::this year::

My friend Megan started a tradition a while back of choosing a word as a theme for the new year. Some sort of word that was inspiring, or descriptive of something a person might want to do, or be, or remember during the year.
Anyway, I always end up thinking of a scripture that has my word in it. And truly, during the last couple of years, I've though of my word/scripture, and it has helped me remember some of the things I needed to.

So my pick this year was from the Book of Mormon: 2nd Nephi 2:25.
"Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy."
JOY is my word.

There isn't enough joy in my life. I am so busy, and frazzled and pushed from thing to thing, I hardly have time to see all the good in what's happening around me. I'm so blessed, but I sometimes can't even see it with how quickily everything has to go. Often I feel the opposite of joy--dread, darkness, all those things that come with exhaustion and responsibility and being a grown up.
I want to be joyful. That is what I'm looking for in my life. I'm going to do my best to remember this word and this scripture all year, and make it happen.

In President Monson's talk from October 2011 he spoke so much on this topic.

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."

And more:

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.” 3 We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us."

I should just copy and paste the whole doggone thing here, it's so good. But rather than that, just go and read it yourself.

And be joyful! I'm going to try to too. Thanks for the inspiration Megs, as always.