One Is Just A Number

Up until about 30 minutes ago, I had planned on re-using my 2014 word, Do. I didn't feel like I had given it my all and frankly, I hadn't received any inspiration on what I should do for 2015. As I am surrounded by the lists that I make every December 31, I am struck by what it boils down to - I want to try my best. Every year when I make all of my resolutions, it is as simple as that - doing what I know I should do, my best. A week ago, I ordered a necklace from Lisa Leonard that will be stamped with "Be Your Best", that has to be sign, right? In order to be my best, I know that I must Do. Do all of those things I listed here: One Word 2014: Do . That includes being more faithful about writing on this blog. I took the month of December to think about it and I know that I am meant to write. I wouldn't have this dream in my heart to help people if that wasn't my purpose. So I will do my best to write more posts. I'm still trying to figure out what ...

I have had an ad for this shade from Schoolhouse Electric taped to my kitchen wall for five years. Last May, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it along with five other shades for my kitchen and hallway. I am so glad that I did because when I went on the website a week ago to order the surface mounts for the shades, they had discontinued it. Today, the fixtures came via UPS and it was like Christmas morning all over again. Unwrapping them was so exciting and inspired me to get busy fixing up my house. If for no other reason, to get rid of the three fixtures like this that hang in my house. I'm sorry, but this light looks like a certain body part and I can't wait to replace them with this. The wallpaper is down in my hallway and the walls need the cracks filled before I can put on a single coat of paint, but I REALLY want to go ahead and hang these new fixtures anyway. To make some progress. To make my vision for my house visible and tangible. To do.

 In 2014, I plan to take action and DO. DO go out and get the life I want. The life I want isn't going to come to me while I sit on the couch. DO be honest. Think about what I want, really want. Not what other people have. DO be the person God wants me to be. Pray better, not just two minutes before I go to sleep. Pray and continue to pray when I say I will on a friend's Facebook post. Read the Bible, not just have it read to me on Sunday. DO write on my blog. I won't help anyone, or not as many people, with just a Five Minute Friday post. If I want to be writer, WRITE. DO forgive. Everyone. Including myself. I will get so much farther if I quit carrying all that past baggage with me. Leave it in 2013.  DO fix my house. No more gathering paint samples and tearing photos out of magazines. DO it myself or hire it done. DO something for others. Don't just write checks, give of me and my time. DO better at work. Prove that I deserve what I've fought ...

Being raised Baptist, I knew very little about Ash Wednesday or Lent. I knew that my Catholic friend Judy didn’t eat meat on Fridays but that was the extent of my knowledge. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I knew about the imposition of ashes. I was so embarrassed when I pointed out to a patron of the library I worked at that she had something on her forehead. She could have been a little nicer with her explanation but it prompted me to do more research on the subject. This will be my second Ash Wednesday to attend a service where the palms from Palm Sunday have been burned in the church courtyard. This year I’ll know better what to expect and hopefully I’ll be more able to concentrate on the words and responses than worrying about whether I’m doing it right. As far as giving something up for Lent, I’m going to give up a behavior instead of something tangible like chocolate. I talk to myself. A lot. I’m never lonely because the sound of my own voice keeps me company. Talk...

 For the past few years, I've been aware of a movement of sorts to choose one word to symbolize what you'd like to focus on in the coming year. The One Word website says it should be "One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long." I have chosen Up as my word for 2013. Most importantly, the word means I plan on looking Up to God for guidance, love, and approval. I won't rely on what others think, I won't look around and compare myself to others, I will look Up to strive to be the wonderfully made person God created me to be. I'm also thinking of Up as symbolizing forward motion - to take action in my life, to leave bad habits behind, to move up out of the pit that I often find myself in emotionally. I want to get moving in 2013. I haven't figured everything out yet but I have figured out that any kind of motion is a good thing because expecting things to ch...