HOW I JOURNAL WITH HAPPY PLANNER

HOW I JOURNAL WITH HAPPY PLANNER

Journaling is a way of keeping the Lord’s Words to us. It gives us a tool to keep His Words in memory, brings us reminders when we need them, encourages, inspires and increases faith.

Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

KEEP

Strong’s Greek Dictionary
2722. κατέχω katecho (katéchō)
Search for G2722 in KJVSL; in KJV; load in ESI.

κατέχω katéchō, kat-ekh’-o

from G2596 and G2192; to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively):—have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, × make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.

verb

There are many ways to journal. For over 37 years I have recorded what I hear and see onto the computer. I have a large data base that is easy and fast to search via SwordSearcher Modules. SwordSearcher is software on my PC. I use it every day for my Bible, studies, and rhema.

However inspite of this, I am also journaling by hand. I have done this since Sept 2019 and really enjoyed the process. Journaling by hand has slowed me down to take time and enjoy the process.  I go much deeper on my computer, but the pages in my hand journal are like memorials of where I have walked.

The actual journal is the format adopted from the Happy Planners. I use the disc bound system where I buy the plastic discs and I have the Memory keepers hole puncher so the pages can be take in and out and rearranged. And I laminate my own covers and dividers from pretty scrapbook paper. The papers are various HP insert paper, along with my own colored and lined paper. I have bought some pdf templates at Esty for various calendars and planner ideas, like the SOAP Bible study. And I have created some of my own templates to print out.

Here is an example of a SOAP Bible study.  (Scripture * Observation * Application * Prayer)  It is the Greek for the words Save, Lose and Cross.

All the page papers are different colors and sizes, with colored pens/ pencils, washi tape, greeting card graphics, post cards, doodles, watercoloring, and anything with color. I use different boxes and indents, bullets, lines, etc to format misc ways. The variety in color, size, format makes each page unique and doesn’t get boring that way. I dont have good handwriting, but I do it anyway because I believe the process is helpful. Sometimes I decorate a page before hand, sometimes as I go. I have found that doing my morning devotions in my chair this way slows me down to take time and eventually it stills me.  Here’s an example of a page I did by cutting up an old greeting card.  The top strip is from the envelope.  I used the Memory keepers punch for the cut outs.

Besides recording part of my devotional time with the Lord in my hand journal, I also have a section for calendars with tasks accomplished, and things I want to track regarding bettering my health. One of the reasons I started adding habits, calendars and tracking things is because I kept hearing the Lord tell me to live a balanced life so that I dont burn out. For decades I labored most of my days and nights on rhema – feeling tied to my computer screen. Journaling by hand and tracking things is important for me to do all I can to add variety in my life in ways that keep me going.  It motivates me to do something different every day outside of my normal routine.

I began writing lists of all the things I can do in Body, Mind, Spirit, Soul. Lists that I enjoy to grow and change.  From those lists, I began choosing ideas and putting them in my calendar tasks to keep me going in the right direction. It is a lot of fun.  Here is an example of part of my month in June.

Here is my list of ideas I do in my Jesus Time:

Spiritual health:

• Prayer
• Thanksgiving and worship
• Listen
• Record
• Type
• Study, search
• Bible study
• Ponder, apply
• Highlight the main points, bullets
• Share what is quickened

Here is my list of ideas for my Physical health:

• Count carbs
• NO sugar
• NO aspertame (sodas/ jellos)
• Morning snack – nuts
• Low carb afternoon snack
• Eat vegie tray at night if hungry
• Take occasional blood sugar
• Move, walk
• Get up out of chair and move every hour!
• Take occasional blood pressure
• Take vitamins, herbs, meds
• Drink plenty of fluids
• No caffeine
• Lights out at 10 PM
• Get atleast 7 hours sleep

Here is a list of ideas for my Soul Health.  These are based on what I LOVE to do and am able to do, with limited ability to get out and about.

• Make lists and check off
• Create
• Make simple goals
• Purge the house of stuff
• Re-Organize what you have
• Simplify life
• Connect with people
• Find new recipe
• Practice new skill
• Deep clean house
• Enjoy nature
• Enjoy color
• Play memory and mind games
• Play design games
• Worship music in the car
• Search for new hobbies
• Watercolor
• Hand lettering/ Font practice
• Scrapbooking for grandkids

Here is a page with one of my watercolors on it.

 

Here is a page with scrapbook paper.