I am not a natural extrovert. People and noise and chaos do not fill me. Quiet and alone fill me. My family and my job are huge blessings to me, but it does take a lot from me to get through some of the daily grinds of basic family holiday gatherings and weekly worship services. And lumped together for weeks and days in a row with little down time, and my inner introvert-ness is crying to be alone for a while.
I look back over all the parties, gatherings, festivities and worship services I've been a part of throughout this season and I can't help but smile at all the wonderful interactions and meaningful things that occurred. It's been a full and rich season of God's blessing and goodness, and I'm left feeling humble and overly appreciative.
My husband totally rocked it this year and completely blew me away with the gifts and love he showered upon me. He gave of his time and talent and gave me the gift of a fireplace, custom builtin around it, and installed an entire barnwood wall around it. Something he created and gave me, within our own home, which we can enjoy as a family and allow me to relax and be filled.
Long ago I resolved to stop making resolutions. It just sets me up for personal failure and disappointment, and it was always the same things on the list every year. And then a few years ago, I met a new friend who told me that every year she has a word or theme for that year, and she has encouraged me to listen for mine every year since.
Now I'm looking into the start of another new year, wondering what God all has in store for me and for my family. I've been thinking and trying to listen to the word or theme God wants me to have for 2017.
2015 my word was TRUST. 2015 was a tough, tough year and we just needed to hang on and TRUST God's plan and timing. 2016 was HEALING. While 2016 wasn't horrible, it was still a fairly tough year for me, and I felt the overall theme as the months continued, was I just needed to intentionally continue to HEAL ~ physically, mentally, spiritually.
As I mentioned in my previous post, the quiet theme scooting through my mind over and over the past several weeks has been "stop caring & stop sharing" - which I realize is a bit harsh and a bit extreme. I just sense that I need work on not getting so emotionally wrapped up in my own inner drama and to stop sharing about what I tend to get all worked up about.
As I was showering this morning thinking about it all, the word LESS became my clear word for 2017.
In 2017 I want to do less. I am already very careful about what I take on, agree to, volunteer for, etc - but I still feel like I live at a very hectic pace. I want to commit to do less, without guilt, so I have time to relax more, read more, scrapbook more, spend time in silence and reflection more. Less crazy, less chaos, less expectations.
I want to spend less. I already try to spend as little as possible, but I will be the first to admit we have gotten into a very bad habit of overspending. No, I'm not going to cut cable and cut my grocery budget in half tomorrow, but I do need to be conscious of what I'm shelling out money for.
I want to have less. I struggle with "stuff" - all those things we have that fill our house, our lives, our drawers, cupboards, shelves, closets, etc. I always threaten to go all extreme and get rid of half of the things in our house. While I don't see that happening, I do hope to consciously lessen all that which isn't "necessary" inside the walls of my home and life.
I want to weigh less. I am already well on my way to a new and healthier me, but I'm not quite there yet. I want to not just continue on and reach a healthier weight, but I want to stay living healthier through thee entire twelve months of 2017. I have a horrible track record of not keeping the weight off, eating well, and exercising consistently once I have met my goal. Someone I know has set a 1000 mile walk/run goal for 2017. I love this idea ~ it's honestly very achievable, and I'm fairly certain I will steal her same goal. :-) I also think 2017 just might be the year I finally decide to tackle running a half marathon.
I want to talk less. I realize this is a bit of an odd thing maybe, but I know I'm a talker and it's very easy for me to be open about what I'm thinking and feeling. This isn't a bad thing overall, but often I get sucked into drama and grumpy negativity. I just want to be conscious of what I'm saying and sharing. I want to complain less, be less negative in my thoughts and comments, and overall just listen better.
So that's my word and my initial thoughts as I'm getting ready to say farewell to 2016 and warmly greet 2017. I'm hoping as I start consciously doing and becoming LESS that it will continue to spill into even more areas of my life than the five I specifically listed above.
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