My Word

Lately, I've noticed a trend.  At the start of a new year, people are choosing a single word to live by... A word to inspire.  A word to motivate.  A "word of the year."
Some of the words I've seen are:
"BREATHE"    "HOPE"    "HEALTHY"

I like the idea of choosing a word to guide me through the year, so I've been thinking and thinking.
All I can come up with is "OVERWHELMED."
Go ahead and laugh; I did.
I really tried to be more positive and creative.  But, "OVERWHELMED" keeps coming back to my mind.  So I decided to go with it, and here's why.

At the end of 2012, I was overwhelmed with sadness.  The tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut made evil glaringly real.  I was overwhelmed by the brokenness of humanity.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, I was overwhelmed with traveling.  Military families don't usually live close to relatives, so when there's a holiday, you either celebrate alone or hit the road.  We logged a lot of miles in the car, and it gets old.  I was overwhelmed with gas station receipts, cricks in my neck, and a car-sick kid.

When January came, I was overwhelmed at the "things to do" list that hadn't been done.  I was drowning in laundry from the trips,  we had no groceries in the house, and there were piles of things to be put away.  I was overwhelmed with all I needed to accomplish.

I am still overwhelmed at the amount of junk I consumed between December 1 and January 1.  If I drink only water until May, my body will be able to live off the stored calories.  As the new year started and everyone jumped on the weight loss/fitness bandwagon, I was overwhelmed with my lack of motivation to join them. 
To celebrate, I ordered some Girl Scout cookies.

I am currently overwhelmed by the newest addition to our family.  We have a new puppy, and I have dark bags under my eyes.  She is only 9 weeks old, and she has a bladder the size of a pea.  (No pun intended.)  When I take her out in the freezing cold 38 times a night, I am overwhelmed.  I am also reminded WHY I have only one child.  Newborn people and puppies are overwhelming.

So my word for 2013 is OVERWHELMED, but I have decided to turn it around.
Well.  I am going to TRY  to turn it around.  There's another side to "overwhelmed" I like better.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the brokenness of humanity, I want to be overwhelmed with the good I do see.  I want to be overwhelmed by God's grace. I am overwhelmed by His love for us.

Instead of being overwhelmed by all the traveling we will do (again) this year, I want to be overwhelmed by the blessing of family.  I will be overwhelmed with thankfulness that we all get along and want to spend time together. 

I want to be overwhelmed at the abilities I have and the opportunities I have to get things done.

I want be be overwhelmed enough at my good health to not loathe myself.  I want to be overwhelmed enough to get healthier.

I will be overwhelmed by gratitude when those cookies arrive.

I don't want "OVERWHELMED" to be a bad thing.

And, as soon as she's totally potty-trained and sleeping though the night, I will be overwhelmed with love for the new puppy.  In the meantime, I'll settle for being overwhelmed by her cuteness.