My Braveheart-inspired 2015

Galatians 5:1

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

A few years ago, my husband started doing a "theme word for the year" instead of a new year's resolution. 

Since joining him in choosing my own word, I have never looked back...because I've never been better at following through on anything the way I have with my precious word. 

I mean, it's a word....a single word. Sure it's probably loaded with a lot of meaning and possibly tied to some kind of emotional baggage, but in and of itself, all of the complicated goals and feelings are boiled down to one simple word.

I can remember A WORD for 365 days. 

I may not be able to remember my entire list of motherly responsibilities that pile up on my mental list, or everything on my grocery list as I stand in Wegmans, or the checklist of goals I had for projects to improve our home, or the calendar of doctor appoitnments and parent-teacher conferences and service projects and neighborhood meetings that I agreed to attend...but I CAN remember one word.

So after a year of forgetting my wallet at the store, and locking myself out of the house, and missing the "coffee and conversation with the superintendant" yet again, and washing that abandoned load of laundry in the washing machine for the 3rd time, imagine how surprised and proud of myself I was when I made it through all of 2014 still being able to recall my word....and not only that, but having had embraced my word by processing it through concrete steps and effort. 

(exhibit A: #NoClutterNovember) 

So enough about 2014....it is now 2015. 

And while last years word came more easily to me, this year was a different story. I had seen how much meaning my old word had developed with me in those 365 days, so I felt the pressure to really think about what word would be "Thee Perfect Word" for 2015. 

I threw around words like: 

kindness

self-control

grace

love

charity

patience
moderaation

...you get the picture. (I obviously have a lot to work on!)

All good words.....

But none of them seemed the exact fit I was hoping for...they just didn't "feel right." 

I asked my husband what his word was; He chose "commitment"...such an honorable word!....and one that actually feels like a very worthy word with which to label an entire year. 

I gave myself the whole month of January to see what resonated with me. 

And then, out of nowhere, almost to the end of my January deadline, it just came....

Freedom.

I know it's a very loaded, powerful, all-encompassing word....believe me, I know! 

(anyone who has watched "Braveheart" knows!)

...and maybe that's why it is perfect for 2015. 

Let's face it, I am working on "simplifying" still (that didn't just end December 31st, 2014 when it was "expiring" as my "theme word"), but anyone who knows me well knows that I am not going to go the simple, fluff route. 

I'm either picking the most symbolic word I can find, or I'm quitting. (not saying that's a great personality trait....but it's the truth!) 

I love all things symbolism! 

(hence, my new hobby of making dreamcatchers & embroidered inspirations....shout out to "HoopDreamsArt" on Instagram) ;)

(Sidenote: I'm going to need you to vote on which frame to go with.)

I had been trying to stear away from such a complicated and introspective word....but.... I do feel ready to embrace the power that it offers. 

I think we are all entrapped by certain behaviors or ideologies or habits or lifestyles or thoughts that keep us "prisoners." Ultimately it's the Lord who is the only one who can offer true freedom and peace from whatever it is that weighs heavy on our shoulders. And while it's so easy for me to release the big things to God, it doesn't stop me from trying to do "the daily" on my own.

...and the "yoke" mentioned in Galatians 5:1 is legit, because the tension in my shoulders is in desperate need of a visit to "Massage Envy."

So, I have no idea how to begin to embrace "freedom" since it's more of a concept and less of an action..... but I have 340 days left to figure it out! 

(...And please note: come December 31st, 2015, you better believe I'm dancing to a little  "Mary-Mary" Shackles wherever I'm at...however 1999ish that is of me!)