A New Plan: Exciting News about Journaling Books

I have started to use these three books again in my own personal journaling, but realize they are woefully inadequate for my journaling needs. Although, they are fabulous for days I do not have the time, or the inclination to journal on multiple pages. I just have too much to say and there is not enough room in all three combined for my daily journaling. I will continue to use them, but I also want another resource--and that is where my story and explanation begin.

What's that saying? We make plans, God laughs.Well, this is no exception. 

Pardon me while I babble. I am so excited that words are hard to come by; consequently, I do not think I will be able to fully convey what I am really trying to say at the moment. I will try to explain this more tomorrow. Here goes nothing as I try to explain and tell you the exciting news.

I realized something yesterday and that was how I wanted paper copies of my journaling, bound in a book, so it's easier to carry and for review. I want to look on my bookcases and see my journaling there. Furthermore, I want to carry around four months of journaling with me. I want the feeling of a book in my hands, but not a hardcover book. I want it like a regular softcover paper book. It's less bulky and heavy that way. Moreover, I want a journaling template or form to use. Hence, this is another case of I am going to write and publish what I want and I bet you'll discover it is something you want as well. 

Also, I want to be able to keep my to do list and daily plans in my journal as well, so I need more, and am expecting more, out of my journaling. 

I started yesterday to write: "The 4-Month, 3-Pages Per Day Remembering Your Present Journal" and it is my goal to write it and publish it by Christmas so I/we can start using it at the beginning of the year (or any time we want since the pages/days are not dated). 

THE 3 BOOKS IN THE PHOTO AT THE TOP 

The 3 books in the photo at the beginning of this blog post are of my journaling books for you to use for 1-year, 5-years, and 10-years. Their titles are:

1 "The 1-Year Remembering Your Present Journal"
2 "The 5-Year Remembering Your Present Journal"

3 "The 10-Year Remembering Your Present Journal"

I use all three at once, but you can also use just one.

They are a wonderful way to journal. You'll get a great deal out of them if you want more of a guided journal. (Although, you can also ignore what it says and journal anything you want, which is what I do sometimes.) They are a wonderful way to capture your life on the page. 

You can find these three books here:
http://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=stacy+duplease+&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Astacy+duplease+ 

I will write more of an explanation tomorrow.

Our Friday Recap for Our Journaling

APOLOGIES AND MY ADJUSTMENTS

First, let me apologize for violating a sacred rule of thumb I will do my best not to violate in the future and that is to not post more than one blog post per day. I did so earlier this week, yesterday, and now today. (Drat.) I will try not to do this one a weekly basis, let alone on a monthly basis. However, if I do, please know that it isn't on a whim. Nor is it without much thought. Rather, it is when I think something is important enough to mention.

Ugh, though. I do not like adding more to your email inbox than necessary. Thus, I am trying to figure out how to avoid this in the future. {Ahh. An idea just came to me. (Phew.)}

In order to help avoid me from posting more than one blog post per day, I will set up my blog posts to post (publish/go online) at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time Monday through Friday. After all, I get most of my journaling done by ten in the morning during the work week. That way, if I think of important information, it will most likely be during that time and I can add it to the pre-written blog post I already had scheduled. 

Thank you for your patience as I try to streamline and optimize everything regarding this blog. 

FRIDAY RECAP OF YOUR PERSONAL JOURNALING AND THE POSTS FROM THIS BLOG

TGIF, everyone. I hope you have had a good week professionally, personally, spiritually, and with your journaling or memoir writing. 

Have you started to journal or are you continuing to journal? If your answer is yes to either part of that question, please continue reading. If you haven't started to journal yet, get busy and start. You have much to lose if you don't. 

If you have done any journaling this week, it is important to stop, recap, review, analyze, and plan. 

Stop and take some time today or this weekend to do what I said in the previous sentence and after this sentence as well. 

WEEK END JOURNALING PROMPT: 

Please journal about each of the following:

Do a journal entry and recap what this blog said this week, along with what you learned this week from the blog.

Do a journal entry and recap what you journaled this week.

What did you learn?

What jumps out at you with your journaling this past week?

What was the most profound thing you journaled this week?

What helped you grow from your journaling this week?

