Just One Word...

I'm serving as the Creative Activities Coordinator for our local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group this year. As an avid scrapbooker, I'm super excited about this role and about learning new crafts/creative activities that I can do for myself and my family. I found a great "craft" of making glass magnets here that we will be making during our first meeting this Friday. We're not only making the magnets, however, the magnets will house one word that we choose as "our" word for this MOPS year.

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be a catalyst to enriching and changing your life. One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. The glass magnet we'll be making will have a decorative piece of paper that we've written "our" word on and then it can be placed on our fridge for frequent viewing and reminding!

I want this to be a word that I/other MOPS moms can focus on, meditate on, and reflect upon throughout this year. It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mom's word, or your child's word, or your husband's word - this is YOUR word.

I love this time of year. Fresh starts & new beginnings. I remember looking forward to this time of year as a child, and still feel like the start of school in the fall is more of a start of a new year than actual New Year’s Day on January 1st. I always feel so motivated and inspired this time of year. Many people make resolutions at the beginning of a new year. Through picking a word for this "new year" I want to celebrate the newness of this time of the year, NOT by making a resolution, but by choosing a single word for the year. A word that sums up what you want for yourself for this new year.

Our theme for MOPS this year is Together on Planet Mom and the key verse comes from Jesus' promise to us in Matthew 18:20: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." I can't wait to start our new MOPS year and look forward to the amazing relationships I'll make and continue with other moms going through the same season in life. I love that God created us for relationship with Him and with others...it’s one of the defining parts of being human! I truly believe that the more we draw together in community, the better we are able to thrive as women, moms, and most importantly followers of Christ.

I'm not sure yet what my "word" will be for this new year, but have been praying about it and look forward to God revealing it to me soon (hopefully by Friday)! Stay tuned...