A Prayer Journaling Prompt: More of You, Less of Me

Prayer journal about this. 

What Has Surprised You?: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

What Has Surprised You?: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

Journal your response to each of the numbers below:
1 What has taken you by surprise in your life--for the good and for the bad? List as many things as you can think of, right now, and then as you think of more throughout the day.
2 What has surprised you the most recently? How big of a surprise was it? Why did it? Was it for the good or the bad? What did it mean for your life? (Answer each of those questions in #2, please.)
3 How do you handle surprises in general?
4 What do you do when you are mind-boggled because of something? This is also a surprise. Make a list of everything you can think of that has boggled your mind in your life--and recently.
5 How has each of these been a blessing in your life?

Writing Progress on "A Journaling and Memoir Encyclopedia 2014: A Faith Journaling Resource"

Writing Progress on "A Journaling and Memoir Encyclopedia 2014: A Faith Journaling Resource"

Today, I've worked some on "A Journaling and Memoir Encyclopedia 2014: A Faith Journaling Resource" and it's now 408 pages and has 75,290 words.

Once it gets to 500 pages, I will edit it and publish it.

This is an everything you wanted to know about journaling and memoir writing book.

Again, once this one is written, I will add new material for the next six months to a year and will then publish it as a new edition. I plan on adding to it each year.

My goal is to make this not like any other resource out there on journaling and memoir writing. It will be larger, more comprehensive than anything else.

The entire book is a journaling exercise or prompt. 

My Personal Daily Journaling Template Updated

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 in Fiction, 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.

I just realized I forgot a couple more important items and have added them (see #10-11).

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Morning: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

Morning: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

It's morning. What do you choose for this day?
What is your purpose today?
What do you want today to look like?
It's that are your priorities? Put them on sequential order after you get them all down on the page. (Answer this question each day at least.)
What goals also you have?
What memories do you want to make?
What hope do you have today?
What challenges do you expect? How will you overcome them?
What are you doing today that will further your dream?
How will you make today the best it can be?
How will you use today as an opportunity?
What does God want from you today?

What blessings will you count today? What are you thankful for? (Answer this question at least.)

What will you remember today that God has done in your life in the past?
Journal your response to as many questions as you feel compelled.
Answer these questions first thing in the morning each day and journal your response to each, all or some. This will help you stay focused throughout your day.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Updated last on March 04, 2014 at 831 a.m.

(Photo credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2014.)

The ‘Incredible’ Thing an 8-Year-Old Boy Did for a Soldier Will Be Remembered For a ‘Lifetime’ | TheBlaze.com

News Journaling: The ‘Incredible’ Thing an 8-Year-Old Boy Did for a Soldier Will Be Remembered For a ‘Lifetime’ | TheBlaze.com

This is the type of news that has the potential to transform our lives in a dramatic way, if we let it, apply it, and remember it.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/03/02/the-incredible-thing-an-8-year-old-boy-did-for-a-soldier-will-be-remembered-for-a-lifetime/

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Your Daily Personal Journaling Template: Create One

Your Daily Personal Journaling Template: Create One

Today, I shared the following with you on this Faith Journaling blog:

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, a memory snapshot
5 My Memoir in Fiction, 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
9 Journaling Exercise or Prompt, at least one

I shared it to give you a sample, or example, of what your own personal daily journaling template can look like. It's time for you to create one of your own, after all, if you haven't already.
So, how do you come up with your own daily journaling template?
1 Make a list of everything you would want to know for on your great, great, great, great grandparents, if they had journaled.
2 Make a list of everything you want to journal, topics for each day.
3 Make a list of everything you would want to read in your journals on your death bed.
4 Make a list of everything you would want your children, and future generations, to read.
5 Make a list of everything you would want to share about your stories with your friends.
6 Make a list of everything you would want to share with others as your story.
7 What is your legacy? What should you write about?
8 What are your passions? Make a list.

Now, make a daily template.
You can't go wrong. You can change or adjust your daily journaling template each and every day, if you so.feel inclined. Just make sure you keep record of the skeleton, the template, each day and the adjustments you make.
Also, your last number is always miscellaneous or Etc. Etc. Etc., as I call it. This leaves you wiggle room.
So, go ahead. Do this today. You'll find your journaling far more enriched and deepened because of it.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

My Personal Daily Journaling Template

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, a memory snapshot
5 My Memoir in Fiction, 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
9 Journaling Exercise or Prompt, at least one

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer

Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Updated last on March 03, 2014, 1251 p.m.

Academy, Hollywood's failure to recognize "Lone Survivor" a travesty | Fox News

Academy, Hollywood's failure to recognize "Lone Survivor" a travesty | Fox News

Every now and then, I will talk about politics, religion, current events, religion, war, and the U.S. Military. This is one of those blog posts.