What new perspective did you gain this week?

Find three things in your journal you want to expand and do so now. 

Highlight or star seven additional items you want to journal more about later. 

Underline the things you thought were most important in your journaling. Make sure to expand upon all of them now and/or later. 

Do the Daily Journaling Template for your week (the parts that apply to you and your week, that is). Read the explanation after this to help you to do so. Then, do this. Yes, by the way, you will repeat things you already journaled. That's the idea. But, the idea is to also expand upon what you journaled. 

Now, what do you hope to get out of your journaling over the next week? 

Journal anything else you want to in review of this last week. 

THE EXPLANATION OF MY PERSONAL DAILY JOURNALING TEMPLATE

Yesterday I shared My Personal Daily Journaling Template and I shared how this is the most important journaling tool or prompt we could ever use. I stand by accident hat remark. If you use this template and do a minimum of three items from this list, you'll get a great deal out of it. However, the more you do, if he more you'll get out of it and it will bless your socks off in unbelievable ways. You will leave a legacy and will capture your life on the page in a way that will deeply and profoundly impact your life today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this quarter, this year, this decade, and for the rest of your life--and the lives of those who you share it with. 

Can you imagine if your parents did this and shared it with you? What about your grandparents? Great-Grandparents? Great-Great Grandparents? Your ancestors from the 1800s? 1700s?1600s? Or, what about your favorite people in history? Or, what about the people from that property in ruins on the outskirts of town? 

I am sure you get the idea. However, let me add this. Can you imagine sharing all of your daily template journaling with your grandchild? Or what about after your spouse dies? Or what about when you are old and just want to remember? Or what about if you just found out you have X amount of time to live? Or what about reading them at the end of the year next year? 

What a treasure your filled out, journaled through, daily templates--even three days per week--would be. 

Think about it. 

Seriously. Stop and think about this. Journal your thoughts and whatever comes to mind at this point.

Do you see how special these can be? 

I will admit that as you fill them out, you might find them boring, rote, or unimportant. However, as you read them again in a day or two, and you add and expand upon them, you will start to see the treasure. Then, when you read them again in a week, in a month, in a quarter, etc. you will see each time how what at first seemed a yawner (made-up word) is now a delight and is quieter interesting. (Trust me when I say this.)

Now, you can do these in any order you choose. You also don't have to do all of them. Nonetheless, let me stress, the more you do, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it--now and later both. 

Ideally, you will do this 365 days per year. But, unrealistically, I recommend at least three days per week, preferably more. I also recommend doing the numbered items listed of: 2, 3, and 6 at least. 

Personally, I try to do listed items: 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 10 at least. 

Now, let me give you the entirety of this list again and then I will explain things that might need further insight:

THE DAILY JOURNALING TEMPLATE

1 Daily Bible Reading

* 2 Past Memories, three at least

* 3 Blessings, three at least

4 An Extended Memory, at least one

5 My Memoir or an extended journaling entry of at least 1,000 words

* 6 Memories Made Today, three at least

7 News Journaling: at least three national and three world news articles and journaling about them

8 SOC: Stream of Consciousness Journaling, one at least

9 Journaling Exercise or Prompt, one at least

10 6-Word summary for today

11 12-Word summary for today

12 History Journaling

13 Etc. Etc. Etc. (Whatever else sounds good.) 

With each of the memories, give at least an one sentence summary of each memory and have it be a lengthy description so you will remember it in a year or in twenty. Then, later, as you feel inclined, expand it to one paragraph then to a page or more. 

With the extended memory, you are expanding the memories you have already journaled about, and ones that just come to mind. Expand it by at least one paragraph now and then periodically.

I.hope this helps.

CHALLENGE: Try doing this template at least three days per week for three months (twelve weeks) and keep reading them and expanding upon them as you go. Then, at the end of that time, look back at each of them and see what you think. Imagine how valuable they will be at the end of the year and at the end of the second, third, fifth, tenth, twentieth years. I guarantee you will want to keep doing them. 

So, go ahead. Give the Daily Journaling Template a try today. 

