My word: Brick {by brick, by brick....}

Happy New Year!! 

I suppose one of these days I'll get around to doing a holiday recap. Or maybe I won't. I'll keep you waiting on the edge of your seat in suspense. 

Today what I want to talk about is my word for the new year....last year's word was "progress" and I feel indifferent to how that word played out. I suppose there were some areas in my life that had progress but still so many failures. I am learning though.....and when I'm tempted to throw in the towel and give up goals and desires, I remember grace.....grace that will pardon and cleanse within. My failures are just a constant reminder of how much I need Him.

 

My word for this year can't be really summed up in one word....but if it had to be a word it would be *brick*. I think your word for the year is supposed to be more of an action word? However, this is my word and I will tell you why. 

 

In Lysa Terkeurst's book, "Made to Crave", she says this....

 

"I paved my victory path by imagining every good choice I made was like settling another brick into place: bricks of prayer, wise choices, closeness to God, closeness to others, confidence, energy, and focus. Each and every time I conquered a temptation by making a healthy choice, I became stronger and stronger. And, brick by brick, prayer by prayer, good choice by good choice, my hope soared. I’m making positive physical changes, but even more importantly, I’m making wise spiritual changes. As Proverbs 24:14 reminds me, walking in spiritual wisdom secures my hope that this healthy journey will not end in defeat:

Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

 

I love a good visual. A brick path or brick wall is a very good metaphor for life, especially my life right now. 

Patience isn't something I possess much of. Sometimes I feel like I was born without whatever gene it is that helps you work hard at something with a goal in mind. Sometimes I feel like I never stick with anything and it's because I'm impatient! I want results NOW! It's our microwave society mentality and I am guilty of being a member. 

I went to Home Depot today with Everett and bought two bricks, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. The one downstairs will go where I spend most of my time, in my kitchen. The one upstairs will go in my bathroom as a visual while I get ready and am often lost in my thoughts as I blow dry my hair. 

As I held one dirty heavy brick in my hand, I realized how daunting it must be to build a brick wall or path. The bricks are so small in relation to what they are designed to build. And yet, there are brick walls, houses, and paths everywhere you look because a mason knows that if you take the time to lay each brick, you WILL create something strong and functional. I remember laying our wood floors last year and thinking it would NEVER END. So many pieces of wood needed to create one floor. It was torture for this fast paced girl.

 

Yes, I am forever on the quest to lose weight and I know I will get there eventually. And that is specifially what Lysa was addressing in the above quote. 

The brick means so much more to me than losing weight though.....it represents my children, my marriage, my ministry......

Mothering doesn't come super natural to me sometimes. Sure, I'm fun and know how to be silly and enjoy my kiddos. I'm not great at the slower paced stuff, the story times, times of pausing and listening, showing my kids how to do things like keep their rooms cleaned, etc. Again, I want the instant gratification and it's hard to do the tedious things that seem like they won't add up. 

Oh but they will! Everyday with my children is a day that I can lay one more brick in their foundation. If I envision my children as brick walls, they will someday be strong and powerful and if I look closely at them, I'll see they are made up of all the little moments, the little investments that I made in them that eventually added up. 

 

And so this year I vow to treat each day as a day to build.....a brick on my path towards a healthier lifestyle, a brick on my daughter's future and my son's too.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" Galatians 6:9

The desire of my heart is to raise happy, healthy, God loving, world changing children.....to be an example of a wife and mother worth admiring. I long to serve my family, bless my husband, and nurture my children.....brick by brick.