Project Afghan Day One

I have been feeling a bit aimless since finishing graduate school back in May. Other than serious hunting for what I term a "career job" and working my butt off at my part time job and occasionally having fun with Aaron I haven't been doing too much. I decided today that I should make myself useful instead of feeling somewhat sorry for myself about not having landed full time employment as a counselor yet. I came up with a list of ten ways that I can give back to the world around me while I am trying to find the path God would have me go down. Here it is:

1. Regular contributions to church

2. Donating to Agape

3. Donating to AIM

4. Participating in service projects at church

5. Knitting squares for Warm Up America

6. Buying and planting trees from The Arbor Day Foundation

7. Having trees planted in memory or celebration

8. Giving trees as gifts

9. Purchasing items for NCM

10. Anonymous donations to various charities

The good news is that most of these will cost very little if anything. That's important since I'm not making much and have to follow a very strict budget in order to save as much as I can in the next four months before Aaron and I get married. I plan to take part in at least one of these as often as I can, trying to do at least something once a week. My favorite of these so far is knitting squares to make afghans for The Warm Up America Foundation. I began work on what I am calling Project Afghan today. The pattern seems simple enough, but it will definitely take some time! I have to knit 49 - 7"X9" sections to be connected into one large afghan which will then be sent to The Foundation. I think if this goes well I may try and get some of my knitting friends to work with me on more afghans later on. I want to try and do this one on my own and see if I can execute the pattern up to par. I'm excited to have something to occupy some of my free time that is actually meaningful! Here is the first section!