This year my word is transparency. God put this word on my heart and if I am honest, it scares me a bit. Over the past few days my mind has expanded how I am interpreting this directive. Not only does transparency mean being honest with others as well as myself, but peeling back the layers of my motivations for why I do what I do. The struggles I have, the goals I have yet to achieve, the habits I have not picked up or set down are all driven by something in me. Uncovering more about myself through self-examination feels more and more like what this transparency will involve. It kind of gives me that dread of standing naked in front of a full length mirror gut punch moment.
My word last year was release and boy did it turn out to be the plan for my life. Starting the year dealing with essential tremor and then adding long Covid certainly sat me down and changed my life pace. I had no choice but to release so much of what I took for granted since I didn’t have the stamina to hold on to all I was carrying. Although my life has slowed, the truth is I have grown more personally this year than any other I can remember. Letting go of expectations and being thankful for what I have has been such a gift. It encourages me that God will use transparency this next year to grow me even more. Old dogs certainly can learn new tricks.
Two years ago I gave myself a challenge. It was not really a resolution but a challenge. In 2022, I gave up buying purses. If you know me, you know I have a purse problem and have more than any human needs. In 2023, I decided I was not taking my phone in the bathroom. I didn’t commit to it as well as I did to not purchasing a purse but I did better than ever before. The funny thing about the buying no purses challenge is that in 2023 I am carrying oxygen with me so it has become my purse and I didn’t need to buy any other purses. Bummer!!!
2024 is a year I feel that I need to give up games on my phone but I have failed at that multiple times so I am moving on. My challenge for this year is to walk as I am regaining my stamina first thing every morning. Even if it is just to the end of my street and back. I want to change up my morning routine and get in a brisk walk with my Cora dog before grabbing my coffee and Bible. It just feels like even that change may help me center more. While I was teaching, I would have my students do run and scream before getting down to work or especially before an important test. They would run as far as they could on one breath and repeat it three times. This would oxygenate them, get the wiggles out, and help them focus when they sat down to get to work. My hope is that a quiet walk will first thing will be a distraction free chat with Jesus and get my heart going before I sit down with my Bible and caffeine. I hope to have better direction and focus. Here is to me being disciplined enough to incorporate this challenge into my routine. Bill Redmond once said results not excuses. So I will grab Ronnie B’s headlamp when I get up before the sun this winter, lace up my warm boot, and brave the cold. Then in the spring when the sun is up early and I am wearing Chaco flip flops, my walk will be more pleasant with less bundling up until the days shorten once again.
Don’t wish me luck for 2024 and I won’t wish you luck for yours. Rather let’s commit to praying for one another when we cross each others minds and picking up the phone to connect as well. Happy New Year and let me know how you plan to grow you this year.
In Him,
Joyful
1-1-24
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