One Word wrap up for 2020

Back in January, I continued my habit of choosing One Word to focus on for the coming year. Back in January, I, as well as everyone else, had no clue how life was going to change in just a couple months. Back in January, I chose the word, Vision.

All the puns aside for picking Vision for 2020, I also created a personal vision statement for the new year.

This year, I will strive to spread light and life into the lives of those around me; to not be a roadblock or cause others to stumble due to my actions or inaction. My pursuit of genuine faith and the desire to be in the will of God will drive my actions and determine the paths I choose to travel…knowing those paths may not be comfortable. On that journey, I will continue to seek new outlets for creative, intellectual and spiritual growth. I want to focus on walking through life with my friends and family, giving love unconditionally and not expect more than others are capable of giving.

Now, almost 12 months later, it’s eerie how this year played out with my word.

I will strive to spread light and life into the lives of those around me; to not be a roadblock or cause others to stumble due to my actions or inaction.
There was plenty of opportunity, despite being isolated from most activities, to speak light into the lives of others; mainly through electronic means. I much prefer in-person interaction, but this gave me an opportunity to reach others with my thoughts through posts and other social media means to try and offer encouragement and support. And, in the process, I discovered some new friends.

My pursuit of genuine faith and the desire to be in the will of God will drive my actions and determine the paths I choose to travel…knowing those paths may not be comfortable. On that journey, I will continue to seek new outlets for creative, intellectual and spiritual growth.
Wow. Uncomfortable would be the operative word here. Aside from Entrepreneur’s cancer diagnosis, recently there’s not been anything close to this as far as a test of faith. Many times I struggle with the will of God, especially when it detours from what I think needs to be done. COVID, the nastiest election I’ve ever seen and the violence playing out in our country drove me to try and understand events as part of a bigger plan…a bigger end game of which I am not in control. Deep dives into some of the scriptures helped refocus my mind and, despite being uncomfortable with a lot of what I read, helped me to trust this is part of God’s plan; that none of this is a surprise to Him; and he is still in control. Some people might have walked away from God during all this, but 2020 drove me closer to him.

I want to focus on walking through life with my friends and family, giving love unconditionally and not expect more than others are capable of giving.
I discovered how important it is to not expect everyone to think or act the same way I do. I learned grace in dealing with others whose struggles I didn’t completely understand, and learned I needed to validate their emotions by listening and trying to empathize with them. The last line of not expecting more than others are capable of giving released me from the feelings of disappointment and/or resentment. Everyone is fighting a battle and sometimes there’s just not enough energy left for anything else.

Most of 2020 was a $#!% show. But it wasn’t without clarity. The events and experiences of 2020 revealed to me a lot about myself as well as the world around me. Watching how people reacted to this year was very telling in many ways. Watching how events unfolded gave me clearer vision. Sometimes these events changed my mind about how I look at issues; sometimes they reinforced my initial impressions. But, I believe I’ll be walking away from 2020 with perfect hindsight.

Linking up with Brian’s Home for Thankful Thursday because I’m thankful 1. This year is finally finished! 2. Entrepreneur and I made it through the year in overall good health. 3. Despite the challenges of this year, we were able to complete more than 20 projects between our house, our oldest daughter’s house and our parent’s houses.

Happy New Year’s Eve to all my bloggy friends. And, I wish for each of you a 2021 that is filled with grace, promise and the excitement of making future plans.