November Report Card

Sorry it's been so long since I posted, everybody! 

To sum up what's been going on lately, I had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends, and have been catching up on A LOT of homework (by a lot, I mean waking up at 7am on a Saturday). 

I think it's about time I gave a report card for November Resolutions, wouldn't you think so? To be honest, I'm not excited about sharing the results. Last month did not go very well goal-wise.

1. Drink at least 6 glasses of water everyday: F
Poor planning on my part. I shouldn't have expected to set such a high goal for myself and immediately develop the habit within the month. Studies show that it takes about 21 repetitions of the goal to form a habit. This would take up the entire month in and of itself. 

2. Practice 120 minutes a week: F
Same story here for the most part, with an addition of laziness.

3. Blog at least twice a week: A+
I did pretty well on this one. To post twice a week means 8 posts in a month, and I made 11, so I'm letting myself pass this one, even though there were times where I posted three times a week, and sometimes didn't post at all in a week, or only once.

4. Monastic Project: D-
I've been focusing on other subjects, and I need to have this all done by Wednesday. I think it's doable.

5. Catch up on Omnibus Reading before Thanksgiving: C
I'm not all caught up, but now I have a workable plan to be all caught up by the Semester reading due date. 

6. Finish the 30 Day Blog Challenge: B
I AM SO CLOSE!!!! Only 4 more posts and then you guys will never have to see the inconsistent "The 30 Day Blog Challenge" titles on Victorious Heroine ever again!!! Unless of course I do another 30 day blog challenge in the future... Could you guys tell me if you enjoy those?

7. Teach Youth Group: A+
All went well. I made a power point slide (at a youth group meeting, I know, but it worked!) and talked about what it means to have a true friendship with God. 

8. Schedule/Plan/Organize More Often: C
Ahem. No, not exactly. My dad just said the other day when my mom was pretty much making fun of me for not knowing where a certain location was, "You don't plan ahead very much, do you?" I shook my head so that he'd leave me alone, but I have tried very hard in the past to plan ahead, but when it comes down to the most important things like making sure I set my alarm before I go to bed, or charging my phone, or remembering where the car was parked in huge parking lots, or keeping my school binders up to date: I fail. A lot. On the other hand, I'm good at keeping things like my school notes organized (and I even came up with a better system for note-taking), and I even utilized Google Calendar a lot more than I ever have. So overall, I'm beating myself up a lot, but I need to. Because I know that if I don't beat myself up now, then I'll be even more beat up by my life years from now from not developing the habits I should have been developing now.

9. Cut YouTube time on Tuesdays and Sundays: F
There was maybe one Sunday where I was able to refrain from YouTube for the most part, but this was a goal that didn't take off.

10. Health: D-
I've been taking walks at school, but to be honest, I could be doing more exercises and walks more often. I've learned that "I don't have time to exercise" is a horrible excuse. It only takes 10 minutes to jog a mile, and it only takes 5 minutes to do a few strength training exercises with dumbbell weights. 

Overall Grade Average: C-

Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't get a lower average! The numbers seem to have granted me mercy somehow.

Important Life Lessons Learned in November:

• Lots of perseverance, lots of hard work, lots of repetition and help from the Lord create good habits.
• If you want something done, don't be lazy. Laziness is no excuse for an incomplete task.
• If you learn to love something about a task, it makes the task so much easier and fun to do.
• Timing is important. Always make a plan and stick to it, but don't procrastinate or take more time than you truly have to get a job done.
• Building a friendship (especially with God) takes a lot of constant practice. Any kind of relationships never take a holiday.
• Sometimes when it looks like you're about to drown in quicksand, you're only going to drown faster if you try to get yourself out on your own. Ask for help, and the problem will likely be resolved much faster and more efficiently.
• It's good to take breaks, as long as they're reasonable and aren't breaks from taking breaks. Breaks are for those who have actually broken a sweat and accomplished something truly worthwhile.
• Plans are so much better than spontaneity. Even if they're not as fun on the front end, they will always have better results in the end.
• Doing something small is better than not doing anything at all.

