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It isn't all about blessings. Many journal entries are pages of raw anger. But it's anger our children didn't hear blared across a room. When we have a disagreement, we make time to separate and pull out the journal. We take turns expressing our position and frustrations. In those situations, Roger calls it "The Fire Extinguisher." It gives him the chance to express his thoughts. Our agreement is that we'll read what our spouse has written with an open, prayerful mind.

I've discovered that frequently God works on my heart while I'm writing. But the greatest benefit of writing our argument is that it minimizes misunderstandings. The thoughts are in black and white, and we're able to deal with them in an open way. It also removes the eye rolling, sighs, and body language that can escalate a disagreement.

Some of our best entries have been prayers we've written and agreed to pray together and Scriptures that speak to us as individuals and as a couple. There are prayers from times of heartache, joy, and guidance. To pick up the journal and read an entry from Roger that begins, This morning, I prayed for you … causes my heart to leap with gratitude. The journals are bulging with prayers for and celebrations of our children, as well as expressions of concern and problem solving.

Those treasures on our bookshelf are brimming with hopes and dreams. We've planned vacations and adventures. We've even included little clippings and travel brochures. We discuss big, life-changing decisions. I look back at some of the older journals and smile at dreams that have come true, as well as some that are still unfulfiilled.

Several years ago, my husband was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Our journals are now a cherished record of thoughts and fears during the progress of a life consuming illness.

Now Roger's letters are filled with misspellings, grammatical mistakes, and lapses of meaning, but each one is an irreplaceable jewel. At this point, every precious word he puts on paper is a blessing. As physicians marvel at how well he's doing, I give credit to God for the gift of journaling. We believe Roger's dedication to writing a daily letter is an important contribution to slowing the progress of his disease.

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