My Word

Some people can confidently declare their Word for the Year as if they were tapped on the knee with a little hammer and their foot popped up with a word on it. Not me. I narrowed my list of dozens down to 3 words and then tried each one on for a day or two. Unleash was a bit flashy for me. Freedom fit like an over-sized purse packed with personal responsibility...that I felt obligated to make happen. I know that God does the better job of making things happen; best to leave that to him. Release, however, seems like cozy pjs, the kind I like to wear well into the afternoon. Did you just notice what I just noticed? I almost missed it—my releasing responsibility for an outcome—all while I'm in my pjs at noon. That's a sign of a good word...when you "get to" instead of "have to".

Release, for me, is about letting go of stuff that keeps me from seeing something even better. Believe me, I could slap together a list of things I’d prefer to release but then that would soon become my Burdensome List of All Things Wrong with Me. Oh yehhh, I see it again...releasing the need to create a list that could turn into have to’s. This pick a word thing is good for me…because I’m more inclined to notice when release kicks in than when it doesn’t. I think they call this positive affirmation for toddlers. And who knows what other good releases, like maybe creative spontaneity, will follow on the heels of letting go of some have to’s and should’s.

Noticing Where I've Been

My word for 2008 was embolden. I chose embolden as something to reach for. To be emboldened sounded like confidence coming from within instead of steeling myself through external pressures. Once emboldened, I then wanted to be instrumental in emboldening others. Considering a year's growth, I really cannot say that I am now emboldened. However, in areas I once thought I needed emboldening--like speaking up for myself, or sharing my faith with people searching for hope, or offering my life coaching skills to others--I can oddly admit that these areas are no longer mountains for me.

What changed then? I think it was my perspective. That's what I like about this word for the year challenge. For me, the word is more of a desire...but not necessarily a goal that I have to achieve. I like to think of holding my desire--my word--in my open palm. Without a tight grip on my desire, I am choosing to give God full access to this desire and to my life. I trust that He knows me better than I know myself, and that He wants what is best for me. Somehow, being heard has become less important than just being who He created me to be. God knows that I am not the type who functions best by forcing myself to do something just for the sake of accomplishment. There is so much more joy and peace in simply being me...yielded to God's promptings and emboldened by His Spirit. This positive shift in perspective is nothing I can boast of on my own.

My authentic voice likes to ask questions. If I am true to my design, I will keep asking questions while God uses my simple voice in the lives of others. My husband and our pastor--oftentimes joining forces to tease me about my incessant questions-- actually asked the word for the year question at their men's group. The bigger miracle is that they told me about it. Who would have guessed that these two tough guys would be vulnerable in the presence of other men...not to mention the other 6 guys who also revealed their vulnerabilility. Their words are: dependence, commitment, patience, perseverance, faith, obedience, acceptance, priorities. Now that has to be a God thing.

Last year, many people shared their word for the year with me . I felt so privileged to hear of their special words and why they were selected. My friend, Jeanette, reminds me that God does not bless us for us to keep it to ourselves. Please read the comments to my message of January 9, 2009. My desire is that you will be as blessed as I have been by reading how a word for the year can make a difference...when we make the effort to notice.

My word for the year

I finally created this blog where I can stay connected with my special friends. I figure that anyone caring enough to respond to me via this blog has to be special...like painted toes.

Heavens knows how I have resisted doing this. I did not want to have to learn one more technical thing that could easily frustrate me. Actually, I labored over this project with a different blog service and almost gave up at midnight last night. Then I received a sweet note from a daughter-in-law inquiring about not being able to locate my Painted Toes blog. That was all I needed to start over on the one you see now. In keeping with my word for the year-RELEASE-I have released my techno-phobia...and subsequently released my words.

I'm encouraging my friends to share their words for the year as well; they are inspiring to say the least. Care to share?