Shasta

I've been reading through the books from the Chronicles of Narnia.  Right now I'm about finished with the Horse and His Boy. It is by far my favorite book in the series right now.

    The thing that I love about it is the Destiny of this small boy who felt he had no significance in life and was only treated barely better than a slave.

    Shasta is a young boy that was rescued by a fisherman when he was just a baby who came along a talking horse and together they decided to run away from their old lives and live for freedom!

    Along the way he made some good friends and had many adventures.  The greatest thing that he does though is a dangerous and hard trip through the desert to get to a people in order to warn them that they are going to be attacked.

    He is pushed to the very limits of his faith, strength and courage in order to make it, and right when he expends the last of his effort he encounters some of the people he is trying to warn who are then able to carry the message the rest of the way.

    He tries to follow them but gets left behind and but decides to keep going in hopes that he's headed in the right direction.

    Shasta wanders in the foggy mountains and is joined by an unseen companion who travels with him for a while. He asks Shasta to tell him of his sorrows and he laments how unfortunate his life has been up to this point with all the troubles that he had faced.

    The stranger tells him he is not unfortunate at all, but is very blessed, and through all those hard and difficult times He was there to make sure that Shasta was safe and pushed him to give his all in order to save the people.

    I was really moved by this.  Although it feels at times like I'm very inadequate, with no special talents or gifts, and that I've have had many hard times in my life, it makes me aware how close Heavenly Father really is.

    That He placed me where I am in life to learn things about myself.  To conquer fears, doubts, temptations, and weaknesses. To grow and learn faith, hope, courage, and love.

    He pushes me beyond what I think I am capable of taking in order that I will be able to fulfill the Destiny that He has given to me.

    He's been there at times and I've had no idea, at times when I haven't deserved it, the times when I have, and the times when I've needed Him the most.

    I am eternally grateful for my Loving Father. Especially for the strength and healing He has given me as I've struggled the past two weeks with things pertaining to true and endless love.

    Now back to Shasta.  He went on to discover that he was the son of a wonderful and kind King and he would someday also be king.  It makes my heart leap and sing and know that I will discover more greatness in myself beyond that which I already have.

Best of all he got the girl.  Which gives me hope that I will get mine too!

Time Respect

I've been a bit frustrated and disappointed in myself over the past few weeks.  I've had lots of things that I've wanted to do and work on improving and I just can't get them done and I feel like I'm not making any progress. :(

My obstacle in this is time.  Not just time management (which it is partly, I haven't been setting specific daily goals like I have promised myself I would) but more specifically time interruptions.
I feel like I am facing frequent interruptions into my time that I have(and need to) set to get work done on other important things.

These stem from several sources.  Not setting very specific time-frames for tasks/activities. Getting interrupted by people.  Getting distracted by myself when I am working and needing to focus.
The last two being the largest factors, amplified a little by what's missing from not doing the first.

Which brings me to my problem.  The Respecting of Time.
    It's been said that time is our most valuable commodity.  I concur with that.  Being something in the mortal perspective that is so priceless there is a serious lack of respect for it. Selfishness can be a part of as the people eating into my time are sometimes putting their interests before mine when the matter is superficial.
    Other times can be more serious and urgent interruptions, but those are and should be very infrequent.
    Another is conflict in planning. This is especially potent when you live with other people who are very involved in your life(see: family, and sometimes roommates)
    This one can be solved peacefully by setting the specific time-frame goals for the day and sharing them with the people who would disturb you and tell them what time you need for yourself to work and what times they can ask you for help or to do something with them.

I have been told by some people that I don't have respect for their time.  I accept responsibility for that.  I also feel like people don't respect MY time either.
I am going to changes this.

I will be more mindful of the time that others give me and do my best to be gracious and thoughtful with it. 
    I will help others to respect my time by telling them what time I need and want for myself and asking them not to disturb me during those times. I will also respect this time myself and focus on that for which I have planned the time.

    I really want to make myself a better person. I want to be able to do the things that I want to do each day to grow my businesses, develop my talents, spend time with my family, and have time for fun things as well.
    Time management has always been one of my greater weaknesses and I want it to become my strength!

    Time you are on my side!  We can do great things together!

    This year I am going to become your master and you will help me be what I want to be, do what I want to do, and assist me in making myself great!



P.S.  I can sometimes sound very cold and heartless when I am bothered and wish not to be.  I don't mean it.  I'm sorry if you feel hurt. I'm trying to fix this as well.

Goals for the year 2011

    I think this is a first for me.  Now that I think about it I should have done this at the start of the year.

Setting long term goals has often felt too vague for me.  Like, how can I know what I can do or be given a year's time?

    I think it's important for me to find that out though.  To see what I can make myself into with a whole year to work with.

    I also think that I haven't known what I would want to be one year, five, ten or even more from now.  I'm still a little in the dark when it comes to that.  But there are some things that I am sure about and want to make happen, and on the other things I will have to guess high and aim high as well.

    My list of goals for 2011!

• <3 Get Married! <3
• Read a new book every week for the whole year.
• Make my computer business successful and grow sales each month enough to be able to open my own store by the end of the year.
• Sell HEART to at least 5 of the weatherization organizations in Utah.
• Move out and live on my own.
• Buy my own car.
• Rock the University of Laramie, Wyoming when my band performs there this November!
• Become awesome on the Drums, Guitar, and Banjo.
• Sing a love song to a beautiful girl.
• Enter into some Tennis tournaments and make it to the finals in my division. 
• Make it to Masters Division in SC2
• Find a new hobby that I love and can get passionate about.
• Start taking pictures again.
• Spend more time with each of my sisters.
• Always be ready to help someone who needs it.
• Start working out regularly(at least 4 times a week)
• Learn to cook better, faster, and get creative.
• Figure out how to manage my time effectively.

• Be happy with who I am and how I am living my life!

    2011 I am looking forward to getting to know you!  To experience the joys that you hold for me!  To love all the new people that will come into my life!  To cherish more those who are already in it! To see where you take me and where you allow me to take myself!
    To taking life to the next level and living it to the fullest.  With the fullest amount of joy that I will have ever experienced!!!

Sincerely!
~Quixoticism