Consistency

So here's a little story for you. My dear husband came home one day from work and was very excited to tell me about something he had recently heard on a podcast. It was all about One Word That Could Change Your Life. There was a very cool story about a pastor and another person (truth be told, I am not the best listener and I am a little hazy on the details). If I have the detail right one of them challenged the other to define his year by one word. On the surface this is an easy enough task, but then when you try to do it, well, that gets a little trickier. Do you define it by the sorrows of the year? How about the triumphs? The in-between? And remember you only get one word. Not a page, not a paragraph, not even a sentence...just one single word. 

I am sure that I responded in a way like this, "That's interesting." But as time went on I began to ponder the idea. As the new year was drawing near, and 2013 was thankfully drawing to a close, how would I want to view my new year? What laser like focus would I desire it to have? I prayed about it and asked the LORD to help give me guidance- what did He will for me this year? One word (get it...Heehee) kept coming to mind. Consistency. 

I really am the queen of the new idea. I love brand new shiny plans and I love the feel of the new organizers. I love thinking about how it will go and what I will do...until day 2. Why you ask? Because day one didn't go as perfectly as I had planned or day two got off to a rough start and I couldn't finish it as I desired so my time of planning is wasted on another failed (in my mind) dream and set aside for the brand new shiny dream that is just waiting to take its place. 

This has led to a growing amount of disorder in my life, frustration in my marriage, and a growing waistline, because the plans apply to diets too- don't you know?

So what is the point I am trying to make...one word for the whole year. Everything I plan, everything I do, everything I dream and work towards filtered through this one word...consistency. This year will be less about the start and more about the journey in between. Do I work at it even once the shine has come off of the plan? The pages are bent on the organizer- do I continue? Today nothing worked out as I had planned- do I throw my hands up and walk away or do I do what I can? 

Consistency leads to progress and progress doesn't have to be perfect to make an impact in my life. 

Today wasn't shiny like my sink was last night. Today wasn't exhilarating or fun. But there was progress made. I was consistent for the first time in a long while. And that my friends was good enough for me...at least for now. Tomorrow is a new day...and new- well you all know how I feel about that. 

Love- Andrea

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