Our church kicked off the new year by encouraging everyone in the congregation to choose one word that would be their guide and focus during 2014. The idea came from the book, One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page. The concept is that by choosing one word on which to focus during we year, we could enhance the various dimensions of our life: mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial.

I put a lot of thought into the project, and had many words I thought about using: grace, peace, joy, gratitude, to name a few. We wordsmiths work hard at finding just the right word! I finally settled on the word “contentment.” My goal for the year was to try to embrace each moment of each day, not to dwell on past mistakes, sorrows, and disappointments, nor to be anxious about the future. I have a bad habit of looking backwards and forwards and missing what is happening in the present.

Focusing on the word “contentment” was a big help recently as I underwent a cancer scare and had to go through a progression of tests, each more specific and more nerve-wracking. It was nearly impossible not to worry about what the outcome might be, but I really needed to focus on the moment I had – the moment when I still was considered healthy – rather than jump too quickly into a diagnosis that could change my life.

I repeated to myself the words of Jesus – “Let the day’s worries be enough for the day,” and the words of the Psalm – “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I tried to close each evening with those words, and uttered them several times a day.

Children are so great at living in the moment. They devote full attention to the day they are living as they are living it. I love that about children. When I am with little ones, or writing for them, I regain that kind of focus and I relearn to embrace the joy. I want to be like that every day.

Gratefully, the biopsy came back clear, no malignancy. I won’t say that I fully succeeded in not worrying while I waited for the results, but I did try and find contentment in each and every day. I have so much for which to be grateful, that it wasn’t such a hard thing to do.

If you chose one word to guide you through the rest of this year, what would that word be?