Enthusiastically, Dawn

Tonight as I wrote in my journal, I found myself reflecting on the day. And I began to think about how different everything is at the end of the day when compared with the start.

Tonight is the Full Hunter’s Moon, a bright white glowing orb it appeared to be, as I walked with my hubby by the sea wall. Last night the colors of the sky were pastel for moonrise as the sun sank. The moonlight was a creamy yellow vanilla. We walked earlier than we did tonight and the horizon was layered in lavender, blue and palest pink. But tonight the glowing moon is starkest white. A Supermoon for this month, from what I understand, is what makes it appear so ghostly and divine.

So why all the talk about moonlight and what does this have to do with journaling? Well, nothing. I just wanted to share what I saw tonight before I forget. A picture but with words. But not a thousand. Also, I did add a picture!

I don’t look to the moon or the stars for direction, but they do inspire me. They do cause me to pause and appreciate the beauty that God has breathed into this world, created by His very hand.

The beauty of the moon invites quietness, silence, stillness. I think that is why I enjoy writing, journaling at the fringe of day mostly. But there are times when I do write at night. It’s different from daytime writing. Though depending on the time of year, it may vary on the amount of natural light is available. In the morning I usually enjoy the hours before sunrise for the quietness best.

Journaling looks different at different times of the day for me. In the morning I write with an anticipation for what will be. I anticipate with prayers, making my request known to God on my pages. I listen, and write what I believe He impresses on my heart in my Bible reading and quiet reflection on His word. It’s an interesting observation that I am sharing, as in the morning, I sense my course for the day being clearly established in the peace of dawn. Before the world wakes up and comes knocking with distractions and busyness, I can hear better. I can hear the quietness and it’s gentle but precious inspiration. Oh, I strive to keep it, because the world is noisy, and it’s not long before the subtle, ambient noises begin their slow parade, growing louder in the background, eventually extinguishing the joy that is only heard in the beautiful silence.

In the evening I have noticed my writing is more somber, less hopeful. I have walked through the day and discovered once more my feet of clay, and I am reminded I have not been all I hoped or thought I was or could be in it. I reflect, and am drawn to grace as one thirsty looking for cold water. Evening reflections on the day, are like moonlight illuminating the dark places of my failures, my less than Jesusness. My longing for light. I scribble my reflections, and though grateful, recognize my need for the new morning mercies that will only come by acknowledging my waywardness – sin. My short temper, angry outburst, impatience, unkindness, ever resilient pride…the list could go on, but you get the picture. I look back on the events and like the Supermoon shining, I feel my Lord, illuminate these tiny and painfully numerous infractions. My evening journal catches my confessions and I feel the hope that comes- will come with the new day. It’s a beautiful thing to allow the Lord to illumine my path. I came to the fresh new page tonight, a fortune from a cookie fortuitously glued in years ago, to be found at the right time. An upset is an opportunity to see the truth. Praise the God, who allows upsets to be opportunities to see truth! How he uses a silly piece of paper to affirm His truth is both amusing, and absolutely delightful. So many upsets today. So many upsets this week. As I journal my heart cries onto the page, I discover Him…even smiling up at me from the words of a fortune cookie!

The truth I know is in Jesus. And at the end of my day I am needy, but, funny thing, at the start of my day, I am needy! Sometimes the needs look different at the start of the day and at the end of it. But needy I am, and so I come to Him…in prayer, and in my journal as I reflect at the end of the day or seek him at the start.

Evening journaling helps me rest well. I don’t do it all the time…but tonight I did, and felt compelled to write about it! Is there a time when you journal most consistently? Over the course of my life I have found it to change. How about you? Let me know in the comments if you have a preferred journaling time, or if you wing it. I also don’t write in my journal every single day. But if I go for more than a few days I do feel a sense of disconnect. I will write more about that in the upcoming post – as I think I had a question about that during our recent writing adventure. Speaking of…

What a great 21 Days we have had with our Fall Into Journaling. Stay tuned for my concluding post this Sunday. I know this is a bit all over the place, but I just had the nudge to share with you all. And yes, that is my Fortune Cookie Journal! A little book I filled with random fortune cookie innards.

Let’s take it to the pen and prayer: An upset is an opportunity to see truth. Do you need to taste the cool drink of grace after a hot-tempered day? Or maybe the Supermoon of Christ’s heart shining His soothing light into the doubts and dark places in your soul? Do you need seek His face tonight to rest well and awaken to new morning mercies in the morning?

See where that takes you, my friends. May your pen lead you straight into the His everlasting arms! Amen.

Happy Evening Journaling!

Enthusiastically, Dawn