I hope this post is more encouraging and inspiring than it is disappointing. :)

Question for the Reader: How do you like the new blog layout for Christmas?

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." --Proverbs 24:16

November Resolutions

It's now time for another round of Monthly Resolutions: November 2013 Edition.

1) Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day.
According to health experts, humans should be drinking about 8 glasses of water per day. On most days, I find myself drinking about half of that, if at all. This is obviously not healthy, and I'd like to make that change.

2) Practice 120 minutes a week.
I've found that if I take a discipline and count the minutes that I'm practicing it and make a goal for a specific amount of minutes every week, it works very well for me.

3) Blog at least twice a week.
For obvious reasons. :)

4) Monastic Project
At school, I was assigned a project of reading through 1 Corinthians, and basically having "quiet time" in the morning or the evening and keeping track of what I learn. It's going to take some work, but I'd like to do well on it, and I think it will help me spiritually as well.

5) Catch-up on Omnibus Reading before Thanksgiving.
I'm behind. If I stick with the plan and persevere, I should be all caught up by Thanksgiving Day. What bliss that will be!

6) FINISH The 30 Day Blog Challenge.
What seemed like a simple blog project that would take no more than 40 days, turned into something that has now been unfinished as of about 4 months later. I need to finish this, guys. Only 10 more posts: I can do this.

7) Teach Youth Group
I'm teaching again on the 7th! So excited! Please pray that the Lord uses me to speak His words for what my peers need to hear from Him.

8) Schedule/Plan/Organize More Often
I spent a HUGE chunk of the summer organizing and making routines for myself so that I'd be a mean-green-academic-machine for this school year. Now...my binders are scarcely organized, my textbooks and notebooks are scattered all over the place: my school office, my bookshelves, my bedroom, my home computer area, my backpack...just everywhere. On top of that, I'm hardly ever using my planner (even though my online task list stays up to date) and things just aren't getting done the way they should! I'd like to be able to fix this, so I'll be well-organized when I get back to school after Thanksgiving Break.

9) Cut YouTube Time on Tuesdays and Sundays
Confession: I'm a big fan of youtube videos. I'm not at a point of obsession, but I watch it a little bit more than I probably should. I'd like to start cutting back on the 3-5 minute videos that quickly become an hour-long escapade.

10) Health
I'm trying harder to do more of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and watching what I eat. I think if I stick to it, it will help me form really good healthy habits for the future.

These are a lot of goals, but I know that some of them will probably be a lot easier than they seem, because I've already gotten a head start in October. Here's to a great November!

Question for the Reader: What is a good habit you're trying to form?

"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways." --Proverbs 4:26

(Link up to Kelli's She Learns As She Goes)

Photo credit: http://blog.ryanlawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/fallTree.jpg

September Resolutions: Keep It Simple

We all know that according to the calendar of the United States, September is the month in which fall begins: the season of change.

Change has been the roaring theme of my life recently, and I'd like my resolutions for this month to reflect that. I don't want to be a person who is constantly freaking out about things that don't truly matter. Instead, I'd like to bring all of my focus to what matters the most: love. Loving God, and loving my neighbors as much as I love myself (which of course implies that I have some self-love and respect). 
So please do not be surprised that my resolutions have been cut down to the size of a fingernail in comparison to the norm. My goal is to simplify my life to a point where God has plenty of room to work. :)

1. Adapt to changes, even when they're uncomfortable.
2. Keep things as simple as possible--don't add, reduce.
3. Maintain self-respect...without pride or vanity.
4. Love Thy Neighbor: be merciful, kind, respectful, and generous to everyone around you, as well as obedient to your leaders.
5. Love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

These 5 resolutions are not only my resolutions for this month, but 5 things that I intend to grow in myself as I live the rest of my life in Christ.

Not only do I want myself to grow in these areas, but I hope that you may find them helpful in your own life as well.

Here's to the season of change!

Question for the Reader: What season of life do you find yourself in?

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter." --Daniel 2:20b-23

August Report Card

It's high time for a report card don't you think?

