My Word

…the corrections of discipline are the way to life.  Proverbs 6:23     

So, after several days of prayerful consideration I’m wondering how many of you have your WORD for 2014?  It’s kind of funny that what was a new idea to me, has actually been a pretty big deal for quite a while.  I learned that lots of folks have been doing this for several years.  I guess even if I came late to the party, I’m still really glad I came.

I mentioned in the first post that my word wasn’t even one I had considered.  The truth is I don’t like my word!  It’s a hard word and it involves change and work and persistence.  My word is DISCIPLINE!  I remember when the word came to me on the drive home from Kansas.  We were somewhere in the middle of Indiana and I wanted to scream, “Really God, that’s the best you can do!”  Of course I spent the next 100 miles trying to ignore the word but it just wouldn’t go away.  God kept showing me spot after spot after spot in my life where my new little word would fit perfectly! YUCK! I just wanted a word I could plug in and feel good about.  I wanted joy or contentment or blessing!  Those were nice feel good words that would affirm everything I’m doing in my faith journey.  But NO…I get a busy word.  He can just be so bossy!

I suppose if I’m going to tell the whole story you should also know that I pouted about the word for several days.  It made me feel un-appreciated!  In fact, I really threw one heck of a pity party!   The speech I gave at the party went something like this. Really God, I teach full time in a Catholic school, spreading the Gospel every day! I speak and teach audiences about discipleship and following YOU many evenings and weekends! I lead a women’s faith formation group!  I faithfully write this blog, about YOU twice a week! I pray hard and often! I include YOU in my marriage and my parenting, not to mention all the other things I try to do to be a good disciple!  Isn’t that enough…don’t you think I deserve a nice easy word after all that! I got no response indicating I would be given a new word as a result of my magnificent hissy fit!

So what does it mean?  It means I’ve given Him much of my time and talent but He wants more.  I have to believe that if I let discipline guide me through 2014 He will show me exactly why He made me work so hard.  He’s asking me to be more disciplined with my screen time and spend less time on Facebook and more time studying and serving others.  He’s asking me to be more disciplined with my thoughts so I judge less and compare less.  He’s asking me to be more disciplined with my focus in prayer and at Mass so I can truly find Him there.  He’s asking me to be more disciplined with my words so I respond more patiently and lovingly to my husband, children, co-workers and students.  He wants me to be more disciplined with detail tasks like grading papers, ironing, and all the other little pain in the neck things I often procrastinate about.  And finally the REALLY BIG ONE…my ministry work keeps me mentally active but He’s asking me to be disciplined and take better care of my health and become more physically active.  He’s asking me to be disciplined for the year…not for the day or the week or the month…THE YEAR! 

I may not like my word, but I absolutely LOVE the one who gave it to me so I will be faithful to the word.  I will work hard because I know He gave it to me out of love and He will be faithful to me as I try my hardest to practice discipline in all the spots He pointed out.  The thing about this whole word of the year…I know I have to really USE the word.  It already feels as much a part of me as my cotton socks.  I can’t escape it or run away from it.  If I do this right and let Him work through this word, I think I’m gonna have one heck of a post to write in December!

A Seed To Plant:  Do you have your word?  Make sure to write it down (several places) and pray about how you are going to use it.  I’d love to hear your word if you’d be willing to share! Let’s remember to pray for each other and our “words”…especially those of us who got hard ones! J

Blessings on your day!