2016 Word - ABIDE

Abide. 

That's my word.  After I looked it up in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary I wanted a different one.  I am much better at flitting about (thus the bumble bee nature of Melissa).  Last year's word was yoke. I was challenged to burn the old yokes (like Elisha did to follow Elijah) and learn from Him. This year I will see what it means to ABIDE. 

Honestly, I haven't even done the concordance search on the word yet (the John passage comes to mind, but last year the yoke passage that struck me most wasn't the Matthew one) - I will do that over the course of this month.  Here are some of the phrases from the 1828 dictionary: 

to be, exist, continue
dwell, rest, stand firm
continue permanently
to wait for
to endure or sustain
to bear patiently 

If you know me these are not things I excel at.  I am not good at just being - give me something to do! At least let me talk about it a good long while. God has continually laid it on my heart that I need to just rest, wait, stand firm.  So this year I will be reflecting on what it means to abide in Him and with others.  It sounds to me like a lot of inside work and not much happening on the outside - uggh - can't I just stay busy and look like things are going well!   

Alas, for my growth, and since my kids are mimics (did you hear Andrew Kern talk about that whole theory that combats Freud - fascinating), I need to learn this type of living so that they can "catch" it from me.   Plus, if mama can find peace the whole atmosphere changes.  

I think this also ties with the fact that we have a new "abode" that God has challenged me to really make a home - a place of rest, peace, grace, renewal, etc.  Right now, it seems mostly like a place where little boys make messes and frustrate each other.

So this year, maybe, I will "get" what it means to abide in Him and with the people He has placed in my life.