Choose
It's the word I have chosen for this new year. Choose. And I've stared at it so much that it looks weird.
I had been mulling over what my new word should be, but nothing really seemed to stand out much. Then in my dear father-in-law's sermon this past Sunday, I was given a word. He said, "Every action is a choice. We can all choose to be a little better than we are." Choose.
To choose, in the passing moments of life, what the Lord would want for me. To choose patience and grace when dealing with, er, uncooperative children. To choose praise when I feel like complaining. To choose to trust that God will fill me up when tempted by food. To choose a few more moments in prayer or reading His Word instead of fitting in extra chores.
Choose.
My one-word history is a sad one. In 2011, honor. Then 2011 happened, and amid the miry muck, honor all but vanished.
In 2012, grow up. Perhaps a partial success, for a great deal of perspective came about after the Newtown tragedy. Still, I was no better of a person at the close of the year than I was at its start.
In 2013, steward. Again I say, fail.
So why keep going? Because if I'm not trying to move forward, I'll move backward. And going backwards from where I am right now would be just horrific.
And maybe I'll fail again. A year is a long time, requiring far more strength and willpower than I have.
But there is a slightly altered focus to this year's word, coming out of Joshua 24:15.
Choose for yourselves this day
whom you will serve...
as for me and my household,
we will serve the Lord.
I will be including two extra words with the choose. Those words are this day. And these two words have at least the potential to make a huge difference in my sticking to the choose.
Because if I go into the year thinking that I have to stick to something for a whole year, I will take the side of skepticism, and sooner than later, give up on myself.
But can I choose the better way for this day? Just for this day? Probably. If I can keep my head, shoot up arrow prayers for strength and common sense, just for this day, I think I can choose to be a little better.
Baby steps down the hall, baby steps onto the elevator, baby steps to four o'clock... (I love that movie!)
Here it is, on the refrigerator, bright and bold and in full view. And here it will stay, in hopes that for each of the 365 "this days" coming up, I might just become a little bit more of who God always intended for me to be.
Choose.
Thank You, Lord, for a new start. And thank You for choosing me. Please renew and transform my mind so that my heart's desire will be to choose You.
I had been mulling over what my new word should be, but nothing really seemed to stand out much. Then in my dear father-in-law's sermon this past Sunday, I was given a word. He said, "Every action is a choice. We can all choose to be a little better than we are." Choose.
To choose, in the passing moments of life, what the Lord would want for me. To choose patience and grace when dealing with, er, uncooperative children. To choose praise when I feel like complaining. To choose to trust that God will fill me up when tempted by food. To choose a few more moments in prayer or reading His Word instead of fitting in extra chores.
Choose.
My one-word history is a sad one. In 2011, honor. Then 2011 happened, and amid the miry muck, honor all but vanished.
In 2012, grow up. Perhaps a partial success, for a great deal of perspective came about after the Newtown tragedy. Still, I was no better of a person at the close of the year than I was at its start.
In 2013, steward. Again I say, fail.
So why keep going? Because if I'm not trying to move forward, I'll move backward. And going backwards from where I am right now would be just horrific.
And maybe I'll fail again. A year is a long time, requiring far more strength and willpower than I have.
But there is a slightly altered focus to this year's word, coming out of Joshua 24:15.
whom you will serve...
as for me and my household,
we will serve the Lord.
I will be including two extra words with the choose. Those words are this day. And these two words have at least the potential to make a huge difference in my sticking to the choose.
Because if I go into the year thinking that I have to stick to something for a whole year, I will take the side of skepticism, and sooner than later, give up on myself.
But can I choose the better way for this day? Just for this day? Probably. If I can keep my head, shoot up arrow prayers for strength and common sense, just for this day, I think I can choose to be a little better.
Baby steps down the hall, baby steps onto the elevator, baby steps to four o'clock... (I love that movie!)
Here it is, on the refrigerator, bright and bold and in full view. And here it will stay, in hopes that for each of the 365 "this days" coming up, I might just become a little bit more of who God always intended for me to be.
Choose.
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