I’m enjoying this challenge – although I have to confess that I don’t do something arty in my journal every day. And sometimes on a Sunday I don’t write in it at all – but I can assure you I HAVE been praying: busy leading others in prayer as well as myself.
Here’s the next batch of photos from my journal. I hope they help you to feel able to draw and doodle in your journal without the inhibitions of feeling you are not artistic or can’t draw.
Day 32 was the Sunday I left for the retreat. I had given myself the full day off parish duties, although did use the Ephesians reading set for the day in my own prayer time that morning.
Upon arriving at the retreat centre, I made for the sea! There was just enough room for me to sit on a rock by the water’s edge as the tide was almost in. A dog played in the water, fetching something thrown for it. Then a little girl with her mum fetched water from the sea in her bucket to pour onto the sand, presumably to help with making a sand castle. She was clothed in pink jacket plus leggings with wellington boots. I decided that if God’s love were the ocean I wanted to jump right in rather than be fearful of getting wet.
Day 33 – the first full day of retreat showed me how tired I was. I also experienced a surge of emotions and anger over covid and restrictions etc around communion. My over-reaction to something helped me to see how easily we blame others, and how easily we point the finger, and how fearful some people may be as we move out of lockdown. Lord, save me from pride and anger. Help me to trust in you.
The photo below is a rock that I walked to and features in the drawing on day 33
Day 34 – prayers answered as I work through my thoughts about death. Enjoyed a time of worship and creating a colourful page in my journal. Did a doodle on the word Love in the evening.
Day 35 – A lovely walk where I spotted a letter J painted on a rock. Of all the letters in the alphabet, why J? Jesus was here! I had approached the hill (the one in the photo above), wanting to go up it to do a meditation on the transfiguration but there was a man with his dog up there. So I waited and it was while I waited that I was drawn to looking at the rocks. Suddenly there was some barking and the man with his dog were there! We chatted for a while. He said that rocks and fossils are nature’s jewels. I ponder the coincidences and wonder if God is trying to tell me that Jesus is here, wherever I am. I did a doodle in the evening.
Keeping a journal, even if the artwork is not great, is good because the images and words bring back the memories of the time spent.
Elizabeth Jones' Diary 