2014 and a “new” word

I know I have been a bit scarce of late… And by “of late”, I mean the last 3 years.

I will try to be a bit more faithful in posting this year. 

As I have mentioned before, I don’t really like New Years Resolutions, and never make them.  However in 2011 I discovered the idea of choosing a Word for the Year.

I really like that idea, and it is in fact part of my sermon series I am planning for later this month and next month.  So while I ponder how this affects my life for this year, I have decided to use the same word from 2011 again.

FISH – Faithful In Serving Him. 
(Yes, I know it is actually 4 words. I cheated.  Deal with it.)

Why am I choosing the same word again? 

Because I still don’t think I am doing it right, and I want another try.

How about you?

Musical FISH

As you may have noticed, I have chosen my One Word for 2011 as being FISH. (Faithful In Serving Him)

Well, I have been thinking a lot about what that means lately.  I think part of being Faithful, and looking to Serve, is choosing to do the right things.  Choosing to do what Serves Him, rather than what I want.

Let me give you an example.

Music. 

I love music. 
I am not a very musical fish.

But such was not always the case.  Once upon a time, when I was very young and still cute, I used to sing like an Angel-fish.  I had a beautiful voice.  However since then, my voice has abandoned me, and despite all my best efforts, I have never managed to teach myself to play any musical instruments.

I can tap out a few tunes on the piano, and I have tried on about 20 or 30 occasions to learn how to play the guitar. 

Why?

Because chicks dig a fish with a guitar, don’t they?

But mostly I fail.

I have just never been very musical.

 

I am also not very good at leading worship.  I have tried a couple of times, and it just never works.  It feels awkward, and not really very successful.  I know God is in control, and it is not about me, but…

It doesn’t work.

I am however, very good at planning and presenting lessons, and designing Bible studies.  I can spend hours in preparation for a fifteen minute session, or do an hour impromptu lesson with no fear or nervousness, and people will say it really helped them to learn more about God.

I think if I spent an hour a day playing the guitar for the next year, I could probably get quite good at it.  Possibly even better than some of the worship leaders I have heard.  I probably could invest that time into improving my musical abilities.

But it won’t help me to become a better worship leader, I don’t think.  I know worship leaders who can use their gift to bring people right into the presence of God.  That is what they do with their gift.  I don’t think he has called me to do that. 

Let us say my musical ability is a 3 right now. 
In a year I could make it a 6.

If my lesson planning is a 5, then with an hour a day, I could make it an 8 by the end of the year.

I think God would rather I improved myself in the areas where he wants to use me, rather than in the areas that are just about making myself look/feel cooler.  I could make myself into a
guitar-playing fish, but a real FISH would use the time to equip himself for service.

And that what being a FISH is all about.

Faithful FISH

I chose for my One Word this year, the word FISH. 

Faithful In Serving Him

 

As I spend this year trying to learn how to be more FISHy in my life, I decided that one way would be to learn from great FISH of the past.  Men and Women who have been BIG FISH
(Believers In God – Faithful In Serving Him)

So I will be following the lectionary of Saints Days this year, and picking out a few to honour.  I hope you won’t be too bored, as we try to learn the answer to the age old question…

What goes well with FISH?

I just want to be a FISH

I have never been one for New Years Resolutions.  If something is worth doing, there’s no reason to wait until an arbitrary date on the calendar.  I just do it. (Or don’t )

Apparently Alece over at Grit and Glory feels the same way.  She has a project called….

Go over here and learn more.

So I am choosing my One Word for 2011, and I am going to cheat. (Twice)

The word is….

FISH

• Cheat 1 : FISH is short for Faithful In Serving HIM.  So it is actually 4 words.
• Cheat 2 : Since it is the reason I call myself Sharkbait, I suppose it has been my theme for a long time.

But I don’t really feel like I got it right yet.  So I will keep trying;  Keep striving; Keep aiming to be

Faithful In Serving Him.

What about you?  What’s your One Word for 2011?