A Mother Doesn't Have To Own a Doctorate to be Incredible!

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Often I reflect upon how grateful I am to the parents and family I belong. My sweet angel mother is a continuing strength in my life of love and wisdom, all that is good and pure. Years ago, when my father was single and looking for a wife, he wanted to meet a woman who was intelligent like a professor, someone highly educated.  But then he met my mother and fell deeply in love with her. She was at the university for her MRS degree. My mom wasn’t/isn't the professor type, though one should never confuse her gentle sweet spirit with a simple mind. I don’t think my dad could have found anyone wiser than her.  How many women do you know that could have brought nine children into the world, sensibly raise us, keep a beautiful home, yard, with wonderful meals, and support her husband in all his endeavors like my mother did. Plus she continues to increase her extraordinary talents. My dad was so smart to choose her and my Mom continues to be amazing.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Write about your mother. What makes her unique? Or write about who in your life can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.

"Mom, Let Me Do It; You Can Write About It!"

photographer unknown

"Mom, let me do it; you can write about it," was the rallying cry that allowed my daughter to motivate me to be manipulated by her curiosity. This is how it all went down...tonight I was helping my husband irrigate our lawn. Mattie, my 16 year old daughter came out to visit when she noticed a snail laboriously climbing away from the water up the irrigation pipe. She was trying to pull it off the pipe, but it had its suction on full power and she couldn't budge it without partitioning it. She didn't want to hurt the snail, so my husband told her to put water on the pipe and the snail would let go. Which it did. She tried to put it on my arm but the thought of a 2 inch snail on my person was giving me the willies. My foolhardy husband let her put the snail on his arm and when she lifted it off, it left a string of boogers. Then she came after me again wanting to set it on my toe. I still refused, and I was very aware that she was willing to hold the shell but not let the slug-looking body touch her skin either. Ha. Those unspoken thoughts were derailed when she put on me the one thing that got me to comply. On the list of my journal writing prompts under the "PROMPT" tab is "Try something new and write about it." It took her two tries before I would let the snail rest on my toe. First response is that it was very cold against my skin and it wasn't as slimy as I thought it would be, soft and not snake-like. I'm glad it didn't suction itself to my skin even though I'm pretty sure a snail isn't a blood sucker. I like their shells, but what I found the most interesting is watching the tentacles of the snail with it's eyes on the tentacle tips investigating my toe. I wonder which of the two of us was more afraid?

JOURNAL PROMPT: Try Something New And Write About It!

No Rest For The Wicked

Cartoonist unknown

Recently, as one day turned into three hectic days, and I moved from one task to the next without a break, I thought of a saying my mother would tell me, "There is no rest for the wicked." I certainly didn't feel wicked, but Ha, I wasn't getting any rest either. Anyone acquainted with my mother would know the irony of that statement coming from her. She is as kind, good, and sweet as nectar in a honeysuckle as one would find in a woman of her caliber. And yes, she is hardworking too. Even at age 82, she has taken on the task of learning a new doll pattern and in the past 3 months she has made 40 dolls with full outfits, hair, and crocheted sweaters. My mother is amazing. Her meaning in using the phrase was to keep going, working hard is a part of life. I'm fascinated with the origin of words, sayings, and their meanings. "No rest for the wicked" originates from Isaiah in the Bible chapters, 48 & 57, and is written as "No peace for the wicked." I'm glad in our family I see peace encompassing my mother and all her children even on the crazy busy days.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Write down a quote, saying, or idiom frequently said in your home. Do you say or think about that phrase? What is it's origin?

WHAT IF THEIR STORY WAS MY STORY?

I often reflect over my life with wonder and gratitude...why was a I so lucky/blessed to be born in a free country to kind loving parents among a smorgasbord of awesome siblings, four sisters and four brothers. In a family that big, we ate a lot of home-made bread, soups, hot cereal, bottled fruits and I even remember powdered milk & water being added to a gallon jug of  milk to help it stretch further. However, we never went without food. Even though we sometimes bickered and life brought our family challenges, we could always depend on the comforts of home, security, full bellies, faith, and lots of love. Yesterday and last weekend, as I listened to stories of people fleeing their homeland, being without food for days, and heard the question "what if their story was my story," I felt an increased desire to reach out and lift up. To do better today than yesterday; to make a difference in the lives of others including my own immediate family.
JOURNAL PROMPT: Start your journal entry with "What if their story was my story..." (Choose someone/something specific.) How would this change you? How does this change how you feel about others?

