Amber - The real test

 This week is free and that makes it a perfect week to see if my bed time can improve with the changes I've made last week combined with a normal schedule.

Goals:

• Alarm at 9:30 - wrap it up and go get ready for bed.
• Bed at 10 pm
• Rise at 7 am (alarm included)
• Have an activity every day that I look forward to having time to do.

Monday:

* I read a tiny bit of section 45 about Christ being our advocate.  Come Follow Me asks what it means to to have Christ as my advocate.  Funny enough I watched a movie clip from a show that I shouldn't spend any time on at all, but it helped me have more of a perspective on this question.  A man from one side of the war came to offer his services to other side to defeat a greater enemy.  The problem was that he was walking into his enemies camp alone.  He felt it was the right thing to do but he was hated by his enemies because he was one of the chief players in the war.  Several of the leaders of the other side had good cause to want him dead and here he had come into their camp alone.  He stood before them trying to plead his cause but they had good reasons to kill him now and they didn't trust his desire to help.  Then when it looked as if hope was fading fast one came forward who had known him before.  She was one of the most trusted among them and she defended him, assuring them he was a man of honor who stood up for what he believed in.  It was her testimony alone that swung the judgement in his favor and he was allowed to live and help them.  Long story but we, like him, are not free of stain.  We've done things that are not good in the eyes of God but when we keep trying and repenting than we have Christ on our side.  He knows we have done wrong yet he finds us worth defending and putting before God as one to be forgiven and allowed into his kingdom.  We don't need to be perfect first it can happen today, through Christ's atonement we can be worthy now.  Without it we are never worthy.

• I am feeling sick today so my rise time was after 9.
• Today I drew pictures for my planner and worked on my hussif.
• I went to bed at 10!  Even better I went to sleep a few minutes later.

Tuesday:

* Verse 7 of section 45 says that... Grandma won't shut up how am I supposed to write this.  I cannot have her in the library because she won't stop moving all of the ornaments, pictures, books, and furniture.  Ok now she has sat down again so here goes, and never mind she is up again.  Guys she sits down for literally only 30 seconds then she says "shoot", stands up, and starts moving stuff around all while telling me how important all of her stuff is.  She did that 3 times just now and I'm going to have to leave.  Ok I'm back.  Verse 7 says that Christ is the light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.  When you are in a dark room or place and suddenly step into a lit space then you really can't see for a few minutes.  Your eyes have to adjust.  If you refuse to open your eyes because it is painful then you stay in the dark and it takes a long time for your eyes to adjust.  You can see this in the world today people who live without the gospel don't understand people who do.  They think they are stupid or weak or delusional, or brainwashed, or uneducated, or a number of other things all because they can't understand the light.  Their eyes are blinded by the darkness, by their own lack of knowledge.  This can happen in our own lives too, when we allow ourselves to spend too much time in the darkness we miss out on things of light.  We can't see them in the dark because our eyes aren't used to seeing them.

• I woke at 7 and feel much better, just tired today.  I had a stomach ache yesterday, haven't had one of those since well probably last year sometime.
• I did a few things today, I worked on pictures for the planner, patterned and fit a coif for Chad as well as started his hose.  I got super tired and depressed by the time I did that and so the only other thing I did was finish my own hose.  Here is a picture of both pairs as promised.
  
  They fit at just above my knee and will be tied on with garters whenever I get to that.
• I failed today at my bed time.  Remember the depression?  Yes today it got me and I stayed up until after one.  Though when I saw what time it was I had a strong desire to get to bed so I could do stuff tomorrow.  So I think the plan is working, usually I just feel a dread for tomorrow to start but I've been more excited than anything since scheduling my weeks.

Wednesday:

* Today my study gave me a strong desire to have my own home again (meaning I've had this feeling many times).  Towards the end of section 45 it talks about the New Jerusalem and what it will be like.  

• A land of peace
• A city of refuge
• A place of safety for the Saints
• The glory and the terror of the Lord shall be there
• The wicked will not come in
• Everyone who is righteous is welcome
• They shall not be at war one with another
• There will be singing of songs of everlasting joy

I would like to have my own home like this.  A place where the spirit dwells and I and any who come will feel at peace.  I guess I've been working on having my room something like this and it has made it feel better.

• So I'm sure you can guess what happened.  I finally got up at just before 9.  However I was excited to get up and going and I made a nice list for the day and so far have had great satisfaction and success in following it.
• I had a bad day and was depressed so not much got done.  In fact I haven't been writing so I've missed a couple days.  But in that time I did color 2 paperdolls and make Chad's medieval hose pattern.
• Not done well on bed time though I have been in bed around 11-12 so not any worse really.

Saturday:

* I did read on the last two days but wasn't up to sharing so I didn't and now don't remember.  Today I finally finished all of section 45.  I liked the part about the 10 virgins and it talks about what makes the 5 wise.  It was that they received the truth and took the Holy Ghost for their guide.  This is what kept them from being deceived and in the end will give them the earth and they shall live in a place of peace with their families and Christ shall be among them as their King.

• I woke up with a persistent headache multiple times this morning but didn't get up until just before 8.
• Today I finished the paperdolls.
• Bed was late again, about 1.

Sunday:

*  I didn't read today.

• I woke up a little late because I needed more sleep than that.  However I still managed to get myself all ready and packed and Grandma all ready for church before I left to Emily's baby blessing.
• I had an enjoyable time and the only thing craft related I did was to cut out two of the paperdolls.
• I must have been so tired when I got home because I lay on the bed for a minute before I got ready for bed and I was out.  I woke up in the middle of the night fully dressed missing half my covers and the light on.