I am passionate about the USA, our military, and our history. Quite passionate.

*** This is big. Please read the link below. ***

If you are an American, you should see this movie and read the book. It matters. This has direct impact on all of our lives, whether we admit it or not.

#NewsJournaling #JournalingExerciseOrPrompt #Oscars #Movies #Patriotism #USA #U.S.Military #LoneSurvivor

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/03/01/academy-hollywood-failure-to-recognize-lone-survivor-travesty/?intcmp=HPBucket

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

News Journaling: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

News Journaling: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

Every day, it's important to go to your favorite news site on the internet and read the news. In fact, it's important to do this a couple of times each day at least.
Why?
It's important to stay informed as to what's going on in the world, in current events. To not pay attention is wrong. The best citizens of this world are informed ones.
I won't lie. There are times the news is upsetting. Sure. But, that's life. Life has its highs and lows. We can't avoid the lows. If we do, we miss out on most of life. The lows are that which make us who we are. If we avoid them, then, we are a runner. We run from truth and life. So,we live shallow lives where all we want are the sunshine, happy times. How shallow is that?
Knowing the news impacts our lives. Yes. Not knowing it impacts our lives even more. We are going around with wishful, ostrich head in the sand viewpoints. We are missing truth. We are missing out on life.
The news reminds us how there is more to this life and world than me.
The news gives us perspective and more often than not, if we keep up with the news, we realize how blessed our lives really are, for we learn how others are living.
The news will make us want to give our time and resources to others, rather than hold on to them for ourselves.
The news let's us know the truth of this world. If we trust what others say, we are most likely learning lies.
Every day, we should journal about the news. We should write the three headlines in the U.S. news, and in the world news, in our journals and talk about how this impacts our lives. Most of the news stories will impact us individually. These impacts might get us to change our lives or actually contact our members of Congress, and so forth, or write letters to the editor.
The news impacts us. It talks about how our lives will, or could, change because of the ramifications of the news articles.
Also, the news impacts us and should be journaled about because the news is part of our lives. The news gives context to our lives and we need to keep it in mind in the years ago on come.
JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT: So, start today. Journal about the three headlines, at least, from your country and at least three headlines from the world that capture your attention and why.
I copy these six articles to my Springpad as well to help me keep them so I can read them again in the years to come and talk in my journal how the articles has changed me, my family, my city, my state, my nation, and the world.
Let me give you two examples of news stories that still impact my life today--and yours. Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) and September 11th, 2001. Or, what about Columbine, Sandy Hook, the Boston Marathon Bombings, when Ronald Reagan was shot, when the Challenger exploded, etc.? These are just a couple of examples. What about Normandy? What about the death of Saddam Hussein or Usama bin Laden? What about when Princess Diana was killed? Again, these are just a few more examples.
Journal every day about the news. It's important. If you don't think so, you are missing out on some of the most important journaling you can do.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Not Journaling, Deeper Journaling, Exhaustion, and a Snow Day (My Personal Journaling)

Not Journaling, Deeper Journaling, Exhaustion, and a Snow Day (My Personal Journaling)

