I say this every year… I love New Years! It’s one of my favorite holidays.

I love the fresh start of a new year. I love the night of fun before. I love that there is one more holiday after Christmas (and before the grind begins again) that doesn’t involve me having to buy anything but drinks.

And I have always LOVED making resolutions. I could go pull any of the journals since I was 12 and find a list of resolutions. I love lists. I love planning to make positive changes in my life. I love the introspection and hope of it all. I love measuring successes against my plan.

Then comes March. Or work. Or a death. Or a move. Life happens and my resolutions get worked on here and there…sporadically…and some happen and others don’t. In some cases I feel good about the progress over the year. While in other cases I look back and realize that my goal was…
too ambitious…
or not in alignment with the season of my life…
or someone else’s goal that I was trying to live up  to…
or that my life changed after it was made  and I didn’t adjust the resolution.

This year I’ve decided to follow the OneWord365 principle (see http://www.oneword365.com). Choose just one word that sums up who I am and/or how I want to live. One word that I can focus on every day, all year long. Then watch it shape both my year and me.

So with that in mind I have come to the conclusion that my word has been picking me for months!

First I took an online e-course where I had to write this on my hand:

Then one of my dear best friends Chad bought me this lovely bracelet for Christmas: 

So it seems obvious to me now that my One Word for the next 365 is:

I am enough!
There is enough love, joy, talent, success, peace, work, value, respect, and grace to go around for everyone…including me
When things get out of hand…I can stop the world from spinning by saying “Enough”
When others offer me love and friendship…I will gladly accept, return what I have to offer, and  it will be enough
When I have successes…the joy will overflow with enough
And when I fail…the sadness will reach its end and be enough
Through it all…I AM ENOUGH!

Sat down and read “Jesus Feminist” by Sarah Bessey in one sitting tonight. My main take-aways are as follows:

1. I think so many people would be surprised to find the soft voice of this lovely lady behind the title of “Jesus Feminist”. The title is stirring and I imagine so many will ignore or turn away despite what is in the beautiful prose of this lady.

2. The prose…it is lovely. Almost poetic. I can hear her voice and it is friendly, loving, honest, and kind. Grateful for that.

3. Despite being a women who has chosen not to have children, I am so grateful for the chapter on motherhood and the chapter on Church Ladies. So beautiful and touching!

4. If you are looking for a fierce proponent of women claiming their place in the pulpit, this isn’t it. I am both glad and sad at this.

5. The commission..Lordy Lordy…the commission! I wept over this. Probably because I needed to hear it. Probably because it is rare that women are given a commission in this manner. Probably because it is full of love, grace, and generosity.