Goals for 2018

The year 2017 was pretty good to me.  But it could have been better.  I could have saved more money.  I could have eaten healthier.  I could have done more to further my education.  But overall, I am satisfied with how I spent this last year.  For 2018, I'm setting up goals for myself.  Simple goals that will help me out in the long run.
My first goal is to continue my education.  I am currently taking an online religion course.  I am also signed up for math class at the community college that starts in January.  I am currently working on applying to Brigham Young University Idaho.  I just need an interview and to write one more essay.  I have found that, now that I know for certain what I want to do with the rest of my life (middle school guidance counseling), my level of self-efficacy and determination has increased.  I am more willing to push myself academically.
My next goal is to live healthier.  I have a kind of bipolar appetite.  Sometimes all I think about is food.  Other times, I don't want to eat.  Sometimes all I eat is junk.  Other times, I crave vegetables and protein.  I need to learn to balance my food choices.
In 2017, I did an awesome job of saving money.  Until my car had to go to the shop.  Four times in 2017, twice in the past three months.  Fortunately, I had enough money for the repairs and a rental.  But now, I am stressing out.  If only I had saved more.  As well as I did saving money, I still went out and spent more than I should have.  I have become addicted to wearing shorts.  I bought three pairs of shorts this year, and even more t-shirts to go along the the shorts.  I spend a lot of money on books.  And, because I drive at least six days a week, I end up filling up my gas tank twice a week.  So in 2018, my goal is to only spend money on necessities.  I need to save more than I spend.
These are all realistic goals that don't take a lot of work.  I just need determination and focus.  I want to make 2018 the best year of my life so far.

Over Thinking Christmas: The Reason for the Season

It's that time of year again!  Time to celebrate Jesus' birth.  But why do we celebrate the birth of Jesus?  Certainly not just because of the miracle of his birth.  You know the story:  born of a virgin, celebrated by shepherds and wise men, called the King of Kings.  No, I believe that Christmas is celebrated in remembrance of the man that baby Jesus would become.
All around the world, people are celebrating the life of their Savior.  Jesus was the perfect example for us all.  He served others without a second thought.  He healed, even on the Sabbath, though that was illegal.  He understood that some things couldn't wait another day.  He sat and conversed with those who were considered sinners.  He loved unconditionally.  He was, and still is, the perfect example.
Now think of your own life.  Do you serve others without a second thought?  I don't.  Although I serve others, I often think of what I could be doing instead.
Are you willing to do the right thing no matter the consequences?  I am.  But that's probably easier said than done.
Do you love your neighbor, even if they have done you wrong?  Even when others speak poorly of them?
And do you love unconditionally?  Or do you need a good reason to love someone?
Keep all of this in mind this Christmas season as you celebrate the birth of your Savior.  Am I living the way Jesus wants me to live?  Or am I living life the way I want to live?  Just remember that no matter your choice, Jesus still loves you.  He still wants what is best for you.  Because he loves you, unconditionally.

Merry Christmas!

The Greatest Gifts

 

The two greatest gifts you can give your children are time and love.  But they won't enjoy that as much as a remote control car or Hatchimal.  So how do you buy presents that incorporate time and love?  Easy.
Philip's philosophy, or Philiposophy, is to steer clear of batteries.  I have noticed in my various encounters with children that toys that need batteries or chargers honestly don't get used very often.  This can be tricky, considering that all the items the younger two boys want for Christmas need batteries or chargers.  I think back to last Christmas, when I first started with the boys.  The youngest got a remote control car.  He loved that car!  It was rechargeable.  How awesome is that?!  But the young boy didn't know what to do with himself while the car was charging.
Once the car was charged, it would be driven around for about fifteen minutes until the battery died.  Back to the charger.  Back to waiting.  This continued for days until, finally, the remote control car was forgotten.
Toys that don't have rechargeable batteries are even worse!  Between searching for screwdrivers and the correct sized battery, the kids usually find something to play with.  Or maybe they don't even worry about changing the batteries because it's just too much work.
Steer clear of batteries.  How is this showing your child time and love?  It's not.  At least one person usually ends up frustrated trying to get a toy working again.
The best way to show your children time and love is to buy toys or items that promote imagination.  The six-year old loves building things.  And he tends to not use the instructions.  He just creates whatever he wants.  Earlier this week, he and I were playing with Legos.  There was a lot of dialogue between the different mini figures and a lot of creativity in the building.  And this fun lasted for almost two hours.  Time.
And I was there playing with him.  Love.
The six-year old also has a favorite stuffed animal named Wolfey.  Wolfey is a little shy, but he will answer yes or no questions by nodding or shaking his head.  This is imagination.  And stuffed animals (usually) don't need batteries or chargers.  You can talk to them all day long, if you want to.
I could go on for a while about the best toys to get your children.  But I won't.  Just remember that time and love is all a child really needs.  And you won't find that in the electronics section.

Life Happens

My life has been going along nice and smooth.  I love my jobs, I have money in the bank, I have a warm house to live in.  I was starting to think that nothing bad could ever happen again.
Then I was humbled.
On Black Friday, my dad and my brother-in-law cut down a tree.  It hit some electrical wires and blew out the kitchen lights, oven, microwave, and refrigerator.
My health has slowly been going downhill.  I am currently taking a leave of absence from one of my jobs, waiting for the doctor to mail me a heart monitor.
My mom's car got totaled after being hit by a love drunk buck.
In the past three months, my car has been in the shop for a total of two weeks.
And then this morning, after getting my car back from the shop, its battery died.
But I haven't been brought down.  I'm still loving my jobs.  I still have money in the bank, though not as much.  And the heater wasn't affected by the fallen tree.  I honestly have nothing to complain about.
Throughout all these insane experiences, I've been thinking a lot about life.  Forrest Gump says that life is like a box of chocolate.  I say that life is like walking around a suburban neighborhood.  You're taking a leisurely stroll passing all the cookie cutter houses.  Cars stop to let you cross the street.  But then, without warning, you end up in a cul-de-sac.  And what do you do in a cul-de-sac?  You turn around and continue on.
For the past year or so, I have been taking a leisurely stroll through Suburbia, enjoying the gardens and clean streets.  Recently, I hit a dead end.  It took me some time to turn around, but I eventually did.  I turned around and continued living with a positive attitude.  I returned to the freshly manicured lawns and fancy cars, leaving the cul-de-sac behind.