Its over a week into my goals and you know I am not doing too bad :)
I am getting myself on track on with my courses (that has been hard work but I feel proud of myself), with my budget (be impressed!!!), my indexing is ahead, of course, my sacrament experiences have gone up to a new level (Yay), ahead of schedule with my scripture reading (well into Exodus now), I am even working on being a good VT!!! Ooh and I made myself a mood / motivation board - in lovely red polka dot fabric and it looks so pretty!!
BUT...now is the time for the next step!!!
Time to start on the goals to make me a healthy human being with more energy and less weight!!! I haven't started these ones yet but have set the date for this Sunday as the beginning of it all....Scary!!!
So i need to lose weight (I won't tell you just HOW much yet!) and get myself more healthy. I have decided to follow the 'old' Weightwatcher points system cos I know it well and I can't afford (with my new budget saving goal!) to go each week...so you are my reporting back system. I PROMISE to confirm on here every week how I have done weight loss wise...good or bad ;-)
So I will be keeping to my WW points, ensuring I eat at least 5 fruit and veg a day to begin with, when I have those down pat for a few weeks, then i will think re the exercise thing. Not avoidance...just one thing at a time.
There have been lots of tender mercies this week - new opportunites coming their way (watch this space), a fantastic RS study group which provided answers I was searching for, a good old giggle with friends, an invite out to dinner, some mini eggs before the healthy eating kicks in, and lots of amazing things in between.
Life is good - just think how it will be when I rediscover my energy, there will be no stopping me!!
xxx
Friday 13 January 2012
Thursday 5 January 2012
ALL your heart...
I have learnt a couple of important lessons this week....
Firstly I ADORE making goals but i am not quite so good at keeping them! There is one thing in my life I am really trying to change and I was all geared up for 1st January 2012 and.......I woke up still feeling the same way and still had the same problem!!! I am learning that miracles can happen but it takes time and concerted effort. But that that is OK, because that is simply part of His plan :)
Secondly I learnt that when there are changes we want to make the Saviour will help us BUT he requires something from us. He requires the one and only thing that we have to give him and that is our hearts. And not just some of our heart...he requires the WHOLE HEART. I have a bookmark which reads 'God will heal your broken heart if you will give him ALL the pieces' and isn't that true!!! It is only when you take those steps which seem impossible and finally submit your will to His that the miracles can start rolling in. I am not there yet but I am taking steps ever closer and I can feel the hope coming :-) I am proud of myself for taking an enormous step forward this week which I never felt I would have the strength to do.
Meanwhile other goals are going much better...
I had decided this year to read all of the standard works and it is only 7 pages a day - I am ahead of schedule and loving it. I am also ahead of my goal to complete 75,000 names indexed and of course loving that one too.
I ma sticking to my budget, I am spending more time with my friends, I am making myself a lovely motivation board (thanks for that idea Hannah A!!) for my house but also discovered Pin Interest - amazing fun but I can see I will have to limit my time on there!!!
It's been a challenging week - very challening - but I am still standing and there is a smile on my face :)
Firstly I ADORE making goals but i am not quite so good at keeping them! There is one thing in my life I am really trying to change and I was all geared up for 1st January 2012 and.......I woke up still feeling the same way and still had the same problem!!! I am learning that miracles can happen but it takes time and concerted effort. But that that is OK, because that is simply part of His plan :)
Secondly I learnt that when there are changes we want to make the Saviour will help us BUT he requires something from us. He requires the one and only thing that we have to give him and that is our hearts. And not just some of our heart...he requires the WHOLE HEART. I have a bookmark which reads 'God will heal your broken heart if you will give him ALL the pieces' and isn't that true!!! It is only when you take those steps which seem impossible and finally submit your will to His that the miracles can start rolling in. I am not there yet but I am taking steps ever closer and I can feel the hope coming :-) I am proud of myself for taking an enormous step forward this week which I never felt I would have the strength to do.
Meanwhile other goals are going much better...
I had decided this year to read all of the standard works and it is only 7 pages a day - I am ahead of schedule and loving it. I am also ahead of my goal to complete 75,000 names indexed and of course loving that one too.
I ma sticking to my budget, I am spending more time with my friends, I am making myself a lovely motivation board (thanks for that idea Hannah A!!) for my house but also discovered Pin Interest - amazing fun but I can see I will have to limit my time on there!!!
It's been a challenging week - very challening - but I am still standing and there is a smile on my face :)
Thursday 29 December 2011
A New Start...
Gosh time has flown over the last few weeks and I have not made it on to my blog...but I have been doing a lot of thinking and came to the conclusion that NOW is the time I need this blog and a change of heart and perspective more than ever before.
