Simply Saturday My One Word

Do you know about My One Word?

I'm not sure how it started. I've heard several folks take credit for it. My guess is that someone preached the concept, it caught fire in the hearts of simple folk and spread.

A watch-fire.

A flickering flame of hope. Of change. Of faith.

I love the concept because it's focused and easy. You pick ONE WORD and concentrate the year on making choices that reflect that word.

No diets. No money. (Although there is a book out now and you can buy it HERE.)

I'm doing a list for Seekerville.   A list of peeps and their "one words". We'll post it on the website once it's complete and that way we have a reference point.

In May you can go back and check your word when you've forgotten what it was.

In August you can reflect on your word.

In October you can do an examination of conscience and see if it helped...

I love focus. I believe in the ripple effect, that each small pebble dropped... each stone skipped across the quiet face of a sleeping river... each tiny snowflake, seeking friends.... makes a difference.

So our tiny beginnings of change and betterment make a difference too!

If you have a word you'd like me to add to the list, just say so... I'll tack it on.

For 2011 mine was "Forge".  I wanted to forge ahead... but also to become more solid as a person, forged in the fire.

For 2012 my word was "Embrace".  My thought was that learning to embrace change, different people, peace, forgiveness, others' thoughts would make me more open to goodness.

For 2013 I've chosen "Gladden".  I love that word! It makes me smile to see it, to say it, and that's the effect I want to have this year. To make more people smile. To inspire those smiles with humor, faith and love. Hugs and cookies help!!!

And for those of you who think I'm wriggling out of Simply Saturday recipe time, I shake a motherly finger and say, "Uh, Uh."

This week my little peeps and I made Rosie O'Shea's Killer Oatmeal Cookies. (RECIPE HERE, CLICK ON COOKBOOK!!!) This recipe is from Tina Radcliffe's debut novel The Rancher's Reunion.

My buddy and helper Casey made these on Wednesday.

OH MY STARS.

Occasionally we have an EPIC FAIL in our kitchen.

This???

TOTAL SUCCESS!!!!

These cookies are crisp, delicious, chewy and the texture is marvelous. And they loved adding packets of instant oatmeal to the recipe and that made me laugh.

Here's a pic of the finished product. We did cheat and added Hershey's Cinnamon chips to half the batter

and decided that we liked them even better (if possible) with the cinnamon chips.

And here's a gratuitous pic of Seth and Logan (father and son) playing in the snow... You Southern gals will love this!

Feel free to "dish" on My One Word... Or cookies... Or snow.... (big smile here).... Or taking down Christmas.

I always wait until Twelfth Night to put away Christmas decorations.

Some years I'm tempted to get things in order before then.

But I wait because I think the beauty of Christmas is the fulfillment of the Advent season, the constant protection of the Christ child from adversity and the command to those wise men to go home by a different route... a road less traveled, a concept many of us can embrace.... and tell what they'd seen.

They didn't have Facebook.

There was no Twitter.

No TV or Radio waves known to exist at that time.

Word of mouth for a hungry heart, crossing barren land.

And look what's come of it!

 "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon Thee, and His glory shall be seen upon Thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in Thy light. . ."

Isaiah's words, come to fruition.

A story of acceptance and embracing. I love it!