Bible Journaling

On shelves and baskets in our home are journals and notebooks of all sizes. I have poured out my heart to the Lord on those pages. I have written down silly thoughts, shared my sorrows, and recorded both struggles and victories. I have chronicled the days, interceded for loved ones, taken notes from God’s Word, and filled pages with pieces of ME.

Current basket on the shelf in the living room.

Prayer journals, Union U devotional, the Psalms in verse, and more.

In my search for an intentional, meaningful, GROWING 2015, I have been drawn to the idea of journaling my Bible or journaling through my Bible study. Several days a week the younger two children and I sit down with our Thankful Journals and write down 10 things for which we are thankful. Our voices lifted to the ONE through whom all blessings flow, we go around and share our praises.

Bible, journal and pens.  Potential for new learning.

Bible, journal and pens. Potential for new learning.

I am NOT artistic or creative or crafty. When I put a pencil to paper, ready to illustrate an image or thought, the picture slips away before it reaches the page. At best it resembles something a preschooler would scribble. Embellishments, swirls, elaborate or simple fonts, they elude me. The distance between the picture in my head and the paper beneath my fingers is so vast it’s almost comical.

Yesterday I was writing out a memory verse. “I’ll illustrate it to help remember the phrases,” I thought. But the ear I drew (for ‘heard’) and feet (for ‘walking’) looked more like pieces of a bizarre puzzle than parts of a body. I realized, once again, that drawing would NOT be a helpful tool for me in this endeavor.

A collection of prayers, thoughts, and daily remembrances.

A shelf of journals – random collection of prayers, thoughts, and daily remembrances.

And yet, I find myself drawn to a fresh stack of marking pens (ones that won’t bleed through the sheer pages of my Bible) and a package of colored pencils. I search Pinterest for Bible Journaling ideas. I smile at this amazing woman’s journal and study the posts of another blogger’s foray into artistic Bible journaling. I even discovered an incredible FB group for Bible Journaling.

Through it all, I realize Jesus cares about my FAITH. He cares about my OBEDIENCE. He doesn’t care if I can draw or give life to the pictures in my head. He wants me to dive into His Word. To study it, love it, memorize it, enjoy it, be convicted by it, treasure it, LIVE IT!

A heart that seeks HIM - in b&w and color.

A heart that seeks HIM – in b&w and color.

And so here we are, in a fresh year; with the chance to begin again. To try new things. To return to old, faithful treasured habits. To revive an apathetic and lazy heart. In the newness of 2015, I have decided to SOAK up the Word of God. Using my ESV study Bible, an enormous blank journal, mugs full of marking pencils and pens, and following my ESV read through the Bible plan, I will:

Study SCRIPTURE - OBSERVE the Word – APPLY truth – and KNEEL in prayer.

My journal will have color and life, it will be pretty and joyful, it will be fresh and REAL. It will be messy and full of brokenness, transparency and truth. It will be a humble offering to the ONE who creates beauty in all things.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Ps 19:14

Project 365 – Day 6
Kathy

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Return of the Josh

We have a tradition in our home. Well, we have lots of traditions, truth be told.

Sometimes books are made into movies. Usually, no one really cares, except maybe the author. But every now and then, Hollywood decides to make a good book into a movie, and they incur the wrath of many who loved that book.

We had to evict a cat so Joshua could have the comfy reading chair.

We had to evict a cat so Joshua could have the comfy reading chair.

My oldest son has come to really love the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and he insists that no one should be allowed to watch any of Peter Jackson’s movies until they have actually read the book(s) covered by the movie. Of course, recently, that hasn’t been very difficult, since it took Jackson 3 movies to cover a single novel that was originally written for children. Maybe if he wasn’t so busy adding extra characters, he could have done it in two movies, but (based on box office returns) perhaps he is happy with his decision to go for three.

