Simple Journaling

As a teen, I journaled a full page nearly every day. It was a way to write down what I was thinking and feeling, as well as capturing the interesting scenes of my life in those poignant years. After I married and had young children, I was just happy if I could write in my journal ever week or two. Those precious memories of my children's early years are priceless to me, as I go back and read. But now, my life is too busy and full to really write more than 2-3 times a year...and by then there is so much to say, it becomes a burden to think of the energy it will take!

However, I have found the answer to being able to journal little bits, every day, without much effort at all. Purchase an attractive engagement calendar that has 4-5 lines allotted for each day. I found a nice hardback, spiral Ireland calendar for half price after Christmas this year, but I've also enjoyed using Mary Englebreit, Karla Dornacher, and other fun spiral engagement calendars. At the start of every day when I sit down with my coffee and Bible, I take 2 minutes to fill in those 4-5 lines about what happened on the previous day. Even if I have 2-3 days to fill in in order to catch up, it is still a very minimal time commitment. Only having 4-5 lines of space, gives me permission to abbreviate, write in phrases, and just jot down the things I truly want to remember about that day. At the end of the year, it is so much fun to go back and read about the way God has worked in our lives, see answers to prayer, and remember the special moments. Perhaps my journals will be an encouragement to future generations, as well.

Are you inspired? Energized? Equipped? Then, happy journaling!

Simply Potatoes

Here's a simple idea from one of my favorite mentors...Emilie Barnes. When baking potatoes, bake additional potatoes for another meal, but fix the additional potatoes in a different way. For example, bake 6 potatoes. Eat 2 of them the first night with butter and sour cream. The 2nd night, peel and dice 2 of the potatoes to saute in a small amount of butter/olive oil, and you'll have fried potatoes. The 3rd night, peel and dice the remaining 2 potatoes, make a white sauce, and add the potatoes for a dish of creamed potatoes. Three tasty potato dishes easily put together from the baking of 6 potatoes. Enjoy!