The One Where I Choose A Word

2017 One Word Update here.  HOPE.



So it's one of those mornings where I have a stretch of silence.  I catch up on some reading.  I check Facebook to find a number of new posts.  Blogs I follow.

Ann Voscamp is one such blog.  I don't know where I've been that I didn't hear about her until this summer.  But I found her!  And her words speak to the soul of me, in ways that I've needed to hear (I think) all my life.  She's the girlfriend, she's the Titus 2 woman you I have hoped for, and I don't even know her.   Heaven awaits the day I do!

Her Blog today is: How To Move Forward Into A New Year when you feel like you failed last year

"What if everyone is making New Years Resolution and you just want New You Solutions" "Sometimes you can hardly trust your legs, trust turning and taking the next step" "Falling Apart? Fall into What.Ever.Comes.Next FORWARD!"  "Fearful? Forward!" 

And in that blog is this one, well several links, but his is the one I read: Fear's the first step of faith

"The things in my life that require faith are the things that terrify me"
"Fear offers two routes: Flee or Faith. High tail-it or Trust"

I go back to the first post and read her "footnotes" below which leads me to this blog: What the New Year Needs Most A Blog about naming your year.  A name for your year.  Interesting.  I haven't heard of this concept.  I read on.  She talks about euchristeo and names her new year koinonia.  Greek words.  I love greek words.  How they get right to the heart of the matter.  No need to wonder if it's there, they're or their.  Nope.  The greek is straightforward.  This word means this and (generally) only this and in the event it means something else, the root word for that something else is clear and certain.

I flip back to Facebook.  More posts.  More blogs. Sarah Bessey (another writer/blogger I found through blog hopping) posts something interesting.  Something I hadn't seen before. SheLovesMagazine.  Wow, what a great organization! What a wonderful community!! Wow! I kept reading and reading and reading.  Wow!  And come to yet another One Word blog.

The part that resounded with me is "the underlying message (of making resolutions) seems to be who I am right now isn't making the cut"

A to-do list of life for the next year.  And sure we all want to lose weight, be intentional, save money, say no, recycle, unplug, eat healthier, save the world….the truth of the matter is we make the lists to feel better, to be enough.  Stop with the lists!

And that brings me to this OneWord365

I read through the suggested list:

Imagine, Different, Push, Celebrate, Believe, Thrive, Relentless, Finish, Transformation, Learn, Reduce, Grace, Today, Confidence, Health, Purpose, Unstoppable, Enjoy, Truth, Generous, Soar, Commit, Forward, Awake, Change, Focus, Invest, Peace, No, Fortitude, Empower, Curious, Direction, Opportunity, Embrace, Present, Ambition, Growth, Connect, Perspective, Persistence, Stewardship, Strength, Action, Adapt, Progress, Adventure, Selah, Mindfulness, Appreciate, Create, Optimism, Breathe, Integrity, Uplift, Simplify, Freedom, New, Rebuilding, Joy, Courage, Momentum, Trust, Reflection, Possibility, Sacrifice, Relax, Organize, Pause, Be, Listen, Ignite, Determined, Balance, Silence, Release, Faith, Resolve, Together, Dare, Revel, Love, Minimize, Discover, Choose, Diligence, Brave, Risk, Open, Transition, Slow, More, Shine, Live, Write, Battle. 

All of these words are good.  Good words.  I like several of them.  I should pick several of them.  I'm tempted to pick one per month!  But that's not the point of the exercise.   I need to focus.  Draw down.  Narrow my thoughts down to one that frightens me a bit. I do many of these words.  Am many of these words.   What's the word that I'm not?  That doesn't come easily?

Trust.  The passage that comes to mind is Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your path.

The Hebrew word is Batach, a verb, To Trust.
To Trust In
To have confidence
To be bold
To be secure

The Greek word is Elpizo, a verb, to hope.
To wait for salvation with joy and confidence.

Root Word: Elpis
Expectation of good, of hope
Joyful and confident expectation of salvation
The author of hope, of He who is it's foundation
A thing hoped for

Noah Webster defines it as:
Confidence, a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.

