Monday, December 20, 2010



I have been for several years choosing a word to be my touchstone for that year. I have found that even though I don't think about it every day I do come back to it throughout the year and reevaluate my progress toward it.

In 2011 my word that I have chosen is NURTURE. I chose this word because there are many areas of my life.that need nurturing . I also was looking at my Disciple's Study Bible last night and . in the back in the Life Help section was a section which I found called a ministry of nurture. I knew after I found this this was meant to be my word.

Nurture by definition means to bring up;help develop;help grow,enrich or provide noursishment . It is used also in relation to things needs special attention.

Here are the areas that need nourishment in my life and the areas I plan on working on this next year.

1.Faith- I feel for the past several years I have been in a valley in this regard and I need to find my place and footing in my faith again and make a recommittment .

2.Health- I am overweight and need to excercise more that about sums it up. I need to eat less and move more so I plan on doing just that. I have found that diets fail for me but I think I can work with this.

3.Friendships-I want to continue to nourish friendships both in person and online the ones that bring joy and positivity to my life.

4.Family- I want to make an honest effort to work on cherishing my family and making every effort to let them know they are loved .

5.Profession-I want my patients to feel as though I am competent and caring and that while in my care they are safe and like they are the only thing that matters in that moment.

6.Creativity-I want to nourish my creativity and learn new things such as knitting and crocheting .

7.Being Green- I want to continue to nurture the plantet by reducing my carbon footprint on the earth

8.Procrasination- I want to nurture a can do attitude and not put off that which I can do today.

9.Clutter- I want to nurture decluttering my life as with less clutter my mind and life flows a lot better.

10.Photograpy-It is one of my greatest joys and I want to continue to nurture my love for this art form.

11.Quiet Time-I want to establish and nurture a period of quiet in each day where I can be alone with my thoughts and reflect.


I want you all to share your words with me.Why did you choose them?


If some.of you don't get back around before Christmas I wish you the Best Holiday Ever and Stay Safe.Please know that each of you who visit and leave comments here are some of the best gifts I could recieve.

And while it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving it away. It is venturing to give new life and to nurture it to maturity. It is working hard for the pure joy of being tired at the end of the day. It is caring and sharing and giving and loving…

Marilyn Thomsen




Photo is from positively present don't really know the source.

28 comments:

Char said...

i'm unsure of my world but you posted the love letter that i needed to read. thank you.

Adrienne said...

Hi, Yolanda -
You are an inspiration, my friend. I need to sit and write my desires for the coming year. Many of yours are the same as mine!
~Adrienne~

Anonymous said...

that seems to be an excellent choice!

Leslie said...

Nurture is a good word. As for valleys in the walk of faith, I think we all experience them - I know I do. And I'm thinking of the man who said to Jesus, "I believe, help me in my unbelief." I relate to that man...

I've always wanted to learn how to knit and crochet, too. I can knit and pearl a scarf that stays on the needles forever because I never learned to "cast off." That's the sum of my talents in that area : )

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous idea and I love your choice of word. I shall have to think carefully about my own choice .....

Sherry said...

thanks for stoping by, beautiful blog!

Tracy said...

Nurture... that is great inspiration for the New Year Yolanda! You list very much mirrors my own in terms of wanting to carve our more time to go slow and enrich, deepen the special relationships in my life. I'm still working on my post for the New Year, thinking & dreaming. Just catching up on your recent posts. We have a good many gatherings & get-togethers in the next days, so visiting friends early this week in blogland. I hope to post again before the holiday break :o) Hoping you & yours have the happiest holiday season & wishing you all the best in 2011! ((HUGS))

ellen b. said...

Hi Yolanda,
I really am intrigued by this idea of having a touchstone word for the year. I also enjoyed reading your thoughts on being "different"
Have a very Merry Christmas and a nurturing New Year! :0)

Dutchbaby said...

A touchstone word is a great idea. I will have to think about my word for the year. I can't decide between "gratitude", you can never be too grateful, or "focus". Given that I can't decide between the two, I should probably choose "focus".

Holli said...

What a fantastic word... I love this.... great post!

Cora said...

