#giveastory

Back in December I posted about Writing, Journals and Children In Need  in support of Gadanke journals and Katie and her newest Time Capsule journal for kids.  At that time, I mentioned I wasn't compensated, I just like to toot the horn of things that I love.  But I'm now part of her Ambassador team to share the message of these special journals that she sells.

I sent one of these fun journals to my niece for Christmas plus one for a child in need.  I never actually got to hold the book and really look through it until Katie sent me two books to review and share.

I love journal writing, although I'm not as good as I'd like to be.  In my defense, I kind of think of my blog as a bit of a journal, too.  But, really I just need quiet time to myself in order to feel the creative juices flowing.  What is great about this journal is that it is guided journaling.  It asks the kids to say... draw a picture of their home on one page, then to list reasons why they love their home on the opposite page or to list their favorite TV shows, or food.  It helps bypass that need for creative juices at it guides them to write down the little things that, when they are old like me, they won't remember unless they recorded it somewhere.

Isn't this a fun way to document a child's youth?  

I think this and a nice pack of colored pencils or gel pens 

would be a fun gift.

Stay tuned...I've got something fun coming up...

 

Writing, Journals & Children in Need

Writing, journaling and blogging can be so therapeutic.  Katie Clemmons over at Making This Home and Gadanke journals just created her first bound journal for children.  She is all about being a story catcher and recording the every day journey and struggles.  While I'm not being compensated in any way for this blog post, I'm just really impressed with her latest endeavor.  Katie says,

"Every year, thousands of children are displaced from their homes because of domestic violence.  Gadanke has created a gifting program to help build these children's self esteem and give them something to call their own.  Folks can purchase a discounted journal at 50% and we will gift it to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to distribute to a child in need." 

How great is that?   

I hope that as we are all about the charitable giving this time of year, that you might consider this gift of love, therapy and, really, self identity that writing provides.  #Gadanke #journals 



Christmas Journaling - A December Daily

Last year as part of my simplification and savoring, I decided to keep a Christmas journal.  It was part Gandanke journal, part repurposing old Christmas cards and part December Daily.

I used old Christmas card fronts as journaling pages.  They are pretty AND functional.  By recording thoughts, feelings, and activities that brought me closer to the Savior I was able to more fully savor the season.

It is definitely something I am doing again this year, though I am throwing a different twist this year and journaling my answers to the questions posed in Ann Voskamps advent book, the Greatest Gift.

What do you do with old Christmas Cards?

Do you do anything different with your December journaling?

**Originally published on 12/11/2013**

 

Goals, but not really

Source

The end of my vacay is coming WAY too fast.  I mean I've only been off of work since 2014.  Ahem, but seriously, I have to go back too soon and I don't wanna.  On another note, Here is a list of top 10 things (Not goals) I would like to accomplish in 2015...If I say they are goals, then it probably won't happen, because I feel like goals set me up for failure.  But that One Word I am embarking on this year Loved can fit into each of these.  I Love my body when I eat healthier, do yoga and run.  (See where I am going with this?)  I feel love for my home when I organize it, etc, etc, etc...And here you go:

1. Eat Healthier
2. Do more Yoga for my Back.  
3. Run a 5K (again)
4. Spend more time in my scriptures
5. Craft/journal more
6. Make more home cooked meals (See #1)
7. Organize my home
8. Rejuvenate my Blog after quitting
9. See Miguel get married (see this post)
10. Quit my job...I mean did you look at these things I want to accomplish?  There is no way I can do them all without quitting my job.  

Family History - What's the big deal?

One of the things I have immersed myself in this spring in some good old fashioned genealogy.  When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by the stories and pictures my grandma would tell about her childhood and my ancestors.  She would break out pictures and point out who they were and my relation to them.  As she got older, she began to repeat herself, which is okay I didn't mind hearing the stories again.  I only wish I had had the foresight to write down what she was saying.

I have been using a website called Family Search.  So far I haven't encountered any expenses.  You can input your known relatives and begin searching for more.  I find it addictive.  It's like I crave a connection to the past, that these people are crying out from the dust and want to be remembered.  I want to be remembered and matter, and that is why I think it is a big deal...Because, I bet these relatives wanted to be remembered and matter to someone, too.

A few years ago I was involved in the Nations largest service project...the indexing of the 1940's census.  Indexing is transcribing old documents and digitizing them.  Documents like birth and death certificates, marriage certificates and enlistment forms are made available right at the tips of your fingers.  It's pretty cool, really.  Yesterday I indexed a bunch of birth certificates from 1923 in Chicago, Illinois.  My husband is from Chicago, and I thought it would be cool if I saw one of his family's birth certificate...but I didn't.  My daughter is interested in this family history work, and has listened to me and dabbled in it herself.   She even put in ten hours of indexing for a service project.

There are many different forms that family history takes:  

blogging, scrapbooking, journaling, genealogy, indexing.  

What do you do to connect to your past?

The Why's of Blogging and Journaling

It has been no secret around these here parts about how much I love journaling and/or blogging.  I love being able to have my thoughts and ideas flow from my finger tips to the paper or...computer screen.  It gives me a connection to my inner self.

But, blogging and journaling our thoughts, ideas and stories gives us a connection to others, as well.  It gives us a sense of community which so many of us crave.  God did not create us to be alone, no he wants us to connect, listen to, love and serve one another.

Have you ever noticed that the older we get, the more we tend to repeat our stories.  I know I've probably heard my grandma's stories about a hundred million times.  We chalk it up to "old timers", but maybe that is the way it is supposed to be.  I don't think it is by accident.  Those stories repeated and shared over and over is so we don't forget...so we don't forget them...so they are forever in our hearts and memories after they are gone.  Remember to Listen...I know things about my grandma because she wrote them down, too.