I haven't really journaled, nor have worked on my memoir in fiction, in three days. Sure, I've done some here and there, but not as much as my heart desires. So, I feel empty and like something is missing. This is what happens when I don't or can't journal for whatever reason.
No matter what, I try to get at least a paragraph of journaling every day. I do this even if toothpicks are required. I know how much worse I would be if I didn't.
I sure miss the deeper journaling, where I get all of the surface stuff on the paper, sure. The surface stuff leads to deeper journaling now and later. But, what I need is some time deep journaling every day as well. Oh, how I miss it and need it.
My life has been go, go, go since I got home from a ten-day trip back home to Denver, Colorado and the Writing for the Soul, the Christian Writers Guild, conference. I still haven't had time to journal about the trip or the conference. That's how crazy it's been since I got back.
My husband's job has been go, go, go, as well, and we've been keeping some crazy hours. Consequently, we are both exhausted. Worn out, tuckered, exhausted, tired. We both said we need two weeks of vacation at home, where we have no plans and just rejuvenate. Or, at least a day of rest, rear ends on sofa.
Well, today is a snow day for hubby! And, there isn't any snow on the ground yet. Wait. Let me go get some coffee and look outside to see if this is still true. Hang on a second.
Yep. There is no snow yet.
Funny. The second I typed the period of the last paragraph, it started to rain. It was 954 a.m.
I'm a Colorado girl, so living in the Tidewater part of Virginia (Hampton/Newport News area), I find it amusing how in order for work and schools to get cancelled around here, all there needs to be is a threat of snow, so to speak. In Colorado, it requires at least eighteen inches of snow, in one sitting. I think I only had five snow days while growing up. Now, since living here in Virginia, there have been more.
I think it's good they make it a snow day, though. Here, it shows and then rains and then freezes, so that is quite dangerous. Since this is the Tidewater area, there are ditches along the edges of most city streets because they collect the rain. If you slide on the ice and go in a ditch, that wouldn't be good. Also, they don't have the snow removal equipment required for snow here. So, I get it. I'm not complaining. I'm only making an observation.
But, let me tell you this.
Never has a snow day been more sorely needed. B (my husband) and I are in desperate need for a rear end to sofa day.
Early this morning, we got the email notifying us of the snow day, so we were able to turn off the alarm. Wow. That was nice sleeping in. I got up around 8:30ish. I am a morning person, so that meant sleeping in late. B has never slept in as late as he right now. It's just after ten. So, this snow day has had a good start.
My sofa day looks like this: Journaling all day, while snuggling with hubby, beagle, and cat--when and if he makes an appearance. I may get out of my pajamas around noon. Maybe.
The journaling all day thing has great appeal and my heart soars just thinking about it. I sure do need it. Desperately.
So, I am counting my blessings: Snow day. Sleeping in. Snuggling with beagle on sofa. Drinking coffee. Hearing rain splatter on the ground window by the couch. Made homemade steel cut oats (oatmeal). Feeling the heat as it kicks on and warms the Family Room. Journaling. Unexpected surprises and blessings.

YOUR JOURNALING

Please don’t skip this. Everything we read is an opportunity to learn, grow, and journal.

1 Does any of this resonate?

2 Journal your thoughts.

3 How does this apply to your life?

4 How can this influence your life?

5 How can this influence your journaling--today and in the future?

6 Count your blessings today.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Faith Journaling Website & Blog:
http://faithjournaling.blogspot.com

Updated on March 05, 2014 0947 a.m.

A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

What story do you have to tell?

What stories do you have to tell?

How is each story sacred?

What makes each story a blessing?

Journal your response to each question. 

Weekend Journaling: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

WEEKEND JOURNALING: A JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT

Every weekend, it's important to do four things with our journaling:
1 Review the last week.
2 Prepare for the next week.
3 Unwind, relax, and rejuvenate.
4 Extended journaling time.

1 REVIEW THE LAST WEEK
Go back and re-read your journaling from this week. Underline, highlight, circle, star, or do anything else you want if you find something you think is important and you'll want to remember later. Then, make note of it in your journaling today.
A What three memories, at least, stand out to you the most? Journal about them today. Why were they so significant?
B What did you learn this week? List every lesson learned.
C List at least ten blessings you had this week.
D List at least five sunshine moments from this week (happy, memorable times).
E List at least five cloudy moments from this week (tough and memorable times).
F What goals did you accomplish?
G What dream do you have that you are striving to bring to fruition? How'd it go this week?
Now, go through everything you journaled about in #1A-G and give a reason to each. If you have given a reason as to why you journaled about it, then expand the reason.
Also, expand upon each memory and blessing. Include every detail you can think of--including the senses of touch, sight, smell, hearing, tasting, and intuition/discernment.

2 PREPARE FOR NEXT WEEK
Prepare for next week.
A What do you have planned and on your calendar?
B What do you hope to accomplish?
C What can you do to make it an outstanding, memorable week?
D What are your goals for next week?
E What sunshine things do you see?
F Do you see any possibility for cloudy moments?

3 RELAX
A What can you do now to unplug and relax?
B What can you get on the page and let go of?
C What can you journal about to help you relax?

EXTENDED JOURNALING TIME
Try to take longer to journal both days than you normally do. One day, try to double the amount of time and the amount of paragraphs or pages you normally journal. Another day, try to triple it if you can.
I try to journal at least an hour at the day. It's not necessarily all at once and can be ten minutes here, five minutes there. But, that's my minimum goal. It's what works for me. (It may not for you. And, that's okay.) On the weekends, I try to journal for two hours one day and four hours the other day. I
Why do extended journaling? I am able to capture more of my life on the page--and order my thoughts and life that way. It also encourages my imagination and inspires me.

SUGGESTIONS
Everything I said above is just a suggestion. see what works for you.
Just make it your goal every day to journal--and try to do a lot more on the weekend, or your days off. Also, makes sure to review what you did over the last week and what you need to prepare for the next week. 

I Love Mornings

My Personal Journaling February/28/2014/Friday/736 a.m.