So so so so sorry for the lateness everyone! It's been pretty busy around here lately, with my brother's birthday, Labor Day weekend, and then my first day of online classes today. I'm finally getting around to blogging again. :)

1. Finish Summer Bucket List: A
I did pretty well finishing off the list. We made cherry limeade, I at least made an attempt to do a vlog post (and I do plan to publish one in the near future!), wrote a story, witnessed my dad and brother build a rocket to launch with Boy Scouts, went to the library, and played hopscotch. Overall, I had a wonderful summer, and I'm glad I could share it with you readers. :D

2. Summer Reading: A-
My goal was to finish the requirements for reading "The City of God" by St. Augustine by the end of August, but I didn't quite make that goal. Fortunately, I completed most of the summer reading requirements.

3. Start 11th Grade: A+
I could not have been more excited to start this school year. Online classes started today, and every one of them taught me something new about how things are going to be, and each one presented me with new challenges to face. I know that God will be with me throughout this year, guiding my every step.

4. Get a job?: A
Ok, I admit: I am currently unemployed in terms of what most people call "a real job." However, I was able to make a decision, that until I get a driver's license in February, I am blessed with babysitting opportunities and enough extracurricular activities to keep me busy enough as is. I do plan to get a job soon, but now is not the time.

5. Publish more blog posts: A++
I am proud to announce that the month of August brought more blog posts than ever before in the history of VH. This month, August had an all-time high of 19 posts!!! This is even more than April 2013(the month right after I first started). I think it's safe to say that I picked up a bit more momentum, and this blog is going to stick around for a little while longer. :)

Recurring goals: 
Music Practice: B+
I think I could have done a bit better on this, but I'm starting to pick up more momentum.

Scripture Reading: A+
I've been called to focus more on God's Word than I normally have in the past. It is my goal for the rest of my life to be active in Scripture, as it is essential to following Christ.

Exercise: D
My focus has been elsewhere this month in terms of exercise. However, I have set multiple fitness goals for myself this month, so next time, I shouldn't have any excuses about sticking with exercise.

Diary Writing: F
Same story. While lots has happened this month, I haven't been keeping a good record of it in my diary.

Total Average: A-

Wow, I'm really happy with the results! I've had a great month, and I'm looking forward to a great start in the  school year. Happy September everyone!

Question for the Reader: How was your August?

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." --Romans 8:1

August Resolutions

I can't believe summer is almost over!!! And July has flown away with it. So a new month has begun, therefore it is time for a new post about monthly resolutions.

Finish Summer Bucket List

I don't expect to cross off absolutely everything, but I don't want to leave any more than 10 on the list.

Summer Reading

I still have one book to finish for required summer reading and then I need to continue to finish as much of the Omnibus list as possible before online classes start.

Start 11th Grade

Technically, online classes don't start until orientations at the end of this month, but I still get to take care of responsibilities at Rocky Mountain (brick and mortar school). 

Get a job?

I'm still thinking and praying about this, but I need to start raising some money so that I can responsibly take care of my parent's cars when I start driving them when I get my license, plus a few trips are coming around next summer which I'd really like to do, and my parents think it would be a good way to spice up my college résumé and practice for adult life. I have a few ideas as to where I would apply, but it's sort of a matter of whether I feel ready to take on that responsibility yet or not.

Publish more blog posts

I've been failing to post on here very often. I want to change that this month. 

Recurring Goals:

Music Practice

Scripture Reading

Exercise

Diary Writing

I'm sure this month will go very well. Best wishes to you all in ending the summer and starting the fall!

Question for the Reader: What has been the highlight of your summer so far?

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." --2 Corinthians 5:17

June Resolutions: Summer Vacation

Read a ton!
I'd like to accomplish reading several Omnibus books for summer reading, plus a couple on my own pleasure reading list.

Exercising
I'd like to walk a lot more often. I think if I worked pretty hard, I could be walking a minimum of two miles every day, maybe 4.