You can find Noah's Dictionary here.

All definitions lead to Confidence.

Interesting…. Confidence in Hebrew: Batach


Greek: Peitho verb  To Persuade

To be persuaded.
To believe
To listen to, to obey, to yield to, to comply with

TRUST

To trust in The Lord and lean not (support oneself)
To trust in myself, build on my strengths, learn from my weakness.
To trust in my relationships, believe the best in others.
To trust the journey, the road will rise up to meet me

To NOT trust in performance, perfection, perspectives, primes or prizes.
To NOT trust in ability, acceptance, attitudes, alternatives or achievement.

But to spend 2014 trusting, trusted, learning to trust, being a trustee.  It's scary, but as Ann said Fear is the First Step of Faith.  Let me be found being faithful.  Amen!

She Reads Truth Day 11

Taming The Tongue.

I relate to this post.  It's a struggle.  Some days I'm better than others at staying positive, being kind, tenderhearted.  I get the sentiment: Something has to change, worse yet, I'm powerless to change.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways….

Stumble: ptaio - verb
To err, to make a mistake, to sin
Root: pipto - verb
To fall down

James 3:9-10 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers (sisters), these things ought not be so.

Indeed. *sigh*

Bless - not the same as blessing on Day 4 Markarios (happy) but similar as in the opposite isn't unhappy, but curse.

Eulogeo - verb  (as in eulogize)
To praise, celebrate with praise, invoke blessing
Root 1) eu - to be well off, fare well, prosper
Root 2) logos - speech

Good Speech

Curse: katara - noun.
an execration, imprecation, curse

hmmm I need more than that so I go to the 1828 Noah Websters Dictionary:

Curse: To utter a wish of evil against one, to call for mischief or injury to fall upon.

These things ought not to be so.

Ephesians 4:29-32 let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

But before that Paul says…. put off your old self an be renewed in the spirit of your mind….

Renew ananeoo - verb
to renew (in the mind)
This is the only verse this word is used.

In Thayers Lexicon the notes state:
Denotes from a lower place to a higher place.
Corresponds to the Latin and German indicating the goal
Denotes repetition, renewal, anew, over again

Be Kind - chrestos - adj
fit, fit for use, useful
    virtuous, good
managable
    mild, pleasant (as opp to hard, harsh, sharp, bitter)

Matt 11:30 Amp
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good.  Not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing. but comfortable, gracious and pleasant) and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Tenderhearted - eusplagchnos - adj
we're gonna go to definition 2.  compassionate, tender hearted (as opposed to 1. having strong bowels)

Root 1.  eu - to be well off, fare well, prosper
Root 2. splagchnon - kindness, benevolence, compassion, tender mercies.  a heart in which mercy resides.

Noah Webster:

Very susceptible of the softer passion of love, pity or kindness.  As in Be ye king to one another, tender hearted.

Forgiving - charizomai - verb
To do something pleasant or agreeable, to do a favor
To grant forgiveness
To give graciously

Root: charis
Grace

As I'm reading through this and thinking of all the grace I need… grace I need to give…

I thought of a few verses.

Luke 6:45 ….out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right (steadfast) spirit (mind) within me.

David uses the word Bara the same word used in Genesis for create…

Create something from nothing….

Steadfast: Kuwn - verb
to be firm, stable, established

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Words and heart, they seem to go hand in hand.  Inward to outward.  What is in us comes spilling out. And for me particularly when I'm stressed.  When I'm squeezed the ugly comes out.  Nothing is right or Okay.   The House, Work, The Kids, The Husband, The Extended Family… it's all driving me crazy. And the words of my mouth aren't kind or tender hearted, towards myself or others.

I was reminded of something I read years ago in an old book.  Daily Strength for Daily Needs.  This is from February 10.

Do no be discouraged at your faults; bear with yourself in correcting them, as you would with your neighbor.  Lay aside this ardor of mind, which exhausts your body, and leads you to commit error.

