Establish This

Every 1st Monday, I’ll be taking seriously my One Word for 2013 by joining Kristin, Alyssa, Suzannah, Leigh, From Two To One & others to update how our one word for the year of 2013 is helping us to live more purposefully. Some are choosing to use their one word solely while others, ahem, like me, are also really hoping to finish up a list of goals for 2013 that are specific but driven by my one word.

If you haven’t chosen a word yet for 2013, might I convince you to do so? Seriously. It’s a heck of a way to laser focus on one way to take charge, harness the newness of the year & live purposefully. So. Gone ‘head & do it. Like, today.

So. How is my One Word experience going? The word I chose was: Establish.

From my first post: “Establishing, root laying, digging out a basement, foundation laying, etc. they all happen beneath the surface. As I ponder this word, I am keenly aware that what God is calling me to this year is preparatory in nature. It’s prep work, it’s the hard labor, it’s the foundation of the house that only He can build.

Establishing is not the exciting stuff, the flash in the pan stuff, nor the adventurous stuff. (i.e. the totally lame stuff) Establishing something -painstaking as it can be- is what provides long-term sustainability. Long-term health, growth & peace. That’s what I need, and that’s what this little family of mine needs: a good foundation to build on.”

Today: my first thought was, “womp womp womp. It’s not going, I haven’t done anything differently! I am a loser, end of story.

I am a wee bit hard on myself. When I extend myself a bit’o’grace I realize establishing ‘ish has been on my mind, no exaggeration here, almost every day…

…”if you are going to get your home established, you may want to start cleaning that up…”

…”if you are going to establish your health, perhaps it’d be good today to say no to that chocolate cake…”

…”if you are going to establish your financial health maybe you should wait on that purchase?…”

…”how can you establish good discipline with the little one?”

…”what do you need to do to establish a consistent pattern of working out, because the current one is broke with a capital B?”

If nothing else, I have longed for it all the more. Establishing it as my word has grafted into my brain.

I don’t have any big actions that I’ve crossed off a proverbial to-do list. I do have these little things, these little questions, these little reminders telling me to do things a little differently each day. I’m guessing, hoping, longing these small choices will lead to a more established well-rounded life for 2013.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;

establish the work of our hands for us-

yes, establish the work of our hands.

~Psalms 90:17