PAPER VERSUS IPAD?

Writing in any form is healthy for our brains and can help relieve stress. Make sure you have the habit to also grab the old fashioned pen and paper because writing by hand is the most effective. Research shows that between computers, smartphones, and tablets, we spend too much time in front of screens. Pulling out the pen and paper allows our brains to unplug. Often in preparing my posts, I'll write on paper first and revise it a few times before typing it into my blog. For me, this action stimulates my thought process. With that being said, there are some amazing tools available that might be more right for your life style and aptitude. For instance, the award-winning Day One team in Lehi Utah has enhanced their original Day One journaling app to Day One 2. If electronic journaling is a type more right for you, take a minute and check out their blog. dayoneapp.com 
JOURNAL PROMPT: REVIEW THE DIFFERENT JOURNAL TYPES. WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU. WHY?

THE CREATION

How amazing is it that the God who created the heavens, the mountains, and the earth looked at me and you and said, "We need one of them too."

JOURNAL PROMPT: I am amazing because _____________. 

.....~THE NEED TO BE RESCUED OR TO RESCUE OTHERS~.....

Julie Rogers Art

Recently I attended a luncheon with the guest speaker Julie Rogers. I was not familiar with her art. When I walked into the room, I was enthralled by the numerous paintings displayed which covered three of the four cultural hall walls. I immediately fell in love with her impressionist style and I longed to know the story of her subjects. One woman sitting at our table thought so many of the paintings were sad, but I saw courage, strength, and faith. My friend saw light. Julie Rogers told us that she has a prolific obsession to document "these people and their stories." One of the things she explained with her choice of art subjects was that Heavenly Father sends rescuers to us because we often need to be rescued or to rescue others. I loved the many stories she shared. On her website, you can read the stories about these selfless courageous pioneers. julierogersart.com

Something that really astonished me was during her introduction her husband said that most of these pictures were painted in her kitchen while dinner was cooking. These pictures are so amazing and while viewing them before the luncheon, I concluded that the artist Julie Rogers must have an incredible art studio. It was a fabulous reality for me to learn otherwise. I was reminded that often times the "remarkable" comes from a common place, we can bloom where we are planted, and we should accept each opportunity of where we are to grow.

Journal Prompt: Write about a time when you were rescued or you rescued another. Contemplate your God-given talents. Are you developing them? Record your thoughts and conclusions.

~~FACE YOUR STORM AND SING YOUR BRAVEST SONG~~

Photographer unknown

Today I am sad for one of my dearest friends. And as the sorrow flooded through my being, I found myself anxious to write, to purge my emotions and cleanse my soul. That is one of the beauties of keeping a journal; purging your emotions is therapeutic. It also helps you bring order to your chaos and purpose to unwelcome storms.

JOURNAL PROMPT:  Sometimes the storms we face are big and sometimes they are small. Big or small, it takes courage to face them. What do you need to be brave about? Write about it in your journal.

............~HOW MY ENEMY BECAME MY BEST FRIEND~............

Do you love or hate journal writing? Maybe your feelings are passive? In junior high school there was a girl named Andrea who I didn't like because she was conceited; she breathed the attitude of being better than everyone else. She was popular and cool. She didn't like me either. I don't remember "why" but we decided we were going to fight each other after school. A bunch of students circled round us. The fight didn't last very long--no bruises nor split lips, nothing serious before the teacher arrived.

"What's going on here?" He demanded. 

Andrea put her arm around my shoulders, "Nothing." She told him. "We're just hanging out." I nodded my head in the affirmative. From that moment on we became best friends. When the group of students saw the fight was over before it even got started there were groans and remarks like that was stupid. That made us laugh. The fight was our catalyst to transform from enemies to best friends. Through the years my journal has been one of my best friends.

If you hate keeping a journal or feel indifferent, click on the "WHY" tab and review the reasons for why keeping a journal is more than just a record. Consider if some those benefits aren't something you want in your life.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Reflect on a time when your opinion about a person changed after you got to know them. Record the reflection in your journal.

"I DON'T KEEP A JOURNAL ANYMORE BECAUSE ...

