Monday, January 03, 2011

Seeing

Happy New Year!

We arrived home safely on Saturday night after having a great time away with family! Now, it is time to get caught up on all things home and get unpacked, get the fridge restocked and begin a new year!

As I was reading a few blogs while away, several mentioned their word for 2011. And, it caused me to stop and ponder - what is my word for 2011? I prayed and listened.....

See

I heard a word I've already had on my heart and mind. And, it seems to apply in so many ways.

Seeing others and myself the way He sees

Seeing opportunity

Seeing Him at work

Seeing new ways to do things, getting more efficient

Seeing my home and family through His eyes

Seeing His Word - applying it

Seeing His ways and following them

These are the thoughts that have poured in so far - how many more can He reveal in the next year?! My eyes are peeled and watching ... waiting ... expecting ... hoping.

So often I feel buried - struggling to stay afloat. Struggling to keep up. Feeling overwhelmed and slowly being pulled under. There are so many things to do, to oversee, to care for. I feel jumbled and blurry.

I want to see things more clearly. More Kingdom-focused. Not focusing on the things burying me - but on the One who controls me.

Instead of focusing on the mountains of leaves on top of me, to reach for the sunlight that brings life and restoration.

This year, I want to see.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How is your vision? Are you feeling blurry-eyed? Please e-mail me or leave a comment so I can pray along with you.

Meanwhile, has God given you a theme/word for 2011?

23 comments:

LynnMarie said...

Great post. I'm glad you are going to focus on seeing. OUr preacher came up with the words for what was on my heart. "Reaching Towards Heaven in 2011" My focus is on hands and what they can do to reach toward our Father.

Tasha said...

Love this Monica! My word is hope. Hope: the anchor of the soul. I can't take credit for this it was in my devotion on Saturday.(Hebrews 6:13-20) It struck me and I am holding tight to it for 2011.
Believers have a hope that anchors their souls.
As a believer I have to remind myself that God has given a hope that holds firm in any storm. And my days, at times, are full of major storms.
Glad you guys made it back safely!

Chrissy said...

This is our first year of homeschooling. I feel blurry most of the time! We are hanging on, believing that this is His will for our family. We would absolutely covet your prayers.

Anonymous said...

Hi Monica-
Just wanted to mention this as it came to mind as I read your post...Have you read Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman? Just a great story. Not just a book, changes your life.
My focus this year is victory: not just getting it but keeping it!

Amy

Wendi said...

Welcome back! It is great to be away, but I find coming home even better!!

I feel blurry a lot of the time, but I am working on changing that. It is not a great way to live and I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking that is the way to live. I am letting go of many things this year and only adding things that will enrich our lives.

angela said...

You can pray for me any time you want to Monica. I always need it. I always wonder how people raise children AND get anything else done. I decided the other day that I want my word for the year to be JOY. Mostly finding joy in the every day normal moments of life.

peggy said...

My pastor began a series about fear, so maybe I should pick fear-less. Love your writing.

Anonymous said...

May I ask what kind of camera you have?

Thanks!

Carol said...

Hi Monica,
I am new to your site but am looking forward to coming back and reading more. I am praying now for God to share with me what word He has for me this year. I have a few leanings, but none are clear yet. I can't wait to KNOW what he wants me to hear! Thank you for your photos and the clear lesson of SEEING!
Carol

Cortney said...

Such an inspiration!

More than Survival said...

I chose the word "connect" because I so often stay focused on my TO DO list and my list of projects (because I hate the blurry feeling and am always TRYING to stay on top of things).... I can never get everything done in a day, but I WAY too often push the people in my life away in order to attempt to accomplish my "list". This year the PEOPLE come first, even if I have to eliminate or re-evaluate my personal TO DO expectations.

GREAT POST!!!!!!!!
Heather

Anonymous said...

CELEBRATE - my word for 2011. Too often I only celebrate the big things in life and this year I want to celebrate everything GOD chooses to bless me with. -- Tracy

Gottjoy! said...

Monica,
I just finished reading Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to See, because I wanted to hear her story since I also lost a child recently. Anyway, I thought my word for the year was to be: Simplify, but after praying over this, I felt led to another word: SEE. When I opened your post this morning I got goose bumps...like another confirmation that that is what God wants me to focus on this year.

Thank you for sharing your heart and your beautiful thoughts. I look forward to seeing what you 'see' this year.

Blessings, Karen

Cindy in PA said...

Welcome back to your home! I love your post and had to laugh because one of my posts was about Better Vision (new prescription and new glasses.)

My word for this year is "grace." Remembering and accepting God's continuous grace for me and sharing His ever flowing grace with others.

I'll be praying for you this year as you see Him and through Him. Blessings!

angie said...

Thank you for prompting me to focus on one theme, and to ask God to reveal that to me. I do not know what my theme will be for 2011yet, but I'll check back in when I do.
Welcome home and back to your blog!

*carrie* said...

Thanks for sharing your heart, Monica. As you know, I can relate to much of waht you said.

I need to spend some time reflecting on last year and looking ahead to this one . . .

It was great to SEE you last week. Love you!

Huskerbabe said...

I haven't had time to blog it yet, but my word for the year is Thrive.

Debbie Fisher (debbiedee) said...

I like your word. You can read mine here: http://debbiedee.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-twenty-eleven-word-create.html

Barbra said...

Dear Monica I always 'see' such caring and sincerity as I read through your posts. My sweet Mom suddenly passed away on this past Christmas morning and I wonder if you might lift a gentle prayer for me Monica. I am tethered to Hope in Jesus and also believe that it is the prayers of other dearones that continue to strengthen each new day....thank you dear Monica.

God Bless,
Barbra.

Jenelle said...

Thank you. I needed to read this tonight. My word is "wait." We've been waiting in what seems like silence for direction. The wait has not been patient nor peaceful. This year I want the wait to be part of the wonder of seeing God at work.

Stephani said...

Thanks so much for sharing. This is encouraging, knowing that sight is a choice as opposed to something that "just happens" or doesn't. My husband desires to go into ministry, but in this new year our church didn't have the finances to continue his internship, so he's back to working a retail job. It's been a challenging transition, but we know God's doing something!

I am looking forward to reading more of your site. :)

Mom said...

Dearest Monica -- what a great post! I never thought of having a word for the year (you and your fellow bloggers have great ideas!). I had to think about it awhile and wasn't even sure where to begin, but within a few hours/days, it became clear that my word for 2011 was to be "strength." This may mean many things -- spiritual strength (getting deeper in God's Word), physical strength (exercise!), emotional strength (for potential changes that may be ahead). This word seemed to be confirmed to me yesterday during church when we sang the hymn "Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!" -- verse 2 says "Jesus! What a Strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him. Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing - He, my Strength, my victory wins."
Love you, Mom
Psalm 28:7a: "The Lord is my strength and my shield."

Pamela said...

See is such a solid word. My word is Time. Time for others even when I don't want to. Time taken from what I want to do and given to others. Always reserving time for my family. And most of all extended time for God and our relationship.