Happy New Year 2026 and New One Word

Sunrise, January 1, 2026!

There's still no water in Still Waters pond, but there is frost on the pond this morning!

It doesn't seem to bother Mr. Blue Heron, who is out there every morning looking for food. Apparently there must be something there that he likes, because he comes back every day!

Good Morning, and Happy New Year 2026!!!  Wow! Back when we were kids, could we have imagined that we'd still be living in the year 2026? It seems like the years keep ticking away and here we are going along for the ride without realizing just how quickly they are slipping by us! The older we get, the faster this ride seems to go.  Sometimes I feel like yelling out, "Stop! I want to get off this roller coaster!"  But God has ordained how long I must stay on this ride, and it won't stop until He says it's time to stop and come on home. Thankfully I know He is riding with me, and I need not fear what is around the bend or over the next hill. He's already there, and just as He rides with me (yay, He even holds me closely in His arms as we travel), He will be there at the end of the ride with His arms open wide and ready to carry me safely home with Him to heaven, where the real "joy ride" begins and is never ending. I need not fear the future, because God is already there.  I am very thankful for that blessed hope and promise, and that gives me courage as I face each new day here on this journey until I reach the end.  

So with that in mind, let us step into the New Year with confidence and joy and peace of mind. It's going to be a great year!

But before we get to the new year, let's look at the last night of 2025...

This was the sunset last night over Still Waters Pond.

And then I turned around and looked back toward the east (and the back of our house and our Christmas tree still shining brightly), and I could see the moon rising.  

Not quite a full moon, but the night was clear and beautiful, and the moon gave us hope for a glorious start of the new year...

Then I decided it was time to change out the calendars and have the new ones ready to begin the new year...so let's do the calendar roll call for January, 2026!

Let's start with the calendars here in my "Room with a view"...

This is the cover for the new Country Season's calendar...Looks like a peaceful farm scene, with all the cows, chickens and cat contentedly enjoying their food, while the young boy is dreaming of his future...perhaps wondering if he will always be living there on the farm, or if he might some day explore the big wide world beyond.  Frankly, I wish more young men and women would choose to stay on the farm and keep our agricultural heritage strong in this country.  We need more farms and farmers who will take care of the land and feed our nation with wholesome food...

And someday when he is old, he will take an evening walk on the lane leading to his farmhouse with his faithful companion dog, and give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for him and his family... (This is the January picture).  Isn't it beautiful?  Wow! What a view!

Moving around my room here we come to the new Teapot Calendar, which was another gift from my sweet sister Doris...yes, another tradition each Christmas!

  

She started giving me this calendar years ago because of my love for teapots and all things "tea".

So it fits right in with this room.

Oops! Who's that?  Blackie! What are YOU doing in here in my "Room with a view"/tea room?

"Meow! Just passing through on my early morning tour of the house while I try to warm up a bit. It's pretty cold outside and even though I didn't want to stay inside during the night (Mom tried, but I like being outside on my porch better), I like to come inside and say hello in the morning and check things out.  Don't mind me.  I'll be on my way..."

Excuse me.  Back to the calendar tour...

 Isn't this a beautiful teapot?

Let's sit down and have a cup together, shall we? That would be so nice!!

But first, let's move into the kitchen, where I have hung the new Susan Branch Calendar...another gift! From a sweet blogging friend!!  And which just happens to have a picture of a cat on the front...

Here's the January picture:  Oh, it says, "Put FUN on your calendar!"  Great idea!

"Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning..."  I like that thought!!

Speaking of dreaming...I love that log cabin.  I also love that verse from Philippians 2:5..."Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."...That speaks to me of thinking like Christ...asking myself, "What would Jesus do?"...which may actually help lead up to something else I'm thinking about...my "One Word" for 2026...but let's get through the calendars first...Here's the new Thomas Kinkade calendar, which goes in hubby's bathroom...

Oh, this verse also reinforces that same thought..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me..." Psalm 51:10

Oh my...more of the cabin theme! Actually this was a new one this year and it's going in my bathroom  because I love to dream about living in a cabin in the woods...

But maybe not quite that far into the woods...LOL.

