The Family that Journals Together

Favorite Photos Friday and Double Quotes

Quote of the Day: If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable - each segment distinct. ~Letty Cottin Pogrebin

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Joy's journal, French twist binding and fragments of a songbook.

Our family is trying something new for Christmas gifts this year. For those who want to participate, we're buying or making a journal that reflects us, then we'll be passing that same journal from person to person.  We'll have the books in our possession for about 10 days where we can write in them, include photos, quotes, clippings, or drawings - anything that reflects that particular time.  It can be for and about the owner of the journal or about the person writing in it.  The last person in the rotation will wrap up the journal and give it to the owner at Christmas.

Joy made her journal at my house by cutting up an old songbook and using some of its pages as well as blank journal pages. I taught her the French twist binding.  She left it here in Minnesota and won't see it again until it arrives at her home in Portland, OR at the end of December, filled with the imprint of her family.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What are your family's gift giving traditions?

Book Binding

Quote of the Day: If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once a week; for perhaps the parts of my brain now atrophied would have thus been kept active through use.  The loss of these tastes is a loss of happiness, and may possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more probably to the moral character, by enfeebling the emotional part of our nature. - Charles Darwin (the beginning quote in my favorite poetry book The Music Lover's Petry Anthology)

(I would say do those things at least once a day. Creativity, art, music, nature, poetry, all the arts stimulate our minds.) 

A few of you guessed it. We made journal books.  The little one is an accordian fold book.  The larger one is made with nicely textured Japanese paper and an accordian spine.  We put three sections of paper in it.  The purple one is a multi-sectioned French twist binding.

Georgia has also taught me a modified Japanese book binding which I've used when teaching journal making, and writing.  I'd love to do more of this, both making the books and teaching.

I get all excited about the different kinds of paper you can find at art stores.  I love the textures and the things that are embedded in the fibers.  It stimulates my creativity.

My sister Joy and cousin Angie are visiting for a couple days.  We're off to the coffee shop where I do my writing for a cup of inspiration.

Journaling Prompt:  What stimulates your creativity?  Are you a teaching artist, or an artist who teaches, or would you rather not teach?  I think my first calling is teacher.

The Heart is Willing but the Resistence is Great

Quote of the Day:  Writing is harder than anything else; at least starting to write is.  It's much easier to was dishes.  When I'm writing I set myself a daily quota of pages, but nine times out of ten I'm doing those pages at four o'clock in the afternoon because I've done everything else first...But once I get flowing with it, I wonder what took me so long.  - Kristin Hunter, American writer

I chose this picture for the summer feeling (it's below 0 here today), and because I brought a few of these handmade journals to my mom's group on Monday.

Peace!

Last week, I wrote about Bucket Lists.  My new adult piano student and I both received wonderful comments and encouragement from that post.  One of her friends wrote, "I want to be a Kindergartner in something.  I just don't know what."  We make our lists.  We have our dreams.  We might even know exactly what we love to do and where we'd like to go with it.  And, yet, there is resistence.

On Monday, my Faithful Moms group wanted to talk and write about Bucket Lists, New Year's Resolutions, Word for the Year, and Dreams.  We met at 8:30 am.  First, we chatted a bit, catching up on the week.  Then, we watched a Youtube video of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  He really was a powerful speaker.  One mom said, "He really knew how to work a metaphor."  I wondered if he wrote his own speeches.  Then, we talked about Civil Rights, looked up info on Dr. King, talked about our kids, what we would do "once they're out of the house."  And, on and on.  It was almost 10:00, the time we usually wrap it up, and I said, "Okay, time to turn off the computer.  Shut it down.  Stop talking and write."  I had to use my teacher/mom voice with these women.  The resistence in the room was thick like goo. (Those were the first words I wrote in my journal.)

Don't we all do that?  We want to do our art, or learn a new craft, or save money for a trip...anything.  But, we fuss around "doing dishes" instead of the task that's calling us.  And, like Kristin Hunter, in the above quote, I do the same thing.  I clean, start laundry, putter around, check my email, look at facebook, play the piano for a bit, even take a walk, THEN I'm ready to sit down and write.  Of course, by then the kids are home from school and the first piano student is at the door.