PROGRESS OF MY EDITING, FORMATTING, AND ADDING TO "A JOURNALING ODYSSEY HANDBOOK 2012-2014"

Two days ago, I combined everything I have ever written about journaling into a document that was from the years 2012 to 2014, so I can publish it as a journaling resource and took, and it was 1,020 pages unformatted and unedited. Yesterday I got it down to 898 pages and hope to get more done today.

HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND

And, happy journaling!

My Personal Journaling Template: The Most Useful Tool You'll Ever Use

This just might be the most important blog post on journaling I have ever done and will ever do. I just found it in some of my previous writings I haven't gone through in a while. 

I think you'll find this the most useful and important journaling tool, resource, and prompt you can ever use. In fact, it's so useful, you can use it every day. 

My Personal Daily Journaling Template

365 days per year:

1 Daily Bible Reading

2 Past Memories, three at least

3 Blessings, three at least

4 An Extended Memory, at least one

5 My Memoir or an extended journaling entry of at least 1,000 words

6 Memories Made Today, three at least

7 News Journaling: at least three national and three world news articles and journaling about them

8 SOC: Stream of Consciousness Journaling, one at least

9 Journaling Exercise or Prompt, one at least

10 6-Word summary for today

11 12-Word summary for today

12 History Journaling

13 Etc. Etc. Etc. (Whatever else sounds good.)

Tomorrow, I will explain what each of these prompts are. Stay tuned.

​HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! (AND A JOURNALING PROMPT)

​HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! (AND A JOURNALING PROMPT)

Happy New Year 2015, everyone.

I pray your next year will be bountiful with blessing, surrounded with those you love, memorable, and purposeful. 

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A JOURNALING PROMPT

What do you expect from 2015?

What do you expect from your journaling in 2015?

What are you carrying over from 2014?

What do you look forward to in 2015?

What are ten blessings in your life right now?

