The blog world or rather those who spend hours writing within a blog setting have created a movement called ‘one word’ for the year.
Each year they choose one word that will represent the meaning or the symbolism of the year ahead of them.
Last year my word was Intentional.
I like that word because to be intentional means I have to be focused and attentive and real.
Real in relationships.
Real in life and it’s processes.
Real within myself.
Learning to be intentional in all aspects of my life was a very good discipline.
The year before that I believe my word was gratitude.
To learn to be grateful in all things both good and bad.
Following the lead of Ann Voskamp and her One thousand Gifts book.
This year I am praying and listening and waiting for the word to settle in and around me.
There are many choices to choose from and many that would have great meaning
but I do believe there is one that will stand out as it comes into my heart and spirit.
Why is it important to have a word? I think it brings more meaning and significance to the new year.
It is not just a new year ahead of us.
It becomes a year to begin again with a focus.
I have goals for this year.
They are all attainable goals for organizing and freeing up space and just focusing on less mess and more structure.
I can do them with intention and through prayer and determination.
The key is ‘I have to do it’ myself.
Empowerment comes when we take action for change within ourselves.
To become empowered we have to begin with the first step.
It is a challenge.
Sometimes we find a word and then life throws us a curve and we have to work hard to get back on track and focus on what we were doing.
It teaches us resilience and flexibility as we adapt to the lessons learned.
Are you ready for the challenge?
A new year is ahead of us.
Two thousand and thirteen ~ 2013 ~
January
a time of new beginnings
of resolutions to be set
of new goals to try to achieve or
new motto’s to live by.
How do we begin again on a fresh clean calendar?
How do we choose a new direction?
It is always a challenge to begin again.
To look at what we didn’t get done last year and then decide if we should move that goal into a new one.
Do we press forward or choose to give up?
Do we place unrealistic goals for ourselves or are we real and honest in those goals?
I heard someone say on a news station the other night,
“Instead of saying I am going to lose 100 pounds we need to start small and attain a reasonable goal such as 10 pounds then move to the next 10.”
I would add to that a few more:
“Instead of saying I want to run a marathon we need to start small and walk or run consistently every day.”
“Instead of saying I want to write a book start small and write daily.”
What works best for me is to move in increments or what I call small chunks.
Personally I get overwhelmed if a task takes me too long.
If I can master small chunks I feel better and more accomplished.
When I work on a project my energy leaves on the third day.
I have to work on it hard and then stop and step away from it.
A new year is ahead of us.
What we do with it is a question we need to answer or explore.
Let’s not wait for the answer from within
let’s just begin.
One step at a time.
One goal at a time.
Then see what we can accomplish.
Can you even imagine for one minute being in the role of Mary and Joseph?
In the middle of a barn or shed for animals looking at the precious child both of you were chosen to take care of and be parents too for the rest of his life?
Not too different than the rest of us when we bring home a tiny infant. Only theirs was the son… the only SON… the precious son of God. They had a Divine appointment to fulfill and be a part of can you even imagine the magnitude of feelings between fear and joy as they held this precious one? Just a question for us all to think about.
Joining Deidra on jumping tandem with the Sunday Community.
The wise men were a different kind of people.
They were distinguished in category and they also were considered as magi.
The word tells us they came from the east to see the newborn baby of Mary and Joseph.
It took them a long time to arrive. We often see the images of the wise men at the stable.
That isn’t so. They didn’t really arrive till the baby was almost a year old.
There were many months of travel time till they came to the right ‘place’ of worship following the leading of the stars in the sky.
When they did arrive they brought the most unusual gifts for the baby.
These gifts were ordinary for a king but not for a little baby.
One was gold suggesting royalty.
One was frankincense suggesting prayer and worship.
One was myrrh suggesting suffering and death.
Wouldn’t that be strange gifts for a new baby?
Not if prophecy was surrounding the birth of this special little child.
These gifts were appropriate for the role Jesus would play later.
I am sure Mary knew enough about these gifts to continually ponder all that she had seen and observed about her new baby.
Royal gifts for her ‘special’ son would bring deeper meaning to her heart.
The wise men came to see and bow down to him ‘who was born’ in Bethlehem.
The wise men brought gifts to the chosen one.
You wonder what they felt like after all that journey.
When they looked upon his sweet face and presented all they had to offer him.
The significance of the moment was huge.
You wonder what the wisemen were thinking when they finally arrived.
Matthew 2:9-10 Instructed by the king (Herod), they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
11 They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
Another one who was chosen above many others was Mary.
Chosen to play a very important part in the story.
Chosen to mature as a young teenage girl and trust in all she was told.
I believe God knew her heart was right.
I believe God knew she was the one who was to be the mother.
Can you even imagine?
Mary knew some of the story but she had no clue it would be include her.
She accepted the journey ahead of her.
The word tells us she ‘pondered it all’ into her heart.
She kept it close.
She knew HE was special just as she was.
We never know how much our hearts would break when asked to do
something God could ask.
She grew in love as she accepted and grew in heart ache as she saw.
Our pastor said: it began in an empty womb and ended in an empty tomb.
Oh to be chosen.
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Not only were the shepherds out in the field chosen, but Joseph was chosen to be the ‘father’ of the son.
A very important role.
Being a dad is hard work but knowing you were chosen to guide and protect and raise the son… until the time would come to let go. Could he let go in his heart?
