Memories Preserved

"Preserve your memories - seal them up well.
What you forget, you can never retell.
But a journal that's kept fresh on the shelf
Will help someone through rough times -
Maybe even yourself!"

I am terrible about keeping a traditional Journal/Diary so I have always tried to find ways to help myself, because I know my kids would love to read what my life was like at different times, as I would love to be able to read about my parent’s life. So I thought since this blogging thing seems fun for now I would try to write in it some of the stories of my life that I would like to share with my children. I can't take credit for the Ideas that I come up with; I have stolen them from others.

Several years ago I gave my Father a journal and a jar that was full of slips of paper, it was called a Journal Jar. The Idea was that you would take a piece of paper out of the jar and write about what was listed on the paper. Hoping that questions or statements would jog your memory of the past and help you write. Here are some of the ideas that I put in my Father's Jar, you can use these if you like.

Describe a favorite vacation of your married years. *Tell about home cures or old wives tales: hiccups, toothaches, earaches, or arthritis. *What is your greatest joy? Your greatest sorrow? *Describe the most serious illness or accident that you have had. *Describe your yard as a child. Did you help with the yard work? *Tell about your teen-age social life - your friends, dances, dating, outings, church functions etc.*What would you like to be remembered for? *How did your father spend his time supporting his family? *What were your favorite places to go with your family when you were young? *What were your fears, expectations, and anticipations about getting married? *Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your fiancée. *What is your mother's best trait? Worst? The traits you share?*What is your father's best trait? Worst? The traits you share? *Tell a courtship story about your parents - how they met etc...*Tell about your grandchildren - how many- how did you feel about being a grandparent? *Have you met or worked with famous people? Who? Where?*What is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you? The worst?

That should give you some Ideas and if you need more just Google "Journal Jars" or email me and I can send you more ideas. Now to start writing.