I Don't Have A Word

I don't have a word for 2015. I didn't have a word for 2014, or 2013 as far as that goes. I'm sure that this "no word status" will get me banned from the blogosphere and whatnot, but I just don't have a word. Not even to your mutha.

Source

The truth is I want all the words. When I see another friend posting that his/her word is fantabulous or whatever, I want to clap my hands for them, throw confetti for them and think of my word, but I just can't narrow it down to one word. Just can't do it. I want them all.

I'm envious of people who can be consistent and decisive and can carefully select one word for their inspiration for the coming year. I just can't do it.

I can, however, come up with other inspiration for my year:

• My song this year: "Let It Be" by the Beatles. This is the year that I will let the world and what turns it happen. I'm pretty sure that my buddies John and Paul wrote these words for me:  

Shine until tomorrow--let it be. 

• My quote this year: This comes from Maya Angelou's poem, "On The Pulse Of Morning:"

You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning. 

 What a wonderful world this would be if we all simply, with hope, greeted each other and said, "Good Morning." Except, let's declare that morning shouldn't begin before 8:45, m'kay?

• My scripture this year: 1 Corinthians 16:14--Do all things with love. Many people (specifically people on Facebook who really don't know me at all) have questioned my faith. In Oklahoma, it's hard to not be a Bible-thumping southern Baptist. You're either evangelical or you're not. The truth of the matter is that I'm pretty moderate, which is considered very liberal in Oklahoma. And I'm okay with that. People can question my faith--you know what I'm going to do about it? Love them anyway. (See what I did there? Already practicing...)

• My plan this year: Be present for my family. Work toward my goals. Respect the people who join me on this journey. Think positive. Celebrate goodness. Laugh. Love. Read. Visit. Share. Write. Question. Discuss. 

Too bad I don't have a word. Thank goodness I have them all. 

Thankful Thursdays: Come along with us

CLICK.

Daughter 2 reached over the locked the doors as I stopped at the intersection.

"Whew," she sighed. "That was close."

"What was close?"

"That homeless man was standing right there with his sign and our door was unlocked!"

Not the actual sign--
even I knew better than to snap a pic at that moment.
Source.

It stopped me cold. Our town isn't known for peddlers but we are seeing more and more here and there. And, we have traveled to the bigger cities on several occasions and have seen the peddlers and beggars and have visited with our kids about who these people are and what they do.

I know ... I know ... a lot of them are scam artists, but I'm not on this planet to judge or interview or audit them. I'm on this planet to love them and to help them in whatever way I can. And I was really taken aback that Daughter 2 locked her door at the sight of this poor man holding his sign.

The light changed, and I turned onto the highway and drove straight to McGaggles. I bought him and his companion a couple of meals and some waters. I also talked to Daughter 2 about empathy. If we were in that situation, how would we feel? How would we feel when someone helped us? What would we want someone to do for us? So, we also got them a couple of fried pies.

We returned to the couple, and Daughter 2 opted to stay in the car while I delivered the food. She rolled down the window so she could hear me talk to them and to hear if I "yelled for help." We have a long way to go.

Brian and I have gone great lengths to make sure our girls understand that we are ALL (collectively, as a human race) in this world together, and we are called to do one thing as far as our fellow humans go: Love them. I'd like to believe that Daughter 2 does love the man with the sign, but she's not entirely certain how to do that ... and she's not entirely certain that it's okay. Since she's only nine years old, being a skeptic bodes well for her. This really did need to be something that I, as her momma, leads her in.

So, we're going to count down to Thanksgiving every Thursday. Come back here (www.Minivan-Momma.com) every Thursday--starting in TWO days--for the Thankful challenge. Each week, I'll post a challenge for you or you and your family to expand your world, be thankful for your life and love people.

We'll have a link to our Thankful Thursday Pinterest board. (Email me at Minivan.Momma.2{at}gmail{dot}com and let me know you want to contribute to the group board). We'll reveal our Twitter/Facebook/Instragram Hashtag.

You do not need to be a blogger to play along.

I can't wait to do Thankful Thursdays with you!

"Will You Sign My Hand?"

Email from reader: "I love your stuff, but I was wondering if you are ever serious?"

Answer from me: "Me? Serious? No. Never."

The truth is that I'm probably more serious and thoughtful than I am humorous in real life. The fact that I'm an introvert by nature comes as a complete shock to most people, unless they know me very well. I can stand in front of a group of 5,000 people and speak on any given topic and have only the fewest of butterflies in my belly. But if I sit down one on one with someone--anyone--I will have to show great restraint to not wet myself. It's just who I am.