Thank you, Lisa Notes, for another One Word Challenge to keep us all on track.

Can you believe it’s been almost two months with your One Word? If your enthusiasm is starting to fade, now is a great time to find fresh ways to connect with your word. Here are 3 simple ideas to try this coming month to keep your word alive in your daily life:    1.  Something to Hear: Find a song with your word in the title or lyrics—maybe even write your own! Add it to a playlist, print out the lyrics, or learn to play it on an instrument.    2.  Something to Say: Look for a poem, quote, scripture, or book passage about your word. Read it aloud or record yourself reading it, then listen to it once a day for a week.    3.  Something to See: Gather new visuals of your word and place them where you’ll notice them daily. Or challenge yourself to take a photo each day of something that reminds you of your word. The more you engage with your word through your senses, the more it will become a part of you.  ­

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SOMETHING TO HEAR

I know this song is about the social issues facing the US in the 1960s, but I think that it also speaks to being flexible and not imposing your personal expectations on others.

Blowin’ In The Wind (Bob Dylan ‧ 1962)

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
And how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?

And how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

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SOMETHING TO SAY

I absolutely love the children’s book Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.

Synopsis – Peter, the hero of many of Ezra Jack Keats’ award-winning books, has a new baby sister. When she arrives, his parents paint his old baby furniture pink for the new baby. There’s only one thing they haven’t painted yet, though: his little blue chair. He’ll do whatever it takes to save it—even run away! This is a gentle and reassuring story about sibling rivalry and a perfect gift for any family expecting a new baby.

Each time I read Peter’s Chair to a group of children, I am reminded of an important lesson. Holding on too tightly to our possessions can make us miss the blessing of a new relationship or opportunity.

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SOMETHING TO SEE

Last month I shared a picture of a fidget toy that I keep on the table next to my favorite chair. When I thought about other flexible items that I have in hand, rubber bands and slinky toys immediately came to mind. They can be used/played with over and over but always return to their original size and shape. I want to be like that. I want to be able to go with the flow but still be who God created me to be.

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