JOURNALING STUFF 2015 #9

JOURNALING STUFF 2015 #9
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Written Monday, January 19, 2015
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IT'S BEEN A WHILE
It's been a while since I journaled on this blog. As you know, this is a time of transition for me and I've been trying to keep myself busy with writing. I had to get some other writing out of my system, as I wait for the news of what is going to happen and when--as far as moving and putting in an offer on a house.
Now, I am ready to edit Journaling Stuff 2014 and do writing on this blog--as I can. Again, for the next several months, I will only write (blog or journal) here as I am able. I will be able to do quite a bit over the next few weeks. Then, I will get quiet for a while as we do the moving across country thing, take some vacation time, have some time with family, and then move into our house and get it set up and get to know the new town we're moving to in Wyoming.
I will try to keep you updated as I am able--and blog journaling hints, tips, and prompts. I imagine come April, things should be calmer and I cannot wait to share the journey with you.
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CHANGE
Change is something that people find stressful and intimidating. We make it far worse on ourselves because of our thoughts and attitude toward change. (Journaling prompt: Have you noticed this in your life? In the lives of others?) This does not help us one iota. Why make things harder on ourselves than they need to be? Why not find a way to turn change into something useful in our lives instead?
Change is a fact of life.
There are few guarantees in this life, but change is one of them. Change will happen. It's just a matter of time.
So, shouldn't our goal be to learn how to appreciate change and find the blessing in change? (Go ahead and journal your answer to that question, along with your thoughts. A Journaling Prompt.)
How is it possible to make change a benefit and opportunity in our lives--versus something to dread and feel anxious over or about? (Go ahead and journal your thoughts and answer regarding that question. A Journaling Prompt.)
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UPCOMING BLOG POST SERIES
In the next few weeks, I will do a few different blog posts series which go together, but can also be separate journaling topics (subjects or thoughts).
1 These are just a few of the thoughts I want to explore over the next few weeks. So, welcome to a new blog post series called: "CHANGE BRINGS BLESSING."
2 I will also talk about how to move in such a way to bring blessing ("THE BLESSING OF MOVING").
3 How to create a home of blessing in upcoming blog posts ("A HOME OF BLESSING").
4 "A SET APART LIFE: LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH IN TODAY'S WORLD"
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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES 2015: MY PERSONAL JOURNALING
Written Monday, January 19, 2015, 202 p.m.
I will be doing a lot of personal journaling in 2015 on this blog in an effort for it to be a journaling prompt for you. Furthermore, I hope it will inspire you with your journaling and help inspire you to find the blessing in your life.
Therefore, I will call my personal journaling "MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES 2015."
I hope to write my journaling memoir in 2015 and that's why it has the title of MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES 2015.
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WHAT TIME, EXPERIENCE, AND MATURITY HAS TAUGHT ME
I turned four decades old in September 2014 and it's made me quite reflective. It's made me think and do a great deal of soul searching. Never mind how 2014 was a tough year for me.
One of the things 2014 has taught me is one that 2015 has taught me so far as well. It's what time, experience, and maturity have also taught me:
A life without journaling is shallower, does not have full meaning or purpose or perspective, and is more self-centered (regardless of what we tell ourselves when we don't journal).
In other words, a life without journaling is one that is lacking.
Now hold on. I'm talking about myself here. So, please do not think I am pointing a finger at you or someone else you know. Rather, I'm looking in the mirror and am being absolutely honest with myself.
When I do not journal, I live an aimless life.
This is why I have to admit that journaling is a way of life for me and is the way I fully live.
Journaling helps keep my life simple and less complicated.
Journaling helps me to order my steps and find the blessing in my life.
A life of journaling is the most blessed life I can live.
Journaling makes me stop, look around around, and take note of the beauty and helps me to focus on what matters instead of on that which doesn't. It helps me to see how much blessing there is in every moment, if only I would stop and look for it and count it.
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A JOURNALING QUOTE
A life of journaling is the most blessed life I can live.
{A Journaling Prompt: Journal your thoughts.}
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JOURNALING STUFF 2015 #9d
MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES 2015
Written Monday, January 19, 2015, 325 p.m.
MY THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES SO FAR IN 2015
My life is in a constant state of hurry up and wait.
I could not help but get a mischievous grin as I typed and journaled that last sentence. After all, I think change and waiting are two perpetual themes of life. Never mind the theme of the unknown--of not having answers and wondering who, what, where, when, why, and how. These are all constants in life.
My husband, B, and I have been in the hurry up and wait stance for a few months now and this is no different. We are still waiting on the same ol' same ol' and know that things will happen, just when they are supposed to, and in the way they are supposed to. We know that everything will come together. It always does. I cannot think of one time in my life when anything has come together the way I wanted or how I wanted, so it does not help to think, or wish, this time will be any different. That being said, my reaction to this is something I can control. I have a choice with how I react to this time of waiting and this time of transition and change.
It looks like there will be some time between moving from Virginia to Wyoming that we will be able to hang out with family in Denver. Hence, we will have some down time and a time of vacation. Words cannot even begin to tell you how thrilled we are for this opportunity. When we are able to move into our house, things will be crazy busy for a while as we unpack, get settled, lay roots, find the ol' comfortable rut, and get to know our new hometown.
Yes. We are taking a time of change and transition, a time of stress and anxiety usually, and are turning it into a time of opportunity and blessing. I cannot wait.
B and I learned this lesson when in the first three weeks we moved from Nebraska to Virginia, we had a major earthquake and were forced to evacuate for a hurricane. We packed out stuff, and all of our critters, into the car and headed for the Blue Ridge Mountains and turned a time of stress into a time of blessing, for we turned it into a vacation. We knew we could lose everything in the hurricane. The possibility was there. It was not likely, however, things happen and we tried to prepare ourselves for either scenario. But, what good would it do to be stressed? That's what we asked ourselves. So, we enjoyed our time away and made some special memories. We figured if we did lose everything in the hurricane, we would be able to handle it better if we were refreshed. Or, if we didn't lose anything, we gained by relaxing and getting refreshed.
So, this is no different. We are taking a time of stress and are refusing for it to be stressful. (Sure, we may have our moments, but we refuse to linger there. What good does it do to remain stressed? Does it make anything any easier? Uh--no.) Instead, we are turning this into opportunity and blessing. And, in doing so, we will make some incredible memories, build our marriage, and grow in faith. This makes everything worthwhile and it makes me count my blessing that this is happening so we can experience this blessing. This is life at its sweetest.
Life will always have stress. And, it will always have change. We chose to make it an opportunity of and for blessing.
Thank God. What a blessing.
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MY BLOG POST SERIES
1 JOURNALING STUFF 2014
2 JOURNALING STUFF 2015
3 CHANGE BRINGS BLESSING
4 THE BLESSING OF MOVING
5 A HOME OF BLESSING
6 A SET APART LIFE: LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH IN TODAY'S WORLD
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Topics: #BlogPostSeries #Journaling #Journal #RYPJournaling #PersonalJournaling #JournalingMemoir #Memoir #Diary #Autobiography #LifeStory #LifeStories #Blessing #Blessings #StoriesOfBlessing #Change #Transition #Moving #NewBeginning #StartingOver #StartingAgain #BlankPage #CountingOfBlessings #JournalingPrompt #JournalingHintsTipsPrompts #JournalingQuote #TheJournalingLife #ALifeOfJournaling #JournalKeeper #JournalKeeping #JournalingStuff #JournalingStuff2014 #JournalingStuff2015 #RYP #RememberingYourPresent
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