Each December, in the dusk of the old year, I open up my mind for a new word to live by for the coming year. Now, this may sound like gibberish to you, but it works for me. Year after year, a word will come to me and when it does, it's always fitting, even when I have doubts.
In 2016, my word was "renewed." I definitely needed to be renewed and to find hope and happiness and let go of a lot this year. While there was sadness and heartache in 2016 with the passing of three of our much loved, elderly pets, there was also much renewing with 7 trips to see friends and family and new cities and old favorites. {Travel is my absolute passion.}
I allowed myself to keep tweaking our curriculum and my teaching methods and educational focus without feeling doubt and guilt. I better recognized when we needed a break or a change. I gave myself license to take a day for me when I needed it.
We adopted a new kitten and puppy, adding lots of renewed life and energy to our household.
I continue to have complete faith in my God. This is how I make it through each day, day after day. And by the grace of God, I've made it through another year. While the coming year feels bleak and uncertain to me, my ever abiding faith will sustain me.
Oddly enough, despite my anxiety over the state of our world, the word that came to me the other day while I was drying my hair was "Joy." Now, I thought to myself, "Joy? This doesn't seem right for 2017." But the words kept repeating in my head…"yes, joy!" Then, I wondered what kind of joy, in what form.
Joy is defined as "a state of happiness or felicity." But it's also defined as "a source or cause of delight." And it's important to remember that delight and joy are synonymous.
Joy is being happy and exuding happiness, which in turn can act as a source or cause for another's joy or delight. This seems like a good thing, being happy and being the cause of another's joy.
There are two scriptures that come to mind when I think of joy…
"Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
And Psalm 100:
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
I've always liked these scriptures...I was beginning to see that joy was the right word for 2017…
Then, I saw a video of a Panda playing in the snow with such pure joy, and I thought I want to have joy like a Giant panda. Honestly, when you think about videos of pandas, don't you think of joy? They always seem so happy and curious and delighted to be doing whatever they're doing, even when it's mischievous or when they get themselves into sticky situations, which seems to be often. And they are the source of great joy to the people who see these amazingly beautiful and interesting creatures.
So, it is with the unbridled joy of a Giant panda that I will strive to make a joyful noise unto the Lord and serve with gladness and thankfulness throughout the year of 2017...even though I'm not always good at unbridled joy {since I'm a Type A personality kind of gal}, I'm going to give it my all!
In so doing, I will continue to look for any opportunity to travel and explore and give aid and mercy and do good and be kind and supportive and stand up for what I believe in. Here's to a joy filled 2017! What's your word? Over and out…
Anna
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