Spiritual Awakening: Overview

The Problem:
I've noticed something rather sad lately... Ever since I started my job at the end of Sept. 2011 (it is now Jan. 2012) that not only has going to church become difficult - mostly due to my schedule, (I was hired part-time and with Christmas I was working overtime almost immediately), my husbands fairly new career, visiting family for the holidays, and just trying to get used to working the over-night shift (10pm-7am) - but I have been struggling with the small things too. My personal and our family scripture reading have basically ceased to exist, we don't hold FHE (Family Home Evening) faithfully, and I am lucky if prayers happen before meals. I hate this and know that it is part of why I have been feeling a bit low lately. I know these things make a HUGE difference in my life.

I feel like work has taken over my life and all the time I have left I dedicate to schoolwork, spending time with my family, and trying to fit in sleep. It has been very difficult and spiritual things have not completely disappeared, but they are not as much a part of things as they should be (at least in my opinion).

History:
I grew up with a pretty hard life (as many do in our own ways), but I won't go into the details. My point is that if it were not for the Lord I would have not likely survived. I have always had a strong testimony that the Lord loved me and at times when things were the worst I could literally feel the Lord's arms around me as if He were hugging and comforting me. I worked so hard to be spiritual always and it showed. It was not until I got out of my house and went to college that I started seeing a lack of my effort to do the small things...I believe this is because my life became much easier and I didn't HAVE to rely upon the Lord so much. I loved going to church at my college branch and I would have moments come and go where I was really into the little spiritual things (mostly when I had some problems arise), but I had definitely changed. It got to the point that I started praying for trials so that I could have that "spirituality" again (never a good idea).

Now:
Eventually I met my husband and we have been going through the busyness of trying to finish school, survive with little money, start a family...a familiar story for many I am sure. We have made many efforts to do the little spiritual things, but it has been HARD! I don't know why it is so hard honestly (until now anyway). Maybe it's because we have only been married for not even 3 years and have had and currently do have a lot on our plates. Maybe it is because we aren't perfect.

I know nobody is perfect (but it is not an excuse) so I won't beat myself up over the struggles that have been happening; instead, I am going to start today by trying a little harder.

The Plan:
I am going to blog as I try harder to read personal scriptures and pray daily in an effort to have better motivation. Hopefully this journey will turn out to be something that establishes a better pattern so that I can continue to read and pray normally as a habit instead of struggling to fit it in.

I will also talk with my husband and find a time we can commit to family scripture study and FHE and let you know how doing these two activities faithfully changes our sense of spirituality.

P.S. I am also doing an exercise and diet program called 30 day Shred, so I should be able to blog about both over the next month pretty faithfully. Here's to hoping!