Why wait until Jan. 1st?????

Remember my goals at the beginning of the year?....
1. Read at least 5 minutes a day of scripture.
2. Prayer daily.
3. Blog daily.
4. Do a kind deed daily.

I wanted to update you on some progress I have made.  I have been steadfast in my efforts to read daily from the scriptures.  I decided upon reading the Book of Mormon on January 1st.  I finished reading through the entire Book of Mormon on Sept. 1st.  I am so proud of myself for finishing it.  It brought me closer to God and my testimony has been strengthened.  I have found peace and comfort and answers to my prayers over the last 8 months.  I will continue to read daily and have actually decided to start over with the Book of Mormon tomorrow and read it with the girls as part of school and I can't wait!!!  We are going to start with the last chapter of the Book of Mormon where Moroni makes a promise to all who read the book with a desire to know if it is the word of God.  He asks us to pray about it with a sincere heart and have a true desire to know and promises if we do this that God will give us an answer. 

Just so you know that some days I only had 5 minutes to read a few verses while on other days I couldn't put it down (I wasn't limited to time) and on those days I read a couple of chapters.  It always made me feel better after reading and I was able to stay calm and peaceable during the day.  There were probably 5 days over the last 8 months when I didn't make the time or I was gone out of town and didn't remember to bring my scriptures so I didn't read.  I hope to take the next 4 months that are left in the year and read at least 5 minutes a day...we all have 5 minutes right???????????????????  I challenge you all to begin today and read 5 minutes a day and see what peace and joy you find in the scriptures!

I have made real progress in my prayers also!!  I think by reading the scriptures it helped me pray more consistently and have more meaningful prayers.  I feel like I have a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father like I never have had before.  I imagine myself sitting with Heavenly Father at his feet.  We are sitting on a hill under a huge tree that provides shade and shelter for us.  As I walk up this hill to talk to Heavenly Father, Jesus is holding my hand and walking with me.  He also sits with us as I talk to my Father in Heaven.  Since I started to use this setting in my mind my prayers have come to mean much more to me.  I am able to focus on my thoughts and feelings more as I envision this scene and know that a loving Father and my Savior are with me, listening, caring, and giving me answers to questions I have.

As you all know my blog writing has been going great.  (They might not be that entertaining but I have been consistent in posting almost daily over the last 8 months.)  I probably have missed posting 5 times this year.  I have enjoyed going back and reading my thoughts when certain things have happened.  It is so easy to forget how something made you feel.  I am glad you have all been on this journey with me.  I am sure you all have rolled your eyes at me from time to time and I have been told (by my sweet sisters!) I am grateful for Scott to often and talk about naps to much (according to Tanner).  But I actually don't write for the entertainment of anyone out there in blog land, I am sure half of you won't even read this post today.  But for me I love to blog and feel a peace that comes from writing my feelings and documenting small daily things that happen in my life as well as the lives of my family (Emma and Elle wish they were not the subject of my blogs but then when I blog about Tanner all they do is complain that he is my favorite and he is the only one I blog about!!  I can't seem to please them either way!)  All I know is I have loved this outlet to my feelings and thoughts and I will continue to do it for another 4 months and probably every day for the rest of my life.

I find that I do good deeds daily.  That has not been a hard one for me (the rest were not hard either I just had to commit to doing it and then do it).  If you know me very well then you know I love to serve other people.  I am addicted to it.   I think Scott gets a little tired of me trying to serve everyone all the time but for me it brings me much joy.  Actually most of my serving is done in my own home.  I love to do nice things for my kids and Scott.  I think that they think it is just the way I am.  But actually I try to be nice or say kind things to them.  I try to lift their spirits when I know they are feeling down or discouraged.  In the morning I think about how I can influence them for the good and do something that is going above and beyond the calling of "mother" and serve my family.  Sometimes my good deed is to not get angry with my kids but be patient and use kind words instead of lose it with them.   I love to serve, it is the best way I know to feel happy.

Okay I am done rambling on.  If you suffered through this long blog just to read how well I am doing with my goals Thank you!  I am not perfect and many ways I can improve...and according to someone who yelled at me this year, "you can start a goal anytime of the year, it is stupid to wait until Jan. 1 to set goals"!  You are correct.  So get out your sheets of paper and write down a goal today!  I think I will add a new goal today :)  It is my goal to go to bed every night this week by 10pm!!!  This is going to be a hard one for me but it is something that would benefit me greatly.  So wish me good luck....I know I can do it!

I am grateful that Tanner gets to spend a little more time with me before he leaves on his mission....he is working on putting his papers in this week!!