word of the year

A week into the new year, still reflecting, still looking forward.  I liked the idea I saw over on tip junkie about having a word of the year.  I often have a theme verse for a season, and sometimes theme words just come to me as God is teaching me... through sermons, songs, verses and life.  Like a few years ago, when He was teaching me about His MERCY.. what an incredible gift.  (And where our little Mercy got her name.)  And then there was a season of PRAISE.  Praising Him through it all.. the pleasant, the difficult... fighting through praise, finding strength through praise.  And then Judah came along.  His name means praise.  So does Brooklyn's, by the way.  Which is awesome.  Ezekiel means strength.  That's not my word for the year, but I thought you might like to know, and didn't want to leave him out.

This year's word (or at least my word until God shows me another one) is SAVOR.  I'll have to admit that this one didn't happen upon me like the others did, in a more spiritual way.. But as I was thinking about this past year, and looking forward to what might be ahead, I was asking myself what I really want for this year.  And I really want to savor it all.  I've been in a savoring state since last year, leading up to our big move from California.  I really wanted to savor everything and every moment with family and friends.  And coming to Minnesota, I wanted to really experience it for all I could, and I've been enjoying and savoring as much as possible here.  And the kids (wait.. don't you just love that in a blog, there are no real grammar rules, and you can start a sentence with And when you really want to?).. anyway.. Our kids are growing and changing all the time and I don't want to let a minute of it go by without noticing, savoring each step.  

So I decided that would be my word for the year.  SAVOR.  I need to find a fitting verse to go along with it.  I also like that it can be referenced with food because I really love food.  And maybe I should apply it to food too.  Sometimes we eat just to eat, and munch on something while we're multitasking doing other things.  But isn't it so much better when we pay attention to each bite and really enjoy it?  Here's an example.  I love Oreos.  I don't usually buy them because I've been known to eat an entire sleeve in a sitting.  If they were chips or popcorn, that much might be acceptable.. but not Oreos.  So on the rare occasion that we do have them, I'll give myself a nice little stack of three.  And then I'm also online or reading or something and all of a sudden my stack is gone when I thought I had one more.  I always end up wishing I would have savored it before it was gone (so I end up going back for one more and totally enjoy each bite).  

But with real life, we're not usually given the chance to go back for one more.  Your three year old's snuggly moments are over and now she's off to run and jump and play.  Your husband's day off was spent running errands and now it's over (and it's great to go to the grocery store without having four kids in tow, but time together needs to be priority too).  You have so many things that you want to get done during the little ones' nap time but you miss the opportunity to spend good quality time with your older ones.

SAVOR.  I want to make the most of every opportunity and experience each new step to the fullest.  Now I'm off to savor a cup of coffee.  

Here's to a savory year!  (I could get really cheesy with this... and probably will.)