The Inevitable New Year's Post - 2018 Edition

Farewell, 2017... thanks for the lessons.

2018, let's do this!

I've been going over the events of the past year in my mind and trying to determine whether 2017 was a good year or a bad year. I've come to the conclusion that looking at a year (or anything, for that matter) in such a black-and-white way isn't helpful. It's much more complex than simply "good" or "bad".

Lots of really good things happened in 2017 - I was healed from bipolar disorder (see my previous post for details), my husband found a job he loves and is so good at, we moved to a lovely new city, the kids did well in school and have adjusted beautifully to our major life changes, I've adopted a new attitude towards food and am reaping significant benefits, I've laid the foundation for a successful home-based business and grew in my faith. Good!

But there have been really hard things, too - in finances, in relationships, in transitions, in health, in vocation, in faith.

I'm so thankful that hard doesn't equal bad, though - all of those struggles from the past year have resulted in so much growth and faith and wisdom and patience. I feel a strange gratitude for all of our struggles; we never would have grown as much without them.

As I consider the year ahead, none of the usual resolutions come to mind. I developed some very beneficial habits in 2017 (thanks be to God!) that I will continue to nurture and pursue and tweak in 2018. There are no "new leaves" that need to be turned over that I can see from here - which is an unfamiliar but welcome change.

I do want to continue the tradition of choosing a word for the year, though - even though I'm not sure how much of an impact this has had for me thus far. (I had to look up the words from other years; but I did remember 2017's!) I'm going to write it in big letters on the white board in my office, where I'll see it every day and be reminded to ponder it, study it, practice it and share it. (Actually, this particular one shouldn't be too hard to remember... ☺)

This year, I've chosen to focus on... (drumroll, please) ... JOY - particularly on the meaning of "the joy of the Lord is your strength" from Nehemiah. I want to know the joy, get the joy, and spread the joy around!

Do you have a word, or a goal, or a resolution as we enter 2018? Let's share and help each other towards growth and improvement and consistency and progress!