Chasing My Tail

Have you ever felt like the month has flown by and dragged on endlessly at the same time? That is how March has been for me. Since I feel like a dog chasing its tail, this month’s One Word 2024 prompt from Lisa Notes came at just the right time (as always).

This is an easy—but beneficial—exercise to do each year with your One Word.

DEFINE IT

Look up your word in the dictionary. Does it have more than one meaning? How many of its meanings are you using for your practice this year? Which meaning is most applicable to you?

SAME AS

List some of your word’s synonyms. If you had to choose one of these as a backup word for this year, which would you choose? Why?

OPPOSITE OF

List some of your word’s antonyms. Understanding what your word does NOT mean might help you understand what it DOES mean. What insights do you gain from its opposite?

RENEWAL (What does it mean?)

Dictionary.com was not very helpful.

renewal [ ri-noo-uhl, -nyoo- ] noun

the act of renewing
the state of being renewed
an instance of this

RENEWAL (Are there synonyms?) *

recurrence, rebirth, regeneration, rejuvenation, restoration, resumption, revitalization, revival, awakening, recommencement, refilling, reformation, replenishment, resurrection, recharging, &
reopening

RENEWAL (Are there antonyms?) *

destruction, exhaustion, & impoverishment

RENEWAL (What did I learn from this exercise?)

If I am not pursuing renewal in every area of my life, I will end up impoverished and exhausted on the road to destruction. This means that I must be diligent in pursuing Christ daily by studying scripture, praying, and living a life that honors my creator.

*https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/renewal

The March link-up can be found HERE.

8 comments

Ooooo what a great addition, looking up same as and opposite of!

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Nice way to explore and implement your word.

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I particularly like the synonym of “reopening.” I can envision lots of physical things reopening (flowers in the morning, a door, a relationship, etc.) that are great metaphors for renewal!

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That 2 Corinthians passage has become part of my almost daily liturgy!

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Amen Barbara, and it is so easy to neglect those obvious familiar disciplines, especially as we grow older. We must guard against the sad phrase, “familiarity breeds contempt.” Renewal is like a dance, where we participate by letting God take the lead.

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