Word of the Year

Well, I have been putting off this post. I don't like my own posts without pictures. I don't consider myself to be much of a writer. But I wanted to post on my word of the year since I did it last year for the first time. I got this idea from Becky Moews, an e-devotions writer at the Church @ the Springs and a real-life person I really look up to as someone who's ahead of me on the path of life in relation to her children's ages, etc. She has asked God for a word to use each year rather than making a list of New Year's resolutions for four or five years now. Several of my url friends have done this already this year. Some mentioned getting the idea last year from Ali Edwards (I think). I actually have no idea who that is, and I'm not sure she asks God for a word. I think she chooses something she'd like to focus on herself, but I can't swear to this because (as I said) I have no idea who she is! :)

Anyway, last year I felt God telling me to focus on "rest". I didn't a very competent job of it, so God decided to take over. Ha! Isn't that just like him? Last year, I suffered terribly from exhaustion (which I'm finding was due to my thyroid issues), but still I struggled on, refusing to slow down or rest. Then, I began having problems with plantar fasciitis in my left foot (just about 5 months after finally getting over this same thing in my right foot). I simply am unable to stand for very long at this point. This began to slow me down and force me to at least sit down, even if I didn't rest much! Finally, God took us through a situation that made us reconsider our involvement with our church. Well, when you take out the hours of driving back and forth 2-3 times a week (the church is 1 hour from our house) as well as the many hours spent serving in 2-4 services each weekend, you have more time to rest. I NEVER would have chosen to go through the circumstances that I did. In fact, we couldn't believe we were going through something like this again, but God used it to create more time for rest in my life.

This year, I heard a word immediately. Last year, I struggled between two. This year, my word is relationship. In this technology-driven age, I struggle with not letting the computer (bills, lesson plans, digital scrapbooking, as well as url friendships) take the place of actually living life face to face with the people God has blessed me with - first of all my husband, then my children, and then my live-and-in-person friends. I have become more and more aware of this lately, and I believe God was preparing me to focus on this word for 2009.

So, there you have it--my n0t-very-well-written, no-picture post on the word of the year. I can check it off my to-do list!