My Word for the year

 Tap tap tap.  Hellooo?  Eh hemm.  Hi there.

 I'm Stephanie. I used to blog here all the time. I took a small break because ...well....because of no specific reason really.  It just kinda happened. It wasn't on purpose... I mean, I had lots of things to share. I have lots of stuff to still document...to put into words and share snapshots of moments in time so that my family has them forever ...my thoughts.  But time just kinda got away from me.  And you know what?  It's ok.   Totally ok.  But I do value this little space I affectionately call The Honey Pot.  Through it, I have met friends I know I will have til the Lord calls me home.  Friends I would have never known apart from this little blip on the big ole wide web....so I don't take the possibilities of amazing stuff resulting from this place lightly. 

 I have missed sharing.  I have missed connecting.  I have missed y'all.

It's good to be back.

I've been thinking about my word for 2013. 

 Last year I chose "embrace".  

 I was amazed how often that word was an anchor for me as I went through all the change that 2012 brought with it.   The tough moments that in my own strength I hated.. but with God's grace I was able to embrace with open arms. It was amazing.  

It's not in me to be at total peace with my daughter and grand kids moving 12 hours away from me. 

 It's not in me to be totally OK with not having all my chicks here with me for all the holidays and special moments of our family.
It's not in me to handle change really well.

 I firmly believe God in His mercy, poured out His overwhelming grace in a supernatural way as I specifically sought His help to embrace all that He had for me instead of merely enduring it.  I believe that some of you actually prayed for me (thank you!!) and that God honored those prayers. And I believe in being accountable to the body of Christ.  I knew people were watching...I had a desire to honor God and make His name known through my life.  So yeah...I think that little word "embrace" that He placed on my heart was instrumental in my walk this past year.  More important than His word?  No.  Was it a magical formula of sorts, like a fortune cookie or something?  Um.. no.  It was just a boundary for my wandering heart and mind that I named embrace.  A quick way to keep me roped me back in ...  I found myself many times telling myself "embrace it Stephanie. embrace it".  I'm thankful for all I've gained from doing that...from choosing that.

SO.   What's my word for this year?
I had several on my heart.
I really want to simplify my life...in my heart and in my home. To declutter all the unnecessary. And even though these are things I need and want to do,  I knew it wasn't my "word".

I want to be intentional this year.  I want to make all that I do count for eternity...for what I do to have purpose.  The older I get, the more valuable my time becomes and I see it is my most treasured asset to be valued.  I want to spend my time wisely.  But neither of those words were settled in my heart.

Then it came to me. Something I need to be more of.  Something I needed to be reminded of that Jesus always is in the midst of whatever comes my way....

Constant.

definition:  unchanging, faithful and dependable.


I so want to be that person.  I know that is a weak area in my life. I feel like I've been so scatterbrained with so many irons in the fire that I have lost some of my dependability.  I want to be known as that rock solid person that if she said it...you can count on it.  I am so sad to admit, I found myself apologizing for my forgetfulness more this past year than ever.  That is not good and I desire to change it.

And I want need to be constant...unmoving when it comes to my time with the Lord in the mornings.  That has suffered more this past year than it has in my entire walk with Him over the past 15 years. (and the word for that is sin...another word..repentance.  I'm thankful for His kindness that leads us there.)

I want to be constant .. unwavering... when things are good and when things are bad...just trucking along steadfast and unmoved.  This is one of Nick's greatest qualities.... it's always before me... lived out in front of me.  And it's a beautiful thing y'all.  His steadfastness and neverfailing consistensty in the midst of whatever comes our way is so attractive...  To me, to the body of Christ and to a lost world in need of hope.

I need to be ever reminded of how constant Jesus' love is for me.  It never changes... no matter what I do.  His love is constant.  He is constant.  Yesterday, Today and Forever.  Gosh, we can stay right here for years trying to wrap our finite minds around that one.


2013 will usher in an empty nest for me.   Nick will transfer his authority and protection of Lauren over to Blake just like we did with our other two daughters to the men the Lord created them for.  And when he does...my chicks will be gone.  It will be a new way of life for us. Everything will change. In the midst of this change I want to be constant.  Not knocked off course, but looking ahead to what is to come. Steadfast and full of hope.


Constant.

"Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians  3:13-14

"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."  Acts 20:24

If you've never heard this song, 

"I am" by Jill Philips, I encourage you to bask in it's goodness.

Stephanie :)