Amber's foundations week 1

Ok I didn't find time to post yesterday's results so here they are today.  Also here is a quick reminder of what I'm aiming for these two weeks:
1-Better scripture study
2-Resetting my sleep schedule
3-Working on my sewing /craft projects

Monday:

• Scripture thought is in Alma 13:10, 12-13.  I've always admired those in the scriptures who it said they looked upon sin with abhorrence.  Obviously that doesn't mean the sinners just the sins themselves.  I feel like I am tempted way to easily it doesn't seem that bad to me and I would love to be able to easily refuse to give in to a temptation because I could tell how bad it was for me and the people around me.  I would like to say "why in the world would I ever want to do that".  I do feel that way for some things, they just aren't a temptation for me, I would also like to feel that way for all the other sins.  So in the verses above it talks about one of the ways to achieve that state and it is to "bring forth fruit meet for repentance.  I love this phrase because it sums it all up for me.  You are repenting but also you are not perfect.  It doesn't say those people were perfect but that they were constantly repenting.  You don't give up but instead you are showing faith by continually repenting.  I assume that like all my goals eventually I will improve but for now I can't give up and so long as I do that I'm going to be alright.
• I got up at 6 and felt really good all day.  
• In the evening I got on the phone too late so it cut into my no electronics time and thus I got to bed about 15 mins late.

Tuesday:

• Come follow me said to take Alma 13:1-9 and write a truth from each verse (or something like that)  and that is what I did.  In the past I've been able to take any scripture in the Book of Mormon (even the family lineage and nephite coinage verses) and relate it somehow back to Christ.  However I've never tried to do that with other topics.  So it seems you really can get something out of every scripture and usually multiple things.  It was a little aha that's neat moment for me.
• I woke up super tired and right in the middle of a dream involving us as lego people with star wars characters playing something similar to a game called Warframe (chase and I are currently playing this) only in real life in some sort of small town/country house in the mountains.  Anyways I stumbled out of bed and made it through the routine but have been super grumpy and tired despite a fair amount of sleep.  I suppose it will take a little bit to get my body used to the new schedule.
• Yay I got some sewing done!  I'm fixing all of my pants.  You know those stupid pretend pockets on every pair of jeggings and even on some jeans?  It makes no sense to not have a pocket, I know it makes the pants lay more flat but it's stupid and I'm always trying to put my hands in the pockets that aren't there plus I have 5 different pairs like this!  So I've opened them all up and this has left me with two pairs of pants to wear.  Today I finished one of them!  So now I have three pairs to wear.
• This evening was a bit of a flop.  I was doing a puzzle on my phone and didn't get off until after 11 pm.

Wednesday:

• My thought today is back to Alma 13:10-12 and the abhorrence of sin.  Come follow me compared these scriptures to washing clothes or taking a shower.  It helped me understand the abhorrence better.  So when I was my favorite shirt or my favorite pair of pants I want to be able to wear them for a couple of days at least.  I'm quite unhappy when come breakfast I spill something on them.  If I'm cooking I'll take precautions and wear an apron and if I'm frying something I'll even go change so I don't smell like fried food.  Same too if I've just showered I don't want to go out and immediately get dirty.  In fact with sin I'd prefer not to get dirty again.  So perhaps it's not that I love the abhorrence of sin so much as it's results.  It helps keep me from sinning.
• This morning was slow, I got up 15 mins late (no surprise with my later night) and slowly got my routine done but I did do it so I'm happy with that.
• The only thing craft wise done today was that I printed a paper doll.  I think most of you know I color and cut out paper dolls, originally for daycare, but it has been kind of fun.  Last time the kids played with them they were fighting over the boys clothes so I put together a page of boy stuff.  It took some time because I had to figure out sizing with a different printer, they have to print out the same size as the others so they can wear each other's clothes.
• I did better this evening in that I got to bed at 10:30.  Unfortunately I was playing a game until 10 pm.

