one word // 2013.

i've been inspired by ali, elise (and many others) to choose a guiding word for each year. 

the word for 2012 was: {peace}

i chose this word as a soft place to land during many emotion filled days, life altering decisions, & letting go--of all that was once familiar. 

peace was a faithful companion. 

i have now chosen my word for 2013...    

{create} 

...welcoming the courage to create. 

...create-ing a new life, new traditions, new roles, new creative outlets, in fact, this blog will find itself re-created. {more to come on that...}

...accepting the challenge to continue to create. to trust the creative spirit that is mine. pushing through doubts & bravely picking up the brush and the pen. pushing through the perceived lack of fresh ideas and creating anyway.  

i ordred this locket from my sweet friend jodi's etsy shop. 

i wear it close to my heart, as reminder of my one, little word that will guide me through my days in 2013. 

will you join me and so many others by aliging your decisions, dreams & days with a guiding word? 

(no pressure...you can always change it half way through. stick with the word as it continues to feel 'right.') 

i'd love to hear what word you choose. <3

brave soul, i see you.

{that's mandy. stunning, right?} 

i consider her one of my mentors {like when she comments on one of your photos you get giddy kind of mentor}. she takes people under her wing and simultaneously whispers, "fly" daily. i've been reading her blog since 2005, and now through the wonderful connections of social media, i have the privilege of having her in my "circle." she left me this comment on instagram last week:

brave soul, i see you. 

brave isn't a word i would typically use to describe myself. 

i've always said "i'm not really adventurous or risky or tough." 

but those words were imprinted in my mind. they've been stuck on repeat. 

brave soul, i see you.

i began to consider all the huge life transitions that j & i have been through these past few {but feel like forever, in the best way} years. and thought...

i can do this.
we've been through the fire, and come out stronger, gaining wisdom, and strength. 

maybe i am brave, after all.

{how perfect is this amazing painting? with a bird & all!}

i haven't written a post on my one word choice in a while. but mandy's declaration got me thinking... 

peace breeds bravery. {or possibly vice versa}

for example, have you ever been around people who are confident without needing the spotlight? who carry themselves with such grace and make people feel cozy and comfortable? {another mentor of mine netta is certainly one that comes to my mind.} people who earn respect and honor by who they are. who ooze peace. 

i have truly been fortunate to call women of this caliber my friends. they bring peace wherever they go. but not necessarily in a quiet or passive way.

sometimes peace gets a bad rap. see, peace is not wimpy. but strong. and brave. 

furthermore, peace does not equal inaction.

i've come to realize through the life transitions i've been thrust into this year that embracing my "one word" of peace brought more strength and {get going} courage than idle waiting or meditating. 

peace has certainly taken on a new meaning for me. so many times peace in our culture is viewed as two fingers in the air or the absence of turmoil or conflict. but peace is the strength that grounds us and holds us. peace surpasses finite human understanding or how a situation "appears."  

peace is active.

{this painting captures the active essence of peace to me.}

peace is just as much {{energy}} as it is the lack of some.

grateful for this realization that as i embrace peace, bravery is expanding.

so mandy, from my brave soul to yours, thank you for re-naming me.

 

peace amidst chaos.

do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. hebrews 13:2

If you are new to my blog, you may not know that in a little over a month, my husband and I are going to move a few hundred miles away from Michigan to Connecticut. In some ways, it still doesn’t feel real. We made our final visit there this weekend before moving in the middle of June.

There are so many emotions attached to this move. Uncertainty, excitement, loss, joy, and, a little word I’ve claimed and chosen for this year…peace. Uprooting and moving across country is certainly not a small decision. But I can say that through every step of this process, I have felt and witnessed much peace.

I think I crossed paths with a few angels this weekend in Connecticut (and I know I live among many in Michigan as well.) Jeremy and I are taken care of, protected and extravagantly loved, wherever our feet may tread.

