Amber - Back on the track

 Like I said last week I've done terrible with the goals of the week but I have some good news there.  I've lightened my cleaning, I've seen where I can back off and still keep the house clean.  Also the bigger issue is that my energy work I've been doing has been pretty involved and it has really wiped me out.  Healing can be painful and exhausting.  I will say it has put me in a mood on top of the world.  I am pretty much always happy, even when I went to the dentist, weirdest experience while having the dentist in my mouth I was also super happy and grateful that he was fixing my teeth.  However, being that happy all the time is something you have to get used to because it can make you tired.  So I am taking a couple weeks or so off both to let me body/mind/emotions process all the work I've done and to give myself a break from the happy.  With those two things I think I can focus on getting to bed on time and still getting other stuff done during the week.  Maybe craft a few things and whatever else I want to do.

Goals:

• Alarm at 9:00- wrap it up and go get ready for bed.
• Alarm at 9:30- time to put it down now.
• 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	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Rise Time	8	8	7:15	7:15	7	7:30	8:15
Bed Time	2:02	11	12	12	12	12	10:15

Monday:

* My thought today was the first thing I read in section 64.  Verse 2 says "For verily I say unto you, I will that ye should overcome the world; wherefore I will have compassion upon you."  It struck me immediately and digging a little deeper I came to the conclusion that the world could have more than one meaning but whichever one you chose this scripture would still apply.  Things that God wants us to overcome are the wickedness of the world, worldly things, temptations of Satan, and the natural man.  We often struggle with things and we often have challenges that seem impossible to overcome but here it says that the Lord wills that we should overcome those things, so that means it is part of the plan that we have them and also that we overcome them and no longer have them.  We are not doomed to always live with our challenges, even in this life we can overcome many of them.  The problem for me is that I try to do it alone.  The second part of the scripture tells us that he has compassion on us, that means he sees our lack and fills it with his own capabilities.  If we let him take over then it becomes easy to overcome.  We aren't expected to do it alone in fact we are expected to give him anything we can't handle.  He wills us to do it and then gives us the means.

• I wove some belt and then I was very foolish.  I finished doing stuff on the computer before 10 but really felt like watching something, I should have got off because I watched 3 things and didn't get to bed until quite late.

Tuesday:

* As you can imagine I'm very tired, I'm also still slightly sick with something.  I never helps when you go to bed late and don't get enough sleep.  All the same I managed to get something out of my study today.  Still in section 64 and still at the beginning of the section.  Verse 5 says that Joseph Smith shall always have the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom while he lives so long as he obeys God's ordinances.  But then verse 7 says that he has sinned and the Lord forgives sin of those who repent.  In the first verse it sounds as if Joseph needs and should be able to be perfect.  Often it seems that way when we hear a commandment in conference or read it in the scriptures.  The fact is that the Lord knows we will sin and he has accounted for that in his calculations.  Thus he provided a way to still obtain the blessings he has promised us on condition of our keeping the commandments.

• Got a chunk done on the belt and it is close to being completed, though I do not yet know how to finish the ends.  I'll have to look that one up.
• Went to bed earlier though it could have been even earlier.

Wednesday:

* My thought is prompted by come follow me.  It asks how the gospel has been an ensign to me.  I read the extra scriptures and the one that I liked best was in Alma where Captain Moroni makes the title of liberty.  The world is crazy and the news is even crazier.  There is conflict everywhere and people are expecting everyone to take a side on whatever the issue.  There seems to be a lot of fear and confusion.  This is not my experience.  I don't feel the need to jump to the latest cause of the world, nor am I confused or afraid of the future.  This is because of the gospel, it is my source of knowledge.  I am united with a group of people under one cause that transcends all other causes.  I know this is the truth and I know where to go for more truth and guidance.  I know love and unity are far better then being right or making others be like me.  Focusing on our differences doesn't work if we don't also recognize how we are the same.  The gospel is for all and everyone, it can change the world faster and more permanently than any other movement.  I am ever grateful that I have this knowledge and it is knowledge not just belief.  I've had too many experiences and seen too many evidences and tested it out enough to just say that I believe, I know.

• I seem to be quite bad at going to bed, stayed up to watch some Downton Abbey.

Thursday:

* Me thought today is from a conference talk "Poor Little Ones."  I went into it thinking "oh it is about little children"  but no my expectations did not match the reality.  It is about any who struggle and don't take full advantage of the gospel or take none at all.  Those of us who are in the gospel should help them come back to Christ.  I don't really like the image of "poor little ones."  It makes it seem as if they incapable but this is false.  In fact each person is given magnificent gifts and power from God that we need only turn to him in order to overcome all things.  As children of God and even as human beings we have the power within us.  The one favorite part in this talk is the story of Peter who saw a lame man at the door of the temple.  He didn't have money but he was able to heal his lameness.  Peter didn't look as the world would see, he didn't see a lame man who would always be begging at the door of the temple.  He saw his potential and he gave him the chance to change.  We never hear of what the man did but I'm sure it wasn't easy learning how to live with legs, trying to find employment and seeing himself as capable.  Yet we are all the same, each falls short of what they wish they could have and be, each could use the help of another on our journey, and each has the potential to become magnificent.

• Worked on the belt and spent time with Grandpa.  It was a strange day, I couldn't seem to do anything all day.  I didn't even play any computer.

Friday:

* Today's thought was inspired by verse 2 of section 66 which says, "blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days".  I thought of all of the things the gospel is and has given me and I am very grateful.  We have some amazing things that without I would be lost and afraid and missing out on so many blessings!  I know there is better to come but we do experience many of those blessings now, many of those glories that were revealed are taking place at this moment and not just in the next life.  So not am I just really excited for the future but I am also really happy for the things I have right now.  

• Despite my near complete failure at my goal this week I still feel really happy.  The energy work that I had been doing really is very focused on the positive and everyday I notice blessings around me and it makes me really happy!  It is becoming less overwhelming so I'm hoping I'm getting used to being on this higher happy plain.  The scripture study certainly keeps it up there as well.  I really ought to do some energy work on my bed time, I'm am showing the exact symptoms of needing it there.

Saturday:

* I like Luke 10:40-42 today.  This is a story of Mary and Martha.  Mary chose to listen to Jesus while Martha served all of the guests who were listening to Jesus.  Martha complained to Jesus about Mary not helping and Jesus told Martha that she was worried about many things but that Mary had chosen what was needful.  Now that is not to say that Martha was not doing a very good thing probably considered an essential thing by most people yet Jesus didn't call it needful.  We have so many responsibilities in this life and I think most of the time we are sure they are necessary.  This isn't a bad thing, it only becomes bad when we let that override the most important things.  The spiritual is the most important, it is what is needful.  Now it is possible that we might have to reduce our necessary things in order to fit in the actual needful things but I have found that it is more likely that we can fit it all in if we put the needful things first.  Also I would like to acknowledge that what is needful for one is not exactly the same for another.  That is what personal revelation is for.  So first figure out what the Lord is telling you personally that is needful for your life right now and put it first, then watch the miracles happen because they will.

• No crafting for the rest of this week.  Oh well I'll get into it soon.  I've skipped Sunday so see you next week.