38 goals for 2012

Each year I set a new set of goals.  These aren't new years resolutions, but goals.  My birthday is in January and for my birthday I set goals for the age I will be.  Yep, I will be 38 this year.  And I am excited about this new year.  I have some goals that I have already started and will be successful at achieving.  So, here is my list.

1.  Lose at least 38 lbs.
2.  Work out with trainer, Ang 3x a week.
3.  Run 3 times a week for at least 8 miles, (can do 2 days of 2, and 1 day of 4, 2 days of 3, one day of 2 . . . . )  BTW, if it decides to snow, I will run in my snowshoes.
4., 5., 6.,   I want to run 3-- 13.1 races.  I want to do the one in Poci (November - Just because), I want to do the Halloween one in Provo (October), and possibly one in early summer.
7. Move into my house in 8 months (give or take 3 months on either side). -  8 months would be August.
8., 9., 10. Finish the polka dot quilts.
11.  Make a homemade Christmas. (Bean bags or ottomans for kids)
12.  Go up for Promotion and Tenure  - documents ready in July.
13.  Paint, draw, create - each week for 2 hours.
14.  Help Joel on house for 2-4 hours a week (please don't tell him though).
15.  Keep up on this blog and my 4 bucks a day blog - weekly.
16.  Have a Christmas party at my house in November.  My new house.
17.  Undertake a vigorous study program - church and gospel principles, parenting, art, management, Sterling W. Sills, and read at least 25,000 pages.
18.  Write 100 things I know.
19.  Attend temple 38 times (almost weekly - this will include baptisms with Abe, when he is old enough).
20.  Attend special events, seminars, and cultural activities - shoot for 4 (alone or with others in my family, or my friends).  TOFW, Love and Logic - January, etc.
21.  Read Enos 1-5 - apply to my life.
22.  Learn a system and get paper organized.  (keep up on mail and email).
23.  Paint toenails weekly.
24.  Get a facial, or two, or three. . .
25.  Go to North Carolina.
26.  Take a road trip.
27.  Learn to play racquetball.
28.  Save a ton of money from my paycheck that can be spent on house. (This is kinda personal, so I will keep track on my own.)  Do not buy anything that isn't necessary.
29.  Eat 5 servings of Fruits and Vegetables daily.
30.  Drink 8 glasses of 8 oz of H20.
31.  Do something amazing for our 15 year anniversary.
32.  Avoid gossip.
33.  Apply second mile, and serve others always, Matt 5:38-42.
34.  Learn to use my embroidery feature on my sewing machine.
35.  Become an incredible manager of my time.
36.  Be firm and consistent.
37.  Plant a tiny garden.
38.  Design the interior of my house.

Seeing myself become stronger . . .

"27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them."


I have been getting stronger.  It's fun to watch. It's fun to do.  I feel that as I work hard, and rely on the Lord, manage my time, set goals, and follow experts (to guide me) that life for me is changing.  And I am becoming a better person for it.


I know I have been vague in my last few posts.  But, I will share more later.  Right now, I am continuing to be strong!


Here is a fun video that is fun.  

Face Your Doubts, Master Your Fears

I have just came across this amazing powerful story by Laurel Christensen.  At TOFW in Logan, she was a-mazing!   This is the most powerful talk by Elder Holland.

“Yes, there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Don't give in. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. He wants everyone to be miserable like unto himself. Face your doubts. Master your fears. ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence.’ Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you.”

I have started something new.  And this was just what I needed to hear.  My life will be changed because of this new thing.  I can feel it and my family can see it already.  It is so important to stick with things that are positive and helpful.  Things that can help with our happiness.  Things that are positive and help us reach our eternal goals.  I plan to face my doubts, to master my fears and to stay the course!

Avoiding the Potholes . . .

I understand why the Savior taught in parables.  It was for me.  Yep, just for me.  Ha, ha. . . Actually, I do think in parables and learn very good lessons from them.

So, my Dad totally hates when we hit potholes when we are driving with him in the car.  And, honestly, I never think about avoiding them.  I just drive straight through.  But, I've been thinking, we are told to go on the straight and narrow way and so is it best to try avoiding the potholes or to hit them smack on?  What is the best way to keep trudging on the path?  To hurry through?