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(Image credit: Microsoft images online.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.31.2014)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.31.2014)
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JOURNALING STUFF, BOOK 1 NEWS
Written December 30, 2014, Tuesday, 154 p.m.
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THE WRITING PROGRESS OF BOOK 1
This first book has two parts. One was written from 2012 to early 2014 (265 pages). The other part I've written this month and it's on this blog. What I want to update you with is on the latter.
So far, there are 114 pages and 36,180 words of the newest part of this book. (Yay!)
It's been my goal to create a resource so you can either begin your journaling practice or help you continue with a fresh perspective.
It's quite exciting to know our journaling journey together has just begun. I look forward to seeing where this takes us.
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JOURNALING PROMPT
Have you done your daily journaling template?
What about your weekly template?
What about your weekly summary?
What about your weekly review?
What about your monthly template?
What about your monthly summary?
What about your monthly review?
Quarterly of each?
Yearly of each? Now is definitely the time to do each.
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THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 2014
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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES AND JOURNALING STUFF
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 834 a.m.
THE TIME PARADOX: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES
Goodness. Is it Wednesday already?
Imagine with how much that astounds me what I think about it being the close of 2014. I stop. I blink. I look up and to the left as I think. The calendar says this is the last day of the year, and so do all of my blog entries since July, but it does not seem like the end of the year.
Sure. In some ways, it feels as though 2014 lasted a decade, if not more. However, in other ways, it feels like I blinked a year ago and when my eyes opened, it was/is a year later. It's rather mind-boggling.
Time is a paradox. It crawls and flies at the same time.
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BREAK
Written December 31, 2014, 1015 a.m.
Today was a slow start of a day. I sure haven't been in any kind of a hurry. (Blessing #1490).
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STOP RUSHING: JOURNALING STUFF
I don't know about you, but this year, I've learned from a very wise man how rushing has never helped me in any way. It only makes me stressed, angry, and anxious. Rushing, then, sets the course of the rest of the day. And it isn't a very good one.
Rushing me we gets me anywhere quicker. Whereas slow and steady always, and without fail, wins the race.
If I am pressed for you time, that wise man has taught me to actually slow down, which seems counterintuitive. In my rush, I only add more stress and anxiety to the stress of being pressed for time. Needless to say, if I slow down, I stop additional stress and anxiousness and am able to think clearer and I won't forget anything, overlook anything, or do something silly (like get in an accident--whether it's run into a doorframe with my elbow or into a curb with my car). Plus, rushing always impacts whoever is with me. Slowing down clams the situation and I am actually able to get things done quicker and actually make up time.
Hence, I took my time getting with it today.
I wanted to actually slow down and enjoy life, rather than rush through it.
(Thanks, hubby for this quite valuable lesson, which I am finally grasping after almost fourteen years. 1491.)
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A JOURNALING PROMPT: JOURNALING STUFF
How have you tried to rush this year? And, how has it helped you?
How can you slow down and enjoy every moment in the next year? (Hint: Journal is one answer you should list! Wink.)
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MY THOUGHTS AT THE CLOSE OF 2014: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES, BOOK 1
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 1035 a.m.
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BLESSINGS OF 2014: CHRISTIAN STYLE
{NOTE AND WARNING: CHRISTIAN TALK COMING UP.}
I am quite grateful, Lord, for 2014 (1492) and all of the lessons learned (1493). Now, I hope to apply them accordingly and purposefully.
I cannot believe how blessed I have been this year (1494). Talk about humbling. I KNOW how I do not deserve ONE blessing. Not one. I mess up constantly. I am the polar opposite of perfect.
This is not me coming down on myself. It's reality. It's fact. Truth always matters. To try to pretend I'm something I'm not is to live a lie and is deceiving myself and others. There is no profit in that.
However, with that being said, I am redeemed (1495). I am forgiven, thanks to the blood of the Lamb (1496).
Let me clarify something. The forgiveness extended to me only by the grace of God does not give me license to do anything wrong. It does mean, though, that when I stumble by accident, there is provision. I am forgiven. If I willfully do something wrong, then I must be corrected and correct myself--and the Lord is quite good at that (1497). Hence, I am quite blessed (1498).
{NOTE AND END OF WARNING: MORE SUBTLE TALK FROM A CHRISTIAN AFTER THIS SENTENCE.}
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BLESSINGS OF 2014
I cannot believe how much has happened this year--sunshine and storm. But, I would not trade any of it for the world. It's been a blessed year (1499). I have learned so much (1500).
I have been tried and tested (1501).
Yes. I could that as a blessing. After all, through the storms of life, we are pressed to search for blessing. And, when we do, we see how there are far more blessings than possible or imaginable--even in the storm (1502)... Which then teaches us how blessings are that which exists outside of situations, people, things, memories, (1503) etc. Blessings are transcendant (1504).
---
THE BLESSINGS OF THE LAYERS AND DIMENSIONS OF EACH AND EVERY SACRED MOMENT
I have also learned how every moment has layers or dimensions (1505). This is true even in times of sunshine or storm (1506). There is far more going on that what we see or experience at the time (1507). There are emotions, the six senses, thoughts, behaviors, connections, chain reactions/snowball effects, choices, dreams/goals, the spiritual dimension, the historical dimension, the family tree/lineage dimesnion, interpersonal and relational dimensions (and each individual involved has all of these layers going on in their own lives in this moment as well), the national dimenion, the world dimension, the politics dimension, etc. There are far more layers, dimensions, and things going onw e don't know or see at the time. And, in each of those are blessings, if we look for them and seek them (1508). This is what makes every moment so special, set apart, and sacred (1509).
Every moment has an infinite of things going on, past, present, and future in orientation (1510). And, this is why we should journal. It helps us to see things from different points-of-view and perspectives (1511)--and helps us find all of the blessings in each (1512).
---
A JOURNALING PROMPT
Chew on all of that for a few minutes. Journal your thoughts as you do. Try to grasp what was just shared.
---
THE BLESSING OF TIME AND WHAT IT BRINGS
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 1100 a.m.
I cannot believe how it has taken me thirty-two years to learn one of the most valuable lessons of my life (1513). Furthermore, I cannot believe how I have learrned two of them this week (1514). (Better late than never.)
LESSON 1: I learned how I should make journaling my main journaling and writing theme. I should make it the main theme of my life story. (This lesson was learned two days ago.)
LESSON 2: How to journal in such a way that I go the deepest I can, and how I can write every word with depth and meaning. (This lesson was learned yesterday.) (1515)
Let me phrase Lesson 2 another way: I learned how to do deeper in my journaling and writing and how to intertwine great meaning into every word. (1516)
LESSON 2 PUT INTO PRACTICE: I shared what I learned and now, I am putting it into practice through counting my blessings as I journal (1517).
LESSON 1 PUT INTO PRACTICE: Through writing MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES (1518).
Time was what I needed in order to get to this point.
---
LESSONS LEARNED AND AHA MOMENTS
Those lessons learned are a big deal. Both were major AHA moments (1519).
I cannot believe how I received both lessons, and learned them, back to back like that--and learned them the last three days of the year.
Oh, how silly of me to take this long to find my true writing voice. But, I know it's been a process (1520). I had to experiment and try several things, learn from them, and they led to this moment (1521). This sacred moment (1522).
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YOUR STORY
I would love to hear your story and interact with you about journaling. Please attach a comment at the end of any blog post and share who you are, when you started journaling, and share your journaling story. Or, send an email or do a tweet with #RYPJournaling.
Let's form a journaling community.
Let's learn from one another and encourage one another.
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CONGRATULATIONS ABOUT YOUR JOURNALING
Congratulations regarding your new journaling journey.
I hope and pray the next year will be the most blessed and meaningful year yet for your life. Your journaling, if you continue, will help this come to pass.
Well done.
Happy New Year!
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SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
I'll see you next year (for Blog to Book 2).
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*** THIS MARKS THE END OF WRITING:
"JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE, BOOK 1." ***
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HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!: AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!: AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

