One Word 2016

Many of us chose a word that we want as our focus and inspiration for this new year, and are sharing in the Word of the Year 2016 link at the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog. It's taken me a little while to get around to writing about my One Word, but here it is at last:

CELEBRATE!

This past holiday season, we didn't decorate nearly as much as we normally do, and there were a couple of times I wondered whether our hearts were really in the celebration or if we were being rather grinchy. I think maybe it was just a different kind of celebration for us this time around, for various reasons, but we did celebrate. We had three different Christmas dinners - one was takeout food with my husband's family about a week before Christmas; one was our traditional turkey dinner at home with just our family on Christmas day; and one was burritos with my son and his girlfriend about a week after Christmas. I served burritos on my fine china and my kids laughed about it, but I said it was Christmas dinner and a special occasion. I said the same a few days ago when we celebrated Landon's birthday - it was a special occasion and we used the china. By that time, I'd already decided that in 2016 I wanted to make a point of truly celebrating milestones, achievements, and special occasions; and to make everyday occasions special whenever we could.

We've all heard the little anecdote about going through the possessions of a loved one that has passed away only to find beautiful clothing, gorgeous jewelry, or lovely fine china that had been owned for a long time but never used because it was being "saved for a special occasion." I thought about that, and about some of the things I have in my own house that I don't really use, and as I'm decluttering things I ask myself "why do I have this if I'm never going to use it?" It's fine to have things that are reserved for special occasions, but I think it's sad that I forget that I have them, and the implication is that no occasion is special enough to use them. I don't want to diminish the importance of big occasions, but I do want to be delighting in the now while anticipating the great things still to come.

To celebrate means to mark an occasion with the appropriate ceremony or festivities, or to praise and honor something or someone. Do I plan to have a huge open house with fireworks and a bouncy house every time one of my kids gets up on time? No, that wouldn't be appropriate. But I think it would be appropriate to take a kid out for a celebratory milkshake when they complete a textbook and get an awesome score on the test. And as far as praising and honoring? I sure think I could do a better job of encouraging family and friends if I praised them when I noticed a job well done, rather than voicing only criticism or complaints.

And every single day, there is ample reason to celebrate (ie. honor, praise, exalt) God! It may not use the same word, but Scripture is full of invitations and commands to celebrate. Here are just a few:

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
  Praise the LORD with the harp;
  make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
  Sing to him a new song;
  play skillfully, and shout for joy.
~Psalm 33:1-3~

Shout to the Lord , all the earth; 
break out in praise and sing for joy!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the earth and all living things join in.
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy!
~Psalm 98:4, 7-8~

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
~Psalm 150~



Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:4-7~

May he grant your heart's desires
 and make all your plans succeed.
 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory
 and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
 May the Lord answer all your prayers.

~Psalm 20:4-5~

I'm linking up at the Schoolhouse Review Crew Word for the Year 2016 Link-Up, at the One Word for 2016 link-up hosted by Lisa at Home to 4 Kiddos, and at My Word for 2016 link-up hosted by Emilee at Pea of Sweetness.

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