Word of the Year

I've seen on some blogs in the past that people like to pick a word for the year.
I thought that would be a great idea...
so I'm jumping on the band wagon.

I've thought about different words that I could use,
to help motivate me, to help me stick with things,
to keep me going, to inspire me, to remind me of my blessings.
There are so many to choose from.
But the word I kept coming back to ...
and the word I have chosen for ME for 2011 is...

INTENTIONAL

in·ten·tion·al 
in-ten-sh-uh-nl
–adjective
done with intention or on purpose

I feel the need to be more intentional about many areas of my life.
I can make a huge list here but you've seen it all before,
and maybe they're even things you struggle with...
Being intentional about reading my Bible,
spending more time playing with my kids,
sending encouraging notes to family and friends,
eating better, exercising more,
praying for my loved ones...and the list goes on.

I'm not a New Year's resolution person, I'm no good at follow through,
so why put myself through the torture of failing once again.
But if I have this word in my mind, and in a prominent place in front of me
then maybe it'll become more of a lifestyle change for me.
Maybe the things I want to be intentional about will just become a way of life for me.
That's the hope.

One thing that is heavy on my heart right now
that I really need to be intentional about is praying for my parents.
They spend two weeks with us at Christmas time (just left Thursday)
and are now in California spending time with my brother and his family
(his wife is about to give birth to their second daughter)
before they leave on February 1st to spend 18 months
in Indonesia teaching English.

I know that God will provide for them, keep them safe and be with them.
But I also know how much I will miss seeing them in the next 18 months.
So, I am going to be intentional about praying for them, sending them letters
and keeping in touch with them via skype and other forms of communication.

I had a little photo shoot with my parents and the kiddos before they left.
This photo will be printed and posted near my computer
(and maybe all over the house)
so I can remember to be intentional about praying for them
and then hoping it'll just become a good habit.

What's your word of the year?