Extracurricular Activities Report for VPSA Resumé
I have a summer assignment due on the 15th in which I need to turn in a list of things that I did during the school year that didn't count for a grade, but were beneficial in other ways. At the end of my senior year, my online school will help me use that information to put together a lovely college resumé.

Give Dad an Awesome Father's Day
I'd like my dad to feel appreciated, loved, and respected on June 16th this year. I'll do my best to make that happen. :)

Scratch off bucket list items
Now I'm not looking to get 75% of my bucket list done all in the month of June (even though that would be pretty cool.) But I am hoping to get a lot scratched off.

Publish at least 10 posts this month
It's a bit of a challenge, but since it's summer, I'm up for it. Besides, with all of the guest posts, series, and other fun things I have in mind, I think I can make it happen.

Music Practice
Recurring goal...I just want to do better than last month.

Read Isaiah & Other Scripture
I think that maybe the problem I'm having is that I feel forced to read some Scripture that might not be the right fit for my spiritual journey at that very point in time. I'd like to self-discipline myself to read the Book of Isaiah, since I am reading it with one of my friends from youth group, and then decide what I'd like to read next and accomplish that.

Preparation for Summer Vacation in Florida
I need to do A LOT of laundry, shopping, and other preparation and planning before this trip comes around soon. This is something that needs to be done quickly and efficiently.

Go to Florida & Prepare to Blog about it
This is exciting! It's probably the biggest summer vacation that our family has planned in several years. It will be so much fun, and I hope to include enough details through diary entries and picture taking to tell you all about it. To see how soon this vacation is coming, check the widget on the right side of this page to observe the countdown. :)

Overall, ten things for a resolutions list sounds like a pretty good challenge. This will definitely be a memorable month, and perhaps a monumental one for Victorious Heroine. We'll see what happens! :) 

Question for the Reader: Do you have plans for summer vacation?

"And he said, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" --Exodus 33:14

(Link-up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

May Report Card: I Hate It When I'm Right

I hate to say it, but I was right.

If you remember my May resolutions post, then you might know what I'm talking about. Remember when I was pretty concerned about how crazy May 2013 would be? And how I was totally unsure about how the resolutions would go? I was right. And for the first time in a while, I get to use the phrase that I rarely use: "I hate it when I'm right." I am a bit disappointed to show you all what went down this month, but for the sake of promise keeping, here are the results of this past month's resolutions, or, in other words, the May 2013 Report Card. Cue the "dun dun dun" ominous musical effect.

Omnibus Reading: D-
Oh, that I could relive certain areas of my life...but I can't. I could have done much better on this, and I just didn't. I don't want to let myself act like that. My first goal for next year is to step up on this area of my academics. If I don't want to do something sometimes, I need to "man up" and do it anyway. This summer, my goal is to try, try again and do my best to get a head start on this coming school year's reading so that it makes the job somewhat easier, and forces me to be more responsible. The key is to persevere and self-discipline myself, so that's exactly what I'm going to do, or at least give it my best. 

Diary Writing: C+
I'm improving, and that's what I think is what's most important. I made 3 entries out of the 5 that I was aspiring for. 2 of them were quite long and helped me reflect a lot. I should write in my diary more often. I think it's healthy.

Finish the Book of Isaiah: F
This did not happen at all. I don't recall making any effort on this whatsoever, but I will do my best to catch up.

Read either Judges or Proverbs: D-
I read Proverbs 31 and a couple chapters from Judges about Samson, but I did not come close to reading all of either one. It's okay, I'll try again.

Music Practice: D-
I think I may have practiced once or twice, if at all, in the entire month of May. This should be unacceptable in my mind. 

Get Through Extracurricular Events: A+
God is very merciful. The drama club performance went smoothly (even though there were a few things that could have been better), the symphony concert was excellent, and the jazz band performances were great. All went very well, and for that I am very thankful.

Give Mom an Awesome Mother's Day: A
This went pretty well. I got her a gift that she absolutely loved, and I helped doing a lot of yard work that day, which I think she appreciated. I hope she felt pretty special on her day.

