Words

I've always been a bit envious of those of you who were focused enough to have a Word of the Year.

By the time January rolls around, my Word would typically be something like Napping or Solitude.

And those have just never seemed appropriate.

A few weeks ago, a word popped into my head and has not gone away. I don't know if it is my Word of the Year or if it is just good old conviction, but Generosity will not leave me alone.

My first thoughts of generosity usually land on money.  Being generous with the resources that God has given to me.  It is easy to say, "if I had the money they did" or "when things aren't as tight" or "after we get this paid off" I will give more.  

I don't think that is necessarily what God had in mind with the whole giving thing. (See Luke 21:1-4 for a gentle reminder.)

Generosity starts making me a little more uncomfortable when I think of my time.

Y'all.  I like my time.

I especially like my alone time.

A lot.

It is HARD for me to think of being more generous with my time. But I think maybe that is where this won't-get-out-of-my-head-thing is leading.

It is SUPER HARD for me to think of being more generous with my family's time. If we get a night with nothing planned I am holding on tight.  

PSA:  I think those type of nights are vitally important to the health and happiness of a family.  And I am in no way saying they are wrong or selfish or wasteful.  I am, in fact, encouraging you to find them and love them.

However.  I think that maybe my first reaction should not ALWAYS be to say no, lock the doors and hide the access to the outside world.  Maybe I should sometimes think of others that we could include. 

I do know that any money or time that we give away will always come back to us.  Maybe not dollar for dollar or hour for hour...that never needs to be the reason we give.  But God tells us that the measure we use will be the measure used for us.  

My prayer is that at the end of this year, I will be able to look back and clearly see ways that I was more generous.  I want to think of giving more than I think of keeping.

But for now, I'm off to enjoy a bit of solitude and napping.

Do you have a Word of the Year?

Comments

[Jamie B]

You have been so missed!! Happy to see your post! I've never had a word, but this year "Live" keeps popping up, as well as the verse about not being able to live on bread alone. So I think I'll dig deeper in the Word and not let opportunities pass me by.

[rrmama]

I still have you in my blogs to read everyday. I'm glad you're back. I've never once forgotten the kindness you, your mom, and Jules showed to me during hurricane season when Ike decided to put three trees in my house. It's been a long time my bloggy friend, it's been a long time. I've missed you.

[Beachymimi]

Ouch. I can be so selfish with my time. Thanks for the reminder