I Need a New Journal

I do. All of my old journals are full to the brim. The pages are covered in sermons, thoughts jotted down during Bible studies, prayers and even grocery lists and budgeting calculations. I. Love. Journals.

Whenever I'm at any bookstore, once I've meandered through the Best Sellers and the Christian fiction, I usually find myself right smack dab in the middle of the stationary section gazing at journals. I could stand there for hours inspecting each and every journal. And I have a method.

I'll spot one I love and pick it up. First, I rub my hands all over the cover, to feel it and get a feel for it. I'm envisioning myself opening this journal every single day, trying to decide if it's worthy enough to hold my innermost thoughts. Is it meant for me?

Then, I open it up and inspect the pages by thumbing through them real fast, which accomplishes two things; 1) I learn whether or not the pages are blank (I prefer blank to lined because than I can doodle or add pictures if I want to). 2) The swiftly flipping pages send that perfect journal smell wafting up my nose. Aaah, I love that smell.

I also prefer spiral bound journals to book bound ones and I love it even more if the pages are textured. Textured pages make my heart happy.

I had the perfect journal once. It was a gift from my dear friend Ashley on my 19th birthday. It was perfect. I would wake up every morning and see it there sitting on top of my Bible and it's almost as if it would beckon me to spend time with it. So much spiritual growth took place within it's pages. It was a very special journal.

I found that journal in a box of my old stuff while I was in Florida. I read it. Every single page and I fell in love with that journal all over again. It really is a special journal. It's one of my most treasured possessions.

It's a special journal because it was given to me by a special friend. A bosom buddy. A kindred spirit. And I wrote about her a lot in this journal, because she was a HUGE influence on me. Still is.

So anyway, I need a new journal. And it can't be just any old journal. It has to be THE journal. So pray for me, send me good thoughts, suggestions even. This is not a treasure hunt I take lightly.