This year it is David’s turn. At 13, he is really wanting to watch the final Lord of the Rings movie, based on The Return of the King, which he has not yet read. So Joshua decided to read it aloud to him, sprinkling chapters throughout our recently-ended Christmas break. As we begin the new year, we are down to our last four chapters in Tolkien’s conclusion to the saga.

David plays games on his Kindle Fire while listening.   I think there should be a quiz, to make sure he is listening.

David plays games on his Kindle Fire while listening. I think there should be a quiz, to make sure he is listening.

Soon we will be able to watch the final Lord of the Rings movie with wild abandon, except that Sarah will have to be sent away. (Not that she minds — she doesn’t like Orcs or Nazgul very much.)

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A Typical Sunday

Two of my favorite guys working on an exciting project.

Two of my favorite guys working on an exciting project.

A Sunday with Our Family

Sunday School (Exodus ch 7) – whole family
Accountability Group – Kathy
Church Service – whole family
Errands – Kathy & 2 kids
Short Nap – Tim
Return of the King (read aloud) – Joshua & David
Delicious family dinner – whole family
A few remaining Christmas presents – Kathy & 2 kids
Ultimate Frisbee (in the rain) – David and Daniel
Long Nap – Marco and Misty (cats)
Dishes & Tidying – Kathy & 4 kids
School planning – Kathy
Visit with a friend who leaves tonight for Africa – Daniel
Homeschool prayer – Kathy
Shopping online – Kathy
Homework – Sarah, Daniel, David
Designing secret game – Tim & Joshua

Thinking deep thoughts.

Thinking deep thoughts.

Project 365 – Day 4
Kathy

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Choosing a Path

Over the past few days, I’ve been working on a PowerPoint presentation for my middle son, Daniel. Some people actually talk to their children, but I prefer PowerPoint.

OK, not really. But sometimes, it is better to put things down in writing, and some concepts are easier to explain with cartoon clip-art characters.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Daniel’s future. As he finishes his Senior year in High School, the opportunities multiply, and may seem overwhelming. On the flip side, some young adults can get locked into a single vision for the future, and I worry that Daniel may feel he has no other options.

When I was a young man, I wanted to get out on my own so badly, I grabbed at the first opportunity as my ticket to freedom, not really thinking about what would be required of me. As it turns out, when you accept a 4-year ROTC scholarship and use it to attend college, they want you to actually go to class from time to time.

Later, when I lost the scholarship and found my life in ruins, I regretted having put so little effort into choosing my path more carefully. It took several years and a considerable amount of pain to get my life back on the rails.

So I put together a 20-slide deck to cast a vision to Dan of his future. We went out to dinner at Red Robin and talked about it.

We forgot to take a picture at Red Robin, so we staged this picture back at home.

We forgot to take a picture at Red Robin, so we staged this picture back at home.

In many ways, a young man who graduates from high school is in a very enviable position. He usually has no bills, no commitments, no dependents, no obligations. He is probably more free to choose than he will ever be again.

It is exciting to think of what path Daniel will choose, and of what God will do in his life.

Project 365 – Day 3
Tim

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Christmas Good-byes

Hellos are some of my very favorite things – HELLO, Summer! HELLO, Spring Break! HELLO, Mamie! HELLO, Beloved College Kids!!

Sweet family picture at the airport curb.

Sweet family picture at the airport curb.

Good-byes, I guess, have their place as well. I don’t mind saying good-bye to winter or a long school year or extra pounds.

Driving to the airport, however, and dropping off beloved family members is NOT my favorite thing. Last week we said good-bye to Mamie (my mom) and she flew home to Michigan. Today we drove Rachel to the airport to return to TN for the January term at Union University. Sigh.

How many people does it take to drop off one college student?

How many people does it take to drop off one college student?

We loved having Rachel home with us this Christmas break. Such a sweet time of relaxing, celebrating, shopping, playing cards and games, baking Christmas cookies, watching movies, visiting friends, and so on. As always, we will long for her return in the spring and another HELLO.

Project 365 – Day 2
Kathy

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