Those close to me know the last couple of years have been my own little private hell, my Gethsemane in a way - Neal A Maxwell said we would all have to pass through at least one (although please dont think I am trying to even contemplate it being like the Saviour but Elder Maxwell said we would all face those times in life that we can't see how we will ever make it through). Well here I am...still standing...and at the point where I choose what to make of this next year. Will I give it all I can to make it a better one?! Never in my wildest imaginings did I realise how tough life can get, I have always been the 'pink and fluffy' one, the 'jolly' one who carries on regardless - this period of time robbed me of that ability at times and I began to lose the 'me' that I liked.
Now I am finally facing up to a new reality, one which doesnt let me have the things I want or desperatly tried to hold onto, but instead a learning to accept the things the Lord wants me to have!! It is time to step up and become the woman the Saviour needs me to be!!!! Time to earn the forgiveness of those I have let down, time to show that I love the Lord more than anything else and I will do all within my power to love Him and give Him my whole heart :-)
One way I am overcoming those moments of deep sadness and finding the jolly me again is looking for those tender mercies every day of my life. And dont you just love that when you really look for them they can turn the saddest day around:-)
Just recently we lost a dear sister in our ward who had been unwell for some time. She had the most profound effect on me!!! If ever there was a sister I want to be like it was her! She LOVED everyone. If she saw you sad, or lonely or frustrated there would be a hug, a smile, a rub on the arm and most likely a following phone call or card in the post. She was single like me, but never once did that stop her moving and being so utterly celestial!!!!! I will miss her dreadfully - I do miss her dreadfully, but I will never be the same again for knowing her! I will follow her example and be the woman I can be, the woman the Lord needs me to be!!
So it is a pivotal year for me...and to help me I have made some goals. I am sharing them here so I have some responsibility to keep at them :-) Some are too personal to share but here goes:
* I am working on two courses (one is OU) - I will do my best and give them my greatest effort. I will stick with them and finish !!!!!
* I will be using the sacrament to report back to the Lord and covenant each Sunday to do better.
* I am going to do all I can to improve my health (including the dreaded course of action of healthy eating!!!! ANYONE who knows me knows how hard I find that one!!!)
* I will be a better Visiting Teacher.
* I will be a better friend. I have a lot of lovely amazing people in my life who have stood by me this last two years when I have been a selfish sad brat!!! They loved me WAY more than I deserved. I will be the friend this year that they deserve :-) I love them way more than I could ever explain.
* I will keep to a tight budget and save!!! (again not my forte but hey a girl can change!)
* And lastly I will complete another 75,000 names on Family Search Indexing. It is the very least I can do to show thanks to the Lord.
So bring it on 2012 - cos the Jolly Sara is jumping up ready to take advantage of every moment :-)
Those close to me know the last couple of years have been my own little private hell, my Gethsemane in a way - Neal A Maxwell said we would all have to pass through at least one (although please dont think I am trying to even contemplate it being like the Saviour but Elder Maxwell said we would all face those times in life that we can't see how we will ever make it through). Well here I am...still standing...and at the point where I choose what to make of this next year. Will I give it all I can to make it a better one?! Never in my wildest imaginings did I realise how tough life can get, I have always been the 'pink and fluffy' one, the 'jolly' one who carries on regardless - this period of time robbed me of that ability at times and I began to lose the 'me' that I liked.
Now I am finally facing up to a new reality, one which doesnt let me have the things I want or desperatly tried to hold onto, but instead a learning to accept the things the Lord wants me to have!! It is time to step up and become the woman the Saviour needs me to be!!!! Time to earn the forgiveness of those I have let down, time to show that I love the Lord more than anything else and I will do all within my power to love Him and give Him my whole heart :-)
One way I am overcoming those moments of deep sadness and finding the jolly me again is looking for those tender mercies every day of my life. And dont you just love that when you really look for them they can turn the saddest day around:-)
Just recently we lost a dear sister in our ward who had been unwell for some time. She had the most profound effect on me!!! If ever there was a sister I want to be like it was her! She LOVED everyone. If she saw you sad, or lonely or frustrated there would be a hug, a smile, a rub on the arm and most likely a following phone call or card in the post. She was single like me, but never once did that stop her moving and being so utterly celestial!!!!! I will miss her dreadfully - I do miss her dreadfully, but I will never be the same again for knowing her! I will follow her example and be the woman I can be, the woman the Lord needs me to be!!
