Stars to Steer By

I'm always thinking that I can never finish anything. I always start off strong, and then give up.

But, as I was cleaning up my blog, I realized, I had accomplished almost all of my summer goals. Even my semester goals which I thought I had failed at, I really accomplished them (maybe in a different way, but I did it).

Summer Goals!
I did some family history work. Granted not a lot, but I took the Sunday School class. The testimony I developed there helped me begin indexing and actually diving into the new FamilySearch website. In fact, I found some of my ancestors this past week!

We did family scripture study. I tried it out; it wasn't entirely successful, but I learned that it is a lot harder to do. However, I know I saw a difference in each one of us. I know that it is not impossible, nor is it a waste of time.

I earned three times as much money as I thought I would! I have no doubt this is a miracle. I had help.

Go camping? Check! I went to Girls' Camp. That definitely counts.

Read enjoyable books. Yes! I really developed a love again for literature. There is something unique you can learn from each book, character, and author. It helps me appreciate the scriptures more too! I can appreciate those people more. And they're actually real, not fiction.

Read Jane Austen. This surprisingly helped me with patience and gentlemen this semester. Persuasion taught me that I don't need to rush things with any guy. It takes time. And it gives you time to grow as a person.

Read my childhood favorites. Not only did it bring back an element of nostalgia, but it reminded me of the principles I grew to learn as a kid. I wanted so desperately to have the adventures of Rowan, or of the Two Princesses of Bamarre, but I never really understood the adventures that I did have. I was brave! I did stand up for what I believed in, even when I felt alone.

I did go shopping. No doubt on that one. I think I realized what that I can develop a "style" that doesn't have to fit a specific one. I don't need to thrive off of the likes of others.

Run a Race. Check! It was crazy hard. Trust me and Christ Anthony when we say it kicked our butts. But, I now know how to run a half-marathon. :)

Work on Personal Progress. Yes, but I am slowly accomplishing it. Maybe that's the way it is supposed to happen.

Make a scrapbook. While I didn't physically put one together, I did organize my memorabilia and my pictures on my laptop. That's super important. I just wish scrapbooking didn't take so much darn time! If anyone has any tips for me, please! Help!

Sleep. I did do that.

Watch Disney Movies. I satisfied my craving.

I got to babysit. Check! They really do keep my imagination alive.

Run/Workout 5 times a week. I did this. Consistently. All summer. If I ever doubt myself in consistency, I need to remind myself that I did this. While some days, it was a jog around the block or a kickboxing class, I knew that if I gave up one day, it would be easy to give up the next day. Once you do it for about 2 weeks, you don't want to ruin your winning streak!

Go to a Blossom Concert. I saw one with my dad. It was a Pirates of the Caribbean showing with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra playing in the background. I felt like Daddy's little girl again. And he said quite sentimentally that he's proud of me. Can I just testify that you experience precious moments when you spend one-on-one time with your parents?

I did go to the temple monthly (this whole year!) I think I missed one month, but I made up for it. I love the temple!

Semester Goals?
-Read half of the Book of Mormon with my apartment. Okay, we tried. Again, it's hard! While I still struggle reading in groups, I can say that I will be halfway done with the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.

-Work out 5 times a week. Again, another goal applied in a different way. I went to the doctor because my foot had been bothering me. I was basically overusing a muscle in my foot. Anyways, I worked out when I could. I ran at 11pm, 12pm, etc. I would go swimming. I would take long walks when I needed to cool off. I came to realize that working out is a stress reliever. It shouldn't add more stress to your life! We're all looking at it wrong!

-Get all As this semester. While they weren't all As, I did get all As and A-s. And that, my friends, is a huge feat. Especially with that chemistry and the calculus.

My yearly goals. My biggest goal was to focus on forgiveness. Never have I taken a New Year's resolution more seriously. And my goal did not go unchallenged. I did have many opportunities to apply this lesson, even to myself. I can now say I have a strong testimony in forgiveness. I know that by forgiving others, we will be forgiven. Through forgiveness, we become more like our Savior.

My other one was to be healthy! My weight or my size didn't matter as much as my health. I learned this a lot in my nutrition class. I love planning out my meals for a day! Seriously, go to choosemyplate.gov and try it. It actually reduces a lot of stress in trying to think "Hmm, what am I going to eat for lunch now?" It gives you time to focus on other things throughout the day. It gives you a chance to practice self control. For example, I sometimes get tempted to gorge on chocolate. But, I tell myself, I can have a piece after dinner. Let's wait till then. AND, while some of you might find this less valuable, that website helps you meet every FDA food group requirement. I am getting all the nutrients I need, and that's a relief!