Accustome yoursefl to gradually carry prayer into all your daily occupations.  Speak, move, work, in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.

Do everything without excitement, by the spirit of grace.  As soon as you perceive your natural impetuosity gliding in, retire quietly within, where the kingdom of God is.  Listen to the leading of grace, then say and duo nothing but what the Holy Spirit shall put in your heart.

You will find that you will be come more tranquil, that your words will be fewer and more effectual and that with less effort you will accomplish more good.

Francois Fenelon (1651 - 1715)

April 17th

Every morning compose your soul for a tranquil day, and all throughout it be careful to often recall your resolution and bring yourself back to it, so to say.  If something discomposes you, do not be upset, or troubled; but having discovered the fact, humble yourself gently before God, and try to bring your mind into a quiet attitude.  Say to yourself, "Well, I have made a false step; now I must go more carefully and watchfully."

Do this each time, however frequently you fall.  When you are at peace use it profitably, making constancy acts of meekness, and seeking to be calm even in the most trifling things.  Above all, do not be discouraged, be patient, wait, strive to attain a calm, gentle spirit.

Francis De Sales (1567 - 1622)


Do Not Be Discouraged.

#shereadstruth Day 4-6

#shereadstruth Day 4:

Matthew 5.  I'm familiar with it.  I've read Beautiful Offering by Angela Thomas, facilitated the study more than once.

It's easy to rush over the verses, we know them by heart.  But do we really know what it means?  Do we look at it like a laundry list of things to be.

Angela has a great theology on it. 

Angela Thomas thought of the Beatitudes as a list of "Gotta be's"... Gotta be meek. Gotta be merciful. But, when she compared her life to the standard the "gotta be's" set, she always felt that she came up short. Now, through God's great mercy, she has come to see this passage as a roster of "When You Are's." When you are meek, there is a spiritual inheritance. When you are merciful, you will be shown mercy.

This shift in thinking has led Angela to understand that God does not require perfection, but rather, our gracious obedience. In His eyes, our lives (complete with mistakes, blemishes, and imperfections) are a beautiful offering.



In other research on the word during this time I found a great commentary on the word Blessed.   There are a few things to point out in regard to this.

1. The beatitudes declare an objective reality as the result of a divine act, not subjective feelings, and thus should be translated with the objective "blessed" instead of the subjective "happy." The opposite of "blessed" is not "unhappy," but "cursed" (cf. Matt 25:31-46; Luke 6:24-26).

2. The beatitudes are written in unconditional performative language. They do not merely describe something that already is, but bring into being the reality they declare. ... As eschatological blessings, the beatitudes are not "entrance requirements" for outsiders, but a declaration about insiders.

3. The nine pronouncements are thus not statements about general human virtues -- most appear exactly the opposite to common wisdom. Rather, they pronounce blessing on authentic disciples in the Christian community All the beatitudes apply to one group of people, the real Christians of Matthew's community. They do not describe nine different kinds of good people who get to go to heaven, but are nine declarations about the blessedness, contrary to all appearances, of the eschatological community living in anticipation of God's reign. Like all else in Matthew, they are oriented to life together in the community of discipleship, not to individualistic ethics.
Therefore, "Blessed" is your position, not your attitude, or circumstances, or appearance.  It's your position.  Yes things are falling apart around you, your position is Blessed.  Start there. 

Because that is your starting point, remain steadfast!

Steadfast or Persevere.
Constancy.  Endurance.  The characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose.

Full Effect - brought to it's end.  Wanting nothing necessary to complete.

Greek: hypomeno - verb - to remain.
Hypo - by or under
Meno - to continue to be present. to be held up, kept, continually
             to remain as one, not to become another or different.

From Noah Webster:

From Latin Persevero or Severo:
the radical sense of set, fixed, continued. to stand. constant and continued.

In light of your position, stand up, fight the good fight.  God "brought you forth by the word of truth".