So it is a pivotal year for me...and to help me I have made some goals. I am sharing them here so I have some responsibility to keep at them :-) Some are too personal to share but here goes:
* I am working on two courses (one is OU) - I will do my best and give them my greatest effort. I will stick with them and finish !!!!!
* I will be using the sacrament to report back to the Lord and covenant each Sunday to do better.
* I am going to do all I can to improve my health (including the dreaded course of action of healthy eating!!!! ANYONE who knows me knows how hard I find that one!!!)
* I will be a better Visiting Teacher.
* I will be a better friend. I have a lot of lovely amazing people in my life who have stood by me this last two years when I have been a selfish sad brat!!! They loved me WAY more than I deserved. I will be the friend this year that they deserve :-) I love them way more than I could ever explain.
* I will keep to a tight budget and save!!! (again not my forte but hey a girl can change!)
* And lastly I will complete another 75,000 names on Family Search Indexing. It is the very least I can do to show thanks to the Lord.
So bring it on 2012 - cos the Jolly Sara is jumping up ready to take advantage of every moment :-)
Monday 5 December 2011
It was the best of days, it was the worst of days...
Okay maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration, but it's been a funny old mix of things occuring these last few days but with my re-discovered positiveness I can see the good side :-)
* My car broke down on the way to the Christmas Music Festival - however I managed to drive it to my dads house and was able to sit in the warm while waiting for the Green Flag man!
* I couldnt drive to church yesterday - but my brother and dad took me / picked me up and both got to visit with old friends at church!!
* I had to get the car fixed - however my garage fitted me in TODAY and I had enough money to pay the bill (just! but enough none the less)
*He reminded me that my cam belt is due for replacement shortly - Hmmm £500 - oh well at least he reminded me and I can start my car saving fund once Christmas is done :-)
* I had my CT scan at the hospital. And it was SO SO SO much better than that awful MRI machine!! LOL. The radiographer spotted something that may well be causing my migraines!!! If he is correct (it needs to be confirmed by the consultant) it can be helped. This will mean a few lifestyle changes from me but they can only help my overall health so that is no bad thing.
* I had a GREAT day at church yesterday - Mel and Dianne said things that really touched my heart and made me feel so happy :-)
* I received a compliment for my SS lesson - a couple were visiting and said I should be a professional teacher :-) How kind was that!! It made my day!
* I was provided with some help yesterday that is going to change my life :-) I am now a woman with a plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So actually it didnt really have a bad point at all...all is well in the land of Sara :-)
* My car broke down on the way to the Christmas Music Festival - however I managed to drive it to my dads house and was able to sit in the warm while waiting for the Green Flag man!
* I couldnt drive to church yesterday - but my brother and dad took me / picked me up and both got to visit with old friends at church!!
* I had to get the car fixed - however my garage fitted me in TODAY and I had enough money to pay the bill (just! but enough none the less)
*He reminded me that my cam belt is due for replacement shortly - Hmmm £500 - oh well at least he reminded me and I can start my car saving fund once Christmas is done :-)
* I had my CT scan at the hospital. And it was SO SO SO much better than that awful MRI machine!! LOL. The radiographer spotted something that may well be causing my migraines!!! If he is correct (it needs to be confirmed by the consultant) it can be helped. This will mean a few lifestyle changes from me but they can only help my overall health so that is no bad thing.
* I had a GREAT day at church yesterday - Mel and Dianne said things that really touched my heart and made me feel so happy :-)
* I received a compliment for my SS lesson - a couple were visiting and said I should be a professional teacher :-) How kind was that!! It made my day!
* I was provided with some help yesterday that is going to change my life :-) I am now a woman with a plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So actually it didnt really have a bad point at all...all is well in the land of Sara :-)
Friday 2 December 2011
Even Today....
I have had a rotten headache for a couple of days which consequently turned into one of those much dreaded migraines...it is just now going. Could it be that even on a day like this there are tender mercies...
Well Of Course There Were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* I am so grateful for medication...that even though it takes time to work and sometimes takes several tablets, how amazingly blessed we are that we live in a world with medication :-)
* It made me reflect on how blessed I am to live in a country with the NHS - where we can see a Doctor, visit a hospital and recieve treatment no matter the size of our bank account. The NHS and this country are far from perfect but this is an enormous blessing as is the freedom we have to live as we wish :-)
* Today not being at work and lying down a lot I had time to think and ponder...I love those quiet moments when you really can just think and mediatate on life, God and everything in between. Today my thoughts were on how blessed I am. I have a Father in Heaven and Saviour who love me and have endless patience (thank goodness!!!). I am grateful for the strength to make some recent but very needed changes of perception and priorities in life which are giving me a greater relationship with them and much happiness :-) :-) :-)
* Gratitude for a chance over the last few days to work on a service project...lots of colouring and crafitness involved. Oh how jolly!!!