Written 811 a.m.
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Happy New Year's Eve!

We're bringing 2014 to a close today.
---

AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

What do you want to remember from 2014?

What were your biggest lessons learned?

What are your strongest memories?

What were your biggest blessings?

In ten, twenty-five, and fifty years (even one year from now), how do you want to remember 2014?
(Image credit: Microsoft images online.)

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​

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

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JOURNALING PROMPT: END OF YEAR JOURNALING

What has been the biggest surprise from this year?

What has been the biggest, most important, lesson learned this year?

What was your greatest weakness in 2014?

What was your greatest strength in 2014?

What were your ten greatest blessings in 2014?

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MY PERSONAL MORNING JOURNALING

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 714 p.m.

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Need to get a few things out and down on the page so I can get to the substance and the heart of the matter. Once I get the extraneous stuff out that's weighing me and my mind down, it frees up heart and mind space so I can go deep and focus on the stuff of real meaning in my life.

---

JOURNALING HINT AND TIP

What do you need to get on the page so you can get to the stuff of substance?

---

MY TO DO LIST

Let me get this out of the way. MUST get haircut this week. My hair is driving me CrAzY.

Get Kara's medicine from vet.

DAV.

Moving checklist, create one.

---

B and I have been fighting and suffering from the crud off and on for a week and a half. Ugh. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Sorry. Had to complain.

---

I just got an idea for a writing prompt for blog. Wrote that. Now I'm back.

---

Words?

I'm finding it difficult to find the words and focus my thoughts on something really important to me. I tried to find them yesterday at no avail. Sigh.

It's raining cats and dogs, by the way. 729 a.m.
---

A JOURNALING HINT AND TIP: Yep. I am definitely all over the place. But, there's a lesson I learned long ago. Go with it. Write what you think is extraneous nonsense down on the page. Later, you will see a pattern or will have an AHA moment. It's when we get frustrated or don't capture the nonsensical we lose great opportunities for self-reflection, creativity, and insight. So, get it all down, no matter how odd or out of place. These moments are when our minds are trying to file something away or bring forth new thought.

Okay. Words. What about words? Sigh. Ahh, yes. I remember.

---

Two days ago, my husband and I went to Historic Jamestowne.

Thank God it wasn't as painful as the last time we went.

I have never felt more at home than I felt there.

I felt this the first time we went there. Peace. Belonging. A homecoming.

The first few times it just didn't make sense.

Then, when I started to work on our family tree, and do some genealogy, then it made sense. A whole lot of sense. It was then I discovered I had family members come to Jamestowne in 1607.

MORE

---

JOURNALING HINT AND TIP

Write MORE in a place you want to explore and write more about later. Then, focus on what comes to mind now.

---

2014 brought the decision for B and I not to have children. We can't and we're older.

