One word resolution?

I've seen a lot of hype the past week and a half from some of the blogs I follow about creating resolutions and how there is this new trend of not creating a list of resolutions you will never keep (I know I'm guilty of that!), but creating a one word resolution. I'm not typically a crazed follower of the latest and greatest things, but I did some research on-line and found this site. I am not sure if this is what stemmed the "one word" resolution or not, but it got me thinking...What one word can I take with me this year and make it a part of my daily practice to improve on?

I completed a Beth Moore bible study last spring with my mother-in-law at our church on the book of James. There is a verse of scripture from the book of James that has really stuck with me since the study. But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:12 ESV) 


Interestingly enough, the few verses before this tell us to be patient, establish our hearts before the Lord,  not to grumble, to be steadfast, compassionate, merciful. WOW. That's a lot to soak up at one time. How many times have I condemned myself for not sticking to my vow or promise (weight-loss, chores, goals, etc)?  And then, how many times have I lost patience with myself...grumbled...gave up...lost my compassion for what I was trying to accomplish? Sometimes, I think that if I make new promises to myself or others that it will somehow have a different outcome (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't). How many times have I condemned myself or others for not sticking to a vow or promise? Why can't don't I just do what I say I am going to do? 


I talk. I plan. I discuss. I want to do so many things (serve, travel, blog, organize, craft, clean, lose weight, garden, the list goes on...) but, I think the problem is that I often have the recognition of what to do and then get lost before the doing of it. 

But above all..let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no...

So that is what my one word for 2013 is:

recognize what I want to do > make plans to do it > actually do it > keep doing it