I challenge you to ignore the dishes, turn off the internet, and dig into your craft/goals today.  You can do it.  It's a bit like exercise, I know.  At first you avoid it, but when you're done, you feel so good about yourself.

Go. Create. Inspire!  (and, stop resisting!!!)

Journaling Prompt:  What would you rather be doing right now?

Slip Slidin' Away

Quote of the Day: from the song River

It's coming on Christmas

They're cutting down trees

They're putting up reindeer

And singing songs of joy and peace

Oh I wish I had a river

I could skate away on

This is what it looks like in Minnesota already.  November is a transition month.  The temps aren't cold enough for just snow, so we get freezing rain.  I left for a weekend women's retreat at Mount Carmel, near Alexandria, MN, when the roads were dry and the sunset so beautiful that it was distracting. I slipped home on icy roads and sang in my head, "I wish I didn't have a river of ice to drive home on." 

The theme of the weekend was Advent and Mary, a time of waiting and anticipation.  It's what I needed to get me in the holiday spirit.  I listened to Christmas music there and back.  I like Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong.  She has a recording of River that is filled with longing.

Once again, I had the opportunity to lead the women in making journals and writing.  We used poetry and the art of Mary for inspiration.  A few women created their own art and poetry.

(Nancy is a preschool teacher.  She's flashing me her "preschool" grin!)

Here's the beginning of my own journal entry while at the retreat.  I titled it Longing: 

My creative spirit longs to soar.

It won't allow its voice to be silenced.

Stories play out in my mind.

Characters have conversations with me.

Even as I push the ideas away,

they reappear during long drives, awakenings in the night,

or while stiring spaghetti sauce.

Once, while I was practicing a difficult piece of music, I hit a high G flat, and the idea for a story hit me so strongly, that I stopped playing and began writing.

Creative Spirit, thank you for filling me up and empowering me to spill out all those words and rhythms,

Into the Beautiful...

Click here for my post on Emily Dickenson's poem As Imperceptibly as Grief and the change of seasons, in nature and in life.  It's one of the poems that I shared at the retreat.  The final line to that poem is "Into the Beautiful." That's where we're heading as the seasons change from fall to winter, into the Holidays, Advent and our time of waiting, getting ready to receive all the gifts and promises of Jesus' birth, and hope for our inspiration to grow.

We're watching and waiting.

Journaling Prompt:  What are your traditions as you prepare for winter, the holidays, the next season of life?

Women's Retreat

Quote of the Day:  Come to the fount of creation, where the water of life is flowing free. lyrics from the song by John Ylvisaker

Sunset after a storm at Mount Carmel

At a Weekend for Women, Sept. 17-19, I will be leading journal writing at Mount Carmel Camp near Alexandria, MN.  You can visit their website by clicking on the name, or contact me, if you wish, and I'll connect you.  mary(dot)aalgaard(at)yahoo com.

What happens at a women's retreat?  Besides great food, fun, and fellowship, you have time to tap into your creativity, or just Be.  I have some things to share about journaling, a few prompts, and we'll have time to write and create.  My friend, JeMA, will teach art, using nature and texture, and re-awakening our creative spirits.

You also have the option for massage, spiritual direction, walks, time to enjoy the lake, meet new people, or even take a nap.

Last year, I attended two of these retreats, lead some journaling, and enjoyed the beautiful women who were there.  Mothers & daughters, sisters, cousins, aunts, friends, and singles arrived to find rest and nurturing by the still waters.

Last year, I sat next to this lovely woman and her sister for dinner on Fri. night.  Turns out, she raised four children, taught piano lessons, and was a church musician.  What a great connection!  I enjoyed helping with the journaling and teaching the women how to make their own journals.  I had a cabin to myself along the water's edge.  The weather was lovely for September.  I fell asleep to the lapping of the water along the shore and felt peace.

