2011 - The Year of 'Challenge'

Each and every year for several years I’ve resolved my new year with one word. 2011 was the year of “Challenge”. I think I was far too romantic in my vision of what that would mean for my life.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of challenge is to arouse or stimulate especially by presenting with difficulties (emphasis mine). Perhaps I should have looked this up before choosing my word last year. Of course I understood what “challenge” means. But personally, as a stay at home mom, I wanted to grow. I wanted to learn. Embracing such a word would help me do just that.

A few such challenges that I embraced and joyfully grew from were:


• Perfecting my sourdough bread techniques

• Growing and cultivating a beautiful kitchen garden

• Being more vulnerable in my writing

• Squeezing the life out of each penny we had

• Raising two “spirited” little boys

• Traveling alone with said boys for a family reunion, and surviving

• Baking my first wedding cake(s)

• Coordinating several weddings

I also found that the old worker-bee hat I wore for many years still fit, though it pinched a little.  The challenge of doing much on little sleep seemed familiar, though it was not necessarily a celebrated proposition.  I was also blessed and challenged in supporting my pastor-husband through the joys and challenges of ministry; not to mention a church renovation project.

There were, of course, more challenges that I did NOT embrace, as they left a chasm of pain within me. More personal, private battles have been waged, and there have been painful wounds inflicted that have been slow to clot.  

Nonetheless, reflecting back at the year I recognize that embracing challenge was a good thing for me. It broke me down. It drained me. It made me raw. It brought me to a place of depth, vulnerability and eventually growth. I know that in the future I will look back at this year and understand so much more than I do now. All I can tell you is that I am celebrating the upcoming year with great anticipation, and a new resolution word that is NOT 'challenge'.