26 Comments

As always, thank you for your insightful words. It's always a joy reading your writings. And thank you for the word generator. To my surprise & delight, my word generated was "unstoppable ". Even though this is one of my motivating song titles, I haven't been feeling so unstoppable lately. Thank you for the nudge & reminder 🤗

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Wendy, what a great word to get! I love that it already has an echo in your life. Let me know how it evolves throughout the year.

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I'm so glad you spared us any further suspense and shared your word! "Unexpected" is a great choice - I hope you'll update us about how that shows up for you in 2025. Now I'm wondering if any image or symbol is coming up for you? For me it's a surprise party (a personal nightmare). How about you?

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Oooh, that's fun to think about. And you were nice to be in suspense with me. I put it on a star, which is hanging over my desk, with the other great words on small stars. And I think you're right -- I could look for visual images through the year and add to my desk collage.

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I belong to a group of kind do gooders who have a great number of them focused on choosing their "OLW" for the year. Derives me nut-not my thing. It's okay, though. I am ALSO a giant prankster. Having just lost my Bluetick Coonhound, I chose Bluetick. And I put a picture of Shania, the puppy that's getting delivered today. No one else put a picture, so when she tried re-alphabetizing or taking out my picture.....I did not know that would happen to the sweet woman, did not intend that to happen. This year HAS been all Bluetick as far as the mechanics of getting her. I just can't wait to snuggle with the little nugget.

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Laura, that’s a unique word! I hope you love the new little nugget.

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The end of year has been all over the map for me, if I'm being honest.

So my word-of-the-year enthusiasm has been waning.

I like the idea of leaving things a bit up to fate (or placing them in your wise hands!). I used the word generator (thanks for sharing that link, by the way), which seemed like a good middle ground and it gave me the word "return."

And that felt as much like a message from the beyond as I could hope for.

Here's to returning in 2025... 🫶

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Amanda, what an interesting word, with so many possibilities. I’ll be interested to hear how it resonates throughout the year. Happy 2025!

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I did a random word generator for 2025, praying first to hear the word. My word is persistence. That resonates. Looking forward to reading your essays in the New Year and grateful for our friendship however long distance.

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Corinne, that’s a powerful gift that you have already. I’ll be curious to hear how it emerges in 2025. Thankful for you!

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@Mary Ellen Sinkiewicz, thanks for sharing this.

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I’d love to have a new word from you! Happy New Year!

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Roz, will do! Happy New Year to you!

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Thank you!

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The word generator came up with PLAY for me. I have been coming back to TRAVEL for a few weeks now. Either way is good and fun to look forward to in 2025.

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Kathy, those align so nicely! Both great words.

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The word generator gave me "commit." My first thought was "ugh" :) But then, one can commit to lots of things... to fun, to God, to love, to one's calling, to helping others, to living life to the fullest, to trying new things, to finishing old projects, or to all of these things. The words growing on me. It also fits with a book I started reading last night called "The War of Art" which talks about combatting resistance... interesting how things weave together sometimes.

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Ken, that’s so interesting. Ugh was my first reaction to your word, too. We’re already committed to so much. I like how you’re expanding it. And I’ll look for the book.

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My word was flair. I think I've had enough flair. I'd like some substance.

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Tom, you exemplify flair, in a great way. Substance is a lovely balance. Let me know how this works out over the year.

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Unexpected! Scary, but a good challenge, sounds like. I don't have a word yet but plan on generating one. Thanks for the reminder.

Also please do not stop buying shoes in These Times!

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Well, if you insist…I did just buy some Pentecost shoes on the site you got me hooked on.

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My first word was rock... I asked for a second and got regenerate. I think I'll stick with these two to hold onto and mull over. Thank you. I like your words, too.

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Barb, those are interesting to think about…almost opposites, at first thought.

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I tried the random word generator you included here and my word was BEGIN. I'm looking forward to meditating on that and what it may look like in this year. And I'll probably also get a star word in church next week -why limit myself to just one word! 🤣 Last year my word was PLAY and sometime next month I'll get a substack post up about what that looked like!

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Begin is a fun word! And I’ll be eager to read about how Play shaped your 2024.

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