Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 33:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 33:2
"And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out."

So Moses is told to keep a record of their journeying. Just like Nephi was commanded to do the same. Then there is a long list of all the places they stopped in the past 40 years. I counted roughly 47 places that they camped. I find it interesting that not only does God have us keep a record of spiritual experiences but also a personal history. I wonder where all of Moses' records are? This all made me ponder on my journals and records that I keep. I wonder if people will know where to find them all when I die?  I have to do a better job at transcribing them and getting them all in one place. My goal is when I die to have my life contained on a hard drive. Then copies can be made and shared with members of my family. I just never know who will pickup my genealogy after me. Multiple copies means there is a chance, that the person that will carry on my life's work will find them. I need to scan my journals so they are all on that hard drive.  


Day 725

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 26:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 26:30

"And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount."

As I was reading the description of how Israel was to build the tabernacle I got lost. It made me think of building furniture from written directions, without any pictures to go with it. Then when I hit this verse I realized Moses actually had the picture. The Lord didn't leave him to guess or picture it for himself, from the directions given. This was important and the Lord gave Moses every tool available to understand.

I do not know if Moses had a vision opened up to him or if he saw it in his mind as the Lord spoke. I may never experience a vision, but I can relate to seeing things in my mind. I picture things all day long. I found that thought rather interesting. There is an open drawing board inside of me for the spirit to write upon. My Heavenly Father has given me every tool needed to understand his will. I just need to be worthy to have the spirit always to be with me.

That blank drawing board reminded me of my New Years goal. I was blank, all I could see is a clean slate in front of me, and the whiteness was to perfect to write upon. Now I see the spirit is the one to do the writing, for I am to do the Father's will. I will understand as the pictures and impressions come to my mind. If I "Carry On" as the impressions came to me, I would be worthy to receive more. 

Day 651

My New Year's Goal for 2017

Every New Years day I go over my goals from the previous year, and look forward to making new ones. For several days I have been wondering what to set as my goals for the coming year. I was a complete blank. I felt like a clean slate was ahead of me and its whiteness was to perfect to mar writing upon it.

Then this morning the words finally came "Carry On". It was something President Gordon B. Hinckley said in a news conference right after becoming the prophet for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was asked what the theme would be for his administration. It was simple and profound "Carry On".

I have established some really good habits this past year. Each of them inspired by the spirit and bringing me great joy. What I needed more than anything else was to dig the roots deeper so they are firmly established. I don't know what is ahead of me this year, but I know deeper roots will serve me well. What I plan to do is "Carry On".

Wishing you all a Happy New Years!

My New Year's Goal for 2016

It's been a year of change in 2015, and I love change. The biggest change was going from part-time to full-time work for RootsMagic. It was motivated by no longer being considered disabled or receiving Social Security Disability Benefits. My health had improved to the point that I could work full-time and should work full-time. I'm so blessed to love the company I work for - and work from home. 

Well, its that time again to look at how I did with my goals last year and set new ones for 2016.

2015 Goal Review

1. Set aside 1 hour a day to work on my own genealogy. Well I did that pretty good until I started working full-time. Then I was doing about a half hour in the mornings. I'm OK with that change. I even think the goal of 20 minutes a day is even more realistic. I had wanted to get everyone in my RootsMagic database onto Family Tree so all my genealogy work was out there. At the start of 2015 I had 2,135 to add or match to someone on Family Tree. Today I still have 1,740 remaining. Not as good as I would like but I found some of these people I just needed to do more research on, so I would get caught up in the thrill of the hunt. I'm OK doing that, its needful. 

2. Attending the temple weekly, well I started that several years ago. I am still doing 5 initiatories one week and for the next 5 weeks after that I do endowments. I was going to then do sealings. Well I tried but my knees just can't take it. I know I can sit instead of kneel but I have decided to share my names with others that love serving this way. I am only holding the precious close family names for personal sealing sessions. The joyous thing that happened this year is other people started going to the temple with me. I have gone alone for so long it was a nice change. First, my sister-in-law Tami started coming with me. She got me to change from my weekly Tuesday 5:30 am session to 6:00 am. I found the session less crowded and they needed me there, so I have stayed at that time frame. Then my husband William started coming, and Tami in turn decided to attend the temple in her district. It has been wonderful to attend the temple with my husband each week. Then my son Philip started to attend with us. He can't quit make it to the 6:00 am session, so he might go at a different time. I really have to go Tuesday at 6:00 am or no later, otherwise I can never fit going into my schedule. So I have seen involvement with temple work on both sides of the veil this year. This has meant a lot to me.

3. Exercising in the pool at the gym. Well I didn't do to well with this one. Now that I am working full-time I'm not sure how I am going to fit it in my schedule. I also lost my free gym membership when my Medicare coverage ended. I did buy a while ago the DDP Yoga program after seeing an amazing story of a disabled veteran's transformation working out that way and healing. Right now I would have to say my goal is to at least put the DVDs in and test the waters with this program. Water exercise and yoga might be the only things I can do so I have to find a solution. I can't not exercise - so finding and doing something is my goal.

I have developed good habits with consistently working on my family history, and temple attendance. I think I can drop them from my list because a goal is something your trying to obtain, not something you have already obtained. These habits are firmly in place. Exercising needs a solution. I am committed to find one this year, but I can't say I have a clear goal yet. 

New Goals for 2016

1. Scan my life. I am committed this year to be the year I contain my life onto an external hard drive. I broke down and bought a Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 to get the job done. This one will do multi-page, two sided scanning, I needed speed. I also bought a piQx Xcanex to scan books that I don't want to cut the bindings off. In addition to those I have a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 which does a single page at a time, a flat bed scanner on a 3-in-1, a Flip-Pal, and a smart phone I can use as a scanner. I have so many ways to scan now I have no excuse for not getting this project done. I do have to take the books apart and have decided on a box cutter and guillotine paper cutter to do the job. I still have to buy those last two items. After trying for years to use the BYU FHL equipment to get this job done, I have come to the conclusion it won't happen, especially now that I am working full-time. I have to do it from home. Now I can.

2. Read books, really good books.  I am reading all day long, but can't find the time to read real books. I have decided that Sunday will be my reading day. After church and to encourage keeping the Sabbath day holy I will read. I will be so happy if I can complete just three books this year 1. Preach My Gospel - I'm half-way done with it now. 2. Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, 3. The Essential James E. Talmage by James P. Harris, Sr. That last one was written by my brother. I've never read the whole book and his new one is coming out this year. I better read this one first. I have some genealogy books I would like to read, but these three books come first.

There are other things on my wish list to get done in 2016, As much as I would like to list them I think it wiser to establish these habits and get them well under way before I test new waters. I have no problem adding new goals and habits to work on throughout the year. 

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!