One Word Challenge
A few years ago, I was challenged by a radio station to choose one word as a goal for my year. The one word would sum up what I was to work on over the year like a New Year's resolution.
That year, I chose the word LESS. LESS selfishness, LESS stuff in my house, LESS baggage in my life, LESS debt, LESS orphans in the world, LESS physical weight on me, and LESS thought about me and more about the Savior. I had no idea what God had planned for me that year, only to choose that word.
At the end of that year, I assessed the year and I indeed had gotten rid of many material possessions and refrained from purchasing others. We had paid some debt down. I had maintained my physical weight. I took a mission trip to aid the orphan and had began to deal with some baggage. Pretty good huh! Well, not good enough as God called me to the same word the following year. THEN he showed me how to do it! He called me to LESS than the LESS I had already presented.
The baggage continued to be laid down, lost some weight, and learned it really is less about me and more about what HE wants to do in and through our lives. In that year, we also took guardianship of a very handsome and enjoyable young man. This, I am certain, only happened because the baggage had finally been dealt with-not that I will ever be completely finished with it but God has that under control and LESS of me trying to control it.
This year, PRAISE GOD!, He released me of that word but quickly showed me that I had another area that TOTALLY needed God sized attention. I have two words for this year--I am hopeful that means I will GET one early in the year and can move on to the other....a girl can dream!
PEACE. As Ms. Martha said, seasoned in years and experiences, I am the barometer for my home. There is a lot of truth to, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" I had disturbed the peace in our home. My Dear is the nicest person on the planet. He rarely speaks out of anger or frustration. I need to set that type of peace in our home. Our children deserve it!
The other word is INTENTIONAL. First off, I need to be intentional about the climate I establish in our home. If I am grumpy at school time, what I am teaching them about learning, mothering, and love? I do believe a public school teacher would teach ALL of those things MUCH better! I must be intentional with my time. It is so short with them, what do I want them to know? How do I want them to feel about themselves? Do I let them know how I feel about them? Being intentional means doing it on purpose. This is not just in our family but in the mission field, everywhere I go! I need to be intentional about communicating God's love to others. You know that love that took care of the baggage for me, yep, that undying love.
So that is where I am. What about you? What is your word?
That year, I chose the word LESS. LESS selfishness, LESS stuff in my house, LESS baggage in my life, LESS debt, LESS orphans in the world, LESS physical weight on me, and LESS thought about me and more about the Savior. I had no idea what God had planned for me that year, only to choose that word.
At the end of that year, I assessed the year and I indeed had gotten rid of many material possessions and refrained from purchasing others. We had paid some debt down. I had maintained my physical weight. I took a mission trip to aid the orphan and had began to deal with some baggage. Pretty good huh! Well, not good enough as God called me to the same word the following year. THEN he showed me how to do it! He called me to LESS than the LESS I had already presented.
The baggage continued to be laid down, lost some weight, and learned it really is less about me and more about what HE wants to do in and through our lives. In that year, we also took guardianship of a very handsome and enjoyable young man. This, I am certain, only happened because the baggage had finally been dealt with-not that I will ever be completely finished with it but God has that under control and LESS of me trying to control it.
This year, PRAISE GOD!, He released me of that word but quickly showed me that I had another area that TOTALLY needed God sized attention. I have two words for this year--I am hopeful that means I will GET one early in the year and can move on to the other....a girl can dream!
PEACE. As Ms. Martha said, seasoned in years and experiences, I am the barometer for my home. There is a lot of truth to, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" I had disturbed the peace in our home. My Dear is the nicest person on the planet. He rarely speaks out of anger or frustration. I need to set that type of peace in our home. Our children deserve it!
The other word is INTENTIONAL. First off, I need to be intentional about the climate I establish in our home. If I am grumpy at school time, what I am teaching them about learning, mothering, and love? I do believe a public school teacher would teach ALL of those things MUCH better! I must be intentional with my time. It is so short with them, what do I want them to know? How do I want them to feel about themselves? Do I let them know how I feel about them? Being intentional means doing it on purpose. This is not just in our family but in the mission field, everywhere I go! I need to be intentional about communicating God's love to others. You know that love that took care of the baggage for me, yep, that undying love.
So that is where I am. What about you? What is your word?
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