Conquer Final Exams: A
I made it through exam week!!! YAY! I've already gotten some of my grades back, and a lot of them are As & Bs, so I could hardly be happier.

Finish Tenth Grade: A
This category went pretty well. While I surely hit a few bumps in the road, I'd say I finished the school year off wonderfully. Another chapter has closed, and another challenge has been conquered victoriously.

Overall Grade Average: C

Well, I suppose this could have been worse. It was a tough month, but if one thing can be learned from this, it's that I need to really try to do my best in everything, and not stress out when I fail, because as Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables said, "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Question for the Reader: How was your month of May?

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." --Colossians 3:23

(Link up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

Mid-May Progress Report: We'll See...

I'm back!

I know it's been a while, but to be fair, life's been insane lately. Even this week is final exam week!

I apologize for not posting as much lately, but to make it up to you, here's a post on my progress for monthly resolutions: May 2013 edition.

Omnibus Reading
This is finished, but the results were not very satisfying. I didn't quite reach an 80 in my primary class, and I definitely did not do very well for secondary reading at all. The good news is that the overall average shouldn't be too bad. It's not something I was aspiring after, but I think God's going to come through in it.

Diary Writing
My goal is to have five entries this month, and so far I have 2... 

Finish the Book of Isaiah
I haven't touched this one. 

Read either Judges or Proverbs
I've read one chapter out of Proverbs. The other 30 need to fall into place quickly!

Music Practice
*Sigh* This hasn't gone too well either. I'll do my best to do some clarinet and alto sax practice this week.

Get through Extracurricular Events
God definitely made this one happen. I'm surprised how well things went in this category, but more on that later.

Give Mom an Awesome Mother's Day
More on that later, but I'd say it was a pretty good day.

Conquer Final Exams
A work in progress...to be continued.

Finish Tenth Grade
I'll get there. Few more things to finish up, but I'll get there. Summer awaits!

I don't know about this month, folks. But we'll see. :)

Question for the Reader: Please tell me someone out there is having a rough month too? Any advice on dealing with it?

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." --John 16:33

May Resolutions: Keep Calm

This sign has pretty much been the theme today so far. This morning was absolutely hectic, but I don't mean to complain about that, because it's my responsibility and part of it is my own fault. But my message to you readers out there is this: Remain calm in all situations. And also, a sugar free cinnamon dolce latte can help a lot, especially when it's freezing cold outside and May decides to enter 2013 with a big snow fall...even though April had quite it's share.

The message of "keeping calm" is going to pop up a lot for me this month, because May is always crazy for students, am I right? With summer coming, final exams approaching, keeping up the GPA for final quarter, and just surviving whatever grade you're in? It's insane. But I know God has a plan, and helps me through all situations. Just like flowers will come through the snow, good things will come through the bad.

So, without further ado, here are my May resolutions:

Omnibus Reading
I have to get my Primary class reading done by May 10th! Yikes! I'd like to get an 80 or an 85 on this percentage at the very least. 

Diary Writing
If at all possible, I'd like to do some diary writing at least five times this month.

Finish the Book of Isaiah
A friend and I have been reading the Book of Isaiah together, and I've fallen a bit behind. I'd like to finish it by the end of this month.

Read either Judges or Proverbs
I decided to take smaller steps on this one, since it's been hard to get this done. 

Music Practice
Practice at least half an hour per week.

Get through Extracurricular Events
Drama Club, Symphony Concert, Jazz Band performances....it's a big list.

Give Mom an Awesome Mother's Day
I think everyone should take part in this resolution. Moms do a ton for us that we don't always realize sometimes, and they deserve a really awesome day.

Conquer Final Exams
My midterms could have been better, and if I come up with a good game plan, I think I can have a good finals week overall.

Finish Tenth Grade
I can't believe it, but after this month, I'll be halfway through high school! I want to finish this year strong so that I can go into summer knowing that I did my best, looking forward to the second half of high school. 

Whew! That's a bunch. Sure, some of them are recurring goals, but a lot of them are new to the party as well. Here's to a challenging but promising month ahead!

Question for the Reader: What are your goals this month?