However, this weekend was like a “mega peace’ and “it will be ok” time. It started when every flight we had was cancelled or delayed. We arrived 12 hours later than we had originally planned (2 am instead of 2pm) and our luggage was lost. But during our unexpected 5 hour layover in Detroit, one of my “mamas” and mentors graciously picked us up and treated us to dinner and refuge at Target J. And when we finally arrived at the lovely couple’s home we were staying at, I was greeted with warm and comforting hugs, a cold glass of water and a toothbrush. Peace.

Then when we went to Wal Mart the next morning to buy clothes and travel size face wash/deodorant (our bag was still in Detroit…), it was as if every customer and employee went out of their way to smile and make me feel welcome. An elderly man even winked at me (not in a creepy way, either). Every where we went, people held doors open for me, waved and extended such a spirit of hospitality and grace.

When I told some of the church members that everyone is so nice on the East Coast, they either gasped or laughed. Apparently this is not the norm.

But I believe I was surrounded by angels this weekend, whispering “welcome, you’re gonna be fine.” Even though the four lane highways raise your blood pressure, you may feel like a stranger, and your friends who have become your family won’t be right around the corner, this will be a place of peace.

edit// i typed this thousands of feet in the air on our second to last airplane to get home this weekend. after writing this, our last flight was cancelled and we ended up driving home from Cleveland (5 hours) to arrive home at 4 am. it's as if i typed this without knowing that i would really need a peaceful perspective just a few minutes later... SO thankful to be home. and not dealing anymore with United Airlines for quite some time... :)

 

♥erica

peace, my soul.

i've still been meditating on my one word that i chose for 2012.

this song came on my pandora the other day and brought peace to my heart. 
it's always been one of my favorite dave barnes songs. enjoy!  

They tell me there's songs reserved for angels
Would you sing me one, a stranger
Just to prove your love?


They tell me you've given poor men kingdoms
And handed guilty freedom
And taken on their stains


And your love will never change
Your love will never change



They tell me that you dwell with good and evil
In alleys and cathedrals
Shadows and the light


They tell me that you hold the world together
Not from guilt, but pleasure
And you somehow know my name


And your love will never change
Your love will never change



So tell me there's nothing that you can't do
And you'll love me though I've hurt you
And that you'll take my blame


And your love will never change
Your love will never change

peace comes from stability, security and safety. 

peace to your soul today...His love will never change.

you can listen to this beautiful song here: 

♥erica

peace sighting.

in case you missed it, my 'word' for 2012 is peace. you can read about that here.

this year i have committed to keep my eyes + ears open for peace wherever i go.

a short statement that a friend of mine said to me this week was one of my first peace sightings so far.

she simply whispered: 

give yourself more time to rest than you think you need.

this spoke straight to my heart.

a part of peace means carving out space to be still.

and allowing yourself to rest.

and s l o w down. 

it's not about being selfish. 

but filling up your tank so you can continue to pour out. 

   

in what area of your life do you need to be generous to yourself with week?

i encourage you to give yourself more in that area than what you think you need.

♥erica

one little word.

blogger, ali edwards started choosing 'one little word' to define each year. 

A single word can be a powerful thing. 

It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. 

It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. 

From my own personal experience, it can be a catalyst for enriching your life.

One little word can have big meaning in your life

 if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. 

And here's one thing that is totally interesting: 

sometimes a word will pop into your brain

and it will not make any sense to you right now. 

Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. 

I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. 

Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet.

Again, be open to the possibilities.

many other bloggers have joined the journey.  

elise's word for 2012 is:

mandy's word for 2012 is: 

i have been really 'feeling' a certain word lately. 
and after reading ashley's post about how she painted her bible:
 

i have decided that 
my word for 2012 is peace.

peace that lets me take a deep breath.

peace that opens doors and shuts them at the same time. 

peace that passes understanding. 

peace that guides, not drives.

 peace that accepts
 and relaxes 
and takes a load off.

peace that gives a new perspective. 

can't wait to document my journey with peace this year.
my eyes and ears are open to discover where peace is hiding for me discover.  

wanna join in with your ONE word? 

leave a comment and let me know which word you are choosing. for a list of some ideas, see ali's post here.

♥erica