My One Word for 2014

Wow- only one week into the New Year and I already feel like I’m running to catch up! I didn’t plan to take such an extended blogging break, but I also didn’t plan to be sick for most of the last two months. The rotten cold symptoms started on Halloween and persisted through much of December. I also had an infection in each of my eyes. In short, I was a mess! My youngest daughter was also sick, although she recovered more quickly than I did. My husband had strep throat and bronchitis in December, so we were miserable together. Thankfully we were on the mend just in time for Christmas. We did ALL of our holiday shopping (groceries, gifts, wrapping paper, etc.) the weekend before Christmas! Somehow everything came together and we had a nice holiday. 

In the midst of it all, I did manage to spend some time thinking about what my “one word” will be for 2014. Instead of making resolutions that I will never keep, I choose just one word that represents what I want to focus on throughout the year.  I’ve been doing this for several years now and I have experienced more personal growth using this method than any other I’ve tried.

I started to consider what my word would be around mid-November. My first thought was the word change. I immediately decided that I was only thinking about that word because the coming year brings with it some obvious changes for our family. Our youngest is graduating from high school in May and will be moving away to attend college in August. We will be "empty nesters." It’s only natural that I would think of that word, but that can’t be my “one word.”

Throughout the next couple of weeks my thoughts just continued to circle around to the word change. I kept trying to avoid it because that word makes me nervous. Change is often difficult. It can be messy and inconvenient. I had flashbacks to the 15 moves we made during the first 15 years of our married life. Why couldn’t my word be beauty or bliss or serene? Those sounded much less threatening to me. I kept trying, but I just couldn’t get away from that word. 

About mid-December my husband asked me if I had my “one word” for 2014 yet. I told him that I had something I kept thinking about, but I wasn’t particularly happy with it. When I said that the word was change, he got this surprised look on his face and said,  "Are you serious? That’s the word I’ve been thinking about, too!" Well, isn’t that great?! Not only has God been speaking to me about change, but He’s also speaking to my husband about it! I was officially nervous and a bit freaked-out. 

Now that I’ve had some more time to think and let that word settle into my heart, I’m still a bit apprehensive, but I’m also excited. Change can be challenging. It requires something of me. Or a whole lot of me. However, it doesn’t have to be negative. From a practical perspective, I know that this is a time of preparation for the future changes our family is already anticipating. So, I have decided to embrace the process and trust that God will see me through. Even in the midst of change, He is constant and ever-faithful. The plans that He has for me are good. With this in mind, I boldly declare that my word for 2014 is change. Let the adventures begin!

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. ~Isaiah 54:10