Well, I think there are a couple lessons to learn.  One is, that when we have troubles (potholes) we stay focused on the path, and continue to do the things we know, strengthening our testimonies and we continue on our way.  Or if we avoid potholes, then we can drive around them, avoiding things that can damage our vehicles.  So, I guess this could be 2 parables - with 2 different endings.

We need to avoid evil.  Yet, we need to understand that trials and hard things happen and we can get through them.

James Teaches Us To Bridle Our Tongue

Tonight we had a condensed Family Home Evening.  Joel pulled out the scriptures and read about bridling our tongues.  It was a wonderful mini lesson.  A few weeks ago we heard it in Sunday School.  But, yesterday I posted about people being mean and not knowing why.  Here are some things James teaches us (BTW, did you know James was Jesus brother?  How cool is that? I didn't until the lesson in Sunday School.)

James 1:26

 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his ^atongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is^bvain.

James 3:2-13

 2 For in many things we ^aoffend all. If any man ^boffend not in^cword, the same is a ^dperfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and aredriven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the ^agovernor listeth.

 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and ^aboasteth great things. Behold, how great a ^bmatter a little fire kindleth!

 6 And the ^atongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

 8 But the ^atongue can no man tame; it is an ^bunruly evil, full of deadly poison.

 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith ^acursewe men, which are made after the ^bsimilitude of God.

 10 Out of the same ^amouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

 11 Doth a ^afountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

 13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good ^aconversation his works with^bmeekness of wisdom.


Peter 3:10
 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him ^arefrainhis ^btongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no ^cguile:


Mosiah 4:30
 30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not ^awatchyourselves, and your ^bthoughts, and your ^cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ^dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.


As I review these scriptures, I hope and pray that I am not mean to others.  That I show my religion through kindness and gentleness.  Some things do not need to be said.  Some things do not even need to be thought.  I so want to be a better person.  I hope if I have offended or hurt someone, they will forgive me.  For my religion is to try to live like our Savior.  To have the Savior help make the difference for me so that I can have eternal life with my family.


I am so grateful for the blessing in my life - good people, good ideas, and great blessings!

NOBILITY

She who does her task from day to day,
And meets whatever comes her way,
Believing God has willed it so
Has found true greatness here below.

Who guards her past, no matter where
Believing God must need her there
Although but lowly 'til it be,
Will rise to true nobility.

For great and low there's but one test.
It is that each shall do her best,
For who works with love makes this her goal.
Shall live and rise a noble soul.

-Grandma Georgia LeBlanc

Why are people mean?

I have often wondered why someone thinks they need to say something when it's mean.  Anyone know?  I am disturbed by this.  I don't know what their mission is.  Do they feel bad about themselves so by putting down others it lifts them in some absurd way?  Not sure what the answer is.

But, my mamma taught me "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."  I have to agree with that.  I find that when I say something that wasn't so nice, it doesn't help me feel better, or the person I said it too.  Basically, when I am mean: I feel worthless and disappointed in myself.  So, I agree with my mamma.  "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Now, as an adult, I wonder why people are still mean.  I wonder what their motives are.  I wonder if they think by saying the thing they shouldn't be saying, that it will save the world?  So, the other day, my son said to me, "Not trying to be mean, . .. but, . . . . "  I stopped him right in his tracks and said.  So, what you are saying, is "I am going to be mean.  I am going to tell you something and because I preface it with this statement, you will just have to forgive me, because quite honestly I am going to say it anyway."  He stopped.  And thought.  And then said, "Mom, your right, that isn't so nice to say."

So, my next thought.  How to handle someone who is just full of criticism all the time.

Hummm  . . . So, as I was typing I remembered a bunch of poems, thoughts, and things that my dear sweet Grandma Great left for us.  Here is what she said:

The Answers to your problems.
1.  I've been criticized - go to Matthew 5:44
2.  I'm discouraged - go to Luke 18:27
3.  I'm tempted - go to 1 Corinthians 10:13
4.  I anger easily - go to Proverbs 15:1
5.  I'm afraid - go to Joshua 1:9
6.  I criticize to others too much - go to John 8:7
7.  I lack self confidence - go to Matthew 7:7
8.  Does faith elude me? - go to Hebrews 11:1
9.  I need more strength - go to Philippians 4:13

I miss my dear Grandma Great.  She was the kindest, sweetest, most influential person in my life.  I am very grateful she left so much for me, to help me along my journey.

Grandma gave me advice when I got married.  She said, "You can catch more flies with honey, then you can with vinegar."