The Party That Never Quits

My word is “YES”

Yes to picnincs, just one more movie, board games… cups of tea, midnight swims and movies on the couch without the computer…

To going deeper…

Being more deliberate…

More present.

I needed an all encompassing word. One that incorporated my kids and my husband, my home and my God.

Other words I had considered were

deliberate
discipline
joy
grace

All really good words, and I've seen people choose them. I applaud them. They are courageous words to take on board.

But for me, 'yes' meant all of them. To learn things that I have been avoiding for a long time. Yes to change. To do things where I had to choose to go against what I would necessarily have done. "Yes" requires me to be unselfish. To get up off my butt, or stop what I was doing that was "so important". To do what I know is right, or fun, or necessary.

"No" and "but" were banned.

Already, in this first week of One Word, I have played scrabble and Go Fish with Troy, let Bethany play with my hair, let them stay up late for "just one more movie", fetched that many cups of tea I've lost count, let Eli and Amy sleep in our bed and played Mario Kart with Adam at 3 o'clock in the morning. When Adam asked me to skip church and stay home whith him this morning, I said yes.

Ok. So that one didn't take too much arm twisting, but I'm chalking it up.

The week has been significantly less stressful, even with Adam at home ill with a bad ear infection. (Hence why he didn't go to church).  I've let the days roll even more than normal, and haven't beat myself up for not doing more.

It's been lovely.

I'm grateful that my first foray into this hasn't been overly difficult.  I'm sure the Lord gave me the word to grow and stretch me though, and you can't do those things without a few tests and spiritual blisters. So needless to say, I'm not taking this first week lightly.

I'm sure "yes" will get more challenging as the year goes on.

As a side note, Lisa Leonard is giving away two Word for the Year necklaces over on her blog! Leave a comment and you will go into the draw. What a beautifully lovely way to remind yourself all year!