Well...

You may or my not recall that at the beginning of the year I talked about my ineptitude goal setting well I would like to report on some goals I've set but also some things I've learned.

Okay I always have things I am working on but I had 4 measurable goals for this year.
1. To get accepted in the Masters of Arts in Teaching at Westminster College.
2. Run a half marathon.
3. Get A's in my classes I take.
4. Lose 15 more pounds. (for health reasons not because I think I'm fat. Relax!)

Okay so now onto my report.
#1 Accomplished. I found out last week. Westminster accepts students for the Summer and Fall semesters so I had originally applied for the Summer. When I found out I didn't get in I was disappointed. A masters was never in my plans but this all fell into place when I returned from serving a mission. I looked into other options but this one just was what I wanted. So when I didn't get in. I started thinking, okay now what if I don't get in at all? So I looked again, I thought some more. NO this is what I wanted. I knelt down and told the Lord. Look this is what I want. I don't want to go anywhere else. If I should look into other options I need you to interfere. He didn't. :) I'm so excited. And very much looking forward to pushing myself in this degree.

#2. This goal will most likely not be met this year. I've always wanted to run one and I've looked into many. But I actually signed up for one. But during training I got a lot of pain in my knee and I couldn't figure out how to help it. It wouldn't get better. I started to realize that maybe this goal isn't realistic. That maybe I need to make sure I know my abilities before making goals that are not able to be met.

#3. Okay so I don't think of myself as stupid nor super smart. I did just fine in my undergrad but now that I've gone back to school I was determined to do my best. I wanted A's in my classes. A-'s were fine. Just A's. I took two classes this past semester and I'll tell you I've never studied more for classes. I read every single chapter assigned to me in my text books! That was huge! I learned a whole lot and really loved it in fact. However near the end of the semester I knew that I wouldn't be getting an A in one of my classes. I was upset with myself. I realized ways I could do things better. I realized how to study more efficiently. I also realized that even though a goal will not be met I must not just give up. Because I still ended up with one A and one B and I am very proud of myself.

#4. Okay this one... this one is an every day thing that I need to embed within me. I need to remember that everything has a consequence. This is much more long term. The effects are not seen immediately but the reward will be worth it. It's hard for me remember this from day to day.

So with all these goals I've learned very important things for my life. 
1. To have goals. We need things to work towards, to feel accomplished.
2. Goals are the end result, it's the things along the way that matter.
3. Sometimes the small things alone the way are hard, but because we've set the goal we know the result will be worth it.
4. Even if we fall short it's still important to continue on and do our best to reach as close as we can.
5. There are people around to help. And also a loving father in heaven, to help us stay calm and focused and able to accomplish those things that once seemed impossible.