A few months ago, I had a nineteen year old girl tell me, "I don't keep a journal anymore because when I reread it I don't like what I read. It embarrasses me. Now if I could just write poetry, I would like my journal."

"Why not?" I responded. "A journal full of poetry would be beautiful."

A journal is your personal record and should reflect you, your life, your growth. I hope we can look at our youthful journal entries and not be embarrassed by them, but instead see growth. Your journal is your book and you get to write it how you want. You are your own editor/publisher. Feel free to write poetry if you want! I think that would be awesome! If you are an artist, draw or doodle all over the page. If you aren't an artist, but want to draw or doodle, please do so

JOURNAL PROMPT: Write a poem about your day or draw a picture.

WRITE A LOVE LETTER?

It's never to late to write a note of appreciation or love letter to someone special. 

Lucy gave Snoopy great writing advice, "You have to be more specific." Click on my "Tips" tab for examples on writing detail. I love Snoopy. He makes me laugh. 

WRITING A LOVE LETTER--I was challenged this past week to write 2 love letters, one to someone special (I chose my Hubby) and one to myself which I wrote in my journal. It made me think, "What do I appreciate about me?" Getting a note from me was very nice:)

The love letter challenge came from this great blog called buoyapproach.blogspot.com. I love the concept. A buoy is to keep something or someone afloat, to cause to be cheerful or confident. My friend created this blog with the goal to help others create joy in their lives. 

JOURNAL PROMPT: Accept the Love letter challenge or another buoyapproach.blogspot.com challenge and write about it.

........................~FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY~.......................

Sometimes we think what we write is meaningless; that there couldn't be anything special about an ordinary life. There is nothing ordinary about you. No one else thinks your thoughts or can be YOU. Enjoy the marvel and wonder of your life. 

Journal Prompt: Record what you decide to do extraordinarily well.

................A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.............

A picture shows many details difficult to pen and freshens journal pages. Just remember...

Photographer Unknown

... the picture doesn't tell why you chose to put it in your journal or how you felt. Writing, "I was amazed by the beauty of this building," would be okay but even better would be to express why you felt amazed. ~"I am amazed by the exquisite beauty of the new Provo City Center Temple. I felt like I was in a Heavenly castle on earth. I have always loved stained glass and each decorative window was breathtaking. I loved the carved wood, the marble, the paintings and murals. I found myself reaching out to touch carvings, hinges, doorknobs, and marble. I tried to drink it all in with my eyes and still couldn't quench the thirst. The incredible beauty of the temple doesn't compare to the sweet feeling of peace that filled my heart. I didn't want to leave and found the time too limited even though our walk through the open house was as leisure as we wanted. What made the experience even better was sharing it with my husband and all of our children."

JOURNAL PROMPT: GLUE A PICTURE OF A PLACE IN YOUR JOURNAL. TELL WHY THAT PLACE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. ADD DETAILS.

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~Start Where You Are

A Mountain Is Climbed One Step At A Time.

The #1 reason for lengthy gaps in my journal is that I’d get behind. Then I’d want to catch up before I would write my current details. Ironic, huh? While I was not writing because I wanted to catch up, I was also forfeiting to keep a current record of my life. The next problem felt colossal. Having enough TIME to write down what I missed. So I kind of gave up until I adopted my new motto—Start Where You Are. I pulled out my journal, turned over a new leaf, and started to write. Some days only a few lines, other days more. It takes 3 weeks to develop a new habit. I am there and loving it. What a great choice we have to start where we are and move forward.

(P.S. The events you missed writing about—you can jot yourself a note to put them in your Personal History. Or, were they in an email/blog? Copy and paste those pieces of your email that are important to you. File them on your computer and when you’ve got them collected, print them as a journal insert.)

Journal Prompt: SET YOUR JOURNAL WRITING GOAL. WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU? EVERYDAY? FOUR TIMES A WEEK? DECIDE ON A TIME & WRITE? 

An imagination is great for writing, but not so great in the middle of the night.

During the early morning hours, I heard the screen door open, and then click shut. My once sleepy eyes popped wide open. I stared through the open doorway of my bedroom fearing to see a human silhouette. I mentally prepared myself to roll off the bed and onto the floor. My mind grasped for ideas of possible weapons to save my family. The only items by my bed were journal, scriptures, and cell phone. Not much of a weapon choice. I was afraid if I woke my husband his startled reaction would make him an easy target for the intruder. My mind shifted to yesterday afternoon. When the sun hit our front window, we noticed someone had waxed our house number on the glass. Now in the dark I wondered if that had anything to do with the noise I just heard. Had our house been marked? Who would mark us? Why were we targeted?

