Hubby and I started a few years ago choosing a word for our family. Sometimes my personal word is the same. Sometimes it is different. Last year, our family word was ADVENTURE. And we definitely had a 2018 of adventure...not the adventure we were anticipating but it was certainly uncharted territory for the both of us. Grief is like that. Navigating the rough waters of that grief was an adventure to say the least.
This year, together, we have chosen the word SIMPLIFY. This holiday season we looked around at all the stuff and decided it was time to let it go (cue Frozen music here). We have been slowly doing just that over the last week and a half. Three loads have been taken to Salvation Army, several bags of garbage have been thrown out, and there is even a lovely pile by the street as a I write.
Today we put away the last of our Christmas stuff (sans outside lights), our beloved village. As we reorganized and revamped the storage in the garage, we also went through a few things and threw them out. I've chosen a few things here and there to go through each day and it makes it much more attainable. We've rearranged certain spaces to simplify the look and make it more usable. It feels so wonderful to get rid of the excess. We aren't just choosing this word in our house, but we want to choose it in our lives as well. Simplicity is so attractive to me right now. I don't want the complications of busy schedules or huge to do lists or laundry lists of wants. I just want to live simply and happily. We didn't make lists of goals to accomplish this year. Our word is our goal, whatever that may look like throughout the year.
I do realize that we must be mindful not to confuse simplicity with complacency or comfort because that is certainly not what the Lord has called us to. He has called us to live boldly and with abandon for Him. I believe when we simplify our lives in the ways we have discussed, it will free us up to live in the way the Lord calls us.
Initially, I wasn't sure I wanted my own word this year. But I actually took a little quiz on dayspring.com about "Your Word of the Year." At first I was just doing it for fun but then it gave me my word and I loved it. I felt a sweet desire to do just that. My word this year for myself is DELIGHT. I want to delight in the Lord and all He is and has to offer our family this year. I want to delight in my family and our time together. I want to delight in my children. Adding a new addition in May is going to be delightful for sure and I cannot wait to hold my sweet Grace Reign and breathe her in and love the stuffing out of her. I want to delight in the simple things of life and not get so wrapped up in things I cannot change. I'm done wasting precious energy letting simple frustrations rob my joy. I want to delight in life itself and delight in the simple peace that comes from knowing my Savior.
Today has been a no screen day for our munchkin and a limited screen day for me. We put away the Christmas village, I caught up on laundry, did the dishes, finished all the reading and assessments for my online class, read a few chapters in my new book, spent time in bible study, started pot roast in the instant pot, and am now writing - something I need to do regularly and haven't been. The hubby has been next door helping build a shed while the little man has been over there playing outside with his cousins. I can hear the laughter and delighted squeals over the fence and it makes my momma heart happy. We want him to enjoy the idea of simplicity too. We've come up with a system for our family responsibilities each week that now will coincide with his earned screen time minutes. I am so looking forward to using this starting tomorrow. Perhaps I'll share more about that in another blog after we've had a few weeks under our belts.
Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what your word is and why you chose it so leave a comment and let me know.
Blessings to you for a delightfully simple 2019! :)
Image from: https://gorgeousingrey.com/6-tips-to-simplify-your-life/
No comments:
Post a Comment