Great Expectations or Great Expectany?

I’ve been reviewing my goals and accomplishments of 2017 in my previous January posts; for this post I looked back through my year in photos and selected a favorite from each month.  Aren’t digital photos fun? When I was growing up, our photos for the year were: family birthdays, kids in Easter clothes and Halloween costumes, and our clan at Thanksgiving with the turkey and again at Christmas with the tree. Now, we have plenty of photos of the mundane and the marvelous!

2017 is over and as I’ve told you, my resolution had been to be open to anything that came to me. Many opportunities did come to me this past year, as well as aa meaningful book. Breath of Life by Karen Ferguson and her 21 days to living God’s promises gave me plenty to ponder. My favorite chapter focused on Optimism. 

One key to an emotionally healthy life is living with a sense of enthusiasm and optimism- Karen Ferguson

(or as Charli and I like to say, Stay Golden). God has a plan for us, but our need for strict expectations and agendas can get in the way. We can become disappointed with God when things don’t go exactly as planned.

And here was the key for me:

There is a difference between expectations and expectancy.

Think of expectations as a rigid box or list of how things should be. Now think of expectancy as a sense of hope, carried loosely with open hands and an open heart. All these good thoughts and quotes are by Karen Ferguson in Breath of Life.

Wow! Isn’t that what my resolution did for me in 2017? After years of stating my goals in my way: lose weight, run 1 10-k, remodel the house, this past year, I stayed open to what would come to me.

So should I have the the same resolution in 2018?

I have decided to choose a similar theme for this new year.

2018: Resolved: I will live with a sense of enthusiasm, optimism and expectancy.

Right now, how I see this goal unfolding is that I will seek to be less bound to my work schedule and to-do lists and more open to what God gives me. God is in charge, not me. I will welcome activities that bring me joy. But, I will also look for the pleasure and vibrancy in my everyday work and chores. I will be more open to new events and activities (new volunteer opportunities, new hobbies?) and I especially want to try things with my adult kids that they want to do. I hope you don’t mind if I update you every so often!

Thanks for sharing my January time of reflection with me. Let’s support each other in having a positive 2018!