The day after Christmas: Preparing for the New Year

It's the day after Christmas and I am in the process of getting back into everything--blog, google+ communities, journaling, etc. As I mentioned in the previous blog post, I even took some time off from journaling. 

Now, you need to know something. I usually do not take any time off from journaling--unless there has been some type of emergency. But, even then, I try to journal right through it. Hence, this was rare for me. It was hard. I knew what I was missing and I felt it. However, do I need to tell you how much sweeter it is to open my journal (metaphorically--since I do online journaling)?

I realize how much I needed some time off where I didn't do much of anything. I was pretty worthless and it felt great. 

We could not make it home for the holidays this year, but will be back home to Denver in the first third of 2012. Therefore, Christmas was just me and he. It was nice. We went for a drive along the Colonial Parkway and were able to see these Christmas swans:

That was a real treat and what I call a hug from God. 

Then, we started a new Christmas tradition: We watched the movie, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

The swans and the movie made our time very memorable for me. Then again, we also watched a couple cowboy movies and that made it memorable, too.

JOURNALING EXERCISE

So, how was your time off and Christmas? What did you do that was memorable or what happened that was memorable? 

Now, it's time for us to turn our eyes to the New Year

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I pray your holiday and time off are memorable.

Blessings,

Stacy Duplease

Christmas is...

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

It was never supposed to be about decorating, presents, stress, family dynamics, etc. Christmas should never make anyone cringe or start counting the cost. Rather, we have made it that way.

Christmas is supposed to be about Jesus. Not us. Not presents. Not dinner. Not traveling.

Journaling Exercise
How have you complicated Christmas in your life?

Am I saying not to do or have any of the things I have listed? No. But, I am saying that if you cringe at all or stress at all, I would reevaluate my perception of Christmas, get back to the true meaning, and adjust what I do for Christmas so I could remember what really matters:

Jesus Christ was born to save the world from sin and bring mankind eternal life.

Journaling Exercise
What are your thoughts?

-- Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Christmas (Gift) Journaling: Part 2

PART 1

Make sure to read Part 1 before you read this blog post. you can find Part 1 at: http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com/2012/11/christmas-journaling-or-birthday.html

IT GOES BY DIFFERENT NAMES

Please note that this journaling type goes by several different names: Special Person Journaling, Gift Journaling, Holiday Journaling, etc. They are actually all the same type of journaling.However, I will refer to it as Gift Journaling in this blog post.

THE COST OF A GIFT JOURNAL

It's making a journal about another person and giving it to them as a gift. 

Gift Journaling is free to make, but is absolutely priceless. (Note: It's free to make if you give the journal as a digital file over the internet--like in an attachment in an email or something like it. However, even if you give them a paper version of this journal, it is as expensive as you choose to make it, but is still priceless.)

FUTURE JOURNALING IDEAS

The beauty about Gift Journaling is that as you journal about that Special Person, you will most likely come up with more ideas you want to journal about in the future. (Hence, make sure to make note of Future Journaling--and even add it to your Future Journaling List.)

BETTERMENT AND LEGACY

As you do the journaling for the special person in your life, you are digging more into yourself, your life, and your life story. In doing so, it's actually a bit for yourself as well. After all, the journaling you do is for your betterment and pleasure, but it also helps you too add to the legacy you leave behind. Also, in doing so, you create a legacy for them to leave behind. (Therefore, make sure to keep a copy of this Gift Journal) for yourself as well.) 

KEEPING A JOURNAL FOR SOMEONE ELSE

After all, how many people of the special people in your life actually journal? I guarantee, if not none do. Hence, how special it will be for you to give to them. And, if they do journal, again, what a special gift because it is from your eyes, your your point of-view, your heart, your emotions, your thoughts, your spirit. There is nothing more of a treasure, more cherishable, more of a present than that. 

There's nothing more valuable than Gift Journaling. 

IT'S ONE-OF-A-KIND

It's also one of a kind. It will be a very unique, heartwarming gift. The Gift Journal is highly personalized and is made just for them. 

FRONT PAGE MATERIAL FOR THE GIFT JOURNAL

Write a letter to the special person the journal is for. Let them know why you made it in the first place and are giving it to them.

Also, say something to the effect of, "Use me as a pick-me-up for those days when you need one. Or encouragement. Or just to remember."

SO, HOW SHOULD YOU GIVE IT TO THEM:

HOW TO PACKAGE AND PRESENT THE GIFT JOURNAL

First of all, and most importantly, give it to them in both a paper and in a digital/electronic file. 

One, they can look at it and touch with their hands. The other is a present they can never lose, is a permanent form of journal, and is easy to pass on as a legacy.

Consequently, there are two forms to give it to them:

~ Digital/Electronically

~ Paper

Digital Gift Journals

~ Do a word processing document. 

Do several different fonts, ink colors, etc. Have fun with it. 

~ Do a digital scrapbook.