Thursday:

• I read the story of Alma and Amulek and the burning of the families of the believers.  It has always been an unhappy story for me, especially where Amulek is concerned.  Alma says that God allows it to justify his punishment of the wicked.  To me it has always seemed awfully hard on the righteous.  But today as I read it came to my mind that it wouldn't work very well if the wicked weren't allowed to do what they will at times.  If they only thought wicked things but couldn't do them then how would it be just to punish them.  They wouldn't deserve much punishment.  Also it would be closer to Satan's pan who intended to force everyone to be righteous.
• Last night I went to bed quite excited for today and for all that I was going to accomplish.  When I woke I was still half dreaming and I was a teacher in my dream who was asking a parent to let the student stay to learn more.  The parent said "then they would know everything" but it was not to be.  Apparently I really wanted to finish the dream and I wished I could have slept longer as today I am quite exhausted.  Despite that I did get up on time and do my morning routine.
• Ok more progress tonight, I got off the computer 10 mins earlier and was in bed by 10:15.  So not what I want but closer.

Friday:

• My thought today is from come follow me on why the righteous are allowed to suffer.  Matt 5:43-45 it says we are to love our enemies.  It is simple to love those who love you and fairly easy to love those who don't know you but are nice enough.  This life is a test to see if we will continue to follow what we were taught in heaven.  It is a challenge to love our enemies thus we need to have enemies.  Also some of the other verses in come follow me talk about how we are not alone and that our enemies have limitations.  If we continue to be righteous we will have all of the blessings God has for us.
• Alas I woke up sick (too much sugar yesterday).  I forgot to set the alarm but I woke at 6 nonetheless.  However I could tell I was sick so I went back to sleep.  I'm not even going to count this day because taking care of my body is priority so routines will wait for another day.
• Yay I got off the computer at 9:15 though I did stay on my phone later and again bed was 10:15.  Unfortunately I couldn't sleep for a while as I was having a little trouble breathing with a stuffy nose.

Saturday:

• My thought for today comes from Alma 15 about Zeezrom and his healing.  I took a suggestion from Come Follow Me and made a list of all the ways Alma 15:1-12 shows the Lord's power to strengthen and heal. 
• he has a plan and has prepared a way for us
• he provides hope
• the Lord's power is access by faith in Christ as well as through the proper authority
• He hears and answers our prayers
• Healing can be immediate and complete

• Despite the later sleep I woke at 6 and got my routine done, I'm feeling quite a bit better today.
• Tonight I fell off the band wagon.  I stayed up until 1 am playing and then watching some youtube.  Saturday evening is always the hardest one for me, especially now that we don't go to church most Sundays.  I need to remember this and plan for next sat evening.

Sunday:

• I woke up with a nasty headache that drugs aren't affecting at all.  So that means my scripture is simple today.  I read Alma 16 which has some good stuff I wish I was more alert so I could get more out of it.  What I liked best was when the Lamanites destroyed Ammonihah and the military leader asked Alma to ask God to know where to go to stop the Lamanites.  I wish we had military leaders like the Nephites did when they were righteous.  The leaders had no other info about where the Lamanites were headed, nothing to confirm that Alma was right (or at least they didn't say so) yet they still went where Alma directed and they were successful.  There are a few other instances in the scriptures where this happened.  My favorite is in 2 Kings where Elisha kept telling the King of Israel how to escape the Syrians.  When the King of Syria learned who was behind the Israelites success he surrounded Elisha.  This is the story of Elisha's servant who was scared but the Lord opened his eyes and he saw the hosts of heaven on their side.  I never remember hearing what happens next but reading further you learn that Elisha asked for the Syrians to be blinded and then they were led to Samaria.  At that point they were given their sight back and they decided to never come against Israel again.
• In addition to a headache I also woke super groggy and tired but was unable to sleep past 7:30.  I didn't do my routine as I usually do.
• For those of you who were there when I showed my latest sewing project then you already know what I did today.  For everyone else I sewed grandpa's couch cushion closed because the zipper broke and it bugs grandma everyday because it won't stay closed.  It was nice I sat and watched TV with grandma and hand stitched it.
• Again went to be at 10:15, I was not on the computer but didn't get ready early enough.

That is the end of this week I'll do next week in a new post.