One Word 2013

I have never been into New Year's Resolutions, so I just don't make any.  A few weeks ago I saw a post from Melanie at Only a Breath on her one word for 2012.  She saw such improvement with her one word and was graciously offering to make free One Word Buttons for anyone who wanted one.  I started thinking about what word I could concentrate on all year.  What was one thing I wanted to work on.  I initially came to priorities as the perfectionist in me struggles to see what is really important every day.  Slow down (I know its two words) was an option along the same lines.  I thought and prayer about them each, but they didn't seem right.  I kept coming back to the word LOVE.

Matthew 22:37-39  "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The first part of this verse isn't the hard part for me.  I LOVE God and strive to follow him in what I do.  Of course there is always room for improvement, and I am always trying in that aspect. It is the second part that gets me. Sometimes people are so unlovable. I should know because I am too.  Sometimes it is hard for me to love me! That makes it even harder for me to show LOVE for other people even if I feel it.

So this year my one word is LOVE.  I want to constantly remember that although the people around me may annoy me, hurt me, or even upset me, I do love them.  Just remembering that can change my attitude. And changing my attitude can change my action.  This applies to the random people I meet as well as my kids and husband.  Probably more to my kids and husband as they tend to see the worst of me.  But even when I am upset I want them to know I LOVE them.  I also want to work on loving me.  This is a really hard one with my OCD tendencies.  I tend to measure my worth in accomplishments, and when things aren't done I look down on myself. This is definitely a problem with three kids because nothing is ever done!  I need to see my worth despite that and LOVE myself.

What is your word this year? If you haven't chosen one, I would urge you to join me and try concentrating on just one word. Then this time next year we can look back and see how far we have come.