Well this post is really to remind myself that I can do hard things. I found this quote in my mom's quote journal from her mission:

We make goals for ourselves to improve. I have really learned how to set realistic goals, whether they be financial, social, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. I know I am not perfect; but, I also know that my Heavenly Father expects me to improve! I am so grateful for progress! 

I'll be adding new 2012 goals to my blog. I'd love to hear anyone's feedback on their goals. I'd love some more ideas. 

Semestre Trois

It's good to be back home. 

And be back on my blog again. I had a nice little breakup. 

Yet here I am, 1:30 in the morning. It almost seems typical of me to put off my urge to blog till the most inconvenient time. When my fingers have the need to type out some life-long learning lesson. Or a simple quip about something insignificant. 

I should probably review what happened these last couple of months. Third semester in college. Yay! What a blast! It was way hard, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally taxing. I was stretched in many ways I didn't think possible. I saw miracles happen. I know I was being tested in many ways that didn't involve a Scantron. 

Dude I wish I looked this adorable as a kid! 

I learned about calculus. I learned many things about derivatives and integrals. I know how to make a circle using a polar equation. If I really tried, I could probably make an equation for a smiley face (there was actually a problem in my book that asked that; thankfully, my teacher didn't assign that problem).

 I (somewhat) know how much work it takes to empty out a tank, or pull up a bucket of water with a pulley system. I know how to find the convergence of a series. 

I learned about chemistry. I finally learned what titration and buffers actually are. I learned about radiation, and that gamma radiation usually accompanies alpha and beta decay. Woah! I know more about organic chemistry, and it actually sticks because I can apply it to nutritional science. I know about hydrocarbons and how to name them. Yes, I do how to draw the molecule 3,3-dichlorobutyraldehyde or N, N-dimethylbenzamide. How cool is that?! 

In my other chemistry class, I learned that precision takes patience. I gained a lot of patience re-caliberating my burette, or redoing an experiment that I had inaccurate results for. I also learned that Zinc Sulfide produces a yellow gas when dissolved in H2SO4 and then heated in boiling water. I learned that I am pretty good at memorizing procedures, especially when I need to know what ions are in the precipitate when I add, say, HCl. 

I learned about Nutritional Science. By far my favorite class. After having switched from Cultural Anthropology and then to Civil Engineering, I took this class a little wary that I might not like it as much as I would hope. I was wrong. I learned the many lies that plague the nutrition industry. I learned how to properly balance my diet. I learned that it's not that hard, and it's quite fun! 

Mmm some chicken pot pie

I learned that I should be getting about 2400 calories a day when I am physically active about an hour a day. I know that I should have 3c. of veggies, 2c. of fruits, 6.5 oz. of protein, 8oz. of grain (1/2 whole wheat), and 3c. of milk. I realized I don't drink enough milk! I also realized there are many small steps I can take to help bring more food security to people. Buy locally! Really recycle. Eat more produce. Become more self-reliant, then help promote self-reliance rather than donating goods/money. It's better to teach a man to fish than to bring him a fish. 

I learned about relationships in my LDS Marriage and Family class. This class was by far the biggest surprise class for me. I thought I would hate it! But, I came to understand more about the eternal importance of families, and a spouse. Though I am not married, I got to work on the relationships that I am involved in (talking about my family, friends, and myself). I can't believe how poorly I had treated them! I learned to be a better listener. I learned that all of my dating blunders are only for a moment in time. In the meantime, I need to become the person worthy to marry. So, no rush. I learned how important it is to learn the "love language" of the person whom you love. It's not enough to love them the way you like to be loved. Pay attention to their responses to certain expressions of love. 

I learned that we all have a divine role as a wife/husband and mother/father. We exhibited extraordinary faith in the pre-existence, thus we are blessed with raising children of God. :) Let's all live up to that potential. 

I learned about Christ. In my New Testament class, I learned about the parables and miracles of Christ. More importantly, how they apply to my life. I know that Jesus Christ is real, and he had a mortal experience just like I am going through. How cool is that? I learned that true charity has to cost you something. It's not charity unless you are "out" something. 

One of my favorite stories: Zacchaeus the publican

Think about it. Test it out. Truly stretch yourself. It can't just mean something to the other person, it has to mean something to you. It's not like a white elephant gift. I know that I can ask in prayer for miracles. And they do happen! Dare ya to try! I know that the Book of Mormon follows the gospel of Christ in the Bible. They go hand-in-hand. 

Someday, I'm going to look back at this and truly appreciate writing what I learned from my third semester in college. It's great to get that out of my system! I love this gospel! I love my family, they mean the world to me! 

Life's hard, guys. But, the gospel is not. It makes life better and doable! We are working towards eternal life.