mum's thoughts

NaBloPoMo + My November To-Do List

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mum's thoughts, greetings, NaBloPoMo 2014, writing, 2014 goals, writing challenges

I cannot believe that October simply zoomed by and we are welcoming yet another month today. Yes, after the observance of All Saints’ Day , the Christmas season is once again here! The merriest and the busiest season of all, really. If you ask me, I feel like I have a gazillion of things to do now that it is barely 60 days before the year is about to end and I shall be checking the goals I’ve list down at the beginning of the year and see if I have accomplished a few of them {which I am hoping I did really!}. Numerous things are traversing off the top of my head at the same time, thinking of the many things I have yet to finish or start. My to-do list will be brimming this month and I do hope to get ahead of the pack and finish off a number of them early.

Here are a bunch of stuff on my to-do list for this month:

  • Tidy up our closet for stuff we no longer use and prepare those for donation
  • Wash a pack of the little one’s toys that we are bringing to the nearest Jollibee soon, in support of their Christmas toy drive
  • General cleaning at home
  • Putting up our Christmas tree {which I intend to do once I finish part of the general cleaning}
  • Go to my OB {I know, I have put this off unnecessarily and it is a must that I visit before the year ends}
  • Visit the dentist
  • Jumpstart my new meditation class {and I am just excited!}
  • Go back to the yoga center
  • Saving up for a shelf or another closet so I can finally tidy up the living room and free it of the little man’s toys and things!

I do hope I’d be able to make time for all these items and a few more.

NaBloPoMo 2014

So here comes the NaBloPoMo bit. I stumbled upon this blogging challenge while browsing through the numerous posts on our Mommy Bloggers Philipppines Group and was drawn. I just love these challenges, especially those that will encourage me to write and fill up this blog on a daily basis and by posts I mean the personal post that I love to write but cannot find the time to do so, instead of the press releases, the obligation posts and events posts that I have probably bombard you with of late. Sorry about those, as their nickname suggests, I really have to write all about them. 

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books, mum's thoughts

Mum’s Personal Goal {2014}: Read A Book Each Month

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books, mum's thoughts, reading, 2014 goals, new year goals, goals

It sure will be helpful and practical to set reasonable and attainable goals this new year, 2014, so, instead of saying “I will read more books this year,” I am opting for “I will read 1 book each month,“ that way if I was successful in my goal, I will have read 12 books at the end of the year or if I am even more successful I would’ve probably read more. Being the book lover that I am, I set out to read more at the beginning of each year. On most times, I was successful with my goal, but there are also times, like last year, when I read the least number of books. 

Last year I purchased and got many a number of books that I cannot wait to read, so this year, I set out to read a book each month and I plan to add more as my reading journey progresses. Check out my list of books-to-read this year:

  • Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina ~ I was lucky enough to score a copy last year as a present from my sister, Belle, but never found the time to finish it, so this will be the first book I’ll ever open this year, unless the Universe presents another opportunity, that is!
  • John Green’s Fault In Our Stars ~ I got a copy of this from bookdepository last year, which I gave to my sister as a very late birthday gift. I was able to read a few chapters but was not too keen on finishing it, so I will try again this year. A movie adaptation will be out, so it will be a great motivation to finish the book first before I go to see the film.
  • Matthew Quick’s Silverlinings Playbook ~ Silverlinings is one of my most favorite words ever and much like Pat in this book, I am also a believer of those. I aimed to read this book after I saw the screen adaptation and fell in love with Pat. I have been successful to read halfway thru, I think, until I got preoccupied with something else, so this year i vow to finish this great read, and find out for myself if my sister’s opinion that the movie is better than the book is actually accurate.books, mum's thoughts, reading, 2014 goals, new year goals, goals
  • Adrian Rogers’ The Lord Is My Shepherd ~ I was fortunate enough to receive great books to read last year and I do hope it continues this year. One of the books I hope to receive a copy real soon, and include in my non-existent bookshelves, is this devotional. Published by Lifebooks, The Lord is my Shepherd is now available in leading bookstores nationwide for Php145 a copy. Here is a bit more info about the book, in case you’re interested to get you or your family and friends your own copies:

In this hectic, demanding life, we are all looking for a heart-contentment that fulfills our yearning for love and protection…

For a quiet place to rest. For guidance and comfort and deliverance from fear. The secret lies in the gentle words of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. . . .”

This beloved psalm’s beautiful lines feed and comfort our souls. But its greatest gift is that it offers what we all need-the secret to satisfaction in this life, and in the one to come-and promises what we can all experience-an intimate relationship with the loving Shepherd who fulfills the very longings of our souls.

“Where are you looking for satisfaction? How will you know when you’ve found it? And when you think you’ve discovered the secret of satisfaction, will it last for eternity?

“In the deepest recesses of our hearts and minds, there are hungers that cannot be satisfied by the things of this world. St. Augustine once said that we were created with a God-shaped void. I agree. Only God can meet the deepest longings of our hearts. Nothing can satisfy us apart from a personal relationship with Him….

“Who knows what will satisfy your deepest needs better than the One who made you? As your Creator, He can see what your needs are going to be tomorrow and ten years from tomorrow. So He certainly knows what you need today!” –Adrian Rogers

I will make sure to update this to-read list as new books pile up and can I just tell you now that I am also currently planning on putting up a separate blog for all my books, the reading challenges I joined and my reading adventures. I will tell you more about it as soon as my ever-gracious host is done setting it up. And just a little teaser, the new blog will be aptly named Mum Reads, one of my new babies for this year.

Do share your reading list for 2014, I’d love to read all about it!  :heart:

image is from freedigitalphotos.net

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