Be reminded that what is birthed of the flesh is physical, maintained by the flesh, but what is birthed by the Spirit is maintained by the Spirit.  (John 3)

By Him all things (whosoever) were created.... in Him all things (whosoever) are held together. (Colossians 1:16-18)

Continue where you are, be present, you are held up, kept, in your position.... blessed.  Regardless of todays trials, the season you're in. Yes they look terrible, unbearable.  But God.... is holding you together.  Rest in that today!  Take a deep breath.  Be Blessed. Claim it.  Your Position. 

Day 5

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.


Noah Webster:
Doer:

1. One who does; one who performs or executes; an actor; an agent.

2. One who performs what is required; one who observes, keeps or obeys, in practice.

Doer: poietes  Noun.
I find it interesting this word is a noun.  It's who you are.  Your Position.
It comes from a root word meaning "to make" "to act rightly" "to carry out, to execute"

Deceive: paralogizomai. Verb.  To Reckon wrong, to miscount.

This particular word for deceive is used twice in the bible.
This verse and Col 2:4.
James gets straight to the point.  Be A Does.  Don't be wrong in kidding yourself.

Day 6:

The Gap is the distance between the Word we read and the Word we live.
        we can't skim passages
        it has to be planted in us
        we can't forget who we are in Him
        we forget who are in the Word
        who we are in Him
        the Gap gets wider and wider.

But It Doesn't Have To!

Close The Gap!

Quick to hear (akous): attend to, consider, understand
Slow to speak (laleo):  Not ready, not prompt, or quick.  utter a voice, to speak, to use the tongue, to use words to declare one's mind.
Slow to anger (orge):  Anger.  A natural disposition, temper, character, agitation of the soul.

Orego: To stretch ones self out in order to grasp something. to reach after, to desire something.

Airo:  To take upon one's self & carry what has been raised up.  To bear.

Noah Webster:
From Latin:  To Choke, to strain, to press, to squeeze, to make narrow.

A violent passion of the mind excited by real or supposed injury.

Wow.... I love to drill down into the meanings from the greek and to look back at what our ancestors knew about the bible. 

It's interesting to me that the Greek describes anger as our natural disposition, our character.  Even more so that it's stretching one's self out.  I know when I am over committed, stressed and busy, when I'm stretched out thin.... I'm angry.   I'm taken too much upon myself.  Bearing burdens that aren't my own.... and are they really?

Excited by real or supposed injury... isn't it mostly supposed.  A misunderstanding?  A failure to "attend to, consider, understand"

Implated: (emphytos) a word whose property it is to root itself like a seed in the heart.

Phyo: to beget. to spring up, to shoot forth.
used in Luke regarding the seed (word) and the soil (heart)

Noah Webster: Fixed in the mind. 

It all starts there, right? 

Romans 12: 2 ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Transformed:  Present, Passive, Imperative.
Present.... happening now
Passive... happening to you, you are receiving the action.
Imperative... not an invitation and absolute.

Metamorphoo - sound familiar?  Brings thoughts of butterflies?
The transformation is an action happening to the caterpillar the result is a butterfly.  The caterpillar is present.  The caterpillar is passive.  The caterpillar absolutely will become a butterfly.

Onto the vs 26:

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Religious: Fear or Worshipping God.

Bridle: (chalinagōgeō)  Verb.  To lead by a bridle.

Chalivos - Noun - A Bridle
Chalao - Verb - to loosen, slack, relax
Chasma - Noun - a gaping opening, a chasm  (to gape, to yawn)

Talk about Closing the Gap! 

Deceived: (apataō) Verb.  to cheat.
A different word from vs. 22. 
The take away for me is. 

Faith comes by hearing the Word.  In order to stand, and continue in my position which is Blessed, and be steadfast under trail.  I have to be transformed, a process that is happening, by the renewing of my mind.  The only way to Close The Gap is to Fill The Gap with the Word.
Matthew 12:34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

I have to ask myself... what is the abundance of my heart?  Am I really living as Blessed, a declaration?  Embracing that "when I am meek.... I receive.."  "when I am hungry and thirsty.... I receive...." "when I am merciful.... I receive...."

Yes Lord.... Transform me.... I receive....