Day 98

Art of Journaling

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book,........" Exodus 17:14a.

Sometimes I like to try my hand at drawing or doodling.  I decided a couple of years ago that I needed to keep my art in one place so I purchased a sketch book and have several pages done.  I would love to have more time to devote to it because I find it relaxing and meaningful.  

The Lord told Moses to write down what He told him as a memorial in a book.  I believe that is still applicable today.  Sometimes I can't remember the last thing I did so writing it out or drawing it as a memorial is a perfect plan because I often review them.

Before the beginning of a separate art journal I was reading in one of my past writing journals and found a doodle I had created in it.  In the middle of the page was the word God with different names of God written in bright colors that had ministered to me over the years.  He has been my Counselor, my Healer, my Sufficiency, my Provider, and the Lover of my soul to name a few.  What a great way to acknowledge that than by a visual picture of His names written out.  There are so many other of His names that I could have drawn but the ones I wrote were special to me.

Then there was the one that had a balloon to demonstrate that He continues to lift me higher to soar in the Spirit of His marvelous love.  One was of a pot filled with flowers with the words 'With Gratitude' on it.  Each flower then had what I was grateful for:  God, Church, Home, Family, Friends, Husband and Children and Grandchildren.

Then again it was a Bible passage like 1 Corinthians 13 about love and all it's attributes.  I can look at that and hopefully remember what all love is and is not.  One time when away on Retreat I drew the surroundings of the little Inn where we stayed.  It helps me remember the time away with the Lord and is a great way to remember the spiritual marker it was in my life.  Now I have not only words describing my experience but a visual picture that will be ingrained in my mind.

Let me challenge you to do the same.  You don't have to be a great artist, maybe you just like to doodle.  Why not make it into a work of art that has significance and helps you remember either scripture or a time of importance in your life.  You can keep it to yourself if you choose.

I like to also glue tickets, flyers, trip souvenirs or pics in my journal to help me remember a really fun or special event that either I have attended or taken our grandchildren to.  It helps you later to find the event a little easier also. 

 Use your imagination and make journaling a fun event because it is helpful to go back and review where you have been and see how God has been working in your life all along.  You can also determine by your writings if you have grown in your spriitual walk or have remained stagnant.  Are you further along the path towards God today than you were last year?  If not, why not?