So, exploring my family tree is particularly painful. My rich family legacy (and tree) ends with me. The same goes for my husband. Ouch times two.

It is so rich with meaning I don't want it to be lost. But, who would care, besides me/us?

Hah! I figuratively slap my forehead and remember this: Stories matter.

Any questions? I ask myself and shake my head.

Stories matter.

Every story should be captured on the page.

My story is my family's story. This story is of the birth of the United States of America and is a Christian story. This story is your story, too.

My story is the true history of the United States.

My story is also how we made our way West.

Every story is sacred and that means this story is sacred, matters, has meaning, and has shaped who I am.

---

Why was it painful to go to Jamestowne the last time we went? I knew we were moving and I had to start saying goodbye. To my home. To my origin story. To the origin story of the United States.

---

Family Tree Journaling is also memoir.

This is what calls me and beckons.

Learn these stories.

Tell these stories.

Family and nation matters.

How all of these shape who I am and my life are important to explore.

Every story matters.

My Family Journaling will help me come alive and will help us learn the truth about history.

Every story is sacred.

My family story is a very unique one and should be told.

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MY JOURNALING FOCUSES FOR 2015

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 817 a.m.

1 My RYP Journaling Stories

2 Journaling Stuff

3 Journaling Stuff for Christians and Blessings Journaling

4 Jamestowne 1607 Family Tree Journaling

5 Home DIY Journaling

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MY JOURNALING SCHEDULE 2015

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 824 a.m.

1 My RYP Journaling Stories: Daily.

2 Journaling Stuff Daily.

3 Journaling Stuff for Christians and Blessings Journaling: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

4 Jamestowne 1607 Family Tree Journaling: Tuesday, Thursday.

5 Home DIY Journaling: Tuesday, Thursday.

Unless I write more... These are at the very least.

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MY BOOK COVERS

I just wanted to explain.

My book covers are plain and are temporary. They are not the final product by any means. They are simply to help distinguish between books until I publish the books and have a real book cover. 

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OH, DEAR

Written December 29, 2014, Monday 832 a.m.

I just realized I forgot to include Critter Journaling in my journaling schedule. But, then I realized I will naturally include it anyway in My RYP Journaling Stories.

Phew.

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MY BLESSINGS JOURNALING AND BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST (12.29.2014.)

1337 The pitter-patter of rain as it kisses the Windows.

1338 The sounds of beagle sleeping peacefully.

1339 The warmth of Zack Beagle as he snuggles against my left side as it sit, journal, and count my blessings on our sofa.

1340 My Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9-inch, 1st version. It's what I use to do most of my journaling and writing. What a major blessing. It's just large enough it's a pleasure to use, but small enough to carry everywhere--and I do.

1341 Kara, our elderly, once feral, deaf, declawed, cancer cat hasn't really played many children, if at all, since we got her. Well, hubby and I sat on sofa two nights ago and we heard her playing with a ball in the hall! Then, when we went to bed, we still heard her. Yay! 1342. And, she played with the ball yesterday 1343 and this morning 1344. Talk about a way to make me smile.

1345 Also, Lady Kara is now roaming our first floor freely. She feels comfortable enough to do so. Hadn't until last week. 1346. She still won't go upstairs, but there is progress. She could, though, if she wanted. Yay! 1347. Also, we never lock her up in the study now. 1348. We used to so she and Sinan wouldn't fight. They may argue now, but she puts him in his place and he runs off. So, all is well. Yay! 1349.

1350 Clean sheets.

1351 Sleeping on clean sheets.

1352 Revelation 20.

1353 Psalm 145:5 TLB

1354 Snowmen

1355 Snowman coffee cup

1356 Warm shirt

1357 Favorite style, favorite color, warm shirt on a colder day

1358 Preparing for what is to come.

1359 Planning on home DIY stuff. Fixing up a home. Making it ours.

1360 Looking forward to owning my first house in fourteen years.

1361 Hubby and I owning our first house together and it will be our only house 1362.

1363 Looking forward to no longer paying rent.

1364 Going to Historic Jamestowne on Saturday.

1365 Kara is getting pudgy. The once malnourished cat is healthy. She is not fat. She is at a healthy weight. Finally. Took three and a half months, along with two types of medicine (thyroid and anti-nausea). (The medicines are a blessing. 1366 and 1367.) Too easy. She looks really good. 1368. Acts healthy. 1369. Would never guess she was elderly or had two types of cancer. 1370. Thank God.

