Important Suggestion to my fellow Journalers

If these posts are too long for you to complete, I suggest that you print off the prompt that is of current interest to you and then tape it into your journal for future reference. The prompts are such that you can do it in one sitting or you can break each idea down and use them as separate prompts. There is no set rule on how to use these prompts. They can be used as lessons for your auxiliaries too. Hope you enjoy them and may they glorify the Lord in all the ways you use them. God bless your writing experiences.

Important Note:

Most of these prompts will come from my own thoughts, but there may some that I have found from other people and want to share with you. Some of the prompts may be repeats to some of you who are members of the same online groups I am in, but I will include them for the new journalers out there reading this blog. And sometimes prompts are so good they are worth repeating. You may use a prompt over and over again and reply to it differently each time. I will give credit to prompts I find when I know the person who submitted the prompt or gave it to me by other means. If I find a journaling site that has prompts I will include them too. Thank you for your understanding.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Using a thesaurus...

I have a very thick book I use often.  It is a dictionary and thesaurus in one.  It has 960 pages.  It has been a companion to my journaling experience for years.  I recommend everyone get a thesaurus.  There are pocketbook sizes.  Find one you can use easily and see how journaling will become a whole new experience.

Let me show you how this wonderful book filled with words can be a prompt.

I take one word and then look up the definition and then I write each of the synonyms found in the thesaurus.  And then I go from there and continue the process for each word.  This can be done in as many intervals as needed.   

You can just do the words as a prompt individually.  I let the words stand alone sometimes.  Or I allow the word to lead me in directions I am not even sure where that will be.  Or I take control of the word and use it in a dictated way that lends itself to deeper journaling.  Words are magic.  Words are special.  Words are powerful.  Sometimes we are limited by our own list of vocabulary.  That is where the thesaurus comes in handy.  It can be a powerful tool.  Allow it to aid in your writing.  It is definitely handy for writing poetry too.  And if you are in need of an adjective it is there in the book.  Also, if you find yourself using the same word over and over, the thesaurus will allow you to stop being so redundant in your using the same word over and over (could not resist). 

Now that we have talked about the many uses of a thesaurus, let me put my idea into action.

Today my word is awesome. 

Awesome:  adjective.  inspiring awe; informal use - marvelous, terrific
Awe: noun. a mixed feeling of fear, wonder, and dread.  transitive verb use - to fill with awe.
(For a later word study and definitions I will look up marvelous, terrific, fear, wonder, and dread)

Now let's concentrate on this word AWESOME.

I will take one page and write awesome on it.  I will use that page for the word to stand alone and have it suggests to me what to write.  I may write it in my regular handwriting.  Or I may draw little circles around it or curly q's around it.  I may just leave it all by itself and let the word be the only thing on the page.  The word will be the prompt.  I don't know how I will use it but the word itself is awesome, don't you think?

Then I will continue the exercise with the word.  I will use it in a sentence: I have an awesome set of friends.  I will use it in a sentence to describe the Lord:  Our God is an awesome God.  I will use it in relation to someone or something:  My granddaughter's favorite word to use in a sentence is "awesome".   I will use it to describe how I feel about something or someone:  The way the Lord shows Himself to be real is awesome.  I will use it for impact in my writing:  The Lord knew that I was feeling discouraged.  He showed me that He was real and that He was listening to my cries.  He used the internet to answer prayer.  The power of the Lord is so awesome.  I do not have enough words to describe how awesome the Lord is. 

I also like to take the word and do an anagram of it sometimes. 
A ll of my friends
W ill know that I am
E xcited about
S omething in my post
O ver the next few weeks.
M ay you
E xpect to be surprised.

Or I will use the letters to describe a person or myself:

Marshel is:

A - absentminded at times.
W- willing to be a friend
E - easy going
S - sincere
O - observant
M - mother to three; grandmother to four
E - earnest

You can use the questions "who, what, where, when, why, and how" to use with your word you have chosen. 

Who is awesome?
What is awesome?
Where is something awesome?
When did something happen to you that was awesome?
How can the word awesome relate to your life?

And that is some of the ways I use one word to prompt me to write in my journal. 

Do you not know what word to use?  It could be a word that stands out to you in a magazine.  It could be a word that you don't know the meaning of and need to look it up in the dictionary.  Or the word may be one that is used throughout the day and you just need to write about it.  You could just use words that sound neat, pretty, funny, or powerful.  I have even opened the dictionary, let the pages fall open to where it wants, and then close my eyes and point to a word.  (That was how the singing group "Commodores" got their name.  The person finger fell on that word, it could have fell on the word commode).  Let the word come to you however it may.  The way I chose "awesome" was not because I did not already use it.  It is a word that is overused I think.  I chose it today because during the night when I could not fall back to sleep I kept thinking of how awesome the Lord was and knew that I needed to write that word today.  Also it was important to share with you also a way to use words and to relate it to the glory of the Lord. 

May you be prompted to use a thesaurus in your writing if you don't already. 

Happy writing.  I am curious to learn of the words you will be using.  Share them with me and I bet I will be prompted by your word too.