Word of the Year: Content

 

 

Every year I try to sit down and take stock of how my previous year went and consider how I would like the upcoming year to come to take shape. This is a practice I have done for 14 years now. Last year I set the goal to thrive in my life, not just exist. While I did not do this perfectly, I do feel like I was able to choose to do more than exist.

 

A few areas we found ourselves thriving as family included:

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We walked our boys through the experience of grief when we said goodbye to our beloved Sophie. It was one of the harder life experiences for all of us. I hope we did it with grace, showing our boys what it means to love and also how to say goodbye. 

 

We completed 68 weekly hikes and walked a total of 177 miles during the course of the year.

I read 43 books, many of them aloud to the kids.

We camped 25 times including a month-long camping trip up the east coast to Maine to visit my sister and her family. We visited 18 states this year, many of them during our trek up the east coast.

 

I decided to step into coaching this year for the first time. First with Isaac's soccer team and then Jack's basketball team. The boys also did well on swim team and Jack made excellent progress in cross country this year. 

 

I started the year teaching a group of 9-11 year-old boys as a part of our Classical Conversations co-op (they call this tutoring). This grew into me becoming the Director of this co-op. This was not something that I had planned on, but I believe I truly thrived in this position (though it has not been without difficulties). 

After a couple of years of low involvement in Scouts due to Co^id, we really enjoyed doing lots of activities with the boy's Scout troop this year. We hiked and camped with this group, and had the opportunity to set off rockets and launch catapults.

 

The highlight for our family was an overnight 10-mile paddle trip down the Tennessee River and also paddling the Hiwassee. We have really loved all of our adventures with scouts.

 

The boys also did several survival challenges at our house with a neighbor friend. They attempted this 5 times over the course of the year with 3 separate nights completed. They are very proud of their accomplishment.

 

As of last month we have been married for 20 years. While our marriage is far from perfect, we have tried to thrive in this are of our life and not just merely exist.

 

 

When thinking of marriage and the longevity that goes with it, I really got to thinking about choosing to be content. I have continued to think about that word over the last couple of weeks. Content is an adjective that means satisfied. It is so easy in this life to play the comparison game or to experience FOMO (fear of missing out), but when I choose to be content (and it is a choice), my life goes so much better. I am less impatient and more benevolent to those around me. It is something that I want to continue to strive for this year. While I have goals and things I would like to accomplish in 2023, I also want to find contentment in how my life goes. Normally I might have been bothered that I am posting this on January 2nd instead of the 1st, but it really isn't bugging me this year, and I hope that is a reflection of me being content.

 

Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

 

May I live this verse out this year.

 

My Words from Years Past:

Fortitude {2010} │ Adaptation {2011} │ Patience {2012} │ Deliberate {2013} │ Joy {2014}│ Peace {2015} │ Release {2016} │ Savor {2017} │ Healing {2018} │ Be {2019} │ Embrace {2020} │ Continue {2021} │ Thrive {2022}