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." --Romans 8:28

(Link-up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

April Report Card

Let's see how I did on resolutions for this month...

Omnibus Reading: C
I'm getting a dent into my reading, but I haven't finished the reading plan. As a matter of fact, I need to make a new one... This one needs to happen before my reading percentages are due!

Diary Writing: A
I did better on this than last month, and that's all I really wanted. I made three entries for the month of April, so hopefully I can get into the habit of making weekly entries for May.

Read Judges and Proverbs: D-
This one's just not happening for some reason. I'll find a way to make it work out soon.

Teach Youth Group: A+
The meeting went very well! Many people said that they got a lot out of that lesson. I'm very pleased to see how God worked in incredible ways with my teaching.

Music Practice: A
I practiced a LOT more than last month. I need to keep better track of it though. I think I'll make a calendar.

Post at least 3 times this month: A+
Go look at how many posts were in this month's archive... That's a whole lot more than 3 isn't it? I'm really enjoying this new blogging hobby. :) 

Extra Credit: Exercising
I've been doing more exercising this month, which I debated putting on my report card at the beginning of April, but decided not to. It turns out that I made it happen anyway, which is a great accomplishment for me. 

Total Average: A-

How's that for improvement? I am very happy with this report card in comparison to the last one. I'm hoping that I can continue to improve in my goals as I steadily grow in following the Lord's plans as well. 

I'll be back soon with my resolutions for May, so stay tuned!

Question for the Reader: Are you satisfied with your results on April resolutions?

"Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always." --Psalm 105:4

(Link-up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

Mid-April Progress Report

Good morning, readers!

Today I thought I'd give you an update on how my April Resolutions are coming along.

What do you think of these forget-me-nots? I decided they're my favorite flower because they're my favorite colors, and they remind me of how God always remembers us. Also, I think they're really pretty. ;)

1. Omnibus Reading
Oh, if only I could skip this one. This is still really hard to get done. I need to find a motivation for myself... I doubt I'll be completely caught up by the end of the month, but I know I can get a B or a C on this at best if I get into gear.

2. Diary Writing
I've been starting a practice diary and have been writing a little bit in it, but in my personal diary I think I've only written one entry this month. But this is easy to get better on. All it takes is taking 10 minutes at night to write a page about my day.

3. Read Judges and Proverbs
I've read some Proverbs, but I'd love to dive more into the Word a bit more. I can imagine getting an A- on this one.

4. Teach Youth Group
Coming soon! I'm scheduled to teach on the 25th, so I'm super excited! I know what I'm going to teach about, I have some ideas to make it lots of fun, use plenty of examples from Scriptures, give encouragement, and if there's still time, prayer and extra encouragement. :)

5. Music Practice
I'm doing a lot better on this one than last month. I've been practicing some Mendelssohn and clarinet this month, and I'll probably practice again this week before the Music Festival on Friday and LYS Rehearsal and private lessons on Saturday. My practice diary is also a good motivator. I think for next month I'll make a calendar to go with it. 

6. Post at least 3 times this month
Reading this in the last couple days has put me in a giggle fit. Go ahead and look on the side of the page where it says Blog Archive, click on the April arrow, and count how many posts have been published this month. That's way more than 3 isn't it? And that's not including the resolutions posts. So with that math and reasoning, I think it's pretty easy to suspect the grade for this category.

This month is going pretty well by the looks of things. I'm pretty excited for this month's report card! Let me know how things are going with you as well. I love hearing from you all. :)

Once again, don't forget about the favorite books link-up and the poll at the top. The details are on the side of the posts.

God bless the rest of your day!

Question for the Reader: I've noticed in my life recently that a lot of people are in need of prayer. Do you have any prayer requests that you'd like to share? You can send me an email at hayleyvrobinson@gmail.com or post in the comment box.

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." --Jeremiah 33:3 

(I really like this verse because it's a reminder that when the going gets tough, God still holds everything together with His hands, and knows of greater things than we can see. All we have to do is call on Him, and He will answer us every time, even though He may not answer right away. I was told recently to think of Jeremiah 33:3 as God's phone number.)