It was a few long moments before I realized no one was coming in and that the noise was just the screen not the back door. I pieced together a less hysterical scenario. The screen door was probably slightly ajar and our Jasper cat might have slipped his orange paws behind the door pulling it out enough to have it pull back and slam shut. He'd done that before during the day. I smiled and closed my eyes. Reasoning it was just our cat allowed me to relax. I also remembered that Mr. Cat wouldn't be able to wake us with his early am attention tactic, a climb up the lattice and pounce to our window screen. The lattice was gone as my husband had removed it yesterday afternoon. A few hours after the screen door scenario, I found out I was wrong about Mr Jasper Cat not being able to make the climb to our window screen. Instead of the lattice, he climbed the stucco wall. It's much to early to wake up at 4:45 am on a Sunday Morning.

Journal Prompt: Write about a time when your were afraid or when your imagination ran wild.

~.......Is the Direction of Your Life by Choice or by Chance?......~

You'll probably see me say this more than once. I believe there is magic in the way one thinks. Not in the Harry Potter sort of magic. But in the sense that our thoughts direct us in our life. Plant a seed, sow a thought, sow a thought, grow a habit, grow a habit, reap a character. Who do you believe yourself to be?

Journal Prompt: Write down what you think. Ponder the quote. Do you agree or disagree? Write down your thoughts and be sure to explain "WHY" you think and feel the way you do.

~GOOD FOR OUR BRAINS

“Life is complicated, and so is the human brain. Our thoughts can become as jumbled as people in crowded metropolitan subway car. It’s often difficult to make sense of them all. This is precisely why Expressive Writing is so good for our brains.”  ~ John Haltiwanger

There are many studies that show writing has both physical and mental health benefits. When we place our thoughts and feelings in writing, they become much clearer. We are able to remember important details and develop a clearer perspective from our life experiences. Writing is therapeutic and helps to lower stress levels. It's best to grab a pen and paper which increase our creativity.The digital world is amazing, but doesn't offer the same benefits of ink and paper. There is power in writing our story and through the process we will discover happiness in the difficulties of life. Life doesn't have to feel complicated. Write for clarity and happiness.

"YOUR MONKEY IS IN THE OFFICE"

A powerful tool with writing is recording dialogue. Have you ever just placed yourself in a spot and listened to the conversation spoken around you? What would your thoughts be if you overheard this interchange?

“Hey Mattie, your monkey is in the office.”

“Oh…Okay? I thought I left it in the girl’s bathroom? Thanks Justin.”

Had I not known the background and simply overheard that conversation, this is the picture I would have created in my mind…I would have been so curious.

Even in journal entries, using dialogue makes what you say more powerful. It reveals character and personality, real people have conversations. Dialogue adds versatility and can emphasize a point with minimal words. Dialogue is a great method for getting information across in a bite-sized way. It can express who you are and what you feel more effectively than a long monotonous paragraph.

Here is how I would write the monkey journal entry:

I was standing at the drinking fountain filling my water bottle when Justin walks up.

“Hey Mattie, your monkey is in the office.”

“Oh…Okay? I thought I left it in the girl’s bathroom?” Did I really just say that out loud! “Thanks Justin.” I hurried to the office and retrieved my monkey. It didn’t matter so much where I left my monkey, I was just happy to have my lunchbox back.

Journal prompt: Record a conversation, between yourself & others or a conversation overheard.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TO BE OR NOT TO BE * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Life doesn't just happen and we don't just succeed. People who succeed have goals; they know where they are going. How can we know where we are going if we haven't taken time to discover ~ Who we are or What we want? Meditate and think about what YOU want to "Become," your dream. 

Journal Prompt: Open your journal and start writing, thinking, feeling. What is the first step you will take to achieve your goal? 

~ NOT JUST SOMETHING, BUT EVERYTHING

As you continue to write, your thoughts will become much more than just words down on paper. So don’t quit, pull out your pen and paper and forge ahead.

Quote from: The Book Thief  (A powerful story that made me cry. Markus Zusak is an amazing writer.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92EBSmxinus