My One Word for 2013

Around the internet in Christian Blogging particularly, there is a movement (for lack of a better word) that encourages people to choose one word for their year. More than a new years resolution, it's something to focus on for the year, something to let shape you and your decisions.

The One Word 365 website says it well: "Forget New Years resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won't remember three weeks from now anyway. Choose just one word. One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long."

I've wanted to do this for 2013 but have been praying and pondering for two weeks now, and the only word that I have in my mind seems... well... "wussy". For anyone who doesn't know that word (and didn't go to primary school in New Zealand), that means that I think my word is a cop-out. Chicken. A bit sort of unimpressive and lazy. But I think that it is right for me, for where myself and my family find ourselves, and it is something I need to learn.

Rest. Yep. Spectacular huh?

I'm resigned to it now, and here's what I think it means for me.

I need to learn to rest, physically. To stop, spend time being quiet, reading the bible, looking around me, and not worrying about what I need to do next.

I need to rest from my obsessive need to be involved in thing, to be "in the know". I wrote last year about resting from my own expectations. I'm still learning that.

To rest with my children. Instead of being so busy that I hardly have time to look at them, I want to look into their eyes, play with them, and talk to them.

As a family I want us to schedule life around rest, instead of scheduling our rest around our life (and therefore never resting). I want to take weekends away with friends. Have people over to share food with and chat. To see my husband getting active rest - he rests by being physical. To make time for him to be able to do things he loves and that are restful for him. And when he does the same for me, to choose wisely and to actually rest, not rush around "doing" stuff.

How this fits with all my high and lofty intentions to read lots of books, write more, and re-do my house, I have no idea. But I'll keep you posted.

Has anyone else chosen their one word?

If you'd like to know more, check out these websites and blogs:

The One Word 365 website.

Sarah Bessey shares her One Word.

SheLoves Magazine writes about the One Word movement.

Nish at Nish Happens shares hers.

xx Sarah.

Read those books!

 As it is January, I am in my usual annual Goal-Making zone. This usually fizzles out by mid February. So I had better make the most of it now!

I have a few things that I am going to write about in the weeks to come, but thought I'd start with sharing about this. I am a chronic book buyer. I like to think I'm a chronic book reader, but alas, that has not been the case for a while. I even have "book devourer" on my Pinterest bio! A bit of false marketing there I feel...

This year I'd like to put that right. I want to read all the books that I bought last year and the year before (some of them may pre-date that, but not many), and not buy more. At least until I'm most of the way through the list. Or unless it's something really amazing... Anyway.

Here's the list. After I finish each book I'm going to share here what I thought about it - a review of sorts. I must stress that the reason these books are unread, or only halfway read, is not because they are bad books, but because I am slack. And addicted to buying books. I'll note beside each book whether they are unread or half finished.

Interrupted: Jen Hatmaker. Unread, but leant out to others who said it was great.
Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible: Liz Curtis Higgs. Am a few chapters in.
Grace Based Parenting: Tim Kimmell. Unread, bought most recently.
How to be Pentecostal without speaking in Tongues: Tony Campolo. Unread.
Lioness Arising: Lisa Bevere. Half finished.
Boundaries: Cloud & Townsend. A few chapters in.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Philip Yancey and Paul Brand. Unread.
Spirit-led Parenting: Tietz & Oyer. This was bought for someone else, I sneakily read about half of it before giving it to her - she has leant it back to me to read.
The Story of God, the Story of Us: Sean Gladding. Unread.
Velvet Elvis: Rob Bell. Unread.
The Practice of Love: various writers. Half finished.
Life Interrupted: Priscilla Shirer. Unread.
Loving our Kids on Purpose: Danny Silk. Currently reading.
Joyce Meyer: Battlefield of the Mind. Unread.
You are not what you weigh: Lisa Bevere. A few chapters in.

So there we go, slightly embarrassing but oh well.

I've started with Danny Silk's "Loving our Kids on Purpose", and it's fantastic. I got that one and the Tim Kimmell book on Sarah Bessey's recommendation, from her list of "Books that influenced her parenting". It's so good to have books recommended to you by someone you respect so much.

In line with this post and the previous one, I'm changing the tone of this blog a bit from now on. It has tended to be somewhere to go when I want to write a big long preacher-like rant, and I've felt a bit boxed in by that. So from now on I'm going to try to write about books, life stuff, and interior design - following along with our home renovations. In time I might feel like I have to split the blog into two, but I'd have to be writing a whole lot to get to that I think. I like sharing and writing, but struggle with how much or how little to share. So I'll just figure that out as I go. 

Has anyone else got some book recommendations, or unfinished books waiting to be read that they would ike to share?

xx Sarah

The end of a sewing frenzy

My epic week of sewing is over. I think it's going to take me a while to want to sit down at the sewing machine again!
My final count was 26 bibs and 37 taggy blankets. I had a few more cut out and ready to get started but needed to just stop. And it was probably a good idea, because Shirley made a joke (I hope) about having to take out her underwear to fit them in her luggage!
Some final photos of my bits and pieces:

It's been tiring and my house is an absolute bomb site. But for the first time in I think, ever, I've actually achieved a goal I set for myself at the start of the year. Maybe I'm finally getting over my rebellion against discipline... No, it's too soon to make that claim.
Shirley thinks there will be enough for every baby in the orphanage to have/use one! It's been really special to be able to send a part of myself over to those children. The team leave about now and I know they would appreciate your prayers. 
So this weekend I need to get my house back in some sort of order, plant a mandarin tree plus some shrubs and strawberry plants I bought at the garden centre this week, and try to make sure my hard working husband has a Fathers day. (This sunday, don't forget! As if TV and mass advertising would ever let you)
And I also need to finish my read for the book club I'm involved in. "Blue like Jazz" by Donald Miller. It was my choice this time and very different from the novels we've usually read, so I'm hoping the others don't hate it. Either way, I do love the book - just need to sit in one place and finish it.
xx Sarah