I want to leave that kind of history for my family.  I don't want to worry over if they'll think I sound stupid or did stupid things.  I want them to enjoy learning about me, from me.

I have been drawn to the lovely journals at Gadanke by Katie Clemmons.  She has inspired me.  She did a speaking engagement where her segment was posted on YouTube.  I love this little video because it answers the why's.  Why do we need to write and share...It is worth your while to watch.

***This is not a sponsored post.  I just like sharing things I find inspiring***

For Love of Journals and {MMB}

I missed another article going live...OOPS, seriously, I feel so out of the loop.  This article of mine posted last Friday, September 6.  Below is a teaser...

"A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. What a tragedy this can be in the history of a family. Knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills within us values that give direction and meaning to our lives." 

~Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander~

My article about journals and my excitement for them can be found on MMB.

Please stop by and take a look.  

**As always I appreciate your comments and support**

Journaling, Happy Endorphins and {MMB}

 Henry B. Eyring "O Remember, Remember" - Liahona Nov. 2007.  "My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies. You may not keep a journal. You may not share whatever record you keep with those you love and serve. But you and they will be blessed as you remember what the Lord has done. You remember that song we sometimes sing: “Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”  

^{Today, over at MMB, I am sharing an article} about Journals 

and how they can be a tool for enhancing our happiness.  

Please stop by and take a look.  

**As always I appreciate your comments and support**

My Pen

Source

The pen, used like a sword, to thrash demean and conquer. It is a weapon, but it, too, can sign treaties and create peace. It can be used for great good. It is an instrument of God. It creates, draws and writes all things of beauty. The conduit for a deluge of thoughts and dreams. What will I use my pen for? Will I pen things of worth, things of uplift or will my pen be used as a weapon of war?

For your weekend, may you find time to journal, 

write and create something uplifting and inspiring.

 

Journals, Oh My!

Remember when I recently blogged on the topic of journals?  I felt, I needed to go there again.  I'm kind of obsessive that way.   You see I am a lover of books, and journals aren't any different.  I love to caress their cover and smell their pages and wonder of the stories that CAN be written within.  I have a fascination with journaling, though I haven't done much of it in the past...at least consistently anyway.  I have many journals for different reasons.

• I have journals containing bits of my own poetry
• Other journals contain others' poetry
• Another is for taking notes and thoughts during church meetings or conferences
• Another journal is for reflection on my scriptures study
• A journal for the funny things my children said and did when they were younger
• I have another journal where I write things I love about my husband or things I have appreciated he has done.  I saw a lovely journal on Dayspring, but came up with my own.  I wish I were more consistent  but when it gets tucked in a drawer I forget.
• I have a journal for regular thoughts and experiences.
• I have my own "Smashbook" creation.
• And, I now have started a Mother/Daughter journal for writing back and forth with Ladybug.  I saw it on Gadanke and could not resist.

It would be lovely if all these thoughts were written in one place instead of scattered amongst a variety of journals, but each has it's own purpose.  Not to mention the fact that I blog, which has become a journal of writing, of sorts, as well.  I guess you could say this is most definitely not an area I have simplified in.  I really love the quote on the top journal, "Happiness is found along the way of this journey."  ~Howard W. Hunter~

These are my favorite pens for journaling and writing.  

They have a nice weight and feel to them.

What are your favorite things about journaling?  

Any creative journal ideas?

**This is not a sponsored post.  I'm just sharing information about a topic I am excited about**

 

Happy Endorphins and Journals

I recently read an article on Mind, Body, Green entitled The Power of Gratitude in the Face of Tragedy.  My focus this year has been on being grateful.  I've posted about it a few times, but as of late, my writing has been neglected, but I digress.  The article talks about being grateful and how gratitude fosters happiness and optimism.  Yes, Yes, Yes!  And do you know what else?  Happier people are generally healthier.  When you focus on blessings and what is going right in your life and are thankful for that, all those happy endorphins are just to flow through your veins.  It's good stuff.  They mentioned the infamous Gratitude Journal.  I've read many things on Gratitude Journals and the art of documenting those gifts from Oprah Winfrey, to One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, to leaders of my Church.  One thing is certain, these people know something, and I'm certain they speak the truth.

My writing has hit a slump here on the blog and elsewhere.  I try to blog happy things, because "joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody." Isaiah 51:3.  I have found the idea of guided journaling might be just the thing to get me out of my writing slump weather here on my blog or in journaling.  The journals I can find online are lovely with prompts and pretty papers.  I like the ones here, and bought one at Christmas time. Better still, I came across this gal's website where she offers her pages for free.

I really love it when a blogger goes the extra mile.  I quickly downloaded them to put together my own guided journal/SMASH book.  Because, yes, I do often put in pictures and mementos, too.

An absolute must are some fun, colorful journaling pens.  Just sayin'

Since journaling is so good for your health, 

do you think I could give up running and yoga?

The Coolest Website

I have found the COOLEST website ever. If you know of a better one, let me know. It is www.ldsjournal.com. You can do free online journaling and, kind of like blogging, you can add pictures. You can print out your entries on a daily basis for free. But, the awesome thing is you can get your journal printed into a hardbound book. I love this idea, I get writer's cramp so easy these days, and less face it, my handwriting SUCKS! Their hardbound journals really aren't very expensive. I have been transferring various blog posts to my online journal and plan to get it printed out in a book for my posterity in the near future. Maybe no one will really care...Who knows...I can hear them now, "That great great grandma of ours was sure a nut!" They are targeting the LDS population because we are big journalers, but really, anyone can use it. Check it out! I have no invested interest in it other than I thought it was cool. Just thought I would share.