A New Year: Journals and Planners

January is the new week

between Christmas and the new year.

(Emily P. Freeman)

Here we are at the end of January, one month into the new year already! Christmas was such a joyous time for us with all of our six grown kids home + most of those dear ones they have added to our family here with us, as well. We were 24 in all here in our home for Family Christmas on Dec. 27th! (Click here to see a photo of all of us around our big dining table for Christmas Dinner ... scroll down to the bottom of the post to see the photo.)

And since then, we have been cherishing the memories, at the same time that we have needed to enter into a New Year with all the responsibilities that life brings to us. I have also needed to totally embrace the quote above, giving myself room this whole month long, to pay attention to all the things that I love to do after Christmas and before the New Year! January has truly been my week between Christmas and the New Year.

At the beginning of a new year I love taking time to pause, to reflect on all the ways God has been with us in the previous year, and also to think through and pray through the thoughts and ideas on my heart and mind for the new year.

And so, in the midst of other responsibilities this month, I have been making space all through the month for my "beginning of a new year" process ... reminding myself not to hurry and rush with these steps, but to give my heart and mind space to take all the time that I need.

Are you a journal and planner person? Setting up my journals and planners at the beginning of the year has always been a process that brings me joy. Having a well-kept home, a home and life that is run with creativity, care, and organization are things I love. They are a reflection of the love and character of God, feeding my own soul, as I serve and love those around me. So I love to reflect back, and to look ahead to another year.

The place I start, and of most importance to me as I start out in a new year (and also each season and day of the year) are my (in)Courage Devotional Bible, and my "Devo Journal" (pictured above). (I also use other tools; my Chronological Study Bible plus various books and study guides.) These are what hold my heart and my mind together ... pausing during my days, reading God's Words to me, listening, and allowing His Truth to settle deep into my heart. I use my devo journal to write down what I learn, to often write down some verses word-for-word, so that His Words, each word, can sink in deeply to my heart. I love to make verse cards, as well, with my favorite verses, as seen in photo above. I also write down my responses in my journal as i read and learn, sharing my heart and my thoughts; writing out my thanks to God, and writing out my need of Him, asking for His help. 

Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by Your truth, and teach me,

for You are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in You.

(Psalm 25:4-5 NLT)

From this connection and relationship, made possible by God's love, grace, and mercy ... I also set up my planners for the new year. I've used so many different planners through the years, some purchased, and now for quite a few years, I have created my own. It does take some time to do so, but is a joy to personalize them for myself and the interests and passions He has given me.

I've used a blank notebook (purchased through Amazon) for several years in a row now. It's divided into six sections, each section with pastel colored pages. It is my Yearly Planner, set up for the entire year. I use the first section for monthly calendars, the next four sections for the four seasons of the year, and the last section for misc ideas. I have created different charts and pages to print out, and paste into the notebook.

Within each of the four seasonal sections, I create a pretty cover page, because beauty always lifts our hearts, and encourages us! The next pages under WINTER are set up to help me keep on track with the things of priority to me. These pages cover a variety of topics: ideas for my devotional time, life together with my dear hubby, our family, friends. Also keeping track of health/exercise, home care (including cleaning), "In the Kitchen", writing on my Pursuing Heart blog, digital scrapbooking, and more. 

Also, I have another notebook I use weekly and daily, implementing the ideas that are recorded in my Yearly Planner. These weekly and daily notebooks are set up seasonally, one notebook for each season of the year. This probably sounds rather tedious, but for me, it is life-giving. Writing things down helps me to think more clearly, helps me stay on focus, and encourages creativity for me. So it is a joy.

I have a two-page spread for each week within each season. On the first page, I've created a print-out with my main focuses/priorities, where I write specifics in through the week.

Across from the print-out of priorities, I have a weekly calendar page where I record events for the week.

Next are the daily pages. At the start of the day, you would most likely see multiple post-it notes covering the daily page, reminders of things that need my attention that day. I most often choose to write down what I actually did on a given day, in late afternoon or evening, instead of listing things directly on the page at the start my day. This helps me, task-driven person that I am, to hold tasks more loosely, and depend on God to lead me through each day. And at the end of the day I can celebrate what He has helped me get done by writing the things down. (Maybe this practice is partly due to my age, in my mid-70's, helping me remember more clearly what each day held!)

Well, this is just a brief glimpse into the journals and planners that I use. They are not an end in themselves, but they help keep me on the right path. Maybe one small part could be an encouragement to you, even if you are not one who needs to write things down. We are each uniquely made!

As we journey through our days this year, in the good and the hard times, we can continually find moments to pause, to slow our busy lives and notice the gifts from our loving Father. His greatest gift to us is His presence with us. From Christmastime continuing throughout the entire year: Immanuel: God with us. Our journals and planners can be a tool to help us focus on what is of most importance, instead of being a slave to busyness and confusion.