i.
It was the intensity of his gaze that held me captive, anchored to whatever it was he wanted to say. Leaning forward, hands twined around his mug, he wrestled for words that wouldn't make him sound threatening or crazy.
"I had a dream about you…" was an unexpected? interesting? dangerous? way for a man who isn't your husband to begin a conversation.
ii.
My friend has great eyes. They're the soft kind that twinkle. He often says a lot without saying a word, and I'm fairly certain when he was a boy his eyes would give him away when he was up to something he ought not to have been.
Those same eyes measured me while he calculated his words, they begged understanding.
Behind them I could see wheels turning and gears grinding, each word processed two times over before he spoke.
Maybe that's why they were watery.
Which doesn't really explain why mine were, too.
iii.
He assured me this was a rare occurrence, initially dismissing it with no intention of telling me. But, then, "out of the blue" I contacted him to help me with something and I suggested we meet for coffee to go over the particulars.
He didn't know whether it was a sign from God, but he decided it was reason enough to tell me.
He faltered over what to say and how to say it but he didn't let that stand in the way of telling.
I'm convinced those remembered dreams are intended to be told out loud.
iv.
"Listen."
What? Are you kidding me?? You dream about me and that's it–one word?!
He doesn't know what it means exactly, whether it means to listen to God or to my husband or a friend or who or what or where.
Just listen.
He almost seemed relieved to tell me, to push it from his haunts into mine, resolved to deliver a message given to him but not to keep.
I didn't know my friend was a prophet.
v.
My One Word for 2012 was Adventure.
And, OH-MY-WORD, two thousand twelved delivered that in spades. I've shared a small portion of it here, surprised that I've kept so much of it to myself. I am a blogger, after all, a word exhibitionist.
But, I've been very Ecclesiastical…"there is a time…."
and for whatever reason, I've been quieter in this space ~
"a time to be quiet and a time to speak…"
Ecclesiastical.
Sometimes adventures take an unexpected turn.
vi.
Funny, the power someone's words can have in another's life.
A Divine word?
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 25:11, ESV)
It's amazing how much more I'm hearing since I started listening with intention, actively listening…to what's said and what is not said.
When you Listen On Purpose, you hear with your eyes, your heart, and sometimes with your spirit.
vii.
This year will see my 50th anniversary of birth, the year of Jubilee.
"This fiftieth year is sacred—it is a time of freedom and of celebration…" (Leviticus 25:10a, CEV)
In keeping with that, when I was thinking about my One Word for 2013, I imagined it would be something fun like Celebrate or Dance….
But "Listen" patiently waited for me to accept her.
Sometimes dreams come true.
* * * * *
Your turn: DO you have One Word to mark your New Year? Please share it in comments and if you're a blogger who's written about it, be sure to link your post! Don't have any idea what I'm talkin' about? There's an entire One Word community that'll explain it better than me! And several Deeper Story writers have shared links to their words and remarkably not one One Word is duplicated.
1. You’re an encouragement, Robin. Thanks so much for your heart, for sharing it with us here.
2. I almost chose your word. Last night. I was this…. close. And reading your post this morning actually helped me land on my word. I love yours, by the way. A ton.
3. Here’s my One Word post.
http://www.momentsandinvitations.com/2013/01/one-word-for-2013-i-think-yes.html
Blessings on your 2013!!
I got three words this year, and one of them is “listen”
He wants to speak to us, ya think?
Dana,
1) And YOU are an encouragement back, Dana!! 2) I've pulled up your page, I know your word…and I love it! 3) Thanks for making it easy for me to find it!! 🙂
Joy. Mine is Joy and I still have to write the One word post about it! Listen is such a wonderful word, Robin. You know, it is all about slowing and noticing the world, the people, the messages all around us. This crazy fast world. I love words. Joy. Listen. Hear. Believe. Trust. Faith. Quiet. Breathe.
Thank you for this Robin. Maybe I will blog about it someday!
It always amazes me how God chooses to speak.
I’ll have to think about mine.
Thanks for stopping by my space and for your encouragement… here and there. 🙂 xoxo
This is a God incidence. Yes.
My word last year was “order.” This year? Create.
http://sandraheskaking.com/2013/01/passing-plans-new-word/
HisFireFly,
It's so hard to choose one; I think you're on to something :).
This is such a good word, Robin. GOOD. Listening well to others and to ourselves and God for that matter is one of the greatest gifts we can give. At times, it is a sacrifice but it is always a gift. Blessings on your friend for sharing the word with you. And blessings on you as you Listen this year.
Hey, fun to read your word, too! Listen is unexpected – but all the more intrigue as you being the year, right? Nonetheless, there can be celebration, dancing and jubilation as you reach that wonderful milestone this year!
I’d love to think I could stay confined to one word, but the problem is that I can’t do that. God made me as a communicator and one who cries out to Him in prayer, so I can’t stay confined to one word. Oh the joy and frustration of that! 😀 Thank you for sharing though since listening is one of the hardest things I have to do in relationship, and I will freely confess it is one of my blindspots. Thanks again~
My word is Love. It was “unofficially” my word last year too, but I didn’t write about it. I guess it takes me a while to get the message. Hope to write about it this week and make it official. 🙂
I love it when things happen like this post, and you know beyond a doubt that the message is wholly yours.
My word this year is whimsy. It’s really defined the end of this past year (in which I focused on “story”). I think my story has evolved from one of listening to stories to living one worth telling. And whimsy fits right in…it’s about the little things of life catching your eye…paying attention…being yourself.
I’m looking forward to this year. =)
Liza Lee,
Whimsy is one of my favorite words!! Just had to get that out of the way :).
I'm looking forward to this year, too; it's already setting itself apart as … different and challenging … but I say Bring it on! And I want to zone in to those little things, the things that are easy to miss if you aren't really paying attention. And if that means sometimes reading something into nothing? Well, I'm perfectly fine with that :).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!
And so, my one word is also listen. As in slow down, be still … breathe deep and embrace life.
I look forward to sharing this journey with you!!
xo, my friend! For real!!