One Word 2014 -- Wait

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.~Psalm 62:5, NLT

So here we are in 2014 and my new year is off to an interesting start. 

New Year’s Eve our washing machine decided it had enough of our family and promptly rolled over and died. Leaving behind a mountain of dirty laundry that needed to be done before my son headed back to work and my daughter to school.

New Year’s Day found me washing said mountain of dirty laundry at a Laundromat in a part of town where people generally try to drive, walk or run through as quickly as possible. Moving targets aren’t as easy to hit, don't you know? (NOTE: since I wrote this, a brand new, working washer has found a happy home in our basement!)

Ironically, it’s the same Laundromat where, in my younger, wilder, darker and much uglier days, I could be found doing my laundry on New Year’s Day, but always with the extra 'benefit' of a humongous alcohol and/or drug hangover. Never let it be said that God doesn’t have an offbeat sense of humor. I’d like to think this was His way of reminding me, on this very first day of a brand new year, of where I once was so long ago, and how far He’s brought me.

With this brand new year comes the challenge of a brand new One Word for 2014. If you’re new to blogging or to the One Word concept or just have NO FLIPPIN’ IDEA WHAT THIS CRAZY WOMAN IS BABBLING ABOUT, please follow this link for the 411: http://oneword365.com/

I’ve questioned, wrestled with, discarded accepted the One Word God chose for me to focus on for this year. But first, a few thoughts on last year’s word – Simplify.

Personally, I feel as if this word and everything that came with it was an epic fail for me. There were many times, whether consciously or unconsciously, I made choices that actually caused my life to become more complicated than simplified. 

Because really -- simplifying my life wasn’t only about going through my closets and cabinets, drawers and shelves, and removing all unnecessary clutter. It had to go deeper. Much deeper. Like going through the recesses of my mind, my heart and my soul and removing all the unnecessary clutter from THOSE PLACES.

Interestingly enough, in the final weeks of 2013, someone pointed out to me that God Himself was doing those very things (talk about your 11th hour redemption!), and I watched in (sometimes) silent awe as He scaled back or removed entirely much of what had become unnecessary and even harmful to my growth. It's a painful pruning process, this going back to the drawing board; this being sent back to Square One.

Simplify. Indeed.

This year, I’m aware I need to be more ‘hands off’ with my life while I allow God to be much more ‘hands on’ with it. Which brings me, in a roundabout sort of way, to my One Word for 2014:

WAIT

There are SO many other words out there. Stronger, cooler, more vibrant and hope-filled, sacred-sounding words.  Words that people will relate well with and perhaps shout AMEN! to upon reading them. 

But….‘Wait?’ Really now? Nobody wants nor likes to wait. Not in our gotta-have-it-now, what’s taking SO DANGED LONG, ain’t NOBODY got time for ‘dat, Instagram society.

Wait -- it’s like a dirty, four-letter word to some.  Yet I believe it’s so much more than

• drumming well-manicured nails on a table top
• tapping an Ugg or Nike encased foot on the floor
• heaving a dramatic Irish sigh, complete with major eye rolling

Wait. One small word, heavy and rich with meaning, encompassing some rather large life lessons for me. Like learning to:

  Be still
Be patient

 Trust

Obey

Listen

 Rest

 Have faith

        Hold fast

      Be at peace

Yes, there are so many other words out there that could have been chosen. Words I would rather have chosen myself. 

Because I don’t like to wait. I don’t do being still very well. Patience has NEVER been my virtue of choice. I have major trust issues. I’m often rebellious (understatement). I tend to be the exact opposite of what Jesus’s brother, the apostle James, reminds us we should be in James 1:19 – I’m slow to listen, yet quick to speak instead.  Too often I equate resting with being lazy, unproductive. My faith can get pretty anemic at times. My grip is weak. Peace is a much desired, yet foreign concept for me.

But it’s the word that the Lord seemed to handpick for me this year. Because as you can clearly see from my 'confessions' above, it’s pretty obvious I NEED it.

Wait. Wait before I speak. Wait before I act. Wait before I write. Wait before I hit 'Send.'  And after I've asked for help and guidance from the Lord -- wait for His answers before moving forward.

Wait. It should be quite the interesting year.

Wait for the LORD. Be strong and don't lose hope. Wait for the LORD.~Psalm 27:14, NIRV