I love your list of areas that you are going to nurture. I can so relate to many of those needs of nourishment in my own life.
Thank you for sharing such a great word for 2011. I will be thinking of my own word in the coming week.
Merry Christmas and many blessings.

tea time and roses said...

Hello Yolanda,

Nurture is certainly a good word. Thank you so much for yet another lovely and inspiring post. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Smiles♥

Beverly

Rita said...

what a wonderful list of things to nurture for this next year. I can't believe that the new year is already just around the corner. May your Christmas and your New Year be perfectly wonderful ones!

karen said...

I pray that you too have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. And you picked a good word for 2011.

Breezy said...

Nurture is a perfect word..
Thanks for sharing yourself with us.

Happy Christmas~~

~gail

Unknown said...

oh, Yolanda, I am so behind in reading ,
but this,
this was what I need today .Thank you so so much.

May your Christmas be abundant and joyful and magical.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

What a refreshing and beautiful post sweetie. It truly toughed my heart!

God bless and have a very Merry Christmas filled with friends, family and fudge baby, heaps of rich delicious fudge!!!

Anneliese said...

I like your idea of chosing a word ... I will be thinking about this for the new year.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas.

Michelle DeRusha said...

I love this idea of choosing a word for the year -- and nurture is perfect. I really like all your explations as to why nurture is your word this year, from health to friendship to keeping the Earth happy. I am inspired to ponder what my word may be over the next few days. Thank you for the inspiration!

Farm Girl said...

Yolanda, what a great well thought out list. I could say with you all of them would be a worthy goal. Nurture is a wonderful word, magic I think because in the world we live in now, everyone I meet is crying out for that. We all want to be able to crawl up into someone's lap and be safe. For me, that is when I find myself running to God and crying Abba Father.
I am with you on the weight thing. The health issues too.
I know I have not sat down and went over what I want for 2011 but when I do I will share with you.
So glad you came for a visit one day and you in the short while have blessed my life.
Thank you.

Relyn Lawson said...

I am still pondering my word for next year. This year's word was leap. I LOVED it. I did it, too.

Carolynn Anctil said...

That's an excellent choice. I'll be announcing my "word" next week.

love the quote, too.

Lorrie said...

Lovely thoughts, Yolanda. I choose a word for the year, too. Last year's was abundance. And boy, did we have an abundance, both of sorrow and of joy. And through it all, an abundance of God's grace.

Nurture is a good word for 2011. I've not yet chosen mine, but I'm thinking about it.

Paula said...

Nuture is a perfect word for 2011 and your reasons for choosing it are outstanding! I've been choosing a word that last couple of years as well, but hadn't thought of it for next year yet. You've reminded me to put my thinking cap on for that. Last year's word was "Balance" and I do believe I've achieved some, though not all of the balance we were needing in our lives.


My wonderful box of books came yesterday and I'm so wowed! Thank you so much. I had no idea you were sending so many. What a wonderful surprise! Now the hardest part is going to be deciding what to read first! I love the ornament and your sweet Christmas card as well. Santa is hanging front and center on our Christmas tree.
Happy happy Christmas, my friend!

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Merry Christmas, Yolanda. I hope the New Year is full of growth for you. Nurturing is a good word, and a good ideal to live by. Wouldn't this world be a wonderful place if we were all a little more nurturing.

Christine said...

I love the idea of choosing a word. I have always been one to set resolutions, and have loved doing so, but this year I've been pondering the whys and hows of setting them. I'll have to pray over my word choice...great thoughts!

May God bless your efforts and nurture you so you produce fruit for Him in 2011.

Melissa Campbell said...

A great word, Yolanda. Like you, I could use more nurturing in every area of my life, especially in relationships. I pray this for all of us--that we would so know the love of God for us and His nurturing of us, that it would simply spill over into the world around us.

You inspired me to ask the Lord for a word of my own for 2011. As soon as I did I saw the letters, BELIEVE. God has spoken many promises that I have yet to see made reality in and through me. My challenge is to believe His word, and with faith pull it into the now.

Thanks for the inspiration! Looking forward to more of your posts in 2011. Blessings!

nicole said...

I love that photo. I also love the idea of clinging to a word.