why i'm not going to pick "one little word"

I am not one to make resolutions. Because five minutes after I make one I'd find some excuse to make it not happen. I'd find some reason that I need that thing I've resolved not to do, to be in my life. I'd find a way to make that thing I resolved to start, never happen. I lack in the follow through department. I always tell people that the only thing I am consistent with is being inconsistent. And that's the truth. Call it right brained, mother of five, type-C personality or whatever you want to label it, but it's the truth. I am good for a couple of days, a month at tops but my consistency is about as thin as skim milk. A couple of years ago people started choosing "one little word" to focus on throughout the year and I thought I'd jump on that bandwagon too. So two years ago my word was "intentional" and last year it was "simplify". Did I succeed in keeping those words at the top my mind? Sure for a bit. Then I'd forget, carry on with my day to day and sometimes the word would surface again and make me feel guilty for not sticking with it. The word wasn't completely useless in those years, as having them did help me focus for a while. But it's not the word that does that for me. If it was up to a word to keep me focused and motivated I feel like I would need a new word every month. Because every month brings new challenges and triumphs. My days are similar but each day brings its own trials and joys.

So this year, I had a word all picked out. I thought this would be the year that I would focus on a word and let that word help motivate me to do those things which were implied by the word. My word was "FORWARD". I chose this word to help motivate me to stop living in the past. To look forward to heaven, to help my kids look forward to their futures and their relationship with Christ. I thought Forward would be a great place for me to focus instead of trying to change the things that have already happened. If you know me at all you know I often times put my foot in my mouth because I say stupid things without thinking. Well, if I could I'd just walk around with my foot in my mouth to keep me out of trouble in the first place. But obviously that's not possible. So, I thought if I focused on the word "forward" when I had those moments I wouldn't dwell on them like I normally do. But the more I got thinking about it the more I realized that when I pick "one little word" I'm immediately setting myself up for failure. And no one likes to feel like a failure.

So...I'm just going to focus on Jesus and GRACE. Because I need them all the time. I cannot live without them and even when I mess up and forget about them for a time, when I come back to the words I will not feel guilty because the nature of those words is exactly the opposite of guilt. Because there's nothing I can do apart from Christ. There's no use for me to try to remember a word and live up to its expectations. I am freed by the Gospel and Jesus has already done EVERYTHING. It is finished. Jesus did not say on the cross, "it's almost done." Nope. He said "it is finished." It has already been accomplished for me...and for you! Let's sit and savor those words for a moment. It is finished. Awesome. So, I live in grace and continue to pursue Christ as His disciple. Yes, I need reminders from time to time and I need to focus but I don't need a word or action hanging over my head waiting for me to mess up!

I am by no means saying you shouldn't have a word. Maybe that works better for you. But please don't let the "one little word" hang over your head or make you feel guilty for even a second. I don't think that's the purpose of the word in the first place but that is where it was leaving me...so I'm leaving the "one little word" and focusing on Christ.

If you have "one little word" and would like it creatively displayed in your home so you don't forget about it I would love to hand letter it for you. I can even put a little watercolor background behind it!