One little word…

Back in August I wrote a post called ‘now’, you can read it here. I needed to focus on now because I was finding it hard to put to rest what life was like before Joel’s cancer and wondering what the future was going to hold for him. So I focused on living in the ‘now’. Shortly after picking my little word I discovered Ali Edwards blog she started a few years ago the idea of picking one little word to focus on for the year.

Words are powerful things… How many of you remember the rhyme, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?’ Funny, I know I got into trouble when I was a child and I was spanked but I don’t remember any of those things but I remember one time when my Dad spoke harshly to me. Of course, that is long forgiven but I remember it, just like I remember harsh words spoken to me in high school.

Proverbs 12:18

‘There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.’

If you are going to pick a word to focus on you need to give it some real thought, because there is power in what we say.

Part of me wondered if I should hang on to ‘now’ for this year. While the word ‘NOW’ will still have a place in my home I decided to go with a different word. My one little (big) word for 2011 is PATIENCE. I know it seems like a huge word… can’t we all use more patience. I don’t think that on the dawn of 2012 I will have arrived as the most patient person, but it is my prayer that with God’s help I can gain some real ground.

As I picked my word I thought about what is one characteristic that if I could improve on would have an impact on my family. What if I responded to my children with patience? Instead of reacting to a situation I was patient, instead of getting stressed I acted with patience. It is my hope that as God works on patience in my life that it will become contagious to those around me.

At some point this year our focus with Joel will change from treatment to healing. I am going to need to be patient and move at Joel’s pace. I am going to need to be patient as I wait on God to see what he is going to do in Joel’s life.

Patience is a word that can impact just about every part of our lives. I am hoping to find my life changed by patience.

I came across this quote as I considered the word patience…

I thought this was a great quote while I do think there is more to patience then just waiting, I still liked it. So… that’s my one little big word for 2011.