Check out this website: http://www.mymemories.com/ and their digital scrapbooking software at: http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software. Send them the pdf file. 

Then, send either one via email.

Paper Gift Journals

~ 3-Ring Binder

Decorate the binder with material or scrapbook paper. Maybe with some stickers. Print the guts of the binder with colored ink and maybe special paper (colored or other stationary or specially printed paper).

~ Digital Scrapbook and Print It Out (paper and digital... both.)

Check out this website: http://www.mymemories.com/ and their digital scrapbooking software at: http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

~ Scrapbook

WHERE TO PRINT DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK OUTSIDE OF HOME

~ Local Printer
Look up in your local phone book and call around. You will then need to figure out how to bind it. I recommend doing a plastic binding. Your printer can do that for you as well.

~Shutterfly:

http://www.shutterfly.com/learn/digital_scrapbook.jsp

~ Scrapping Simply

http://www.scrappingsimply.com/

~ Top 10 Review Site

http://scrapbook-printing-services-review.toptenreviews.com/

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

The Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

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

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.) 

Christmas Journaling: Part 1 (or Birthday, Anniversary, or Valentine) (AKA Special People Journaling)

THE IDEA OF SPECIAL PEOPLE JOURNALING, GIFT JOURNALING, OR SPECIAL OCCASION JOURNALING

I just came up with a wonderful idea to give the special people in your life. (And, I am quite excited about it!) It can be used for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparents' Day,  or any other special day you decide. 

WHAT IS IT?

So, what is it? It's putting together a journal of your journaling about them--and giving it to them as a gift. This also becomes a legacy for them to leave behind. And, make sure to keep a copy for yourself and your legacy. 

HOW DO YOU DO SPECIAL PEOPLE JOURNALING?

~ 1st, make a list of the special people in your life. List all of them. In time, do a Special Journaling for all of them.

~ Put them in priority/sequential order.

~ Think of the dates that you would like to give each person their Special Journal and write those beside each person in the next year. Then, do the math and write how many days you have until that date on the same line. 

~ For Christmas 2012 Journaling, since it is the 29th of November already, I recommend taking your top 3 or 4. Then, do a more extensive journal on them for next year as well. In fact, you might make it a Christmas Tradition. Also, I would think of taking another 3 or 4 and do a Special Journaling for them each year. Make it a tradition. For spouses and children, I would do this several times a year and at New Years or Christmas, I would combine the previous year into one big special journal--and add additional material. For aging parents and grandparents, I would do this a couple times a year as well. 

~ Do one person at a time.

~ Figure out how many days you have for that individual between now and the time you want to give them the journal. Then, do as many 10-minute chunks of journaling (the below journaling exercise) as you can. Put these on your planner to do in at least monthlysegments, if not every week or couple of days or so.

SPECIAL PEOPLE JOURNALING EXERCISE

Do the following in at least 10-minute segments (chunks) each--and do them as often as you can until you want to present them with the journal as a gift. Set a timer.

Make sure to do a SOC on each of the below items, make lists, and  so on. Of each item below, do a journaling entry on each of the things you listed.

~ Do a SOC (Stream of Consciousness) Journaling about them. Who are they to you and in your life?

~ When you think of them, what do you think of?

~ What qualities do they have that you love?

~ What memories have you made with them--recently and in the past? (Make sure to make an extensive list of each.)

~ What have they taught you?

~ What have they meant to you?

~ How have they shaped you to be the person you are?

~ If you could tell them anything right now, what would it be?

~ What does their home mean to you? 

~ Use your 5-senses and journal about them.

~ Make a list of items in their home, things in their wardrobe, meals they cook, places you go with them (or have , etc. Do 10-minutes journaling chunks--SOCs or lists--about as many of these items as you can.

~ Look at photos you have of them and journal about the memories behind each photograph.

~ Journal about anything else that comes to mind. 

TIP: Make sure to do the above items over and over--seeing what new ideas come to mind. Make sure to journal about each point you write about each item. Do that as many times as you can as well. 

TIP: Keep in mind that if any other thoughts or memories come to mind about that person, you get it in your journal. 

CHRISTMAS 2012 JOURNALING TIP: Take the top three or four people in your life tops and do the above items. Make sure to figure out your calendar and how much time you will need in order to do this for each person on your list. You also might think of doing this for New Years and Valentines. 

What a special gift to give the special people in your life. Talk about personal and memorable. 

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

The Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

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

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, Snow, and White Christmas

My favorite Christmas movie of all time is White Christmas.

One of the songs is what I always think of all year long. It is the song "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep." Take a look at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQrNQm3yZQ&feature=related 

It makes us re-frame our times of challenges in life. As prayer warriors, I think we need to both count our blessings when we cannot sleep and take it as an opportunity to pray. Often times, God will wake us and keep us awake as a call to pray. 

