Writing in the Stillness.

For those of you who don't know yet, I have started writing on a new blog...writinginthestillness.com

I have been feeling impressed to start this for some time, and a few weeks ago I finally mustered the courage to take the leap. I would love for you to visit and subscribe to my posts. It's my small effort to do as Elder Bednar counseled and share a little bit of goodness with the world...offer hope and encouragement in this ever-darkening world.

I'd love for you to join me and share your experiences as well. :)

Love,
Jamie

www.writinginthestillness.com

My 400th Post!

It's like a birthday celebration for my blog and it's so fun to reflect on where this blog came from and the journey it's taken me on.

Back in 2008 Patrick created this blog as a little experiment.  We had heard of several friends who had a blog, but I was a little skeptical and didn't really feel the desire to begin blogging.  Plus, I found it completely overwhelming and had no idea how to post or do ANYTHING!  Patrick posted a few pictures of Easton (who was just a baby) and that was that.  For months I forgot all about it.  But then, sometime during the year I started creating Smileboxes and so I would post a smilebox on the blog so others could watch our slideshow of pictures.  And for a long while, this is mostly all our blog consisted of. But eventually, I abandoned the smilebox idea and began the laborious work of going back and updating all of our old posts with the pictures that were on the smileboxes.  I felt so rewarded when it was finally done.

As time went on, I came to the realization that this blog was the perfect way for me to record our family history.  And so an overarching purpose for my blog was born and it has been so ever since.  This blog is written to us; it's an account of all our memories, so when I am old, I can look back and read the life we lived together.  Because I know I will forget all the moments.  And if I don't take a picture, or journal, or blog, it will soon be erased from my memory.

And so I continue to blog.  And I probably always will, until my children are grown and gone...but then there will be grandkids. :)  So perhaps I never will be done, (unless a better option of recording family history is introduced.)

Lately I have been sorting out the balance of what to include where and on which blog.  A few years back I started a few more blogs with the intention of writing frequently on them.  But like I've done many times in the past, I overestimated the amount of time I would have to devote to the cause and 3 of them fell by the wayside.  These three seemed disconnected and often prevented me from writing on this blog many of my thoughts and daydreams and meditations.  

So after praying about it (we are to counsel with the Lord in all our doings, right?) I decided to merge those three blogs into this one and import all of the posts.  I will do so later today.  Then this blog can contain almost everything.  Quest for Happiness will always remain open, because if when I ever do become an author, I want a place to direct my readers that is separate from my family blog.  My photography blog will always be there to house all of my client's photoshoots, and of course, I will always have my personal journal.  And so while this blog doesn't contain all of my musings (found on Quest for Happiness) or all of my personal writings (a journal is the best place to keep such personal writings), this blog, "Familia Johnson Chronicles" is "alive and breathing" to accomplish the following purposes:

1. Keep our Family's History.  I will continue to document the moments and the milestones.  The trips and the memories from day-to-day.  The holidays and the small traditions.  The portraits, the hobbies, the birthday tributes, and most of all, the PICTURES!
2. Record the shapings of my yearly themes.  By doing this, I receive a focus for my year and have different ways to blog each year.  In the past I've done things like, Magical Memories and Moments on Monday.  This year I will be showcasing many of the "connection" memories we enjoy.  I will be posting lots of children's activities and Family Home Evening's we have done to document how connection shapes our year and our hearts.
3. Encourage, inspire, and uplift.  I am a writer; I suppose I always will be.  And my favorite thing to write are words of encouragement that I have gleaned or learned from others.  While most of these things are recorded on Quest for Happiness, occasionally I post things on this blog too.
4. Mix in a small dose of me--my personality, feelings, passions, moods, random thoughts, crafts, recipes, books, and snippets of whimsy.  Some days are rosy, others are not.  But since I am the primary contributor of this blog, hopefully I can present an honest view of me--who I truly am.

So, dear "Familia Johnson Chronicles," thank you for all of the places you've taken me and for all that you've taught me.  Thank you for helping me refine my talents of writing and photography and thank you for letting me spill onto you all the things that are overflowing in my heart.

You will always be one of my dearest friends.

Walk with Him Wednesday

Today on Quest for Happiness, I'm exploring the topic of true submission to the Lord's will and how this can alter the very dynamics of our lives.

Click here to join me if you will, and add your thoughts.

{This post has a link to a link-up from A Holy Experience if you'd care to link up your own post.}

I'm wishing you a golden day of harvesting...family, or faith, or traditions.

Whatever it may be, let it be golden.

Love,

Jamie

Multitudes on Monday.

