Word of the Year {2018}

January 1, 2018 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 01 January, New Year, Word of the Year Leave a Comment

Choosing a WORD for the year has been a part of my family’s New Year’s traditions. It ranks right below choosing a saint for the year (or allowing a saint to choose us).

We usually do both selections at the start of the new Liturgical Year or New Year’s Eve. The saint selection is random but choosing my word of the year has always been a process — an examination of the past year. I take time for spiritual reading for this purpose and pray over it with my husband.

Here is one of our family motto’s that was created from this practice.

I was well on my way to finalizing my word but got a providential push from my dear friend. She alerted me to another genius creation by Jennifer Fulwiler, A Word of the Year selector.

I went ahead and selected a word just for fun since I actually had a direction already. Turns out, I found a word that I need and plan to adopt for 2018.

My word for 2018 is…

QUIET

I encourage you to choose a word for the year to remind you of what God is asking of you during this season in your life. Do it on your own or use the Word of the Year Generator created by Jennifer Fulwiler.

“…Think of this new year as a white page given to me by Your Father, on which He will write, day by day, whatever His divine good pleasure has planned. I shall now write at the top of the page, with complete confidence: Domine, fac de me sicut vis, Lord, do with me what you will, and at the bottom I already write my Amen to all the proposals of Your divine will.” ~Taken from Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD

Saints of 2018

December 31, 2017 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 01 January, New Year, Patron Saint, St. Andrew the Hermit Leave a Comment

On the occasion of the New Year 1935 Saint Maria Faustina made this entry in her spiritual Diary: “Jesus likes to intervene in the smallest details of our life. And He often fulfills secret wishes of mine that I sometimes hide from Him, although I know that from Him nothing can be hidden. There is a custom among us of drawing by lot on New Year’s Day, special patrons for ourselves for the whole year…” ~ Saint Maria Faustina

Our 2018 Patron Saint is…

St. Andrew the Hermit.

We used the “Random Page” Selector from Catholicsaints.info to expand our options (the Historical and Traditional Calendars are also offered).

Family Patron – St. Andrew the Hermit — July 16
Dad – St. Justin the Philosopher — April 14
Mom – St. Euphrasius the Martyr — Januray 14
Sparkles – St. Aldagrin of Baum — June 4
Sweetie – St. Valdimir the Great — July 15
Papi – St. Eutropius of Saintes — April 30
Dragonfly – St. Salvinius of Verdun — Sept. 4
Lil’ Man – St. Micahel the Archangel — Sept. 29

Word of the Year ~ 2016

December 31, 2015 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Motto, New Year, Word of the Year Leave a Comment

It’s been almost a full year since I visited you here. My family had a year of rest and healing from an arduous year in 2014. I hope to reflect on that period someday. For now I’ll continue to put one foot in front of the other and pray for the grace to persevere.

I have many goals for myself this year. Many of which will have me return to my old rhythm of living and a handful that will carry me to new places. I trust that He will lead the way.

Last year I made very little movement in any direction. I remained right where He put me and prayerfully reflected on the crosses that He blessed me with in 2014. That meant that I did not adopt a new word for 2015. My moto remained imprinted on my heart.

Be Charitable. love others, especially family, the way He loves you.

Be Useful. serve always.

Be Gentle. have the loving heart, tongue and hand of Mary.

Be Joyful. stay rooted in the true JOY – JESUS. share the JOY with all.

Forget about yourself. die to self, live for God alone.

Pray. speak to God often and cover everything in prayer.

NOW! offer prompt obedience to God’s will for you.

ALL FOR…Jesus through Mary with the intercession of St. Joseph.

I will be adopting a Word of the Year again for 2016. The word was picked to help keep me focused as I reestablish a rhythm in my home. The word is ORDER. May I begin with God and may I end with God!

Motto & Word of the Year ~ 2014

January 8, 2014 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Motto, New Year, Peace, Weekends with Chesterton, Word of the Year 5 Comments

My word of the year is PEACE. I seek the peace that encompasses simplicity, contentment, thanksgiving, appreciation, patience, tranquility of the soul, and conformity to God’s Holy will. I seek peace not as the world gives.

There are many reflections that I will be mediating on this year to help me grow in peace. G.K. Chesterton offers great reflections on contentment.

Content ought to mean in English, as it does in French, being pleased; placidly, perhaps, but still positively pleased. Being contented with bread and cheese ought not to mean not caring what you eat. It ought to mean caring for bread and cheese; handling and enjoying the cubic content of the bread and cheese and adding it to your own…

True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare. The absence of this digestive talent is what makes so cold and incredible the tales of so many people who say they have been “through” things; when it is evident that they have come out on the other side quite unchanged. A man might have gone “through” a plum pudding as a bullet might go through a plum pudding; it depends on the size of the pudding–and the man. But the awful and sacred question is “Has the pudding been through him?” Has he tasted, appreciated, and absorbed the solid pudding, with its three dimensions and its three thousand tastes and smells? Can he offer himself to the eyes of men as one who has cubically conquered and contained a pudding?

In the same way we may ask of those who profess to have passed through trivial or tragic experiences whether they have absorbed the content of them; whether they licked up such living water as there was. It is a pertinent question in connection with many modern problems.

~ G.K. Chesterton (The Contented Man)

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2014 Motto

These words are imprinted on my heart. Perfection is not sought. My goal is only to move closer to Him and do His will.

Printable 2014 Motto

Printable G.K. Chesterton Quote

select fit to sheet

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Word of the Year Posts

2013 – NOW | 2012 – Pray | 2011 – Charity (LOVE)

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Linking up with Sarah at Amongst Lovely Things for Weekends with Chesterton...

2014 Patron Saint

December 28, 2013 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 01 January, New Year, Patron Saint, St. Leo the Great 1 Comment

On the occasion of the New Year 1935 Saint Maria Faustina made this entry in her spiritual Diary: "Jesus likes to intervene in the smallest details of our life. And He often fulfills secret wishes of mine that I sometimes hide from Him, although I know that from Him nothing can be hidden. There is a custom among us of drawing by lot on New Year’s Day, special patrons for ourselves for the whole year…” ~ Saint Maria Faustina

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We are discerning a major family opportunity and felt it only fitting to enlist the intercession of a new patron saint. We opted to select one saint for the family this year.

Our 2014 Patron Saint is…St. Leo the Great.

We used the Saint’s Name Generator.

Family Patron Saints from 2010 I 2011 I 2012 I 2013.

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"Short and fleeting are the joys of this world’s pleasures which endeavors to turn aside from the path of life those who are called to eternity. The faithful and religious spirit, therefore, must desire the things which are heavenly, and being eager for the Divine promises, lift itself to the love of the incorruptible Good and the hope of the true Light." ~ St. Leo the Great

Here is one of our family motto’s that was created from this practice.

QUIET

St. Andrew the Hermit.

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