My Word of the Year

The past few years I've jumped on the bandwagon and chosen one word to move into the new year with. I don't choose this word lightly, as I try my best to live it out in every area of my life. That's a tall order for one word. In all honesty, I sometimes forget what my word is by the end of the year unless I'm living it well or struggling hard with it.

After some reflection and meditation, the word I've chosen for 2016 is hope. It is a verb demanding action and a noun that sits comfortably around me like an old friend. It leans forward expectantly, waiting for the next thing, either good or bad, to occur. It keeps a song in my heart with it's optimism and doesn't let me dwell too long in the shadows of disappointment.

Hope is something I can cling to in desperate times and offer others in theirs. It's a soft, comforting gift I can give myself and those around me. Hope keeps the good in the bad and reminds me that nothing is permanent, no circumstance or problem. It bolsters my faith and keeps my eyes on the Giver of hope.

So this year...

May I hold hope like a lover, and extend it to those who can't see its spark. May my words lift others spirits, giving hope where there was none.

May I never lose sight of the hope that is within me, the blessed hope that is Jesus, the author and perfecter of my sometimes faltering faith.

May I use hope as a weapon against despair, doubt, hatred, and apathy. May it move me to action to make my corner of the world a better place.

This is my prayer this year, that you will find hope too, in the words I speak and write, and in the people and world around you. May hope light our way so the path isn't quite so dark. May it point us to Jesus and the abundant, hope-filled life He offers. If life becomes so dark you can't see, don't forget to light the match of hope. Look for others who hold that spark and can pass it to you. Or be the torch bearer for someone else. Hope makes everything better.

If you were to choose one word to live out this year, what would it be? Write it in the comments below.

Linda

New Years Thoughts

Like most people, I've been thinking about goals for the new year. I'm not much of a resolution maker, but I do think along those lines. What did I do right last year? What would I like to do better? What about my family? How would I like to improve it?

Here are a few things I need to work on.

1. Appreciate the little things. My husband gets up and goes to work faithfully every day to provide for us. I want to thank him more for it. I want to take in all the sideways glances my teenage daughter and I share across a room--those unspoken communications that say, "Did you see that?" and we know we'll laugh about later. Priceless. As I write this on my laptop on the couch, I'm enjoying our little dog snuggled up as close as can be beside my leg. Aaaah. I hope to really savor all these things every day.

2. Reach out more. I tend to be introverted. Reaching out does not come naturally for me. But I know I was made to live in community with others. As much as I'd love to cocoon in my house, I realize that I grow and stretch and become a better me when I include others. I plan to invite more friends over, and to let my friends know how much I care.

3. Use my crockpot weekly. I can cook, but I have a list as long as my arm of things I'd rather do. But when I stick something in the crockpot in the morning, I feel good all day. The meals are so easy and taste like I slaved away for hours. And we usually have leftovers for a day or two. So I hope to be better about meal planning and using my crockpot so we can eat well regularly without a lot of work. I'll admit it--I'm lazy!

4. Share spiritual growth. Did I mention I'm an introvert and prefer doing things alone? Well, that includes my spiritual growth. But there's a certain joy in sharing the journey with your family if they're willing to journey along with you. Even though you may not all be at the same place spiritually, you can still share insights, stories, something you read that meant something to you that day. I'm terrible about this. I keep all these things to myself. Sooo, I hope to be more open with my family spiritually this year. Hopefully they'll feel more free to open up to me in this area as well.

5. Laugh it off. Now this is a biggie. I have a pretty good sense of humor. I use it generously in my family. But when tensions are high, I tend to clam up. I sulk. I give the silent treatment. I avoid. How would things change if I laughed instead? Boom. Tension evaporates in the presence of laughter. It doesn't resolve problems, but it does create an environment that's easier to talk and feel safe. So I vow to try to laugh instead of yell, smile instead of frown. I'll be needing your prayers on this for sure!

That should give me plenty to work on this year. How about you? What things would you like to do that might make a difference in your family life?

Blessings, love and peace to you and your family in 2012!