1371 Today is a quiet day.

1372 Ran some errands.

1373 Starting to get a vision for the RYP Journaling blog and journaling hints and tips writing, the journaling resource.

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A JOURNALING PROMPT: IT'S YOUR TURN

Count your blessings for today.

Count your blessings for December.

Count your blessings for 2014.

Count your blessings for different things in the past.

Count your blessings for 2015.

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NEW YEAR JOURNALING PROMPTS

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 142 p.m.

What do you hope happens in 2015?

What do you expect or want from your journaling in 2015?

What journaling do you want to do in 2015?

How many blessings per day do you want to count in 2015?

How much journaling do you want to do each day or each week in 2015?

What is your one word for 2015?

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JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)
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PLEASE FORGIVE THE FORMATTING ERRORS 
*** I haven't been able to figure out how to fix the formatting errors in this blog post. Please excuse this. ***
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YOUR JOURNALING SHOULD... ( JOURNALING HINTS AND TIPS 12.28.2014.)

Written December 28, 2014, Sunday, 1058 a.m.

Journaling should help you compensate and deal best with your weaknesses.

Journaling should magnify your strengths.

Journaling should help you learn from the past and remember, live fully in the present, and prepare for the future.

Journaling should make you more you. 

Journaling should help you search for and count your blessings in each moment

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JOURNALING PROMPT

Does your journaling do each of those five things?

How can your journaling bring out more of each of those five things? Be thorough in your reply. 

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BRINGING THE POINT HOME

Over the last few days, I've realized how those five facets of journaling are benefits of journaling, but also are absolute requirements. If our journaling doesn't bring these facets and shoulds out, then we have missed the mark. And, we are probably bored with our journaling and out journal is probably bored with us. After all, we will be spinning our wheels, wasting energy and time, and getting nowhere. 

Our journaling should help us vent out the yuck in our lives and bring out and focus on the good. If it isn't, we need to adjust what we're journaling and/or how we are journaling. 

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JOURNALING PROMPT

How can you get the most out of your journaling?

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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES, BOOK 1

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WRITING MY STORY

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 340 p.m.

This year, I will write my story. 

I've meant to do it for decades now, but simply haven't done it. Oh, I've tried, but it just hasn't felt right or sounded right. Or, I start with a theme, but then life happens. I go through a storm and that theme no longer seems as important, so the latest life story or memoir I worked on would then die a quick death. 

So, here I go again. I want to try to write my story and leave my legacy. 

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AN UNIVERSAL, TIMELESS THEME

I realize it will take several books, but that's okay. I have enough life material to write a library full of life stories. Are they interesting enough to write and share with others? You bet. I will make sure to share them in such a way, they will be interesting and will make people want to read them. 

Now, how do I go about that?

The whole theme idea, which is how most memoir writers write nowadays, works really well. There are several best sellers out there because of a theme. The catch is to find a theme that is timeless for my stories now and those that will happen as I write. Timeless so that whenever someone reads it, no matter where they are or when they read it, it applies to them. 

What is my timeless theme this go-round?

Hmm. I'm not sure. 

And, do I share any of this journaling entry in my story?

Wait. There is a theme that is absolutely timeless. It's timeless in my life and in others. It's a theme everyone can relate to, no matter what era.

The theme is that of JOURNALING.

Yep. Journaling. This is the common thread in all of my stories.  I can continue writing my stories if I keep this theme, no matter what happens and what curve ball life throws my way. No matter the storm, and no matter how much sunshine, journaling is my main life theme. It always has been, is now, and will always be. 

Journaling is my universal and timeless theme for my stories. 

My company's name is: Remembering Your Present, LLC.

My blog is called: RYP Journaling. 

Hence, this book's title only makes sense: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES. 

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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES (12.30.2014.)

Written December 30, 2014, Tuesday, 851 a.m.