Come away with me, if you can, or find a retreat for yourself wherever you live.  Women need to nurture their creativity and tend to their own needs.  Give yourself a little time-off.

Journaling Prompt: Write about a retreat experience that you've taken, or one that you dream of taking.

Journaling Mentor

Quote of the Day:  My journaling mentor, Katrine Trobisch Stewart, wrote the following inscriptions to me:

For Mary, It is delightful to get to know your authentic God-given voice.  In His love, Katrine (Words inside her book A Book of Life - Spiritual Journaling in the Twenty-First Century)

For Mary, May you continue to find joy in the most unexpected places of your journey. Lovingly, Katrine (Words she inscribed in her mother's book, Hidden Strength by Ingrid Trobisch, which she gifted to me at Mount Carmel this summer)

I first met Katrine the summer of 2004 at Mount Carmel where she was the morning speaker and afternoon journaling guide.

 I have been writing in journals since I was very young, so I was excited to learn from Katrine about deeper and more meaningful ways to write in a journal.  In a group setting, we talked about journals, how to use them more deeply to understand ourselves and our relationships, and to share them with others.  I learned so much from her that week and wanted to create that group experience with other people.

Slowly, I've stretched myself out into the world and encouraged others to write in journals.  I've led a few journaling sessions during retreats.  I learned how to make journals and teach others how to make them to encourage their creativity.

This past weekend, I presented to a group of women at a local church on keeping a prayer journal.  I told them that I think of a prayer journal like writing letters to God. 

Dear God, I write, Thank you for my many gifts and talents and for the courage to share them with others.  Let me be your ink and your song as I lead others.

I shared a few examples like that one with the women, focusing on cares, concerns, and celebrations. 

I read them some poetry:

As Imperceptibly as Grief by Emily Dickenson

Susanna by Anne Porter

Music by Anne Porter

Here's a great line from Susanna:

There's not a single inch

Of our whole body

That the Lord does not love

Then, I played and sang a couple songs for the women and gave them some time to listen, think, write, and just be.

Thank you, Katrine, for being at Mount Carmel that year, and again this year, and for taking the time to mentor me in the art of journaling and leading others on the journaling journey.

Journaling Prompt:  Write about a mentor in your life, or about your experiences journaling.

Creative Space

Quote of the Day:  If I don't create something soon, I'm going to explode! - Mary Aalgaard, after computer catastrophes, time away, and a house full of distractions, I mean boys!

So, I invited myself over to my friends' house and made fruit pizza.  Yes, it really IS as good as it looks.  Cookie bottom, cream cheese "sauce" and your favorite fruit.  I'm licking my fingers - and the pan when every morsel has been scraped away.

I'm still working my way through The Artist's Way, and one of our tasks was to make a list of 20 things you like to do.  Making fruit pizza was #12.

1. write

2. play piano

3. eat pizza (only because I was at a pizza place at the time and dreaming of #12)

4. take pictures

5. attend live concerts (listen to music)

6. travel

7. nap

8. go out for coffee

9. walk

10. Group Power (weight lifting class at the Y)

11. bike

12. make fruit pizza (And eat it and share it)

13. ride horse

14. make things, like journals (see pic below)

15. knit

16. teach

17. do Kids' theatre

18. act

19. sing

20. laugh

I'm presenting at a women's retreat day at a local church on Saturday on keeping a prayer journal.  Here's a photo of what I'm making.

 Isn't that paper just yummy?  I also love going to the downtown Art & Frame store to shop for paper.

If my computers had been in operation, I would have written a tribute to my journaling mentor earlier this week.  Here she is at Mount Carmel gazing out at the lake, soaking in all the goodness of our week together.  I'll tell you more about her later.

I've also been to scout camp, back home for a visit with family and extended family, and to the grocery store about 47 times since the beginning of June.

Oh, and while I was away, I tweaked my blog.  See the flag counter?  I was excited to see that someone from South Africa stopped by.  Hello!  I love being part of the global community.

Journaling Prompt:  List your top 20 things you like to do.  Then, pick one and go do it!!