Journals

  • Thread starter Thread starter WanderAimlessly
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WanderAimlessly

Guest
During the Thanksgiving weekend, I met with the Vocation Director of my hometown diocese to discuss a possible vocation. Although he said I am further along than I thought I was, we both agreed I still had some more discerning to do before making the final decision.

One thing he suggested (other than getting a Spiritual Director) was to keep a journal. Some of the items he suggested that I put in there are thoughts on the daily Mass readings, comments on other reading I do, comments on things that happen during the day, and thoughts on what I need or would like to do to further my spiritual development.

Due to other things that were going on in my life, I was not able to start the journal until a few weeks ago. When I started on it, I just concentrated on the daily Mass readings and usually it was only about a half of a page.

In the past couple of days, I seem to be writing more (about 1 page) and I am starting to expand what I am writing about. Mostly, it has been about the upcoming Lenten season and trying to decide what I am going to do for Lent.

I am wondering if anyone else is keeping this type of journal, what do you put in it, and how has it helped you.

Thanks in advance:

PF
 
Once my spiritual director asked me to write down my meditations for a month and come and show him. He could read them and gain very valuable insights into my prayer and my spiritual life. he said to just write it down and don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense. Don’t try to make it a book or anything. Just write it as you would normally pray. http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon14.gif

I have at times kept a pocket diary where I record any sins in code and use it to make my weekly confession too.
 
I started doing this recently too. I record what strikes me in a reading, be it while studying the Bible or reading other books.

Like when reading Teresa of Avila’s autobiography, which has much valuable information about prayer life, and talking to God and how we treat other people, but what struck me the most about her life was her instance that she did not want to return to her father’s house at one point, but when she was there she had time to think about things and realized it was why God sent her there. And I was usrprised that she said she did not think she woudl be a nun. She liked being around nuns but originally it didn’t seem the path for her (unlike so many saints, particularly mystics, who say they were called to the religious life well before most people reach the age of reason).

I underline in my books ideas that seem key to me for my curent place in life, or wisdom that I think I can definitely use (I am a geek;I also cross reference them somewhat in the back) but I don’t necessarily write all information that I think is important in my journal. Just quotes that make me go hmmmm.

I try to read the Bible every day and two days ago, this one statement keep jumping out at me, when I was reading several random psalms. So I wrote that down.

Or if I see a prayer tha moves me, then I might write that down in the journal. I have lots of favorite standards that I do not keep in the journal, but when something really grabs my attention, I write it down to see why.

I have been reading lots of works by saints lately, and I think I wrote somewhere else on the forum, that several times I noticed that the day I finished the book, it was the saint’s feast day. And I did not plan that when I read it. I was just reading something that I felt I needed the information/guidance from. Sometimes I wrote those coincidences in the journal too.

I believe that God is always talking to us, but we are not always able to hear. That he works primarily through people and “coincidences” of events. The journal helps me discern his voice in my daily life.
 
I have two journals, one for lectio divina which contains only scripture passages that strike me, that I want to remember, I write something almost every day. It is a record of my time with the sacred Word. the second is my journal of thoughts, prayers, digressions, meditations, lots of pictures (no, I have no art ability whatever, but its not the point), letters to God, Mary, saints, and some mundane stuff. Fill about one book a year, even tho I may go weeks without an entry. extremely illuminating to go back over past journals of certain periods of my life to see what was happening (or not) and why. This is the journal I show my spiritual director on my annual retreat. he sometimes gives journalling assignments during the year by letter.
 
I try to attend Mass everyday, but I still read the daily (and any alternate readings) from the Dailly and Sunday Missals I have. This is what I use for the basic of my Scripture reading.

I have also been looking up and copying different prayers from a copy of the New St Joseph People’s Prayer Book I have based on readings or things that have happened during the day (The book has a very good index in it). Could not find one for stress or patience in it.

PF
 
My Spiritual Director mentioned keeping a journal, but I wasn’t sure what to write. Seeing all of these ideas, on what other’s write in their journals, has made me decide to start a journal too.
Great thread idea, Wanderaimlessly! 🙂

:blessyou:
Annie
 
40.png
AnnieD:
My Spiritual Director mentioned keeping a journal, but I wasn’t sure what to write. Seeing all of these ideas, on what other’s write in their journals, has made me decide to start a journal too.
Great thread idea, Wanderaimlessly! 🙂

:blessyou:
Annie
Click to expand...
Annie:

Your are welcome.

I was not too sure myself on what to write in the beginning, but it getting easier. I started out writing about a half a page a day and I am now at about a page a day in my journal. I expect it may increase as I expand on what I write in there.

I am also finding it is helping my prayer life due to looking up and writing down prayers for things that have happened during the day or relate to the daily Mass readings.

PF
 
It has been almost two months now since I have started my journal and I decided to go back to see what I have written and how it has progressed.

The daily entries have been getting longer and I have been expanding on my reflections in the daily readings. In addition, have been either copying prayers or writing my own. A good example of this my journal entry for March 3 which I also posted here in the thread: Forgiveness.

However, one disturbing thing I have discovered in the past week or so is that in my relections on the daily readings, I have been lamenting on the evil in the world instead of the good that is out there or how I can improve myself.

I noted it in my journal and made a resolution to be more positive in my journaling.

PF
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top