Happy Tuesday, My Friend!
I just flew in from California last night. And, boy, are my arms tired. (I had to.) The subject matter of today’s letter would have been more appropriate during the first week of January rather than the last. But I’ve always been a bit of a late bloomer, so I’ll blame it on that. The subject matter at hand is this . . .
Do you pick a word of the year? I know a lot of people do. It’s a word that represents what you want to be intentional about for the new year. I’ve only done that once, and it didn’t work out that well.
The year was 2020. Yup, that year! Didn’t we all start that year thinking it would be the best thing ever? “Clarity”—”Vision”—”Focus.” This was the stuff 2020 was going to behold for each of us. That January, my daughter and I got goal planners that were going to change our lives. We would rise to heights of spiritual existence never seen before, even by Tom Cruise. We filled out pages and pages of thought-provoking questions and set goals that would knock the socks off even the loftiest of the lofty. After pouring our hearts out onto several pages, we were to go back and look at what word kept popping out. What word did we use over and over? Repeatedly. Time and time again.
Mine was “Work.” Work? How unremarkable was that? And, yet, somehow, I was determined to make it . . . work. This particular planner even came with stickers to help keep us motivated throughout the year. I put one on my laptop to help inspire me to kick life in the proverbial b-u-t-t. It said, “This is the year I make it happen!” (It’s still on my computer. I’ve tried to peel it off, but it won’t budge. Now, it just makes me roll my eyes and laugh.)
Life as we knew it came to a skidding halt about mid-March, remember? I’m not sure how everyone else did on their clarity, vision, or focus, but my “work” tanked that spring. I haven’t come up with another word of the year since.
Until this year.
Well, “words” is more like it. One day, I came across a Bible passage, and it hit me on the head (like one of those inflatable toy hammers, not anything that could actually injure me). This was my “word” of the year! Here it is:
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:23-25 (I added the italics and caps for emphasis.)
Man, I love that. First of all, let’s talk about the word “unswervingly.” Come on! Isn’t it great? You can’t say it without making fists and squinting your eyes a little. That’s how I want to hold on to hope. And even if I loosen my grip from time to time, He who promised it won’t. He’s always faithful. And I just love the overall message of ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER. Oh, boy. There I go with the “all caps” thing again. I promise I’m not yelling at you, just ENCOURAGING you.
I probably need to avoid social media’s “comments” sections. Yikes, does discouragement live there in abundance! I recently watched a video of a woman making her beloved chicken noodle soup. I made the mistake of reading the comments, and people couldn’t seem to stop themselves from writing the meanest things! “You chop your vegetables all wrong!” “You’re using the wrong knife!” “Why are you wearing that when you’re cooking?” and on and on and on and on. Seriously? She’s sharing her recipe for her delicious soup; do you need to pick her apart? Discourage. Discourage. Discourage. How about we build each other up instead?
I’m committing to memory the passage from Hebrews, but also wanted to squish it down to a smaller phrase for when I only have one second to repeat it. I came up with “Love Better.” That’s what I’m really hoping to do this year. I am so abundantly blessed to have so many people to love in my life. I want each one to know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. It seems like a good thing to WORK on this year, loving my people better. (I’ve discovered a podcast called “Love Better.” I haven’t listened to it, but I love the title!)
What about you? Do you have a word for 2025? Whatever it is, may you work at it with gusto!
Written with love – – – Patti XOXO
These are on my wall. I like these better than the one permanently affixed to my computer.