* Happy that when Mum got out the Christmas decorations and tree from the cupboard where it has been stashed for 12 months I discovered some of my missing craft items!!! Ooh that will get the creative juices going.
* Thankful for inspiration on my Sunday School lesson this week which teaches me much more than I am sure I manage to teach my students! I have really enjoyed studying Revelations this week.I am so thankful for the scriptures. Oh and in my ponderings I realised I am a bit behind on my goal to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year (I keep getting pulled away by The Peacegiver and Believing Christ as well as my Sunday School readings!)...so I have to read 8 or 9 pages a day now this month to finish my goal. How exciting, I can lose myself in the BOM every day! Yay!!!
* So pleased to have my lovely cats Toffee and Fudge - big bundles of joy who make me laugh and give me cuddles.
Today was not as I planned and not as I would choose but I cannot deny the tender mercies, they just keep on coming :-)
xxx
Well Of Course There Were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* I am so grateful for medication...that even though it takes time to work and sometimes takes several tablets, how amazingly blessed we are that we live in a world with medication :-)
* It made me reflect on how blessed I am to live in a country with the NHS - where we can see a Doctor, visit a hospital and recieve treatment no matter the size of our bank account. The NHS and this country are far from perfect but this is an enormous blessing as is the freedom we have to live as we wish :-)
* Today not being at work and lying down a lot I had time to think and ponder...I love those quiet moments when you really can just think and mediatate on life, God and everything in between. Today my thoughts were on how blessed I am. I have a Father in Heaven and Saviour who love me and have endless patience (thank goodness!!!). I am grateful for the strength to make some recent but very needed changes of perception and priorities in life which are giving me a greater relationship with them and much happiness :-) :-) :-)
* Gratitude for a chance over the last few days to work on a service project...lots of colouring and crafitness involved. Oh how jolly!!!
* Happy that when Mum got out the Christmas decorations and tree from the cupboard where it has been stashed for 12 months I discovered some of my missing craft items!!! Ooh that will get the creative juices going.
* Thankful for inspiration on my Sunday School lesson this week which teaches me much more than I am sure I manage to teach my students! I have really enjoyed studying Revelations this week.I am so thankful for the scriptures. Oh and in my ponderings I realised I am a bit behind on my goal to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year (I keep getting pulled away by The Peacegiver and Believing Christ as well as my Sunday School readings!)...so I have to read 8 or 9 pages a day now this month to finish my goal. How exciting, I can lose myself in the BOM every day! Yay!!!
* So pleased to have my lovely cats Toffee and Fudge - big bundles of joy who make me laugh and give me cuddles.
Today was not as I planned and not as I would choose but I cannot deny the tender mercies, they just keep on coming :-)
xxx
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Trust...Do we really???
I read something that really made me think last night...I am now onto Stephen E Robinson's 2nd book Following Christ (thank you Julia!!) and it is as amazing as the first one! I am not on commission (lol) but seriously these books will change your life...you have to read them!
Anyway he was talking about trusting in the Saviour. In the pre-exsitence we trusted Jesus Christ so much that we were willing to come down here to earth, knowing that if He didn't do what He said He would do, we were in REAL trouble. We would never make it back home again!! BUT we knew the Saviour and we trusted Him enough, we knew He wouldn't let us down. That is some amount of faith isnt it?
So why do we struggle so much now? If only we could just believe and trust that He has ALWAYS done what He said He will do - not once has He let us down and He is not going to now. He went through the most immense pain and trauma and distress for me and for you, so He will not let us down now, no way. How we must have rejoiced that the plan was complete and we could one day come home again!
What a tender mercy that is :-) To have the sure knowledge of a Saviour who is always there. I trusted Him before, I will trust Him now.
On smaller mercies....a wonderful visit from my VT together with chocolate cake, a task at work which was just perfect for me on a very tired day, a crafty evening and an evening with my little Beaver Scouts to look forward at Pets R Home!! Yay...life is happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway he was talking about trusting in the Saviour. In the pre-exsitence we trusted Jesus Christ so much that we were willing to come down here to earth, knowing that if He didn't do what He said He would do, we were in REAL trouble. We would never make it back home again!! BUT we knew the Saviour and we trusted Him enough, we knew He wouldn't let us down. That is some amount of faith isnt it?
