Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, Sabbath, and Sunday, October 31, November 1 and 2, 2025
This past Tuesday I made a quick stop at a thrift store. As I usually do, I drift past the office supplies area, and discovered a poignant notebook.
In the photo above, you see that it’s made with a handsome leather or leather-like cover, with a heart-pounding title: Thoughts and Dreams. I can’t tell you how many similar notebooks like this I have gazed upon, my sternum tingling with excitement: Maybe this is the one—the perfect journal which will focus my mind on truly important matters!
That’s why my heart warmed sympathetically when I opened the cover:
As you can see, whoever wrote down their thoughts and dreams eventually decided not only to stop recording them, but to tear them out and donate what was left of the notebook to a thrift shop.
But actually, I’m impressed at the thickish wad of ripped paper left behind. Usually, the journals I see in thrift shops mostly are missing only the first couple of pages, and sometimes the journalers forget to remove the written sheets, which means that browsers get to read them. It’s possible that this book’s owner really did put her (or his) heart into the writing, and may have gone far toward resolving the reason for writing in the first place.
Christians who journal most often use notebooks to write about their faith journey, and even write their prayers to God Himself. (I’ve done that.) After all, God gave us the desire and the ability to make plans. And He’s even has given us Biblical guidance about successful planning. You’ll find some of that advice if you click the following link: