Journaling: A Discipline and an Art

I read two posts on journaling this morning: Journaling: A Holy Experience and Journaling as a Spiritual Discipline: Many Creative Ways. Both posts reminded me of a habit I’ve somewhat neglected, and the second one especially showed me some of the many creative possibilities that come with journaling.

Only in recent months, I would say, have I allowed myself the freedom to break outside the traditional dated entry with personal thoughts written in neat paragraphs. I’m such a grammar and structure perfectionist that I thought my journal had to read like a book. But that’s not true at all, and allowing myself the freedom to change things up makes journaling a lot more creative and fun.

The main reason I’ve always written in a journal for the past several years has been to supplement my devotional reading and prayer life. While I think it is important to verbalize prayer and not just write it, writing my prayers helps me get over the hump of distracting thoughts. Writing along with reading Scripture is also so good for meditating – it allows you to really dwell on what you’re reading. Rewriting Scripture helps you memorize it, and writing down your thoughts helps you remember and apply it.

Sometimes the pace of journaling frustrates me. I’m a fast typist, so writing on a keyboard enables me to record my thoughts much more quickly. Slowly transcribing my thoughts by hand, though, forces me to be intentional about what I’m writing, and makes me focus on quality more than quantity.

Those are a few of my thoughts that were sparked by reading those entries. Do you journal? How often do you do it, and how do you do it? Please share in the comments section.

Superwoman Wannabe

I have a picture in my head of myself as a wife and mother. It involves basic elements of housewifery which I know are my responsibility – cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, and making beds. My mental image also includes much more than the basics.

Every morning, I will rise early, get ready for the day, and have a two-hour devotional study with a lit candle and a cup of tea, steam curling gently upwards. I will bid farewell to my husband as he leaves for work, handing him his carefully-prepared lunch as he walks out the door. I will tend to my cute and content children all day as the sun shines through my spotless windows. I will bake homemade bread, add a few decorative touches to my decor, knit an afghan, write a freelance article, make a meal for another family, go shopping with my stock of coupons, and have a delicious and nutritional meal on the table by the time my husband comes home from work. And of course, I will do all of this while looking beautiful and having a kind word for everyone who comes my way.

Exaggerated or not, I think most women have a standard in their heads of themselves as Superwoman. The key trigger to discontentment in this area, I find, is comparison. I see wonderful accomplishments by other wives and mothers, so I get frustrated with myself and wonder why my home isn’t perfectly decorated, my belongings aren’t completely unpacked, and my husband makes his own dinner because I’m nauseated.

I am so blessed by the many godly examples who surround me. And I don’t want to make excuses for myself and slip into laziness and not care about my home at all just because I can’t do everything. Both extremes are a temptation. But I might as well accept right now that I’m never going to be Superwoman, because it’s not going to get any easier from here on out!

Besides, if I was Superwoman, I wouldn’t rely on Christ to be my sufficiency. I’m so slow to remind myself that He is my perfection before the Father to atone for my sins, and He is my strength every day when all I am is weak. I don’t want those truths to become platitudes in my heart! It all comes back to Jesus. He came to save me from my sins, and teach me to look away from myself and always to Him. That’s all that matters.

The next big thing

I have to pinch myself lately, because it’s one thing after another! A year ago I never expected that I would be married right now. And I definitely didn’t expect that I would be expecting my first baby! Yes, you read right. We are already expecting our first, due around the first week of February 2010 (I don’t have an exact date yet).

I’m eight weeks along right now, and in the throes of first-trimester nausea and general misery and yuckiness. (If you don’t want to read about pregnancy woes, you might want to skip this paragraph.) I’m not a person who throws up easily — I just stay nauseated forever, which is almost worse sometimes. This past weekend though I was throwing up so much that I had to go to the ER for an IV because I was dehydrated. I have some medicine now that’s helping, but most days it’s hard to just get the basics done.

However, all that is not to say that I’m not excited! It’s been a lot to get used to so quickly, and as much as I’ve always wanted to be a wife and mother, the suddenness of how it happened still surprises me at times. But I’m very, very excited and blessed with our marriage and with this new little life God has blessed us with. I will keep you updated along the way, Lord willing.

I’ve been longing for a writing outlet but my blog broke after I upgraded to the new WordPress version. So this morning I fixed it (it’s nice to have a non-active distraction from sickness) and changed the theme. I am somewhat annoyed because this theme doesn’t have a categories option for the sidebar (something that you will probably only understand if you have a blog or read them a lot), but my categories really needed updating anyway.

I’m sorry for so many sweet comments that I haven’t yet responded to, but I’ve read and enjoyed every single one of them! I hope to be reading and responding to your blogs a little more too.

I forget how I used to end my entries… so long, farewell… sincerely, Anna… talk to you later… all right, I’m out.

I dearly miss writing

It’s been a bit of a hiatus, eh, readers? I’ve almost forgotten how to blog – and it used to be my biggest hobby. True, I had a few minor distractions, such as getting engaged, moving across country, and getting married. I hope I still have a few people who are interested in reading!

Thanks for all of your comments on our wedding video. It was a wonderful wedding gift and a good way to show a snapshot of our day. I love being married to A.J. – there is nothing like being married to the one God has given you to love. It’s not easy all the time for sure; without Christ I don’t know how anyone survives in marriage. But with Him as the foundation it’s truly a blessing.

So from your seven-week newlywed blogger, there’s a little update. Hope to see more of you soon.