I am sitting in my living room. There is a fire in the fireplace. One dog is next to me and the other is sound asleep at my feet. My husband is in his recliner preparing for the work week. Michigan beat Alabama; the Longhorns and Huskies are tied. It has been a bus day, taking down most of the Christmas decor and reorganizing it all to fit into our new (much smaller) home. I'm tired, but content.
I spent some time over the last couple of weeks to consider a word for 2024. The word for 2023 was "next," and did it ever deliver! It seemed like every month there was something new. We downsized by half, I left a part time job at Chick-fil-A to focus on writing, I spent precious time taking care of my local grandbabies, and committed anew to 15 miles a week of running/walking. I wrote devotionals for a publishing company and for my church in addition to the ones I publish here. I've researched new things, reconnected with colleagues from my time at UNLV, and completed training my standard poodle as a therapy dog. I learned the power of growing my own sprouts and am motivated to have a functioning garden. "Next" meant releasing some things and pursuing others. I wrote and shared fiction for the first time, which ended up being more fun than I expected. I shattered my collarbone and my car had both bumpers replaced after collisions that happened when I wasn't even in the car.
This year, I hope to dig in a little deeper and set some roots. I want to be disciplined and dedicated to the important things in my life. In that spirit, my word for 2024 is Devotion.
Devotion is often connected to sacred causes or a form of piety, but I am choosing a broader definition. One definition of devotion is the state of being dedicated and loyal (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devotion). It is in that sense that I use the word for this year. Devotion in 2024 will have three primary objects: God, family, and craft.
My faith continues to be my driving force. In 2024, I will devote my time and energy to knowing God through study, writing, listening, and regular prayer. I want to be an honest reflection of Jesus in my daily life, thinking about how I respond to situations so that God is glorified. More of Jesus, less of me.
Family matters. I am grateful for the flexibility to be available to help my middle daughter with child care as she needs help. I want to make sure I am clear to my girls that I love them and am proud of them, even if I disagree with some of their beliefs and choices. To my husband of almost 38 years, I want to be devoted to making our marriage a place of refuge and adventure.
Devotion to my craft means consistent writing. I still think writing about the needs for all of us to default to grace is the most important work I do, and I plan to work out the chapters in the book I started researching years ago, even if they're never published beyond the virtual pages of this blog. But in the last year I have discovered that writing fiction is both fun and a demanding creative practice that makes me happy. So, I will be devoted to my writing craft in multiple areas.
I can’t predict what the next 365 days have in store, but if I can stay devoted to the most important things, I can continue to default to grace to myself and to those around me.
My respect and admiration for you. Devotion to the important things will make for a Happy New Year. God bless you and your family.
I wish you the absolute best in your many devotions.