This little fabric-covered trunk sits on the floor next to my bed and houses these:
These are my journals. I started journaling in little diaries with locks (you know, the kind you'd find at Woolworth's for $1.00) I was in 5th grade and that earliest little diary still has a warning inside the cover for my brother & sister to STAY OUT!! They are so funny to read now. At first, they are all about our family life, traveling as a family, going to church (all the time!), and as I grew, they included my many crushes on members of the male population!
These journals, however, begin with this blue fabric-covered one in the front. It was a Christmas gift in 1983 from my sister. I was a senior in high school at the time. It's in this journal that I meet my future husband and chronicled some of our time dating. I have little pictures, poems, and notes all through the pages of this journal.
My current journal is the black one on the corner. It's also my favorite style. It's called a "Moleskine." They come in various styles. I started this one almost 2 years ago. This one holds thoughts, ideas, prayers, confessions and things learned through my time of Bible study. I've prayed for my children, family, and friends through the pages of this book. I've prayed for wisdom, guidence, and comfort in here also. It's a heartfelt reflection of my life.
It's funny because the books shown in the first picture chronicle 25 years of my life (Oh my gosh, I can't believe It's 25 YEARS!!!!!!!!!) They start 5 months before I met Cliff and travel through my life...engagement, planning a wedding, being a new wife, leaving home for the first time, 4 pregnancies, 4 babies, life as a young mom with young children, life as a mom with teenagers, life as a mom with grown children. As a younger woman, they were filled with hopes and dreams....of ideals and the way I hoped my life would be. I've read through them several times and I realized something...that when I was younger I lacked something very important. I don't know if I was ever content. I'm sure I was content with a new husband or a new baby...for a while. But I always seemed to be wanting more. As I conclude these 30 days, I've learned something about myself. I am CONTENT.
Maybe it's the fact that I'm no longer a 20-something with sky-high dreams but a middle-aged woman who has found a deep contentment and am very happy with my life. That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement. I've got lots of room for that. But if you were to peel everything away, I would have to say that at this point in my life. I am happy. I am content.
For more Show & Tell, please visit Kelli over at No Place Like Home.
26 comments:
Great post and great ending to your 30 days!! That is amazing that you have kept journals all of those years!! It is also a wonderful lesson you have learned (and it must be precious to reread some of those old journals). I have a few journals--but I have not reread them for years. I remember much pain, and struggle, and immaturity (I can't spell) and also beauty in them. I am just thankful for God's grace and slow but continual growth in Christ! How patient God is!!
Funny how that contentment sneaks up on you!
I'm giving away a vintage apron. Come visit my show & tell at http://anapronaday.blogspot.com
Thanks for coming over to visit. I have journals from my early years with children. I need to read them over. I learned that the more difficult the things happening in my life, the less I wanted to write them down. Now I wish I had journaled through the very difficult things we went through in the last 15 years.
Come back any time!
I hope you are feeling better!
Wow I have made journals, only to tear out and shred the pages. Many times it was because I felt I sounded too silly, at others it was because I wanted to forgive and forget and having that journal to read wasn't helping. I'm impressed that you have so many!
I think it's quite fitting that your last paragraph is extra large ~ since it "speaks" to your contentment.
You have such an impressive collection of Journals and one day your children will enjoy reading them. :)
Bunny Blessings ~
Jayne
It is such a wonderful thing when you can honestly say you are happy and content. :-) Rather rare, too! I am happy and content.
I kept a journal during junior high or high school. Threw it in the fire many years ago! I found that I only wrote when I felt stong negative emotions and didn't want anyone to ever read it and think it was an accurate representation of me, because it wasn't. I have usually a very positive person, and my emtional times are rare and far between.
I'm having a blog giveaway! Hope you can stop by!
http://lightinthesphere.blogspot.com/
Hi Rebecca! Keeping a journal is a wonderful discipline that I never seemed to master. How special to have reference to the many happenings in your life. Thanks for sharing!
-Karoline
Nice post. My grandmother and mother both journaled. I have one of those Moleskine books. They are wonderful.
Love the journals....love the chest that houses your treasures.
Mine's posted, tho quite eclectic today. Hope you can find time to stop by if you haven't already.
Happy weekend.
Ah, a kindred spirit! I love to write as well. Congratulations on journaling all those years!
Gina
I'm sorry to put my url here but it doesn't work in the name/url box
http://www.simplyheartandhome.com/
What a wonderful post, I am new to your blog, I will be back to read about your
30-day journey.
Louise
I always have great intentions to keep a diary, usually January 1s. By January 15th I have forgotten all about it! (sigh) My MIL kept a journal and kept the most mundane things in it. Literally things like,
"9:08 PM, called Dave, no anser"
"9:23 PM, Called Dave again, still no answer"
I think there was a little OC running throught the family though! Ha Ha. My husband though is actually going to transcribe some of her journal as they correlate to vacations since his brother is trnsferring the old 8mm to DVD format!
Connie
What a great thing to have. I've never been able to keep a journal, I always got rid of them for fear of someone reading them. Now my blog is my journal. Have a great day.
I love your fabric journals! There is something about a place to keep your thoughts.
Love the little chest that holds all your journals. They are treasures with loving memories and special thoughts. Linda
Nice show and tell!!!! Paul tells us in whatever state we are in to be content. A very great accomplishment to be content.
Susan
Rebecca,
I had those little locked diaries as a teenager, too. I still journal....I like the chest you keep them in.....thanks for visiting andentering the drawing....Bettyt
This was a fabulous, heart felt post! I am looking for that contentment right now, and sometimes, I allow myself to find it! Be blessed as you have blessed me today...Jennifer
What a wonderful treasure you have there. I wish I would have been more diligent about journaling throughout my life. I do have a moleskine, but I use mine as a prayer journal. Blessings to you!
What a treasure! I kept journals for a few years in high school but threw them away because I was embarrassed. Now I wish I had them back for a glimpse of the girl I was then.
Being content is a good,
thing because you know
what is important in your
life. You know where you've
been and the future looks
bright. It's a good place
to be! :) Keep journaling
and enjoying it!
Ah Ha! A fellow journaler!
I have also journaled for years...
These are nice...and I like the trunk you use to store them.
I like your final words in this post. Contentment is key!
((Just a note...I'm also having problems with posting properly...just in the last 24 hrs.))
Pop over for a visit sometime.
I truly enjoyed your post today. Thank you so much for sharing.
Cookie
How wonderful that you still have your childhood journals, Rebecca! I had a few of those locked ones myself...hehee. There was a boy from church that I liked and I wrote his name in it a lot. *blush*
Hugs,
Kelli
I have a box of journals also, but my box is nowhere as pretty as yours and it is hidden away. It's amazing as I read back through them that I still struggle with some of the same things I did 20 years ago and how some of the things I struggled with now make me laugh.
I find myself being more content now- of course I will be very content when more sleep is involved!
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