the word

I have been working on coming up with a word for 2014.  My word for 2013 was SEEK.  It popped up over and over and gently reminded me to seek help and answers when I needed them.  I found myself seeking health and wellness.  I may have become a little narrow-minded.  Health and Wellness were all I could see some days.  Honestly, I couldn’t stop the loop in my head over and over.  Will this help me heal?  Is this action going to help my health?  Will this book, movie, outing encourage wellness?

I have narrowed my search down.  While I love the word “march”.  Mr. Right and I were married in March.  I want to march into the new year.  It sounded rather forceful and a tad mean.  I wanted to ease, explore, wander and meander, not march on with a mad face.

I rather love the word encourage.  I like the implication of the simple word.  I want to be encouraged and I love to encourage others.  This morning when I read my statistics for my blog for the last year, I was encouraged that my blog had been view 7,100 times.  While that may not be much to other bloggers, to me, I was tickled pink.  I always say that I write for myself, however, just knowing so many people had taken a peak at my words made me a bit giddy.  Sort of makes me want to take my grammar and punctuation a touch more serious…………..nah, I like it the way it is.  ha

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone…Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances…Hold on to what is good.“  1Thessalonians, Chapter 5

I am almost there.  I really had just about settled on the word.  Encourage.  I like it.  It was an A-.  I was close.  It was almost a good fit.   …Hold on to what is good.   I like it.  I like the word “good”.  I am good enough.   The way I love is good enough.  The way I remember others is good.    How can I measure up?  When everything is too much.  I just have to trust, that’s good enough.  Maybe my word should be “good”?

I just came in from fluffing and puffing the chicken palace.  While outside, I was breathing in fresh air and cleaned off the deck and raked up some leaves.  I cleaned off a pathway and picked up some broken twigs.  Just the action of being outdoors and breathing somehow makes my day better.  The fresh air clears my head and my thinking.  The “mess” of the day somehow straightens out and I can see more clearly.  I am a tad uptight.  Does that come as a shock?  When everything is way too much, I am wound up like a coiled spring.  I come to a point where I have to breathe.  I need to take deep gulps of air and breathe in and out.  It helps.  Really it does.

Fresh.  I think I figured out my word for 2014.  Done and done.  I am liking it.  I have swirled it around on my tongue a couple of times.  I tried it out on the dog.  She seemed impressed.  By impressed I mean, she continued napping on her bed and lifted open one beautiful brown eye, as if to say, yeah, that sounds good.  Yeah, good for you!

I am making it my mission in life to eat more fresh foods.  I am going to focus on getting more fresh air.  I am going to wipe the slate clean with old, tired, depressing topics and start anew.  Fresh.  I like the idea of being a little fresh with the boyfriend. ….Miss Daleen was being very “fresh” with Mr. Right.  Oh, I like the sound of that.  Focus a little more on us and pay attention to the small details that make a 32 year “going steady” gig, lively and interesting and well, fresh. We are starting with a fresh calendar.  Brand spankin’ new.  We will start counting coupons again.  We will add up pounds of vegetables and fruits.  We will start fresh with saving coins for vacation and weekend trips.  We will start fresh with adding up all the miles we walk and bike. There is a clean, empty, mason jar sitting on the counter fresh and ready to begin holding all the Good that will happen in the new year.

I love how one blogger signed off for the last blog of the year……..Here’s to significant and wide-sweeping strokes of grace and encouragement in 2014, and beyond!

I wish for you, my friends, WIDE-SWEEPING strokes of Grace and Encouragement, and focus on Holding on to Good.  My wish for Mr. Right, myself, our family and all our friends…… all those things plus a FRESH start.

I am standing here with open arms and a huge smile on my face.  We will welcome the year in with a gorgeous jigsaw puzzle and great food.  Hello 2014!  You are more than welcome in our home.  Here’s to a Fresh New Beginning for all of us.  Cheers!