to take more logical risks (yes, I realize how ridiculous this sounds). I ran across an editorial (again on NPR) from an intern who happens to be from Lincoln---this led me to browse the job openings with NPR, and I have to admit---I was jealous of this Nebraska girls' opportunity. Earlier this week I checked out PhD programs at the University of Iowa, Michigan State, and the University of Michigan...and I longed (again) to move. I don't know if it will ever happen---but I want that experience of moving and living out of state--of taking a risk and trying something new like a PhD program out of state, or being an intern for NPR :) I want to live a life with vast, diverse experiences. When I'm old, I don't want to look back at my life and wish I would've done this or that, lived somewhere different, traveled more.

I want to build more sincere relationships. Last night I spent quite a bit of time with a local couple we've become quite close to, and as I reflect and recover from the late night--I realize how fulfilling it was. We drank wine, ate great food, sang beautiful songs, and talked about meaningful things. It was a beautiful time. And I want to develop more of these significant relationships--I want to invest more in people.

The best stories I've read are honest, unpredictable, compelling, and push me to be better. I want my life to be like that.

Thoughts on "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years"

On our way home from our Christmas travels, Nate and I did some browsing through the mall in Kearney. The Waldenbooks there is going out of business (sad stuff!), so of course we both felt obligated to stop and check out the sales :) Turns out, I actually found a book I'd been wanting since its release in September: "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by my favorite author, Donald Miller. Don (I call him by his first name because after reading his books, I feel like we are old friends) is an honest, simple, funny, and compelling writer. His book "Blue Like Jazz" changed the way I think about Christianity. In fact, (other than "Travels With Charley") it's the only book that I've read more than once! I even have the audio book...he's a fantastic writer. I recommend him to anyone...even non-readers. So I was ecstatic to find Don's new book. The next night, I brewed a pot of coffee, curled up on our loveseat, and read the entire book in about two hours. Typically I am a slow and meticulous reader, but this book consumed me and I could not put it down.

Yeseterday afternoon my mind wandered back to the book, so I decided to go back through it and examine the parts that I underlined. Soon I found myself sitting at our computer desk, explicating several excerpts of his book. So, I hope to create several posts that include a quote from his book and then my thoughts on that particular quote. I just think it's such a great book that deserves to be shared. Stay tuned!

P.S. If you get a chance, check out Don's blog.