Read about eyes and light and glory here today. {Quest for Happiness}.

You can also see my countdown to Maylie here. {Starlit Daydreams}

And may you have a day filled with warmth, light, and love.

All is grace,

Jamie

{image via pinterest}

Five Minute Friday.

It's on Starlit Daydreams today.  

There is also a link to a link-up for anyone interested.

I'd love to hear about your unexpected...Click here.

You must watch this. Really.

Remember Ann Voskamp?

A holy experience?

I invite you to watch this.

It is mesmerizingly poignant.

It speaks right to the heart

...about moments

...about ordinary
...about grace.

It will change your day.
And maybe even your life too.

And then go over to Quest for Happiness to read more from Ann Voskamp (and me)...

...and become a follower! :)
Click here !

Your ideas?

Would you mind hopping on over to Quest for Happiness and giving me your ideas?

I have a new post about family ceremonies and rituals that I would love love love to get some feedback on.  Please share.  (You'll make my day! ;)

Well, you'll make my day again.  My day was made the first time when my sweet neighbor left a breath of springtime on my doorstep.

P.S. Here's the link for my post one more time (just in case you forgot ;)

http://questforhappinessdaybyday.blogspot.com/2011/03/ceremonies-and-rituals.html

2nd Day.

I had an interesting experience today.  I posted it on Quest for Happiness.

This is my second day of this life-changing journey.  And I hope it continues for a very long time.

Just last night I was pondering and thanking Heavenly Father for guiding me to the perfect websites, the perfect books, the perfect scripture verses.  My life is turning out to be so beautiful--even despite trials and setbacks and hard days.  I am learning how to be happy.

And then the Spirit whispered a soft statement that resonated in the inner chambers of my heart:

"Jamie, you are finally learning how to live."

And I realized, that I am.

And that's why I've started this series on Quest for Happiness...to record a recipe for life and happiness and to share these things with you.  

I realized it's been a while since I posted last (like July of last year) and I realized my personal quest for happiness had taken a back seat to other more "pressing" issues.  But I've put these things on the back burner for too long and I'm recommitted to posting on a regular basis for two purposes:  

first to have somewhere to sort through my thoughts and turn them into a model of happiness I can apply to my everyday life.  

And second, to benefit anyone else who is interested in joining the quest.

I'd really love for you to join me.

Comments allow me to glean wisdom from YOU.  If we could all share our wisdom, our vision, wouldn't we all be happier?  We could mesh our ideas into the creation of beautiful lives.

And so all you have to do is either become a follower of Quest for Happiness

or add the following URL to your blog roll. http://questforhappinessdaybyday.blogspot.com

Either way you will know when I update the blog. (For a while I'm going to aim for daily posts).

And then don't forget to share your thoughts and insights with me through comments.  I will never have all of the wisdom or knowledge in the world, but if we can learn from each other, we will both be that much wiser.

My prayers are with each one of you--for happiness and a desire to share your happiness with me.

Of interest...

Today I found a blog that is changing my life.  I will be learning and discovering daily from author Ann Voskamp and will be posting my findings (hopefully on a daily basis) on my Quest for Happiness blog.  If you feel the urge, the prompting, the curiosity, the need to be more happy or live closer to God, to begin anew, or even to provide more order to the daily chaos, I would love for you to join me.

It's going to be a rich and bounteous quest indeed.

I'm so excited.

Here is the link to begin.

Pictures of our Home...

It's our apartment.

But more than that, it's our Home.

And I love it with all of my heart.
Lately, I've been refinishing some old--very old--furniture (a desk, hutch, and buffet)

To see the pictures of our newly decorated home with old new furniture,

click on this link:

http://seekingparadisefromhousetohome.blogspot.com/

And yes, I admit, I'm a pathological picture taker.

Maybe I should call it a habitual memory-preserver instead...it sounds better. :)  

July...

Visit our Fragrant Bliss Blog to see our July BOGO Special...

And Happy Fourth of July!

P.S. I love this photo.  I think it represents the noble feelings we all have tucked away in our hearts for this blessed country that God has given us.  May we remember God's gift of this country this 4th amidst all of the parties, the barbecues, fireworks, and festivities.  May we never forget...the real reason we celebrate.  We are truly truly blessed.

don't forget!

The days are counting down to the end of the Grand Opening Giveaway for my new blog--Quest for Happiness.  Your chance to enter the Giveaway ends on April 30.  The details can be found if you click on the button on my sidebar...I would love for you to visit....

Also, don't forget I've launched another blog called, Starlit Daydreams.

I hope your day is one of inspiration.