listen

On my drive to school each morning, I usually listen to KLOVE. This last month they've been talking about picking one word instead of making new year's resolutions. This one word should reflect what it is one is wanting out of one's life this year. The first few times I heard about it, I thought it was a neat idea, but didn't make it real personal. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to think about what my one word would be if I was to pick what I'm wanting for my life this year. So I began thinking about it and praying about it. Wanna know what word I chose? Look at the title of my blog...

According to my iPhone dictionary, the word listen means to "pay close attention to; hear with INTENTION". This nails what I want out of my life on the head. I need to be a better listener - to my husband, to my children, to my friends and family, to people I have no relationship with, to people I'm forming relationship with, to my students, and most importantly, to my Creator Father. I don't just sit and listen to Him often enough. I am usually speaking or thinking or dreaming or falling asleep. Some would call it 'rabbit trails'. And I find myself telling Him what I'd like for Him to do for me, or what I'd like for Him to do for others, or how I think things should be going or what should be taking place. Then there's the question of "How do I listen to Someone I can't always hear?" So the definition of "pay close attention to" cuts to the quick.
I also want to listen for good reasons. Listen 'between the lines'. Listen for others' true selves. Listen to hear what people are really trying to say. Listen to gentle proddings of the Spirit of what I need to do for Him or others, what He'd like me to do, how He thinks things should be going and how I can be involved in that. I want to 'hear with intention'.
I told Malcolm the other evening that sometimes I wish I hadn't said that I'd like to learn something from God or would like Him to teach us something. This was in jest, but there's a part of me that means it! Once I accept the challenge to listen to what He's placed on my heart to learn, it seems that I can't get away from it. Almost every song speaks to the lesson, conversations are had where the topic is brought up, a book or magazine is picked up where I read about it, and on and on it goes. And yet, people say God just created the Earth, put it on a spin, and stepped away?? REALLY?? 'Cause when I choose to listen to what He's wanting me to hear, He orchestrates most everything around me to form a brilliant object lesson.

So what's the lastest thing I've listened to? I've decided to take a huge step of faith and go to China at the end of this summer!! Wow!! I'll be teaching English for 3 weeks. There's more info, but the basic jist is that I'll be gone for THREE WEEKS!! Aaaaaa!! This terrifies me, along with all sorts of other paranoid thoughts. But everytime I've heard about this trip, there's a stirring in my soul. I get excited thinking about going, but then fear crowds it out. Just recently I finally realized that I must go. There's a reason. I'm listening.

What other things should I be listening to and for this year? I'm looking forward to seeing what is going to come out of this listening stuff. So I'll just wait and ... listen.