Image via AS Phillips
Way back when...
It started with a diary, in elementary school, gifted to me on either my birthday, or Christmas. I used it almost daily, at least for a while, then my entries became less frequent. Part of that is because, when I was a kid, our household could be quite turbulent. In Daddy’s defense, he was a U.S. Marine, deployed during a good bit of my early years, to combat zones.
When he finished his last deployment, he spent six months behind a desk, doing mundane, decompression work. I’m sure it helped some but he remained broken. The emotional and mental fractures weren’t always visible, but when they surfaced, wherever we were became a micro-combat zone.
I loved writing, even then, but documenting events, thoughts and feelings didn’t seem safe, and writing about the mundane seemed a waste of time. So, I’d write now and then, and took it seriously when doing it, but had a habit of only writing when I felt inspired or excited to record something interesting.
Several years, and a few pages later
In my 20s and 30s, I graduated to regular journaling. I did it for several years, filling up more journals than I can remember. Later, in my 40s, I began skimming entries in a few of them and shocker, I was appalled at much of what I’d written.
There were mountains of negative content seasoned with mere bits of positive chronicling.
I was angry with myself and the negative mindset that had produced such garbage. I wanted it gone. I repented to the Lord for even thinking about what I’d written, let alone actually writing it. That very afternoon, I burned every journal I had, and to this day, I remember the flame, the smoke and the ashes of what was left, and still feel GREAT about it!
That mess was never what the Lord intended me to produce with my talent for writing. (That's not to insulate being a great writer, just that God delivers the talent and it’s up to us to hone our skills as best as possible.😊)
That day, I committed to journaling the positive. Even if I were to record an event that was flat-out wrong, I could still record it, even being angry, and finish it on a positive note. I’m thankful to have maintained that standard, and in the doing, what I’ve produced has been a blessing.
The Lord indeed blesses when we do things His way, in hopes of blessing others with what we produce.
7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 KJV
Back to why...
I’ve learned that a journal is a wonderful way to record events from our own perspectives, and even the perspectives of others, when they share them with us. And, to make the recording even more special, it can be done with our own handwriting. Of course, that’s not a must but it can add a nice, physically personal touch.
Below is my maternal grandmama’s diary. She died at 23 years old. Her only child, my mama, was a toddler, and doesn’t remember her. And so, we (our mama, daddy, my sister Nee and I) came to know her via the stories of our elders, as well as her diary writings.
Reading entries she may not have considered exciting, was absolutely exciting for us. Reading them in her own handwriting makes them extra special. In a way, it provides us with a further means of getting acquainted with her. We cherish these records that allow us a precious glimpse into her life, which carried the life of our mama as well as our own!
Her name was Virginia Eldora Beloat Whitener. She was born February 25, 1922 and died March 17, 1945.
(L) Gramma Jenny's Diary
(R) A few of her entries
Many worthwhile reasons to journal
Events such as births, successes, ideas, hopes, projections, even failures and fouls are often worth documenting. Writing it down provides the opportunity to look back and draw inspiration from past achievements, the receiving of good counsel or a gift, a prayer prayed and the ensuing blessing.
Let’s not forget the legacy of information you might be leaving behind for others, who may very well be helped, guided and inspired by what information they might find in your writings.
My sister lent a hand in the development of this post, by discussing her own journaling journeys with me and afterward helped me gather her own journals so I could share pics of them with you.
My sister, Nee's, main journal. It stays on her bedside table where she can get to it easily and writes in it often.
Two of her older journals, each for a different purpose
Two more that have many entries, are a few years old, and still referenced when needed.
My current journal
Often journals have special significance, even before they’re written in. An aspect of my current one, pictured just under this post’s title, is the color. I’m not a fan of pink, however, I’m definitely a fan of the folks who gifted this one to me for my birthday in May of 2021. I couldn’t have imagined that later that year, I’d be in a cancer challenge that included all sorts of changes in lifestyle, including one I’d dreaded the possibility of for many years. Dr. Tamara Miley, one of the folks who gifted it to me, would beat the ambulance to the hospital when I had to be transported for emergency surgery. She stayed with my sister while I was in surgery.
Before surgery, I was terribly thirsty, more thirsty than I ever remember being in my whole life (including mountain biking for miles, Texas summer heat!) When I woke up, she stood at my bedside, feeding me tiny spoonfuls of ice chips for over an hour while in recovery.
I may not love pink, but I love Tam and Kevin and the journal serves as a reminder of the challenges I had to go through during the following two years but even more it’s a reminder of the many blessings I received during one of the most difficult seasons of my life.
Also, the little green box in the pic was a gift from another close friend, one of my senior prayer partners of more than a decade, Pat Ashby Barnette. It stays on my desk and is full of small cards with scriptures on the front and back. Before I write, I read the scripture on the card closes to the front and record it as the opening sentence of the entry. You'd probably be amazed at how it often coincides with current events and what I planned to document!
Blogs/Vlogs as journals
Digital journaling is a great option if you’re okay with your content being public. Maybe you’ve even considered producing published content in which you can share your thoughts in a manner that generates income and with the option of reaching a wider audience.
I read and research way more than I write (taking notes doesn’t count), and honestly, there are millions of us who enjoy reading blogs and watching vlogs (video logs) in which the content is personal and rather than directed at a page, is directed to the producer’s audience.
Honestly, I find some of my most visited and favorite content in these types of platforms. platforms. So, if you’re interested and tempted to begin producing digital journal content in one of these methods, please lemme know in the comments, ‘cause I’d love to be one of your first subscribers!
The wrap!
I hope your Christmas was far more joy than sadness and my prayer is for the Lord to saturate 2025 in great grace and favor for the good hearted, around the globe.
Shalom, shalom from Posey County
Angelia