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MORNING JOURNALING AND BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING

{NOTE: I'm going to start counting my blessings within my journaling and in my blessings list; needless to say, you will see numbers within my journaling. I bet I will count all the more. }

What a blessed morning it is (1400). God is so good (1401)--all the time (1402).

It's been a precious morning (1403). The critters all know B is returning to work after Christmas and having the crud, so they are extra alert and clingy (1404). 

Sinan (Turkish name for "spearhead," for he is the spearhead of trouble--pronounced ' See-name-n') Orange Maine Coon cat hung out with B as B got ready for work (1405). Then, Sinan wanted to cuddle with B as B sat on the sofa with Zack and me and B had a cup of coffee (1406). Once the coffee was gone, Sinan assumed it was game-on and wanted B to play before he left for work (1407). I got some really good pics of cuddle and play time (1408).

Then, it was Kara's turn. She is only an indoor cat now (1409), but, oh, how she loves to have the front door open so she can look out the storm door (1410). She bellows until we open the door. Too cute (1411). Thank God, her lungs are doing well enough she can bellow (1412). 

Also, she doesn't try to run outside (1413). She knows she has it good (1414), but sure likes to look out, thank you very much. She gets bossy about that. Love it. Too precious (1415).

B left and neither cat is in sight. Poor! Vanished. But, Zack sure is a snuggle bug (1416). Yay!

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BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING WITHIN MY JOURNALING

I am really enjoying counting my blessings as I journal (1417). It's bringing depth (1418) and more meaning to my journaling (1419) and I am counting more blessings because of this new way of journaling (1420). Consequently, I'm really enjoying this change (1421). 

I'm being lazy and taking my time getting up, around, and ready this morning (1422). There's no reason to rush (1423), but all the reason to slow down, enjoy, and truly live (1424-1426). 

Plus, Zack normally has bad dementia when B returns to work after the weekend. He does better if we snuggle on the sofa. So, here I sit and journal (1427) and we are both thoroughly enjoying the snuggling and special time with one another (1428).

I cannot help but giggle with joy (1429), Lord, as I count all of these blessings, gifts from you (1430). 

How many blessings have I missed because I just tried to keep a Blessings Counted List? I realize I can copy and paste this journaling entry into my blessings counted journal (1431).

Sinan is now looking out front storm door (1432). 

I swear both cats are the nosey neighbors who would gossip. (Chuckling.) 

I can tell how much I have journaled by how much battery life I have left (1433). This morning, so far, I have the lowest  have seen and I started with 100% (1434).

I have had several AHA Moments this morning (1435). The first was when I realized for the JOURNALING STUFF FOR CHRISTIANS devotionals, I want to focus on heaven/eternity (1436) and Revelation 21-22 (1437-1438). 

Lord, You gave me that insight (1439).

We tend to forget to live for eternity--today. It's for eternity we live today.

The other AHA Moment of insight was when I thought to count my blessings as I journal (1440). 

Moreover, another AHA Moment of insight was when I realized that JOURNALING STUFF, the main and big resource book and library, will act as the "all-inclusive" resource of journaling and will be all of my blog posts (1441). From there, I will divide the posts into other books (1442).

I want most of the material to be on the RYP Journaling blog for free, but to give you the option to purchase the edited material, plus some additional material, in one convenient place (1443).

So, this blog to book is the JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE is all-inclusive. It will help inspire us to journal.

I cannot believe tomorrow is the last day of writing JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE, BOOK 1 (1444). (Then, it's editing time 1445 and publishing time 1446.)

The new material I post on the blog, starting January 01, 2015, will be part of Book 2 (1447). Book 2 will consist of material from January 01 to June 30, 2015 (1448). 

I will then offer Books 1 and 2 individually (1449) or as a bundle (1450). 

I cannot wait to see what happens because of these blog posts (1451) and each subsequent book (1452).

And, I cannot wait to hear the stories, journal entries, journaling goals, journaling questions, and journaling hints and tips from fellow journal keepers on this journaling journey (1453). 

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JOURNALING PROMPT

Journal your thoughts.

What jumped out at you and why?

What do you can think of counting your blessings as you journal?

Count some blessings.

Share your journaling stories, thoughts, and questions as a comment at the end of any blog post send an email, or tweet to #RYPJournaling. 

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