Then, here is a little fun. I love this song from White Christmas. The harmony is fantastic--and it's just fun! Check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTQrNQm3yZQ&feature=related

(Clipart is from Microsoft Clipart)

Stacy Duplease

Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

A Christmastime Prayer

Prayer:

Lord, it's that time of year again. 

Help us remember that every day is Christmas. We are to live for Christ every day and remember why he lived. It was so that he could die. Why did he die? For the forgiveness of all of our sins. What does that mean for us? We will have everlasting life. We will live forever with the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe--with the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls--with the Author and Finisher of our faith. 

Help us to remember it's not about what we do at Christmas. It's not about gifts. It's about time and remembrance. It's the time we remember what Jesus and his birth means for us. 

Lord, help us draw forever closer to you and help us to stop settling for a life of mediocrity. We want to live a life of excellence in you and in your Word. For us to live any other way is to forget and overlook why Jesus was born. 

Help us to take our faith seriously.

Help us to read the Word and pray it every day. 

Help us not to forget the blessings and gifts you have given us this past year while we prepare for a new year of worshipping and serving you.

You are Immanuel. You are with us--always. 

Lord, please fulfill the Great Commission through us in the United States of America on or by 31 December 2026.

Thank you for all you do. You are truly the God who Provides--Jehovah Jireh. 

Christmas is a time to worship you. Help us not to forget to do so.

(Photo is from Microsoft Clipart) 

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

What Have You Done This Year? How Have You Been?

My last blog post was about remembering what the Lord and you have done for Jesus over the last year. This blog is about what you have done for, and how you have been with, Jesus this year.

This is another Christmas tradition I have. It's analysis of the past year (and all my Christian life), review, and of my faith.

Before I continue, let me stress that it's far more important to be with the Lord. It's having your mind and heart focused on him--than to do any action for him. That's what matters most and above all. After all, we can do all sorts of what we would call godly acts, and never have our hearts and minds focused on him. They are rote acts for a checklist. 

Or, we can be focused on the Lord and his Word all the time. That's the being component of our faith and is what matters above all else. After all, we have to work for a living--in order to have shelter and food. So, while we work, we can be focused on the Lord and his Word. That goes for all the things we have to do: housecleaning, showering, driving, exercise, etc. We can be with him while we do other things. 

That's not to say acts of faith aren't important. They are necessary. The book of James reminds us of this. However, as we do those acts, our minds and hearts must be on him do they are not just for a check-mark to sign off on our to do list. 

So, that being said, it's important to reflect upon, and analyze, the past year of our walk with the Lord and the Word of God. This is where prayer journaling comes in to the equation. If you just answer these questions in your mind, you won't remember in 6 months, let alone in a month, what was said between you and God. 

PRAYER JOURNALING

A What did I do that worked well over the last year?

B What didn't work well?
C What all did I do to bring God glory this year?

D How close did I come to praying without ceasing?

E How close did I come to praying the Word, and meditating on it, morning, noon and night?

F How much time did my calendar literally reflect I spent with my Lord and his Word?

Now, answer questions A-F about the last two years, three years, five years, and every 5 years thereafter.

(Photo is from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

5 Days Until Christmas: Remember

It's the countdown for Christmas (as you are more than aware).

What are the things you are grateful for this year that the Lord has done in your life? 

I use Christmas as a time, not for gifts, but for remembrance. Therefore, my countdown for Christmas is generally spent trying to draw ever closer to the Lord. I try to remember everything the Lord and I went through the previous year. That's the tradition I hang my stocking on and cherish most. 

Then, the week before New Years is a week of preparation and planning for the next year. 

What have you and God experienced this year as a team? 

What has he done in your life? What about in the lives of your loved ones? 

That's the meaning of Christmas.

(Photo is from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

1st Day of Advent

Today is the first day of Advent.

You may be interested in some Advent resources. You can sign-up for a daily newsletter, for example, here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/newsletters/

~ Stacy Duplease

A Complicated Christmas

Well, I did it.

The book I finished writing the 1st rough draft of this morning is now on Smashwords and available for free at:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101126

This is the book: "A Complicated Christmas" and is of the Oak Haven Series, Volume 1.

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Word of Caution: Jamestown Passage and Smashwords

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: Word of Caution: Jamestown Passage and Smashwords

NaNoWriMo: How can it be only 7 days away?

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, begins on Tuesday, 01 November 2011. That's seven days from today, as you well know.

I cannot believe it is coming up so quickly. I do not know about you. 

That means I have 44,100 words to write of my, "A Complicated Christmas" novel between now and then. This makes me want to chew on my nails--and I never do any such thing. There are too many germs there (and I am hardly a germ a-phobe) and it is bad for one's teeth.

I will keep you updated about my progress at my historical fiction blog listed below. It's the top link. 

Now, I am nervous about NaNo. How about you? 

I love the challenge, though! 

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Where to find my upcoming books

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: The Countdown, NaNoWriMo, and Writing Resources for NaNoWriMo

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books