I love mornings.
I know. I'm weird.
But, mornings hold the most promise of any day. After all, mornings allow us the chance of a do-over, a new beginning, and a choice.
What choice?
We can control our day or allow it to control us. We have the choice to make it a good day, or a bad day, or an in-between day. Circumstances or emotions do not have to make it a good day or a bad one. That only happens when we make the choice to be swayed by events rather than choice.
I would rather choose to live a good, blessed day--even in spite of what happens. Every day is a blessing. I do not want to take one day for granted. I want to live life to its fullest. I want to live the purpose God has given me.
My purpose is greater than any event/circumstance or emotion.
So, yes. I love mornings.
Every day I wake, I realize I am alive another day. Why? To live my purpose. What is my purpose? I will give two answers. One is the Christian answer. The other is the worldly answer.
What is my purpose? It's the same as everyone else's. It's to bring glory to God.
What is my purpose? To count my blessings. This, too, is the purpose of everyone else.
I love mornings. It's a day given to me my God so I can glorify Him and count the blessings of the new day.
How do I count these blessings?
Through my journaling.
Mornings are an opportunity. What a blessing.
Yep. I love mornings.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

I hope my personal journaling will be a nice journaling exercise or prompt for you, in that they spark something for you to journal about. 

Regardless, don't forget to count your blessings today. Journal them. 

Updated Last on Feb/28/2014 at 824 a.m.

Journaling Exercise or Prompt

What makes you hesitant about journaling or writing your memoir?

Journal your thoughts. Get them on the page. 

A Journaling Exercise or Prompt: Daily Count Your Blessings

A Journaling Exercise or Prompt: Daily Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings today. List at least three, but ideally, as many as you can.

Write them on the page. Journal them.

Journaling Prompt or Exercise

Do you journal?

Are you writing your memoir?

Do you want to journal?

Do you want to write your memoir?

Journal your thoughts.

More Time is Not the Answer

Let's be real here.

We do not need more time.

If we were to get more time, we would fill it up in the way we already are and are not using it best.

The truth is, we need to use the time we have now more wisely.

JOURNALING EXERCISE AND PROMPT

1 Journal your thoughts on what you just read.

2 How do you not use your time wisely?

3 How do you use your time wisely?

4 How can you ensure that all of your time is used wisely?

5 Do you understand that the time you are given is a gift? Therefore, make it count and choose wisely. Now, journal your thoughts. 

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

Storykeeper 2121 Blog and Website: http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com

The Journaling Path Blog Network: http://thejournalingpath.blogspot.com

121 Days of Prayer Journaling Blog and Website:

http://121daysofpj.blogspot.com

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

A New Day: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

We have three blessings rolled into one. We have a new day and a new week, along with a new month. We get to choose what we make of all three of them.

So, choose well.

Journal your thoughts.

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

Storykeeper 2121 Blog and Website: http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com

The Journaling Path Blog Network: http://thejournalingpath.blogspot.com

121 Days of Prayer Journaling Blog and Website:

http://121daysofpj.blogspot.com

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

February Class: Life Story Class: What's in Your Heart?

Welcome to the February Life Story Class. It's about how to journal your life story and how to write a memoir of your life story.

I figured after the intense month of January and the 125 memories, we could use a little less specific of a topic and look at the more general--at first. Then, we will each get very pinpointed as we work through the journaling exercises or prompts this month.

This week, start with these:

WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART: A JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT: HOMEWORK FOR THE NEXT WEEK
You can either do this literally or figuratively. draw a heart on the page for each of the numbered prompts below. Fill in each with whatever is in your heart regarding that prompt. You might need to do multiple hearts for each number, by the way.

Ask yourself all of the possible questions that come to mind about the numbered prompt.

For instance, take #1. WHAT is in your heart? I would start by writing anything that came to mind until nothing came to mind anymore. Then, I would ask myself, WHAT? Objects maybe. I would then write every object that I thought of that has a place in my heart. What are my favorite possessions? What are my favorite hobbies? What are my favorite foods? What are my... You get the idea. With each question, I would do a new heart.
1 Who is in your heart?
2 What is in your heart?
3 Where is in your heart?

Be thorough. Spends lots and lots of time on this.

HOMEWORK FOR 08-28 FEBRUARY 2013
Then, the next three weeks, we are going to look at each heart and pick a minimum of 3 items there to journal about and how it relates to our life story. How does each item define or describe our lives? How have they made us who we are? What have they meant to us?

That's it.

Fairly simple. It will just take some time. 28 days, as a matter of fact.

Enjoy!

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

* My Storykeeper Odyssey in 2013: Journaling & Memoir

* The Journaling & Storykeeping Encyclopedia of 2013

The Journaling Path Blog Network: http://thejournalingpath.blogspot.com

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121