One Word...

It's that time of year when we make new resolutions, commitments to improve our life's and ourselves.  We begin with high motivation; resolved to do better, be better.  But usually by mid-February these promises begin to fizzle...if not earlier.  So, this year I decided not to make any fleeting resolutions that only make me feel like a failure...again.  No, this year, I've decided to entrust just one word to changing.

Not two words, not a phrase, just one word...

I read about this concept shortly before Christmas and thought, "Yea, I can do this, sure I can."  The inspiration behind the idea was that resolutions, albeit an excellent idea, just don't work out for most folks.  And since I'm "most folks", I agreed that year after year I have made and broken the same old resolutions again and again.

The article explained that in prayerful meditation, we ask to be guided to the one word that God would have us focus on throughout 2014.  How would I know which word was the one?  The article said, it would be much like falling into true love...it would simply feel right...resonate in my spirit.

Many words came to me at first; words like organize, write, health and exercise.  The usual array of practical words that fill a resolution.  None of them felt right.  So, I refocused on less practical and more spiritual expressions such as love, harmony, peace and faith.  Ditto for still not feeling right, so...

What to do? What to do?

I did what any reasonable, red-blooded gal would do...I decided it was all poppycock and gave up! Then...

finally, after I got out of the way, God could have his say...

Out of the blue, not even thinking about that so-called inspiring article, a word popped into my head and would not be denied.  Glory...one word!

Glory?  What the heck was I to do with this?  Glory?  Surely it must be glorify?  I can do something with glorify.  Glorify God...glorify others...glorify the planet...  But glorify wasn't the one word, it was GLORY!  (my, my God must shake his head at me!)

Okay, okay... but what's the big deal?  Glory, glorify... what's the difference?

But, there is a difference.  Bringing glory is more about what we do to honour or value what we glorify.  It is a subtle difference, but distinct.  I bring glory to God, family, friends, country, etc., by glorifying them through my actions.  In other words, on a practical note, I bring glory to my community by speaking praises to others about it.  I bring glory to my friends by keeping their confidences.  We bring glory (noun) so we can glorify (verb).

I struggled somewhat with the small difference; it is easily confusticated... however I finally saw why God insisted on my one word to remain glory...

This year is not meant for merely paying lip service to glorifying whatever is meaningful to me, but actually doing the work to show it.  Anyone, including myself, can claim to glorify, but making the effort to show it is a commitment.

It would seem, then, glory is my one word for 2014.  It feels right. It resonates in my spirit. So, how can I best glorify my family, my God, my friends, my work, myself everyday?   It will require reflection, prayer, staying in the moment... It will be a great challenge, but the article claimed that our one word will change us, refine us and make us better people.  And...

isn't that what New Year resolutions are suppose to do?

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Until we meet again...