I just have to get a few thoughts out today. I have to say how incredibly grateful I am that I was taught as a young girl to keep a journal. I can remember journal entries I made back when I got my very 1st journal at age 8 years old. I love looking back at what was so 'important' to me back then. I appreciate the guidance of my parents and church leaders in encouraging us to keep up with journaling. I feel that it's so important to leave our children behind with something from us...and if I were to die tomorrow, I'd hope that they would keep my journals and read through them when they were old enough to understand the writings inside. Some of the things they would find in there would be:
*My testimony & my love for my Heavenly Father
*My pregnancy journals with each of them
*Becoming a new Mother and figuring out HOW to do that
*Different trials in my day to day living
*Serious tests of my faith
*Tribulations and Milestones
*Loves and Losses
*All about how their 1st Daddy loved them very much & our experiences with him
*They would read about our grief and how we are overcoming it
*My sacrifices and theirs as children
*Most importantly..they would read all about how I love being a Mother and how much love I have for my little family.
When I have the time, I'll occasionally sit back and read some of the journal entries from various times in my life. I am literally in awe when I read back and realize that these stories I'm reading are about ME...My life. Some are so happy, some are devastating, and some are down right hilarious. When you have a life that you can look back on and it can make you smile, laugh and cry...I'd say you're living a pretty darn good life. When I struggle with the next trial in my life (b/c we all know that they keep on coming...) it really does help to look back on what I did to endure the last hardship...and I remember the despair or the anguish I felt..but then I can remember the faith that I had to help get me through the rough patches. In reading these entries, this helps me to keep my faith strong and to push through to the end. My journals are part of what is helping me to hold strong to the rod. Faith the size of a mustard seed....and I have that and more.
I'm so thrilled to leave these various accounts of my life with my children and their posterity.
I'd encourage you all to keep accounts of your happy and sad times, no matter how big or small the journal entry may be. They have truly brought an abundance of blessings to me and I hope and pray they will to you and yours if you choose to keep a journal.
Thank you to my parents who have pushed me to do this all my life. I love you so very much.
*I know I have a picture of me as a youth writing in my journal...I'll go and try to find it.
8 comments:
Jules, I love reading about your life. I know I don't always comment, but I always read. I have known you for a while now and always admired you for your strength, for the love you have for your family, friends. You are amazing, amazing person and I am blessed to call you my friend! Keep writing! I am always looking forward to the new entries :) Love you!!
Well thank you, Jurgita! Do you have a blog? I was looking at your profile the other day and I didn't see one. I'd like to follow yours if you have one. Thank you for reading and for your friendship over the years. That means alot to me. ((HUG))
Hmm, it's strange that it didn't show my blog. But here is the link, maybe it will help. I just started so it's pretty new :)
http://memyselfboys.blogspot.com/
Oh yay...thanks Jurgita. I'll go add you now.
Hi Julie, I couldn't help but comment to this. It's encouraging to hear someone tell you to journal. My parents have always pushed me to do so and I've tried but never really stuck to it. Now I feel like I have a reason to. I want my kids to read mine as well. I want them to know how much I love them inspite of when they do things wrong or things to disappoint me. I want them to know I have unconditional love for them no matter what they do. I have to discipline Andrew pretty hard b/c he can be a very defiant and mischevious little boy. Today I tried to kiss him and he spit in my face. Not a full blown out spit like my face was dripping with spit. My face wasn't even wet. Just where kids stick their tongue out and make that noise. I told him that hurts mama's feelings and that we don't spit in peoples faces. And I asked him if he loves Mommy and he said no. Needless to say I started crying. I was really upset about it and took it very seriously. And when he saw me crying he hugged me. I don't understand the behavior he has sometimes.We have never taught him this kind of behavior. In fact he's a pretty loving kid. I've had doctors tell me he is a very sweet kid and other people too. But in spite of it my love for him will never change. I cried for hours over it. When hubby got home he did everything he could to convince me that Andrew loved me and that he's too young to totally understand. And he made Andrew apologize to me and tell me he loves me. I don't know if I'm ready for the teen years or not. I heard it's worse then like the years I'm going through now. Now I will go to bed tonight and write in my journal about my day. Thanks for the inspiration and your example of strength.
You have always been good at journal keeping. Your girls will appreciate it. I was good as a youth about journal keeping, but not as an adult. Hope you are doing well. Love Ya!!!
I love your blog and the spirit you bring with it Julie! I too am very thankful that my parents taught me to journal too. I wish I would have been more diligent at it when I was pregnant and now but I'm getting better!!! My mother in law. Hers was awesome reading about her pregnancy with Clint. She even predicted his EXACT due date crazy huh? But I ditto I'm very grateful to have the Gospel in my life to encourage and teach us the importance of keeping records for our posterity and genealogy. I am so grateful for my mom that loves to do that stuff cause I really don't find it all that entertaining but i love seeing the finished work. Last year for Christmas she gave us copies of our great great grandfathers journal and he wrote many nights while he was crossing the plains with the Pioneer's and wow what a neat thing to have. Solid written proof of what my ancestors did to pave a path for my life. Makes my journey here on earth seem very minimal for my posterity, and defiantly shows me what I do take for granted (like being up and to Church every Sunday **Sigh** :)
Julie- it's Christy! I found you off Shelly's blog! You're girls are so cute! And look so much like you! You have done such a Great job blogging- It's fun to see what you're up to!
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