So why do we struggle so much now? If only we could just believe and trust that He has ALWAYS done what He said He will do - not once has He let us down and He is not going to now. He went through the most immense pain and trauma and distress for me and for you, so He will not let us down now, no way. How we must have rejoiced that the plan was complete and we could one day come home again!
What a tender mercy that is :-) To have the sure knowledge of a Saviour who is always there. I trusted Him before, I will trust Him now.
On smaller mercies....a wonderful visit from my VT together with chocolate cake, a task at work which was just perfect for me on a very tired day, a crafty evening and an evening with my little Beaver Scouts to look forward at Pets R Home!! Yay...life is happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday 28 November 2011
Magic Moments...
This weekend was so busy this is my first chance to catch up - but it was a weekend full of magic moments :-) So here where the highlights of the tender mercies...
* We had a SA day on Saturday. It was fabulous fun, I met new friends, was served an amazingly yummy Christmas dinner (including chocolate dessert!! yum yum), topped off by an inspiring fireside. BUT what was best of all was the knowledge that even in a family orientated church (as it should be!) there is always a place for me!!! It doesnt matter that we dont always meet the 'ideal' what we are is good enough. We have a wonderful stake presidency who showed us that :-)
* Sunday got even better!!! I had asked 3 of my Sunday School class to bear their testimonies to the class of how they felt their Saviours love :-) Oh my goodness - they were amazing and had the entire class in tears. Sarah as she told of how the Lord was directing her life to places she could find happiness and joy. Sue as she talked of how she was told to place her hand in the Lords and He would lead her home. And Jeremy - please dont go and eat worms, we love you!!! He bore such a touching testimony of when life seems to be getting at you from all angles it is the love of the Lord that gets us through. The spirit they brought was amazing. When I look at the members of my class - I feel overwhelmed that the Lord put me there to teach them, when they are such special, and righteous people. I am gonna miss my class so much come January :-(
* So how do I know the Lord loves me....well of course at the top of the list is the Saviours sacrifice for me, and even more so that in Gethsemane He chose to know exactly HOW I feel in every moment. He chose to go through it all, not just my sins but my illness, sadness, discouragement - absolutely EVERYthing. Closely followed by this plan of happiness, so I really can go home one day. But its all the little things, the invites to come stay at friends homes and be pampered, the little messages I get every day, the scriptures - oh most definetly the scriptures, the fact I have knowledge of it all, my family who stand with me through it all, that I am of the House of Isreal, that I have the comfort of the Holy Ghost and day by day learn to recognise and feel it even more, General Conference, Local leaders who are just fabulous, a bed to sleep on, food to eat, a beautiful world to live in...does it get any better. Does He love me...you bet He does.
Does He love you? Just start counting the ways - you will be amazed!!!
* We had a SA day on Saturday. It was fabulous fun, I met new friends, was served an amazingly yummy Christmas dinner (including chocolate dessert!! yum yum), topped off by an inspiring fireside. BUT what was best of all was the knowledge that even in a family orientated church (as it should be!) there is always a place for me!!! It doesnt matter that we dont always meet the 'ideal' what we are is good enough. We have a wonderful stake presidency who showed us that :-)
* Sunday got even better!!! I had asked 3 of my Sunday School class to bear their testimonies to the class of how they felt their Saviours love :-) Oh my goodness - they were amazing and had the entire class in tears. Sarah as she told of how the Lord was directing her life to places she could find happiness and joy. Sue as she talked of how she was told to place her hand in the Lords and He would lead her home. And Jeremy - please dont go and eat worms, we love you!!! He bore such a touching testimony of when life seems to be getting at you from all angles it is the love of the Lord that gets us through. The spirit they brought was amazing. When I look at the members of my class - I feel overwhelmed that the Lord put me there to teach them, when they are such special, and righteous people. I am gonna miss my class so much come January :-(
* So how do I know the Lord loves me....well of course at the top of the list is the Saviours sacrifice for me, and even more so that in Gethsemane He chose to know exactly HOW I feel in every moment. He chose to go through it all, not just my sins but my illness, sadness, discouragement - absolutely EVERYthing. Closely followed by this plan of happiness, so I really can go home one day. But its all the little things, the invites to come stay at friends homes and be pampered, the little messages I get every day, the scriptures - oh most definetly the scriptures, the fact I have knowledge of it all, my family who stand with me through it all, that I am of the House of Isreal, that I have the comfort of the Holy Ghost and day by day learn to recognise and feel it even more, General Conference, Local leaders who are just fabulous, a bed to sleep on, food to eat, a beautiful world to live in...does it get any better. Does He love me...you bet He does.
Does He love you? Just start counting the ways - you will be amazed!!!
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