Summer Plans

(Thank you all for your lovely, amazing, meaningful comments! They were very encouraging to me!)

Summer is approaching at lightning speed! It's amazing to think December is in almost half a year. Nearly six months until the Christmas season. Oh, man. I'm making my head spin.

Even though I'm already counting down the days until Christmas (not quite literally), I realized that I have almost no definite summer plans. Yeah, there's the family vacations and the county fair and stuff like that, but I haven't established any goals...yet.

What better time to change that than right now?

Izori's Summer Goals:

According to spell-check, 'Izori's' is a misspelled word. Spell-check, you are ignorant indeed.
Er...let's try that again.

Izori's Summer Goals:

1. Write! Write! Write! Write! Although I know that this is shooting for the moon (hey, if I miss I'll land among the stars...or something sappy like that), I would love to finish Healing, my extremely long-term project, as well as finish rewriting my NaNoWriMo book. That's going to take a whole summer in itself, I think!

2. Finish my Church History. I have to finish reading Light Force, co-authored by Brother Andrew (amazing book, by the way, and I totally suggest it) and discuss it with Mom.

3. Blog. I have been horrendous at blogging of late! It's shameful! I used to post at least once a day, and now I consider myself lucky...I mean, blessed...if I can even cram in one post a week! Hopefully, that's going to change over the summer.

4. Really study my Bible. I would love to use this summer to grow spiritually, because I feel as if I've been neglecting my time with God this year. And honestly, there's a huge difference in my attitude if I make a habit of praying, reading my Bible, and giving thanks to the Lord. It's the difference between depressed and joyful.

5. Write lots of letters! I have about three pen-pals, two of which I've never met (one of which is a little boy in a different country). During the school year I let their letters sit for...well, a very long while before I get around to answering them. But I'm going to change that! I promise!

Hmmm...I'm sure I'll think of more, but those are all the summer goals I can pull out of my head right now.

What are your plans for the summer?

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.

The origin of this letter is unknown,
But it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.

Remember....

Hold on tight to the ones you love!

Do not keep this letter.

Send it to friends & family to whom you wish good fortune
And don't forget the one who sent it to you!

I got this from an e-mail a long while ago. Thought I would pass it on!

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick....

Have you ever thought about the value of a minute?

Seriously. How much would you give for a minute? A dollar? A hundred dollars? Maybe a minute you would like to recycle? One of those times where, if you knew that later would be so rushed, you would have made use of precious seconds?

It's very important to consider if we're using our time wisely. We will never get it back. It will never be July 2010 again. Ever. Nor will I ever be 14 years old again. There will be opportunities that will never return, a chance to forgive someone or apologize that you'll never get again. In a span of 60 seconds, people will die. People will be born. People will find out something that will change their life--for better or for worse. One split decision can impact a life.

Are you using your time wisely?

I think time is the temptation of summer. Summers the universally accepted time to loiter around the house, just doing nothing. Maybe you do want to do something that will make a difference, but you figure you have three months to get your rear in to gear, so you never get around to it. Then flash, it's over.

Remember, there may never be a later. Accidents happen all the time. Not to make you paranoid or anything, but you never know if this is your last second in this life.

How will people remember you? As someone who encouraged and helped people, and valued others above their own lazy-time? Or someone who loafed around being a couch-potato?

Right now, I've been reading my Bible a lot and contemplating stuff in my life. I've hashed out my thoughts on abortion, illegal immigration, Harry Potter, global warming, the two meanings of peace, gun control, and a bunch of other stuff. That's why a lot of my posts have been kinda unlike myself.

Okay. Deep moment has passed. Did you guys know I'm making Christmas presents in July? I have one set of grandparents covered, as well as my mom. I know what I'm getting Erestor, and I'm in the middle of making Luthien something. On Galdor, however, I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas what to give a rambunctious two year old boy?

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori