I love to give sentimental Christmas gifts because I’m at a point in my life where if something doesn’t have meaning to me, I really don’t want it.
Today, I’ll be sharing a small gift I’m giving my kids this year that is packed full of meaning.
This is a Part 2 post. You can read Sentimental Christmas Gifts Part 1 HERE.
Several years ago, I looked for a journal where I could write a “twitter post” each day. I wanted each page to have space for five years of posts. Each day I could write a small, concise blurb of what I did that day. In future years I’d easily be able to see what I did on any particular day.
The problem was I could never find a blank journal big enough for 365 days.
Sentimental Christmas Gift
A couple of weeks ago, In IG ad popped up selling a 5-year journal. I was intrigued! I was disappointed when I went out to the site because it was expensive and huge. It also had writing prompts for each day- not at all what I was looking for.
I searched 5-year journals on Amazon, and there they were- cute little journals like the diary I had when I was a little girl. Perfect! Why hadn’t I thought to search that before?
On this particular Sunday, I was also thinking about how I have received a renewed sense of HOPE in my life. Renewed HOPE is something that I’ve been praying for.
I don’t’ think I’m alone in having a sense of dread about the future for the first time in my life. The political and cultural attitudes of our world right now have had me looking to the future with despair.
I have a little granddaughter on the way! She will be born in January! I can’t have a fear about the future!
I’ve been praying for a renewed HOPE for most of this year. There is so much in the future about which to be hopeful! Besides a baby on the way, my kids and kids-in-law are doing well. Their jobs, families, and outlooks are pointing them into a bright future. Dr. T is planning on retiring in a few years. Our future is full of plans to move back to Texas, redo our home there, and have a lot of animals like donkeys, goats, and maybe even a longhorn to enjoy!
I had allowed my obsession with the news and current events to jade my view of the future. I changed my morning routine to writing instead of watching or reading the news. I now get my news in small segments from only trusted sources. This one change has helped tremendously.
So on this particular Sunday morning all these thoughts collided. A sense of renewed HOPE, finding a 5-year journal, thinking about my kids and all that God is going to do in our family over the next five years were all swirling in my mind.
I decided we all need to document these next five years because all of our lives are going to change dramatically!
I bought six journals! My plan is that we will open them at the same time. I’ll tell of my Sunday morning inspiration and how I hope that this journal is a practical way for them to keep track of their everyday lives plus important events. But, more importantly, I hope each journal is a vessel to hold all the wonderful things that God is going to do in our lives over the next five year.
I’ve told my kids since we lost their dad that we have to look for the blessings because even in the tragic times, they are there. I’m ready to document the blessings in the best of times that the future holds for our little family!
I hope you are looking expectantly for the blessings of the future. If you wish to document the next 5 years, you can find these journals HERE.
Past Now Choose Life Post
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