Monday, February 2, 2015

My One Word for 2015


Refresh

1: to restore strength and animation to: REVIVE

2: to freshen up: RENOVATE

3 a: to restore or maintain by renewing supply: REPLENISH
b: AROUSE, STIMULATE

4: to run water over or restore water to

5: to update or renew (as an image, a display screen, or the contents of a computer memory) especially by sending a new signal.

This year's One Word didn't come as easily as in years past. I have heard that the longer a person participates in My One Word, the longer the list of potential words can become.

That may be part of the reason for my need to wrestle this year's word out...but then again, I think I was having a harder time with my expectations verses my feelings.  Let me explain.

Jim has been telling me since early last fall that in 2015 he was SLOWING DOWN!  At first, he joked that he wasn't leaving home for anything.  He has since recanted that statement and changed it to: he is not leaving home for anything other than grandchildren's birthdays and our niece's wedding.  We'll see how that turns out for him.

All of that to say that my first inclination was to choose the word: Rest.  But it didn't seem to fit.  I knew that 2015 would includes several trips to Arkansas to see my dad and help Donna when I could.  Add to that the fact that I already have two trips planned for early 2015 (Mardi Gras with Robin, Rita and Lonnie; Jenkins Girls' Weekend in Branson) and REST just didn't fit.

As I considered my calendar, this stage in life and the mission I have for our new home, a new word began to pop up: Respite.  That is truly what I want our home to be: a place of respite.  And I want to both provide respite for Donna and receive it myself when I come back home after a trip to see Daddy.  I felt like I was almost there.  'Respite' was closer to my heart than 'Rest'...but still not quite the right word.

During my early January devotional reading the temptation was to choose the most often repeated word: Freedom.  It kind of fit since our Spring Women's Bible Study is Breaking Free.  And I am a July 5th baby!  But, no, still not it.

Finally, I was writing in my prayer journal about the word 'respite' being so close but just not quite it, when I looked down to discover I had used the word 'Refreshed'.  When I looked up the meaning and searched it's use in Scripture, I just knew that I finally had My One Word.  I'm not sure which tense it will take over the course of this year...Refresh, Refreshed or Refreshing...I've tried them all on for size and decided that I just don't have to know everything from the beginning.  I will begin with the singular and see where God moves in the 332 remaining days of 2015.

How about you?  Have you chosen a word for 2015? Set a goal?  Made a resolution?  I would love to hear how you reached your decision and how things are going for you.

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