I'm a real slacker when it comes to journaling... I may write an entry about once or twice every month. Well, if I am really "into" it I will write more, obviously. However, blogging is really more my way of keeping a journal. Although I don't really get into the side of "my life" on here, I do post some from time to time. I hardly ever write devotional thoughts in my journal because I think I post most of them here. But I think keeping an actual journal is a good idea. So I have some questions to those of you who DO keep a journal on a regular basis:

Why do you keep a journal in the first place? So that in a few years you can look back over it and laugh? So that you will have your family's history recorded? Do you just write in your journal to "blow off some steam"? Or do you just like to write -- and journaling is what you like best?

What do you write about, mainly? Your thoughts? Every-day happenings? Quick little updates on what's going on in your life at the moment -- but you write as much as possible in abbreviations? I do that sometimes when I'm in a hurry. :o)

How often do you write? Do you make yourself write even if you don't feel like it? I'm thinking about just writing something every week (even if it is rather short) partly so that when I go back and read it in a few years I won't be thinking, "Well, what on earth happened between here and here?" Besides that it is kind of fun. :o) I think it would be good a good discipline to have -- to make sure I write in it every so often. About three years ago I started to write a book about myself. I wrote all of... a page! :o) I have been giving it some thought to doing that again, but I would just start over and kind of write it as life goes by. Or maybe I should start a journal on the computer. It is much faster for me to type than write (that is one reason why I don’t like keeping a journal as much -- it takes so long for me to get what’s in my head onto the page. I can keep up better with a keyboard)!

Also, my mom read somewhere about another good idea for a journal. This is called a "Pass-it-Back Journal", and it can be between a mom and daughter, two sisters, or with whomever you choose to do it. The idea is that you write something (like a letter) to the other person, and then you put the journal on his or her bed. The other person reads it and then writes back and puts the journal on your bed. Mom and I use this "system", although we haven't done it in a while. It is great if I have something I want to talk to her about but we can't seem to find time. I can write to her about it when it's convenient for me, and she can write back when it's convenient for her. It's not quite as good as talking, but it's a good system. And the good thing about it is that it's all stored in a single notebook or journal, so you can go back and read it over again! I like it. The only problem is that whenever I write to her I am very impatient to have her write back right away. But then I'm like that with almost everyone I write to! :o)

Anyway, I would really like to hear from you if you have ANY kind of a journal. No matter how often you write (or don’t write) in it. :o) Thanks!