Well, as some of you may know, a few friends and myself pick a theme for the year, and have done so for the last few years. This tradition is loosely based on the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. My friend, Daron, inaugurated it about five years or so back. Since then, I’ve really latched on to it and look forward to discussing my theme with close friends.

The basic idea is that instead of merely looking back at the year to see what happened at the end, you start the year by looking ahead to see what you think the year might be about. Then you use the theme as a lens in which to view things throughout the year and see if you can incorporate it. At it’s basis, it’s a way to be proactive/responsive to the year, and not let the year just happen to you. It’s an intentional way to live rather than reactive…which is how I prefer to live.

Now, come December, I start this process again. I evaluate the year, see how things went, remember what happened, take stock of my responses or reactions. Sometimes the theme has changed completely over the course of the year. Sometimes the theme still holds true.

2011 was an interesting year. Very different from others for a variety of reasons. After taking a hard look, I feel like the theme “Prioritize” held up pretty well for the first half of the year. For the second half, I’d say it was more like “Heal” because it was a time to recoup from all the changes life brought. Lots of changes during the year and the few months at the end of 2010. So, the latter half of the year gave me time for myself to rest. That’s not something I have ever been great at doing, in any way shape or form, so perhaps it was good that it was thrust upon me.

But I feel like I learned a few things along the way. After all, what a waste it would’ve been for me to go through it and not learn anything. And now I feel like I’m up for something similar and something different in 2012.

Anyway, all this is leading up to my 2012 theme. And after a period of reflection, I have decided to go with “Prioritize” again. I want to give it another go and see how 2012 shakes out differently. I believe it will, and I look forward to seeing the ways that it might.

So here goes….

Word:
“Prioritize”

Verse:
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Song:

“Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp