Sunday, January 9, 2011

LIFE IN TENNESSEE // One Word 2011

Through my friend Grant [website] and the power of Twitter, I heard about a concept for the New Year: to pick one word to challenge and inspire you, one word to focus on. As a wordsmith and lover of things lexical, I thought I would take the challenge.

My one word: See

I've been thinking about this for a few days now because "see" seemed too simple, not deep enough or fancy enough for a writer. But I really couldn't get away from it.

I just recently finished grad school. I spent three years working and studying full-time, longs hours at my computer and in the books. Now that I'm done, I have a lot of free time and I've been trying to figure out how to fill it. With missions work in my future and a master's in cross-cultural studies hanging on my wall, I feel led to SEE what is out there in my community, to find a place to serve people from other cultures, to apply what I spent $32K in studying. I feel led to SEE who is living in Nashville now and how I can get involved until the time comes that I move on from this fair city.

I also find myself living in a virtual world.  I could easily be a hermit. I SEE much of the world through my laptop, Droid and now an iPad. It's easy to talk to friends and family without actually using my vocal cords or having actual physical contact. But I'm feeling convicted about that. Last year I started sending out more cards, notes and treats so that communication in my life wouldn't solely be in a virtual world. But now that I'm armed with knowledge and more defined call to missions, I need to SEE the world and its people around me. I need to reach out to them, talk to them and engage them.

So, SEE, that's my one word for 2011. To look outside my magic boxes of technology. To look outside the four walls of my house. And SEE what is going on in the world and how I can use my God-given gifts to his glory.

5 comments:

Deborah said...

I happened upon you from that very friend you speak of & his twitter. Your one word is awesome, and quite convicting (I will speak solely for myself, although I'm sure others feel the same).

Suddenly, I want to go to Hallmark and buy cards and send them to friends. Bake cookies and take them to friends. Maybe tomorrow I will call a friend. :)

My One Word is Freedom - so maybe I'll develop freedom from my "magic boxes of technology."

Grant Jenkins said...

I love this, Jackie! I love how you know you have mission work ahead, but in the meantime you want to make sure you "see" who you can engage with in your immediate community, right here right now. A lot of people miss that and are blind to the present while reaching for the future. So glad you jumped on board! And yes, we need to hang and catch up very soon!

Tracie Nall said...

I love the word you picked. There is so much there to learn.

Your last sentence is convicting in the very best way. It is so easy for me to get caught up in life lived in my house tethered to electronics and not see what is beyond.

Taking Heart said...

See. I love it. You have inspired me to go and SEE other people in the oneword community... so I can meet amazing ladies like yourself.

Happy Blessings for 2011!
~TH

My word: FORWARD

Anonymous said...

love your word. it sums up the heartbeat of mine -- look.

glad we're not journeying alone. but we can look and see together this year -- and hopefully discover Him in unlikely places.