One word. One word to live by for the coming year. I have done this a few times now...chosen one word. And each time the word came to me quite easily.
But this year? Not so much.
This year I had to really think on it...and pray...a lot.
And if I'm honest, I don't think it was difficult to come up with the word at all. In all reality, it presented itself to me quite clearly. The difficult part was admitting that this was the word I'd have to live with for the next year. And that word is...
L I S T E N
As I mentioned yesterday, 2012 was kind of rough. And really, what year isn't rough? Right? I mean, it's life. Life can be hard. But it can also be good. Really, really good. If we are willing to live it.
Lately I have been in a rut. On the outside I am humming right along, doing what I need to do, taking care of my responsibilities, day after day after day. But that's it. No more. Nothing extra. Just the bare minimum.
And you know what? That's not OK with me.
I came to this realization recently. And it made me sad. I want to enjoy life. Live life. Not tolerate it.
I thought that maybe my word could be LIVE. And I tried to make it so. But when I thought about it...I realized that if I would only LISTEN...to my heart, to my body, to my instincts, to my desires, to that still, small voice...to God...then living would come as a result of that.
I also thought that my word could be FOCUS. I can't seem to focus...on anything. I am constantly distracted. My mind never stops. There are so many things that I want to do...but so much that has to be done...and when I think about it all at once I talk myself out of all of it...out of being creative, or productive or taking time for myself.
Then...I become frustrated.
And then I don't do any of it.
And then I sit here...watching life go by.
But again, if I would only LISTEN, then things will come into focus as a result.
Bottom line? This year's word is LISTEN. God wants me to LISTEN. To Him, to my body, to my heart. And if I will just do that, if I will just be still and listen...everything else will fall into place.
So here's to a new year...here's to 2013 and new things to come. Here's to change and growth and making progress. Here's to listening to that still, small voice and living the life God created us to live.
...let the wise listen and add to their learning,
Proverbs 1:5
4 comments:
Oh, sweet Michelle. "Listen" resonates for me so much this start of the new year, too. I feel as if I need to brush through all the cobwebs of distraction in my head and leave clean, unobstructed space to receive Divine guidance. Enough mess- clean it out (I'm speaking of my head, but my house could use it, too:-)). Love to you this New Year's!
I think you word choice is perfect. I'm glad that you just didn't pick one for the sake of picking one - you listened to the leading!!
What a great word. I thought of you as I was thinking of goals for this new year. I feel like you, that it isn't enough to just get by or tolerate life. I want to live life NOW.
Such a wise post and wonderful word. I think if more people listened, not just to others, but to themselves as well, the world might just be a better place.
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