Pages

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Journals and Diaries



  So since I love to write and journal my thoughts, I thought it would be cool to do a little research on journals and diaries and see what I find. And if you don't journal it may give you some inspiration to write about yourself, even if its only once a month. 

  The word diary comes from the Latin word diarium, which means "daily allowance," from dies "day". The word journal comes from the same root (diurnus "of the day") through Old French jurnal (modern French for day is jour). The earliest use of the word to mean a book in which a daily record was written was in Ben Jonson's comedy Volpone in 1605.
   People have been keeping diaries and journals for centuries and still continue to do it today. The oldest diaries come from Middle Eastern and East Asia cultures. The scholar Li Ao (9th century AD) kept a diary of his southern journey through China. 
  From the Renaissance on, journals were kept by people,  not only to record events , but personal feelings as well. And in 1908, the Smythson company created the first featherweight diary, which enabled journals to be carried about.
  Some diaries were written and published for others to read, such as A Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, the diary of Alan Clark and many others. 
  Journals have many uses, such as; recording your thoughts and wishes, ideas and plans, habits, travels, a book of your favorite things. And it can also be used to write songs and poems and even to draw pictures and keep postcards and movie tickets inside. 
  The computer and internet are used as well, by many people, to journal and record events, especially now in our electronic driven society.  
  I prefer the old fashioned way of journaling in a book to the internet. The smell of the pages and bright covers have always attracted me to writing. It helps me to vent my feelings sometimes when I am angry or sad or it gives me a place to write about the good things that are happening at that moment in my life.  


  I want my kids to be able to read my journals some day and learn more about me. I want to give them a piece of history. Whatever the case for you may be, I would say give it a shot and see how you like it. Some day you may be glad you can look back on your life through the pages of a diary.


Elizabeth <3





Wednesday, January 2, 2013

A New Year

 January 1st, 2013. The start of a brand new year. And instead of being stressed about stuff, I am trying to stay relaxed and take things as they come. Impatience never gets me anywhere and is a fault I want to get rid of. 
 Right now, I have to make a very important decision about a job and I need God's guidance to know what to do. I have been praying for that and trying to rest in Him. 
 Embracing life as it comes and enjoying each day, being thankful for even the little things will make for a far more enjoyable year, than waiting impatiently for the next big thing. I am learning this the hard way. 
 I'm ready for a new year so I can just start fresh. And that's how it is with the Lord too. Whenever we goof up and make mistakes, we can ask for forgiveness and the He always gives us another chance to start fresh. I love that. 
 So as this year begins just know that no matter what you face God is right there for you and He will pick you up when you fall. You don't need to know everything...He has got it all under control. Even something as small as the start of a new year. 



Elizabeth <3