April Resolutions

Excited to announce this month's resolutions! And heeeeeeeeerrrrreeeee they are! (Yes, this is a bit corny, but if Johnny Carson could get away with the "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" then I don't think that mine is so far off...)

April Resolutions

1. Omnibus reading
This is as simple as keeping up with the plan I made last week to help me catch up and then read the assignments on each Omnibus class homepage as the weeks go by.

2. Diary Writing
This is an attempt to redeem myself from March's F... :D

3. Read Judges and Proverbs
Because if at first you only halfway succeed, try try again to finish the other half. :)

4. Teach Youth Group
This one will be easy. My youth group leaders and I will be planning out a day for me to teach, I already have a topic together, so all I have to do is do some praying and thinking to make the lesson happen, and allow God to take care of the rest as He always does. :)

5. Music Practice: 30 minutes a week outside of rehearsals
This is a smaller goal than last month's in an attempt to start small and slowly grow the habit. 

6. Post at least 3 times this month
I'm very excited about the fact that I have a blog now, and I definitely do not want to give up on it right away.

(Link up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

Questions for the Reader: What are your April Resolutions? What is the best April Fool's Day prank you have ever played on someone?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." --Hebrews 12:1-3

March Report Card

For those of you who have not read my resolutions post, this is the final result of how my month has been in terms of March Resolutions. Here goes...

March Report Card

1. Learn ASL: F

This one didn't happen. Even though last month, I practiced about 5 signs. Maybe I should aim for a lower, more reasonable goal and go back to 5 signs per month.

2. Classic Reader Project (Catching up on Omnibus reading): B-

I did well on making a plan to get Omnibus all caught up within the next few weeks and making a dent into it, but the goal was to get completely caught up, which didn't work.

3. Diary Writing Project: F

I'll admit, I'm embarrassed with this one. I completely forgot about diary writing. I'll try again this April to make it a habit.

4. Teach Youth Group: A

Finally a good grade! :) I hope to be teaching sometime in the near future. 

5. Bible Reading Project: C

I began reading some from Proverbs, and was reminded multiple times of stories from Judges. I haven't completely read through both books, but I got an excellent ESV Study Bible for Easter this year, so I will definitely do my best to follow through on it in April. 

6. Gluten Free/Sugar Free Cooking Project: A+

I tried multiple variations on the peanut butter cookie recipe, including Almond Mocha and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. As for cooking recipes, I found multiple things including gluten-free soups and sandwiches, rice, a chicken curry salad, and the many wonderful ways of the egg. :) It's not completely impressive, I know, but it's much better than where I was this time last year.

7. Fitness Project: C-

I did very well with gluten-free, and was diligent about finding ways to exercise outside of P.E., I just need to be willing to wake up early enough and find times during the day to follow through on them.

8. Music Goals (Practice): D-

Once again, I failed to practice very much outside of rehearsals at all, let alone 45 minutes per week. Perhaps I need to create a better system to keep myself better accountable about practicing.

Total Grade Average: C-

Yuck. I obviously didn't do very well this month. I learned a couple of things from this: first, I need to keep checking resolutions throughout the month to make sure that I am following through on each resolution as much as possible, and second, I should not make goals that in reality are not likely to be reached.

If you'd like, be sure to share your resolutions and report card for March.

(Note: Link up to Kelli Taylor's She Learns As She Goes)

Question for the reader: What were your monthly resolutions for March? Did you have a good report card?

"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty." --Proverbs 21:5

March Resolutions: Even Though This is 19 Days Late

Good afternoon, readers!

