And you will honour him.

Yes, I know it's been aeons since I blogged. 

But we've had Advent, a house move and Christmas since then! 

Yes, a house move - not far from our old abode, but a big, big change, nevertheless. A big, positive change, in so many ways. We have more space, more bedrooms, more bathrooms and it does mean that life feels easier (despite not being able to find the exact thing I want out of a box at the exact time I need it, obviously.) We can walk easily to the town, Church and school and the whole experience feels healthier and more community-centred. I can walk down the street and see people I know and who are friendly. (This is all in addition to the fact that we no longer live in a house attached to another house that contained two people who did not contribute at all to my quality of life). I feel truly blessed.

But I didn't dip in to blog about the house move. Rather I wanted to dwell a little on my word for 2012, which is HONOUR. We don't think that much about honour, these days. It remains something biblical, or royal, or something which you do for your husband. But I'm going to reclaim honour for 2012.

I'm mainly going to put in a lot of work trying to honour the Lord our God, not only in prayer and thought but in ACTION. I'm pretty well practised in offering up all sorts of praise in the shower cubicle, before emerging and revisiting the same old patterns of anger and non-appreciation during my day. I'm going to try to stay THANKFUL and PRAISING and PATIENT as much as I possibly can, for His sake - to HONOUR Him.

It's easy to know this as I sit typing, looking out over the roofs of our town and hearing the shouts of schoolchildren playing on the wind. But I'm finding it not only in the joy of a new house, but the water that comes out of a tap, the warmth from a boiler, the feel of a new bedsheet and the closeness of a family. I am blessed with such amazing things, I need to ensure I appreciate them and demonstrate my gratitude by Honouring God....by ensuring my demeanour stays grateful and appreciative, by offering up thanks, by doing and thinking things in His name.

Luckily the Holy Spirit seems to have bestowed self-control on me this year already, and the Christmas holidays have allowed me to slow down and appreciate the pace of life, and not to focus on too many things. Getting the kids back to school this morning was tricky, but not overwhelming, and I wasn't yelling. THIS is how I need to honour him - in the moments of difficulty. Remembering to discipline with love. Remembering WHY the situation makes me angry and to offer that up. To raise a patient, peaceful house - a happy home.

LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honour. (Isaiah 26:12-14)