Priority Or Honor? (A ‘Soul Work’, Indeed.)

By Jenrene

I have searched for a new word near the end of the year, to follow for 2014. My Selfless Journey panned out for an awesome, enlightening experience of myself, indeed when you find a bit of time, look for and read the articles. ( If you don’t know what I participated in last year, I decided to follow a new word through the year and blog about it, entirely – and I did. Click the blue link above to read them…

Well, let me tell you…someplace in there, I got lost. Not in forgetting about blogging on it, I just managed to get lost in the word itselfSelfless.” 

So …I had an epiphany in this place, this past summer, and found out what matters most to me.

I must say, I went on retreats this year and found myself in these soul-searching exercises. The retreats were the most enlightening experience of all.  In this post,  is a photo of me finding myself in the woods,  &  enjoying its beauty.)  I would have never done this  alone.  Yet, in  this new  life, I find my self  being quite courageous.  The retreats  seem to give you more courage, it seems. I love being able to get away, but little did I know getting away would transform my soul into being a more independent ‘me’.

It’s no secret, tonight I graduate from my Celebrate Recovery  life – but I plan to continue to use it as a measuring stick, to stay grounded in life. After almost a full year of a Celebrate Recovery Step Study, I find myself seeking and searching for  the person I never knew was inside of me.

How does that happen? How do you find a person you didn’t know existed, in your soul? Well, you do the soul work.

So my words for the following year in 2014 will be priority, or the word honor.

For the word Priority, here are the words that stood out when I looked them up:

Priority, next  year, (in 2014 ) will mean for me:  something given special attention.

That “crash project” word…(had to look it it up)… it means giving something your best shot, aim or finding it to be a venture of some sort.In deciding to be selfless this year, I found  meaning in the fact that  the things I sign up for,  I have to be certain how involved I get, especially if I have a vision I am pursuing as well. I always have a project on the table. The word previousness made me curious as well, as if the word  recognizes that something that came before is very important to evaluate – before you make a decision to prioritize.Hmm, the story of my life… I have been here so many times, because i simply did not prioritize nor even consider the things that occurred, before. So. .. I pledge today, and this very moment, to stop doing that. It has opened the door to too many hurts in my life and allowed me to be taken for granted.  Just a side note: I kind of understand why God posted angels at the gate once Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden; so they could no longer return. He didn’t want them to hurt in the same manner they had  set them selves up for, before.A re-shaping  of my inner self happened for me, this year via Celebrate Recovery. Commitment, for me has always been of high importance. This year, I doubted that – but just  for one moment. After deep introspection, my retreats settled me and confirmed in me –  that no, I just get over-involved. And  I do not assess, nor  stress/communicate  my level of involvement  before I get settled in. Boundaries are SO important. I get this, now. (And for anyone reading this and was   a part of my journey and  it appeared as though commitment leveled, I  apologize for that lack of awareness on my part.)  But then, we are all evolving, aren’t we…?The other word, Honor… is something that just popped up in my life a few weeks ago. I was sitting with my husband and asked  why he does some of the behaviors he does, with people. They seem to be thought out well, and  he always seems intense while doing them. For instance, if you get into conversation with him for the first fifteen mins of meeting him, he will talk you  into the next heaven. And not only that, the third heaven, as well. (Smile)  I say this all to say, that he’s pretty intense when it comes to asking questions. He doesn’t do it with everyone, but if he shows the least bit of interest in your life,  occupation or something about you intrigues him, it’s on…So Honor has cool words, too…
  • Deference
  • Praise
  • Prestige
  • Repute
  • Account
  • Greatness
  • Glory
  •  Worship

 But honor really means: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions; or high respect   as for worth, merit, or rank.

I believe honor is a journey I shall continue to lend as I  grow older and wiser. I had no idea, by the way it  dealt with  the word worship. It makes me see God  in a different light, actually   and how what I do,  worships God when I honor others in His presence. Learning to honor others can be a new skill, yes, even at the age of 47, if you didn’t grow up with it, in your own home. I regret that we did not, but I believe once I do learn it, it makes me a  more unique individual, so those are my tasks this  coming year in 2014.

I may stay on the beaten path of selflessness and find joy in  finding priority,  because it’s headed into the growth spectrum of my life; yet I may also find solace in being and showing honor.

Will let you know in 2014. Peace…