So everyone this time of year seems to be claiming a “word of the year.”
This always seems slightly presumptuous to me.
How do I know what this year will hold?
Anyone else with me here?
Seriously we can plan it but will it happen?
Maybe.
I think God smiles when we make detailed plans.
Carrying the “this is the way it is gonna be” attitude can go a little too far. We plan everything out like we want it go and then when it falls apart it feels like failure. That's so not true and I think we sabotage ourselves if we look at the coming year in that way.
Now don’t get me wrong. I think goals are a good thing. I’m still formulating my goals for 2016 and they are making me stretch and change. One big goal last year for me was to get up earlier(this is SO not me) and be more intentional about my mornings. Making that goal pushed me but also allowed me to make my morning so AWESOME!
Anyway. . . . End of rant.
2015 Word of the year
Last year I didn’t share my word for the year. I didn’t choose it but I knew that this one idea was the theme for my year as 2015 played itself out.
“REST” was obviously my theme as 2015 went on.
I had lived a CRAZY, hard, difficult, painful 3 years. My mom had pancreatic cancer and I was constantly on call to help her. Our family had lived through a TON of heartbreak and emotional stress because of my parent’s major health issues. Then my mom finished her battle in the summer of 2014.
So my “plan” was for things to get easier at that point. That was my plan. I could finally relax and get back to normal. Then God smiled and said “well . . . not quite yet”
I contracted a serious eye infection & corneal ulcer knocked me flat for a month the same week that my mom passed away.
- I could not stand bright light.
- I had eye drops every hour.
- Pain like I’ve never felt before was normal.
- I couldn’t see and it felt very dark in my life.
- Thankfully I had amazing friends, family & sometimes strangers praying for me.
It was amazing that I didn’t loose my eye but thanks to an awesome caring doctor it healed but there was a scar right over my pupil and I still couldn’t see. Vision was cloudy and blurry for 2 more months before I had a cornea transplant in December 2015. I’m so thankful for clear vision now.
Don’t take your sight for granted. It is a precious gift.
It took MONTHS of rest to get back on my feet for many reasons.
- Physical healing from the surgery and infection.
- I was also emotionally exhausted and numb.
- My front porch was a place of refuge and rest.
- Healing came and my energy returned.
God’s little smile for me involved stopping and just sitting for long periods of time.
I would just sit and breathe deep. Then the stress and hurt would loosen it's hold.
Nothing but rest would heal. So I embraced it. Eventually I got back on my feet. Just in time for more pain. This time from my hip. We didn't expect to have to decide if I was ready for a hip replacement at 43 but in December (what’s with surgeries in December???) my old bone that was collapsing was removed and now I’m on the titanium team.
2016 Word of the Year
Progress
Even after all the drama from the past 4 years I’m amazed that God still has lessons for me on patience and not expecting perfection.
As I think about the goals for 2016, I am drawn over and over to the idea that I just want to make progress instead of being stuck.
- Being stuck in a chair for months has kept me from taking care of "life"
- Staying stuck with old ideas of how things have been done has kept me from learning new ways and doing new things
- Choosing to stay stuck in old habits means that I repeat mistakes I've already made
I could go on and on.
So my big overarching theme/goal/word in 2016 is to make PROGRESS in whatever area God points me to work. Day by day and sometimes hour by hour. If I can keep from overthinking this, then I hope I will be content where I am at. No matter if reality is how I expected it to be or not.
Do you have a word for the year? Leave a comment and tell me how "you chose" it!
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