May 2, 2007

"Looking Back on the Memories of the Dance We Shared Beneath the Stars Above." Thank you Garth Brooks.

I've been looking back through my old journals lately. It's been really good. The one I recently finished was my writings from my first summer in Ukraine, back in 2005 (pre-trip, trip, post-trip). Man, that was a ride. So many ups and downs. I had a rough summer, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! I found out so much that summer...about everything: God, my personality, friends, my priorities, my future, passion.


It's so fun and eye-opening to read through my thoughts as I go through such stretching, hard, and joyous times in my life. I cringe at entries about stupid boys, and I do mean boys, that I brooded over for far too long. I get excited when I read about momentous happenings, like applying for JV, getting accepted, my sisters wedding, etc. I love the little comments I made, at the top or on the sides of the pages, that are random thoughts often with meaning only pertaining to that moment--which means they make no sense now what-so-ever; except for those precious few that I can decode it and remember exactly what I meant, and I smile. BUT, I think the best thing is that I am transported back there, back to whatever moment I was in and can feel it. I can feel the emotions I felt then, I see what I saw then, I can hear what I heard then. It's so interesting to see my growth or lack there of in certain areas. I'm convicted at times, yet uplifted at others.


It's a beautiful thing, a journal. I recommend investing in one.










(pictures from a youth retreat I went to last weekend at Castle Bluff)

6 comments:

lp said...

i love it bud. thanks for sharing. i remember that 2005 summer well too. painful? pssh... :P

i haven't written in my journal in far too long. i think b/c it's too painful...you have encouraged me to start up again. i don't want to let this sweet hurt pass me by... it's so good to reflect and recall all the things God has done in our life and give him praise for that. so...yah. amen to you.

mike gorski said...

It's so fun and eye-opening to...stretch...hard.... I cringe..., and I do mean...brood...for far too long. I get excited...about momentous happenings, like..pl[a]ying... JV,...etc. I love the little comments I ma[k]e...which means they make no sense...what-so-ever; except for those precious few.... BUT, I think the best thing is transport.... I...feel..., I see..., I...hear.... It's so interesting.... I'm [a] convict...at times....

Well said.

Unknown said...

i totaly agree. writing a journal is something you'll never regret. I started one when i was 13 and it's great to read about the way God was changing me, drawig closer to HIm.

Unknown said...

one more thing, you look great at the picture with a journal:)

BritBoat said...

Thanks Val!

Anonymous said...

Well said.