Through the Ages

First post of this year... yeah, I know, kinda lazy. I've barely had time to breathe this year. I've been out on the road every week except the week that I got braces. I'm glad I had that week off because my braces are on the inside of my teeth and my tongue... well, that may be a whole different blog altogether.
One tradition I have is naming my journal something significant every year. I keep them in a folder called, "Through the Ages." This year seemed to take a little more thought than the rest. It's not that I'm running out of ideas, it's the fact that this year seems to hold something special for me. I'm not exactly sure what, but there's something about this year that... well, we'll see what happens.
Here is a recap of the past few years' titles:

2004 "A New Journey Begins"
2005 "To Infinity and Beyond"
2006 "What Dreams May Come"
2007 "The Winds of Change"

And, introducing the 2008 title: "I Will Go and Do".

I have a renewed resilience to serve others, to serve the Lord, to seek to find charity towards all. This has been the inspiration for this year's title.

This year's goals:

Personal:
-Finish my book I'm writing.


Physical:
-170 lbs by May 28th
-Get in shape to Swim the English Channel in 2009
-Take care of braces by brushing every day

Spiritual:
-Read BoM every day and write your thoughts about each chapter
-Write down one thing you are thankful for every day
-Get the family history onto the computer


Financial:
-Buy another house
-Be a successful book writer

Education:
-Read my “success library”
-Get Real Estate license
-Get 50% of CCIM done


Relationship/Emotional:
-Date more often
-Sincerely Compliment someone every day
-Step out of your "comfort zone" and let others in
-Concentrate on the positives of others and forget about yourself

I'm at an interesting point in my life. I have everything earthly thing I need to start a family (houses, furniture, income, kitchen items, office). But no earthly thing can fill the hole in my heart. I'm not trying to be dismal, nor do I feel it. What I feel is that there will always be something missing when I do not have someone by my side.


I was going through some of my different notes and such and came across several ponderings I had last here. I feel inspired to post them:

A. Have you ever been around someone and your heart seems to stop beating for a moment, then you look into her eyes and although there is so much going on around you, you forget that any of it exists; only you and her exist. Then you want to do your best to impress her and let the moment never end, hoping you can live up to the expectation, the magnificence that is embodied in her being. Her enchanting eyes hold you safely. They speak more than simple words, her eyes penetrate you, deeply embracing your soul.

B. If I were to have children I would let them run wild in the streets and feed the best raw meat money could buy. But first, I'd make them join the circus. One as a clown, one as a magician, and three on the flying trapeze (cause you need three for that ya know). The purpose of this is because I'd be too busy knitting the world's largest afghan and wouldn't have time for them until I finished.
Okay, the truth is that I don't know how I'm going to raise my kids exactly. I do know that I will bring them up in the gospel and there will come a time that they have to choose whether to follow that or not. I will pray and fast for them. I will love them. I will give them all that I can for them to be successful in their own lives. I will tell them and show them that I love them dearly. I will praise and compliment them and build them up. I think raising children is a learning process that takes experience. I will do the best I know how and take a lead from my own parents on what they know. Most importantly, I will make strong decisions with my wife. Now I know we may not always agree on the right course of action, but that is where the Spirit comes in. My wife will be the most important person in my life. The greatest men in this world were successful because they had a wife who loved them, pushed them to be their best, and supported them.

C. Life's deepest meaning is not found in accomplishments, but in relationships.

D. Love is a choice. It's not something that happens, it's a choice. Most of the time it may be a subconscious one, nonetheless it is a choice. Look at it this way, selfishness is the antithesis if love. Selfishness is also a choice. We can choose to serve ourselves or we can choose to serve others, it's our choice. Sometimes we may fall out of the habit of consciously making that choice and it defaults to our subconscious. Opposition in all things...

E. If you do not fear mediocrity, then you may as well be governed by it.

F. When we ponder on our childhood, we don't dwell on how big or little our house was, nor what kind of neighborhood we lived in. We dwell on our family and what we experienced with them.