What's Your Word?

When you live in Michigan (and apparently most of the east coast) in January, you can wake up one day to a rainy, muddy 54 degrees, and the next to a bitter, ice covered 15~ with wind chills in the single digits. Conditions like this can often get us down. Wasn’t it just a month ago that the whole world was softened by the glow of twinkling lights and beautiful music? Everything seemed magical~full of life and promise. Even the weather didn’t bother us. We were “dreaming of a white Christmas”. (Well, Bing and I were anyway 😉) Happiness was contagious. There was a song in the air and a joy in our hearts. 
Circumstances can so often dictate our moods and when my son stopped by after Christmas, my circumstances were definitely dictating mine. He was excited because he and his wife had chosen their “word” for 2018 and he wanted to tell me about it. I looked around at the disarray my home was in as I was taking down my festive decorations and in my mind I could see it just a month before. I wished I could hit the rewind button because Christmas to me is like the best Gift in the world just waiting to be opened. He asked me if I had chosen my word for 2018 and in that moment I knew what I wanted it to be. 
Every January for the last few years we have each chosen a “word” that will be our theme for that year. The idea of choosing a theme word is sort of like a New Year’s resolution, but different. It’s one word that you want to embody your entire focus for the coming year. A gentle reminder, a promise, a goal. This year I went a little outside the box. I wanted a word that celebrated my Savior in every capacity on a daily basis. I wanted a theme that screamed Jesus and joy. Giving and sharing. Tenderness, peace, goodwill. Family and love. Lots of love. As I heard the excitement in my son’s voice and remembered the excitement the whole world seemed to have just a short month ago, I chose the word “Christmas” because everything that Christmas means is wrapped up in Christ. Christmas IS Christ. I want to celebrate Christ with you every single day this year. And so, from now until next January I’m going to strive to bring one aspect of Christmas to the forefront of our thoughts and minds each month. A gentle reminder of why we love Christmas so much and a celebration of that reminder. There’s just something about the Christmas season that changes hearts. It brings warmth and cheerfulness. We are more giving and more forgiving. But by the time cold and dreary January comes around, that Christmas feeling is long gone. With something as simple as the weather the love in our hearts is easily lost and forgotten, but it doesn’t have to be. Our Savior was still born for us, we need not forget that just because Christmas is past. So, what has changed? Perhaps it’s our hearts. Wouldn’t it be awesome to wake up every day and no matter what the weather was like outside, no matter what our circumstances were, our first thoughts would be~ “I LOVE this time of year!!”? Do you remember that feeling? Love is where it all starts because Love is where it all began. In a manger all those years ago. Let’s start with love. I know it’s a little crazy, but let’s live Christmas more than once a year! 
“Once a year, December’s here and our hearts open up. Once a year we give with cheer to those who don’t have enough. Wouldn’t it be something if we all learned to love like it's Christmas more than once a year."
John 1:14