I'm aware it's the fourth, but we just arrived in our Skokie home at midnight, back from our 10 day adventure to Salem. As this is my first day 2013 to be home, it's a New Year for me.
It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon and I'm still wearing my pajamas. Which makes more sense when one understands I got out of bed at 11 am. Looks like "more productivity" will not necessarily be a top goal of mine this year.
The house is a shamblefest, and I've been prowling through it, alternately feeling amused and despairing about the situation.
We've opened the Christmas cards that gathered while we were gone. It's so sweet to see the faces of friends, both those we see often and those we miss because they've moved far away. Holding their paper image somehow feels better and more real than spotting them on Facebook.
The fridge is empty--by my standards, which means there are a few things in there, but all of them are ingredients that need cooking; in other words, no food. Brunch was bacon from the freezer, smooshed peanut butter sandwiches Mom made yesterday, and applesauce.
In other words, an ordinary day. Finally, finally, now that I'm 40, I'm beginning to understand the sweetness of this kind of day. We have no certain future. Therefore, thrashing about in this day and wishing it was otherwise (as I might have in the recent past) may be a waste of the last chance we have to be in this house with our kids at this age and us in our pajamas. How do we know? So thank You for Your gift, Lord, another day to live.
My writing is so rusty! I don't know if I'm at all expressing what I mean, but where I'm going is for this: PEACE
Last year my One Word was Near, and God was so gracious, He did draw Near and I felt I knew more of Him than before because of His Nearness.
This year, we face many uncertainties. We always have, but I didn't know in those past years just how completely we were not in control of our lives. I still have much further to go in relinquishing all to the One who is all wise, and I need His PEACE.
I don't consider myself to be a naturally peaceful person, at the core (is anyone? only those who know themselves to be in His hand, I think), so if I have peace, if I feel peace, if I am peace, first to my family and then to others around, I will know it is His doing.
So my One Word for 2013 is PEACE.
What is your One Word for 2013? Or if you don't choose One Word, what are some of your hopes for this year?
Here's a link to the My One Word blog: http://myoneword.org/blog/
I don't know how to embed links when I blog on iPad....
