New Year

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My Word for 2020

For the last couple of years, I have been in survival mode more than I have been planning ahead. Both of my children and my parents were going through major changes in life. I also still had court dates dealing with an abusive ex-spouse. My health wasn’t wonderful, so I narrowed my thinking and just “got by.” Sometimes we all have to do that. The problem is that I got stuck in that mode. I didn’t take time to see what changes I needed to make to better plan ahead and to practice some self-care that was needed.

I’m changing the way I think for 2020. As part of that change, I’ve decided to follow the example of some of my mentors and choose a word for the year. My word for 2020 is cultivating. Cultivating means to acquire or develop a quality, sentiment, or skill. That’s what I’m going to spend the year doing.

I’m going to cultivate better cooking skills so I can eat healthier than I have this year and learn to enjoy the meals I eat. I’m going to eat with people more often as well. Cultivating new friendships and renewing old ones tie into this goal.

I’m also going to cultivate authenticity and allow those around me to do the same. Who am I? What do I really know about myself outside of the things I have been taught to think about myself by others? I want to take the time to learn new things about my likes and dislikes, my hopes, and my strengths. I also want to learn new things  about those close to me. As part of that goal, I want to cultivate new relationships in my community and allow people to be authentic in those new relationships. I want to learn more about the people I share this planet with…I want to know who they love, what brings them joy, and what their hopes are for the new year.

I also want to continue to cultivate joy and gratitude in my life and find ways to bring joy to others. Joy is not dependent on my circumstances…I can choose joy even when life is hard.

I know I will still face challenges in 2020. I hope that when I do I cultivate new responses. I hope the same for you as well. What’s your word for 2020?

A New Year’s Prayer
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A New Year’s Prayer

I wrote this for a dear friend, but I would like to  share this with my readers also:

I pray that you receive many blessings throughout the upcoming year–that you never feel pain more than you see healing; that you never sense hurt more than you feel wrapped in the love of God, family and friends; that you never feel lost without seeing the light and finding the hand to guide you. When you question, may you hear God’s answers. When you sense the deepest joys God has to offer, may you never forget the source or the sweet lingering memory.

I faced many challenges during the last three months. Someone asked me how I experienced God during this time. Here’s my answer:

God draws hearts in my hand; He becomes the flow of running water washing mud and dirt from those same hands. He is the laughter that sweeps through my day when I need it most and the lullaby that calms my night. He is the reason for a smile and the warmth that sweetens the hug of a friend. He is in the echo of footprints down a long hospital hall. He is the coolness in the glass of sweet tea offered by a caring soul. He is the power of the songs in your car when your car is the only place you can worship. He is the unconditional love of a dog, the heart of a child, the purr of a comforting cat. He is in the silence at the end of a prayer. He is the protector of our souls, the creator of our talents and the sower of our hopes and dreams.

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