Journals

I was asked to teach the lesson in YW yesterday and after I finally got over my shaking jitters I got the goofy giggles. Yeah, it wasn't a lesson that was spiritually charged by any means but probably more entertaining! Oh dear!

So this morning I was looking around in the blog o'sphere and it turns out there were a few people who also had this lesson. This one in particular always has such good ideas for her YW class. Anyway I decided I would join the movement and also post something about journals on my blog and encourage everyone out there to write (or type) down some special memories!Here are my a few of my journals I've had throughout my life so far. My other journals are on my computer and I've done a much better job updating them than my handwritten journals. Just ask the YW yesterday, they got a taste of my handwriting and know why I choose the computer! I've also made a family Journal that I turned into a calendar. I collect 365 memories from my parents and siblings and then assigned each one a day of the year. This was quite a fun project, simply because I got to hear so many new stories that I was either too young or not involved in to know about. For example the two below!That's awesome. We also talked about project journals where you take a topic/subject and concentrate only on that one thing through out the journal. Like for example a Scripture journal, Trial journal, Laughter journal, Recipe Journal, a grief journal, transition journal (i.e. from HS to college) vacation journal, nature journal, scrapbook journal, photo journal, and art journal. I found this cute idea on someone else's blog...to make an art journal. I decided even though I'm not very artistic or creative, it still looked fun. You take a book that you don't use ( I found a book about grey parrots at DI for .50) you cover it and then you glue every other page together, so that the pages are thicker and more durable. Then you add a light coat of paint (you can still see a little of the page...it's adds character!) any color you want. Then, once it's dry you add your artwork, scraps, magazine collages, drawings, on top of that. I think I may prep the book and then give it to my son who is better suited to fill it in. But I loved this idea to destroy and create something! I went looking for the blog where I got this idea from and I can't find it...so if this is your idea will you please leave a comment and I will add the the reference into this later.

Okay so here is my shout out to everyone to make sure you set some time aside this week to jot down some memories. Here is a list of ideas of some things to write about to help you get started!

Impressions

Personal feelings

Personal counsel

Promises

Blessings received

Deaths

Trials

Marriages

Baptisms

Drawings

Secrets!!!

Personal triumphs

Failures, and struggles and how they are met

Current local, national, and world events

Simple occurrences in daily life (nonsense?)

Count your daily blessings

Describe your earliest memory

List family traditions

Explain favorite food

Favorite hymn or song.

Write a letter to future spouse or children.

Favorite scripture and why

Write down a story your mom or dad has told

Explain about a book you’ve read

Write about your hero in your life

Write your impressions of important happenings.

Explain your goals and aspirations and how you plan to achieve them

Write testimony of tithing, the Word of Wisdom, gospel principle.

Read your journal from exactly a year ago to the day, and compare.

ANYTHING!

Also I have a mothers day idea for you. Write down some stories for your mom. Stories that you remember about her as a mom, stories about her children now as moms, her mother as a mom...any memory you have access to. Ask your siblings to help out and write a story as well and present it to her on Mother's day!

Have fun Journaling!