Setting Goals

I have set some personal goals, one of which is to blog on a regular basis. I plan to incorporate thoughts and feelings along with our happenings.
Life is a series of events - some happy, some sad, some trying, some boring, some more meaningful than others! We have our ups, we have our downs. But, I feel truly blessed to live in this beautiful country, experience freedoms of all kinds that many people in the world will never experience. Have you ever thought about that? I wonder why it is that I was born at this time, here in this country, and get to enjoy so many things? I watch TV and see war and severe poverty in other parts of the world and wonder why I'm so blessed.
Another goal is to live life, not just exist, but to truly live. I want to experience lots of what life has to offer and be thankful for those experiences. There are lessons to be learned and ways to be refined still by the refiner's fire. Think of the personal growth that will provide. I want to appreciate ALL the blessings I have, no matter how big or small they may be and to recognize those blessings each and every day.
Henry B. Eyring said: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today? As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.” “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”
I'm going to try to do that on a regular basis. I'm sure I'll find many things I'm grateful for that I hadn't even thought about. There may be days, however, where as Oprah said on one of her shows many years ago when talking about gratitude journals, there may be times when things may not be going so well and I may only be thankful for being able to breathe.
There are several other goals I've set. Some are personal, some will be shared. But, in trying to attain these goals, I will be making progress to improve and appreciate life. Thank you Heavenly Father for all that you have given me.
I love this quote that President Hinckley has been quoted as saying: "Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed.
Most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.
Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."