It’s a New Year. Last year I integrated the word listening. I did just that. I listened for direction in my vocation. I listened to my body. I listened to my soul. Most of all, I listened to the world around me and my wondering through it all. Through listening, I gained clarity. I have become more sensitive to others and unspoken space. I listened to the spirit’s guidance in my ministries and to the voices of those I may not have heard as openly. It was a defining year and a time of learning and creating. I hope to continue into this year.
2026, my word clearly came to me this morning, Thoughful. I don’t know how this word will play out but I can think of ways to be more thoughtful towards those I care about in my life. Thoughtful towards the ways in which I engage and treat my body. Thoughtful in ways I take care of and spend time with my family. Thoughtful in contemplative reading and prayer. Thoughtful can play out in so many ways, I believe, and I’m going to work daily to hold myself open to the possibilities.
There are a few “goals” I have for this year that I do want to write down and keep present in 2026:
1- I want to walk more, intentionally. I want to walk through the neighborhood again, with Lola, take the stairs more at work, and whatever opportunities arise to walk and exercise this year.
2- I want to consume less, materially. I am going to establish a no buy year for clothing. This excludes underwear as needed, and I give some wiggle room to accessories and a pair of shoes, if I need some for work only. I wear my shoes and my clothes out, but I have enough and need to give myself the chance to wear everything I own and see where I have gaps and things that I don’t like or wear at all. I thrift everything so some things may also need repair or upcycling. This should be hard and fun.
Another part of consumption is more thoughtfully and time consuming. I want to be more thoughtful in the books I read and (hopefully) writing and reflecting more. I read books for my women’s ministry book club and Bible study, but I have found in my year of listening, I need to listen more to my mind. I consume information, podcasts, articles, etc as noise to keep me from being quiet. I manipulate myself in this. I work to avoid being alone by consuming words and even music much of the time. I want to be more mindful of stillness and quiet. I feel overwhelmed in my head a lot and I do not like how this feels.
3- I want to continue to invest in my time with my family. I especially want to continue regular outings with my mom and nieces and in the garden with my dad. I would like to invest more time with my brothers and sister in laws as able. The last two years have been incredibly healing and full of surprising gifts that I am so grateful for as I have focused on relationships with my family.
4- I want to continue my gardening. I plan to prune the blueberries in the new year and plan for the garden in spring. I want to definitely grow cucumbers to pickle again and corn. I want to try the King corn that didn’t do so well this past year again and see if I can grow it better. Still all organically. I’m debating on how much I want to battle the squash bugs this year. I want to try leafy greens and maybe onions and potatoes.
5- I have begun some of this goal in 2025. I realized how deeply I need and want a community of women who are willing to go deep, be vulnerable and wrestle with scripture, hard questions, truth and the world outside ourselves. I don’t want this group to be a part of a specific faith community, but one that is small, intimate and trustworthy. I don’t know who this group will consist of but I have been prayerfully engaging the creation of it and hope to see it come to fruition in 2026. I am continuing to pray and seek discernment.
I’m excited about 2026. I can’t help but prepare for something to drop, but I go into this year hopeful in many ways. It feels hopeful and freeing to come out of such a long cloud of lament. I am grateful for this.
The Journey Home 