Second Annual Birthday Post

In the blogging world, they tell us that consistency is key.  So here I am writing about my “Word of the Year” two years in a row - Woohoo!

When was the last time you were really present? I mean you were engaged in a conversation with no thought of checking out; or focused on a task without distraction; or you spent time reading and praying without your mind wandering off in a million directions?  Yeah, me too.

 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie isn’t just a cute children’s book, it’s our daily experience!  We live distracted. And it’s only getting worse. I don’t like it, and I really hope to make some changes this year.

We were created for RELATIONSHIP.  To be WITH. In my Bible study, a word has jumped out at me over and over. It’s found it the Old Testament over 2,000 times…

Exodus 33:14- 15 And [God] said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.  And [Moses] said to Him, “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” (Moses would rather stay in the desert with God, than enter the promised land without Him!)

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy. 

Psalm 105:4 Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His presence continually.

The Hebrew word literally means FACE. Maybe Facebook creators knew what the human heart most craves. This year I’m desperate for PRESENCE on many levels:

*Living fully aware of, and immersed in the presence of God.  Not hiding from Him, not ignoring Him, but reminding myself throughout the day that I’m with Him, and He with me. 

*Living present with the humans in front of my actual face. Our digital world has done so much damage to relationships and I’m reclaiming some of what has been stolen.  That means keeping phone use to a minimum. Deleting apps, silencing notifications, and just putting the phone down!

*Fully engaging in my work, whatever it may be.  If I’m writing, I’m writing (not doing the laundry, feeding the dog, or emptying the dishwasher).  

One of my favorite Jim Elliot  quotes is this, “Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt of every situation you believe to be the will of God.”

That’s my word-of-the-year.  What’s yours? I’d love to hear if you have chosen one, and your reason behind it!