Where will you be five years from today?

The following is an excerpt from the book, Where will you be five years from today? It is an amazingly inspiring workbook style book published by Compendium Incorporated. (www.live-inspired.com) Turning the pages has been like harrowing the soil of my mind. . . a fantastic experience, and I haven't yet begun the "work". . . I've just been reading. The thing I like best is that I pretty much know what I want from the next five years of my life, and it's called, "Getting a Life" or "I need a BSN". That's big, and I figured it was going to take up all my time. After just one turn through this book, I realize that I need to grow in more than just the educational way. It would be like exercising only one arm. . . I need balance. I need to have goals in the other areas of my life at the same time. What I thought was going to be a tool to focus my goals, has actually turned out to be a tool to open my mind to broader possibilities. I'm really excited about it. I'm thrilled for the next five years.

Follow your dreams, they know the way.

If you don't have a dream,

how can you have a dream come true?

Your imagination is the preview to life's coming attractions.

—Albert Einstein

So, and okay. . .

Here are the areas that the books suggests we make goals:

Spiritual

Family

Career

Health

Financial

Education

Recreation

Charitable

Adventure

Travel

Romance

Relationships

Now with these areas in mind, go back and read those three little things right above them. Set your imagination free. . . and enjoy the little mini-vacation from 'now'.

A little later in the book, I found this:

It's never too late

or too early.

Right now is a good time.

life is now

That's true, isn't it. Life is NOW. We need to live now, and not put off our joys or our growth until it's more convenient. We all fill many roles and wear many hats. We have more responsibilities than we care to talk about openly with others. Our first job, however, is to see to ourselves: our health and sanity. When we are healthy and sane, we have so much more to give to others. When we are inspired, we can inspire those around us. We can lift others best when we are buoyant ourselves. . . So DREAM! I'm giving you permission! Go Ahead. Who do you want to be, at your core? What would you need to do to become her? If you don't know then think about it. If you DO know, then GO GET HER!

If it hadn't happened to me. . .

I probably wouldn't believe it.

This week, I was contemplating what I needed to do to get my house ready to rent. As I was going to bed on Thursday night, I said a little prayer and asked that if there was a family that needed to be in my neighborhood and rent my home, that they would be guided to it. Well, little did I know, but at the same time, there was a man on the other side of town praying to be able to find the right place for his family. He called someone about an ad in the paper for a home for rent. That person knew me, knew my home, and that it was (that very day) becoming available to rent. My friend called me to see whether or not it would be okay for her friend to show my home to the man. . . I, of course said, "YES!" Within 7 hours of that early morning phone call and less than 24 hours from the time I was praying, my home was rented by a family grateful and thrilled to be there. They have signed a year's lease and would like to have the option to extend that lease. I have never in my life had a prayer answered so quickly and directly. Let's just say that sometimes the Lord chooses to do His work in a very dramatic fashion. I mean, really really dramatically.

Does it get any better than that? Alright, you asked so let's just add this. The day before the 'Miracle of the house being rented in one day,' I heard back from people at the University of Utah. It was all very good and unexpected news. I was already flying HIGH. What I learned from the "U" was this: They WILL accept the general education credit from my Bachelor's Degree. . . no matter how long it has been since I completed it. (Unbelievable! Amazing! Heart-stopping!) Two of the classes I took previously will count toward my Nursing Pre-Requisites. That leaves me with just 8 classes to take in two years. . . one of which I am doing through Independent Study right now. That is a full year right off the top of my degree. I can also do all of my pre-reqs at my local community college. Much less expense and travel and that means more time and money to do Other things I need to do.

Better, you ask? Yes, yes. . . it does indeed. It appears, from speaking with my bank, that I will be able to refinance my home. My hope is that I'll be able to do that within the next six months. The most important thing involved here is the value of the home. If the home's value tanks, it won't work. Shall we just think positively? When it works out, I will be able to quit my current job, and work as a CNA in Home Healthcare. I have a job waiting for me, ready to go. I look forward to that. It is an incredibly flexible job, which will make meshing paid work coursework feasible. It will also allow for extended hours of time with my children on a much more common, dare we say—DAILY—occurrence. Of all these blessings, this is the one that I am looking forward to most. The thing I have missed most, upon returning to work, has been time with my children. They need me. They have had excellent care, but children do just need their mommies sometimes. . . and their mommy needs them, too.

So yes, it's true. If it hadn't happened to me in one 48 hour window. . . I probably wouldn't believe it. It did happen, however. I am a believer. I believe.

Trust the Process.

Time is buzzing past me with unearthly speed! I hardly know what to think of it. My head is spinning. That's not a great feeling when you are trying to make sense of your life, sort things out and find a solid direction. I have a fuzzy direction. . . I know what I want to do. I just don't know how to make it possible. I have been given a great deal of very sweet and deeply touching advice recently, however. The two most poignant bits for me were A) to be grateful for what I have and B) NOT worry about what seems to be lacking. (This is SOOOO spot on for me right now it brings me to tears.) That could be considered one bit of advice but for me. . . they are the TWO most important things to consider. They are North on my compass . . . and I need to go North.

I can tell that I'm getting to a good, healthy place. I'm starting to be able to see things for what they are, what is important to me, and what I can let go of. The picture is starting to become clearer, in terms of the questions I need to ask, so that I can make good choices about that direction so that I can get where I need to go. For example, my health is important to me. I want a strong mind and body. I have a great deal of work ahead of me and I know I need to go into that physically strong, and clear-minded. It's time, and I've started. I didn't think I could let go of a job, but I'm thinking about that, now. I'm looking at going back to school full time. I'm looking for scholarships to make not having a job possible—and at admissions for next year. I'm going to get my house rented at my full mortgage so that it can be an asset rather than a drain on me financially. AND, I'm going to work hard THIS year so that I can be as prepared as possible for school. I'll go year round if possible. I want to get the most and best education I can as quickly as possible so that I can provide for my family and stand on my own. It is very important to me.

Those are exhilarating, air clearing thoughts. . . they are the reason that I know I need to look at my blessings and NOT at what is missing. As I said, I know what I need to do, just not how to accomplish it. . . and that is okay. . .and then there is this:

Consider the lillies

how they grow:

they toil not,

they spin not;

and yet I say unto you,

that Soloman in all his glory

was not arrayed

like one of these.

Luke 12:27

And this:

Trust

in the Lord

with all thine heart;

and lean not

unto thine own

understanding.

In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

and he shall direct

thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

And this:

Slow

Down.

Calm

Down.

Don't

Worry.

Don't

Hurry.

Trust the

Process.

Alexandra Stoddard

and one more thing—a really amazing and fantastic book about you and your brain. Obviously a relationship you can't afford to neglect!:

http://store.amenclinics.com/books/making-a-good-brain-great

I think that's probably all I need to say today. I think now, I need to get to work.

Ü