Very little is said about Joseph later in life.
Did he remember all the special times they had shared together after it was all over.
We don’t know.
In fact not much is shared about Mary either.
Each were chosen to be ‘parents’ of the son. The Son. Whom the father ‘loved’. Whom the father chose. Who chooses us to… if we let him.
In the day when Jesus was born the shepherds were not the most popular people.
They were considered out casts. Dirty. Not necessarily socialized we could even say they were marginalized people.
Yet the angels came to them first. In the night as they were watching their sheep.
They were rough and mean. The the role of a shepherd was to fight off intruders or predators that might want to hurt their flock of sheep.
The were fearless. They were used to being out in the dark following and chasing off shadows of threat or intent.
When the angels came the word tells us they were ‘terrified’.
That is a strong word describing their state of behavior.
Luke 2:8-12 (msg)
There were sheepherders (shepherds) camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” They were terrified.
(Those rough and tough men who would fight off lions or other predators were terrified when they saw the Glorious angels.)
13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15-18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over.
“Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.”
They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.
Seeing was believing.
They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.
All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.
The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen.
It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
Can you even imagine being the first ones told about the birth of the baby?
The Savior, Messiah?
They were chosen as outcasts to be very important.
Isn’t it like God to do that?
Hope comes to all of us no matter where we are in life.
Glory to God…God chooses us in spite of what others say or what we say about ourselves.
He found value and chose them to see and hear so they could be credible witnesses to the special birth.
Isn’t it wonderful to be chosen?
When it came time she laid down and gave birth to a son and they called him Jesus.
“for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
When it came time for Mary to deliver I wonder what she felt like.
Not knowing what to expect and not having a doctor to discuss with her how it all would take place.
I wonder how did she know what to do?
She might have been told by Elizabeth but she had never had a child either.
Joseph most likely was no help other than to support her in the best way he could.
His experience was as minimal as hers.
How would they deliver a little baby in a stable filled with animal smells and perhaps nothing clean to lay down on?
There might have been the blanket that was on the donkey covered in donkey hair and matted smells after the long journey.
Perhaps Joseph tore his robe and made a comfortable bed of cloth for her.
I don’t imagine they packed much on the donkey as they began their journey.
This stable or barn or whatever it was had no comforts of home for her.
There are so many questions and we have no answers.
Mary was to deliver her baby without pain medications and without family support.
Could God have eased her pain miraculously?
Perhaps the innkeepers wife came and helped out.
We are not told of the details.
We don’t even know if there was fresh water to wash the baby off with after the birthing process.
Or a light of some sort to even see the newly born baby.
So much is not shared.
So much we have to guess and fill in our own blanks.
So much is prophetic yet so much is so normal.
Just like the young mom who had no choice but to stop and lay down and deliver
the baby who was to be born.
In a town called Bethlehem life took place and hope came into the world.
In a town called Bethlehem the cries of a young family took place.
The wonder. The majesty. The fulfillment of all they had been told.
A new baby was to be born.
Their baby.
Would change the world.
The journey to Bethlehem was not an easy one.
Walking for miles and riding on a donkey.
Can you even imagine being round with child and riding a donkey?
It could not have been easy for Mary.
It was a long journey and for many miles they walked together.
Can you imagine Joseph leading as turmoil took place in the land?
It was not a quiet time.
There was a census being taken with much chaos and also
a baby ready to be born.
I imagine Joseph felt the pressure to find a place of comfort for them to sleep and rest and wait.
Not too different than any other expectant father who wants to take care of his family.
He tried to find a place but there was very little opportunity.
I wonder how desperate he began to feel.
I even read a blog one time about the the role of the donkey.
Jesus rode a donkey into a town before his crucifixion.
We have read the story as it was days before his death.
Mary rode a donkey days before his birth.
What a journey.
What a life.
What a Savior.
So many never knew or realized the prophecies fulfilled concerning his birth.
Even the closest to them never knew the significance of the moments.
Can you imagine the innkeeper who later realized after he said,
“I have no room for you” that the baby was born in his stable? The journey was anticipated yet hardly understood. Even now we sometimes fail to understand.
One Word 2018 Simplify/2019 Simplify/2020 Rest, 2021/Comfort
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Philipians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ==================== Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." Courage is not the absence of fear but it's taking action in the midst of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
It's your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words. Matthew 12:34 (msg) version.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below you will find a few of my favorite websites or blogs. They have given me encouragement and challenged me on this journey.
Ann Voskamp's blog A holy Experience This image of a bleeding heart represents a journey of healing from brokenness to wholeness. Some of my favorite books: One thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Married over 46 years and entered into my 65th year of life.
I am a mother of two and grandmother of six and mom to two very spoiled kitties. I love to worship and encourage and of course write whenever I can find a topic or subject to share about.
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Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you find it encouraging and that it gives you
'Something to think about'. The vision for this is to challenge the reader into a new and different way of thinking. I appreciate and always value your comments. Having others walk alongside and join in the sharing is part of the process.
Thank you for joining me... on this journey. As we get encouraged ~ Lord help us to encourage others. "And the day came when the risk to remain a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin my blog button The crosses are found on a beach at Winema Christian Camp on the Oregon coast.. a place to relax and find God in the process. My favorite place ....to rest and restore my spirit.
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