Word for the Year 2025

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:25-34

I don’t tend toward anxiety, but I love the pictures the Lord gives us to :consider: …. Observe, think about, trust.

My tendency is to go on to the next thing rather than to give myself space to :consider: … contemplate, ponder, think about. I tend to go with my gut and intuition rather than logic things out. I noticed rather early in 2024 that :consider: needed to be my next Word for the year, so here we are.

Some steps I’ve considered.

1. Use the keeping tools: Nature Study, Book of Centuries, Commonplace Book.
2. Narrate more. Every day from my reading.
3. Pray.
4. Blog more. Write better book reviews in particular. Use the Scholé Sisters book journal.
5. Respond more with “Let me consider that …” and then do so.
6. Think about others – write cards, notes, be helpful … be considerate.

I’m sure there will be more to add to the list. Do you choose a Word for the Year? Pam and I recently talked about the practice on her podcast, we had a fun conversation about the practice. I’d love to know what other ways you live or embody your word.