Inside: It’s a yearly tradition around here for me to choose a word for the year–or, rather, a word to choose me. Read on to find out my word for 2021.
My Word for 2021
I don’t think I could be much later this January, unless I postpone this post for a few more hours, but I do have my word for 2021. Actually, I’ve had it since the end of December, and I’ve been meaning to write about it all month, but it’s been a crazy January, full of angst and stress and lots and lots of prayers due to the former. Rather than get into all of that, I’ll get straight to the matter at hand.
My Word for 2021 is determined.
From dictionary.com:
Determined [dih-tur-mind]
adjective
From Cambridge Dictionary:
The Story Behind the Word
Not much background this time around, but I had been thinking about what my word for 2021 could possibly be and hoping for something positive and encouraging. On the night of December 30, I silently said this prayer: “Well, God, it’s December 30, and I still don’t have my word.”
In my brain I heard the word “determined.”
And I promptly thought to myself, Oh, I probably heard wrong. I decided I’d put that word on a shelf and see if I heard anything else.
I didn’t.
So then later I asked God to do what He always does and bring the word in front of me so I have confirmation that this, indeed, is the right word for me.
And the next day I found it several times in my devotional readings, and later in other places.
Sigh. I wasn’t excited about the choice. It is a hard word to me. Something that doesn’t let me off the hook. It challenges me to not quit, not take the easy road. . . Mike even got me a sweatshirt for Christmas that said, “DON’T QUIT.” Coincidence? I think not!
A few hours into my new word and a song began to play in my head–this from the wedding ceremony of my brother Jeremy and his wife Ricci. Her father sang a song with the refrain, She is determined, she is determined. . .
And, yes, Ricci is a pretty determined person. Hmm. . . Maybe she can give me lessons.
But first on to kindred spirits. To commiserate. . . . When I told my hairdresser that determined was my word for 2021, she looked at me and nodded her head knowingly. She suggested I might think of synonyms which sound better. She used the example of “disciplined” and how when she changed it to “faithfulness” it sounded more doable.
Determined Me
I think I’ll start collecting synonyms. Ways for me to embrace this word. One interesting thing happened when compiling goals for the year–yeah, I was late in doing that, too. Forced into finally selecting something for my first writer’s critique group meeting last week. After just not “feeling it,” I prayed for some direction for goals, and a rather unusual one came pretty quickly. Do one hard thing a day. So far, I’ve been doing this.
More about goals in a soon-to-be-written future post.
I’m determined to get on it right away. . .
Resources and related posts:
Post from the past:
January 31, 2019:
Winter Conversations, Clarence Hiding, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Patsy Reiter
A great word! You can do it. Patsy 🙂
Sherry Swanson
Hi, Amy. A cousin, Pam Yates, just contacted me regarding the Harke relatives in Elsberry. My husband was Don Swanson grandson of Delphine Harke who married Albin Swanson and had sons Marvin and Delbert and daughter Dororthy mother of Pam. She and I are wondering if there is still old farmstead on or near your property. My phone is 314-303-5504. Sherry Swanson. Don’s sister lives in Florrisant. I taught a Harke teen girl that went to Saeger Middle School in St Peters, Mo and she said her relatives were from Elsberry. Any connection? That was years ago, as I have been retired since 2004.
ellen
Your word evokes feelings of what our family does…circle the wagons (figuratively), square our shoulders, head up and and move ahead. We always land on our feet, sometimes in new territory, sometimes of a new mind.
Thank you so much…and thank you, too, for the sweet potato slips info…my search for that led me to your corner!
🙂
Ellen