My word for the day, week, or year...

So since Clarissa did a "word for the year", it got me thinking. . .BUT I don't think I want to do one word for the WHOLE year! So I will do a word today, and tomorrow I may do another word. Or I may do one next week or next month, but truthfully I don't think I could only think about one word for the whole year!!

The first word that came to mind was duty because Sherry at Large Family Mothering wrote about duty and got me thinking. Plus it brought to mind a revelation of a personal nature. So duty it is!

Duty, n. (1828 Noah Webster's Dictionary) That which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience to princes, magistrates and the laws is the duty of every citizen and subject; obedience, respect and kindness to parents are duties of children; fidelity to friends is a duty; reverence, obedience and prayer to God are indispensable duties; the government and religious instruction of children are duties of parents which they cannot neglect without guilt.

2. Forbearance of that which is forbid by morality, law, justice or propriety. It is our duty to refrain from lewdness, intemperance, profaneness and injustice.

3. Obedience; submission.

4. Act of reverence or respect.


So many times these days we expect much, yet we think we shouldn't have to do much. But we find when we study duty the exact opposite is true. Here are some thoughts from the Word of God...

 Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.


I began this post thinking about my kids. In the past, I had all of them at home all the time and we split up the chores and duties around the house as I thought was wise and fair. Then my oldest began to be old enough to go to work with his dad and to even get paid. Soon I began to feel like something was wrong. The kids worked every bit as hard at home for me as they did for him, but they weren't paid. But when they went out to work they were paid. Hmmm. . .this made for some confusion and a swirl of emotions on my part. Why was it right to be paid on the job, but not in the garden, outside, or around the house? As I read Sherry's post it dawned on me that the word I had been looking for was duty. Did it mean that they shouldn't be paid for working on the job? Probably not, but there does need to be an understanding and a carefulness on our part to not make our kids want to work only for pay. They do need to be taught about duty and why we sometimes just do things regardless of pay or recognition.

 This word brings to mind my duties as a wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, etc. there is much more here than I could possibly study in one sitting. So with a prayer on my heart and maybe with some determination, I'll revisit this word another time.

What about you? What word or words intrigue you or make you pause to wonder, what does that really mean?