I realized this week that even though I dreamed of posting monthly resolutions when I first created this blog, I have yet to post my resolutions for March! And I know what you're thinking: I'm a little late to the party. March is almost over But after giving it a lot of thought, with plenty of hesitation on whether or not I should just wait for April, I decided that I should be able to post this month's resolutions, even if there are only 12 days left. No judging. :)

Some of you may be wondering, "What are monthly resolutions?" Well, I'm glad you asked! "Monthly Resolutions" is a system that I picked up from the blog, She Learns As She Goes by Kelli Taylor. (Link to this blog is on the side of this page.) It's a way that I can hold myself publicly accountable for particular responsibilities and personal goals. Here's how it works. At the beginning of each month, I will post my resolutions and then at the end of the month, I will give myself a report card showing my progress and achievements (or sometimes lack thereof) for each resolution that I made. Now here comes the fun part! Each time that I make a resolution post (whether it's announcing my resolutions or grading myself), I will invite my readers to post their resolutions and grades as well! In the comment box, give me a link to your blog, your word doc, your google drive presentation, your Google+ post, (or just stick the whole thing right into the comment if you like!) etc. with your name and resolutions or end of the month grade. Whatever works! ;)

Without further ado, here are my resolutions for the month of March 2013. (Notice how they're all in different shades of green! You might have guessed that it's for St. Patrick's Day and the beginning of Spring. Cute, huh?)

March Resolutions

1. Learn ASL Project: Practice 10 signs this month.

2. Becoming A Well Rounded Classic Reader Project: Catch up on Omnibus reading!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Omnibus, it is a course that combines the subjects of Literature, History, and Theology. I am taking Omnibus IV, which focuses on Ancient Literature and History, and I also get credit for Theology IV. The way it works is that I read a book such as Antony and Cleopatra, Aesop's Fables, Selected Works of Cicero, or The Iliad, and then we study the literary theory behind it, the historical background, and we also discuss deep theological or philosophical aspects about the piece of literature. For example, a couple of weeks ago, we studied Antony and Cleopatra, and we studied the facts about the story and how it's an excellent play by Shakespeare, and we also discussed the history of the Roman Empire and the growth of the Triumvirate, but then, we discussed the theological aspect of how sin can often be justified by being "in love."

3. Diary Writing Project: Write in diary at least once a week.

I'm making this resolution because I'd like to eventually put a really cool 5-year journal on my Christmas list, but I'm worried that it would be a waste of time, effort, and money if I never take the time to write in my diary or journal anyway. Just thinking ahead...

4. Teach Youth Group: Schedule a time to teach either this month or next month.

I'm really really really excited for this one! One of the biggest things that gives me joy is to learn more about God's word and ask Him to speak through me to minister to my family of the church. I already know what topic I'm going to share!

5. Bible Reading Project: Read Judges and Proverbs according to guest speaker from youth group’s instructions.

A few weeks ago, my youth group had a guest speaker, who is a missionary from Japan that ministers to military kids, and he discussed a lot about his experiences that were really intriguing. I told him about some of my spiritual gifts that I had discovered recently, along with current struggles, and he recommended that I take the examples of particular judges and look for verses in Proverbs about fear and speaking to others, especially about God's word. I hope to finally accomplish this.

6. Gluten Free/Sugar Free Cooking Project: Find a gluten free meal to practice with, and try more variations on peanut butter cookie recipe.

Clarification: I am able to cook. I am just "expanding my horizons," or whatever that saying is... An update on my baking project will be coming soon. :D

7. Fitness Project: Keep eating healthy (Gluten-free!) and exercise outside of P.E. at least once a week.

This one should not be too difficult. I've been sticking with gluten-free for months now, especially since there is practically no trace of any gluten containing products in the house at all right now. Also, my parents make an effort to exercise every morning, I just need to get up early enough to join them more often.

8. Music Goals: Practice outside of rehearsals at least 45 minutes per week.

I seriously need to make this a habit. I think I'm hurting myself by not practicing, and I'm definitely not benefiting the rest of my orchestra and bands by not making an effort to work hard outside of rehearsals and performances. I'm not beating myself up too much about it, but it doesn't feel right to not be working on reforming this habit. Hopefully, making myself solely accountable in public will give me the proper motivation that I need.

My resolutions are now complete and carved in stone. Now, it's your turn! What are your resolutions for this month? Has God revealed His plans for this month in your life?

Don't forget to send me a link or comment! :)

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" --Jeremiah 29:11