Ummm, excuse me?  Blackie? What are you doing in my bathroom??? Would you like to take a bath? LOL.  Not hardly, but he sure was curious about that bathtub and tried his best to get up in it. Maybe next time, Blackie...we'll save that experience for another time. 

Okay, back to the calendars again!  Our sweet DIL Rose surprised us with another calendar! So this one goes in the guest bathroom. It has quotes from Billy Graham on each month, along with an added scripture!  Beautiful winter scenes on all of these for us Florida folks to enjoy looking at while we thank the Lord we live where there is NO SNOW or ICE...but maybe just some frost now and then!

This is another verse that goes along with something...

And that brings me to my ONE WORD for 2026. 

 

Last year my word was "Wisdom".  Throughout the year I prayed that God would give me a heart of wisdom, and help me to grow in Godly wisdom and knowledge. Perhaps that did happen in little ways here and there as life experiences helped me to draw closer to God and seek His will and direction.  But as I've been pondering what the next step would be in the development of wisdom, the word "Discernment" kept coming up to the surface.  So I wondered, what's the difference between wisdom and discernment? Aren't they basically the same thing?  Here's some answers I found in my research:

"Wisdom is the deep understanding and skill to live righteously, using knowledge and experience for good, while discernment is the specific ability to see and judge the quality, truth, or value in a situation, separating good from bad, right from wrong, or truth from deception, often in complex moments where wisdom alone might not see the full picture. Think of it as: Wisdom is knowing what to do (the good path), and Discernment is knowing how, when, and to whom to apply it, spotting potential pitfalls or hidden truths."

I asked the computer..."What Scripture talks about discernment?"  and here's some answers I found:

AI Overview   (Yes, AI does serve some useful purposes!)

"Scriptures on discernment emphasize seeking God for wisdom, testing everything, and distinguishing between good and evil through spiritual understanding, with key passages including James 1:5 (ask for wisdom), 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (test all things), Romans 12:2 (renew your mind to discern God's will), 1 John 4:1 (test the spirits), and Proverbs 2:1-5 (seek understanding like hidden treasure). These verses show discernment as a vital spiritual skill for navigating life and God's will, not just judging others.

Key Scriptures on Discernment
James 1:5:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22:
"Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."

Romans 12:2:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

1 John 4:1:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Proverbs 2:1-5:
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you...if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."

Philippians 1:9:
"And this is my prayer: that your love may more and more abound in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best..."

1 Kings 3:9:
Solomon's prayer: "Give your servant an understanding heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."

John 7:24:
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

Core Themes in Discernment Scriptures:

Source of Discernment: Comes from God, through wisdom and understanding.

Method: Involves testing, renewing the mind, and spiritual training (solid food for the mature).

Purpose: To know God's will, approve what is excellent, and avoid deception.

Action: Distinguishing good from evil, truth from falsehood, and holding onto what is good.

AI Overview:

To discern which way to go, Scripture points to seeking God's wisdom through prayer, His Word, and the guidance of His Spirit, emphasizing trust in Him for direction, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord... He will show you which path to take") and Isaiah 30:21 ("A voice behind you will say, 'This is the way'"). Key verses also highlight the importance of discretion, understanding, and aligning your heart with God's commands to find the right path.

Key Scriptures for Direction 

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths".
Isaiah 30:21: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left".
Psalm 32:8: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you".
Proverbs 2:8-9: "He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go".

Philippians 1:9-10: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ".

How to Discern God's Will (Biblical Principles)

Trust & Acknowledge God: Don't rely solely on your own understanding; acknowledge God in all your plans.
Seek Wisdom: Call out for insight, search for understanding like hidden treasure, and listen for wisdom.
Follow the Word: Meditate on God's commands and let His Word order your steps (Psalm 119:133).
Listen for the Spirit: The Spirit of truth guides into all truth and can speak direction.
Be Alert: Be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves, ready to receive guidance."

So there you have it. Discernment is my new One Word for 2026!  I am looking forward to the ways God is going to be leading and helping me use this "word" in action as I face situations throughout the year where Godly discernment is going to be needed.  It is an action of God's Holy Spirit in my heart and mind and spirit,  and I thank Him for this gift.  I pray I will use it wisely.

Happy New Year!! Do you have a "One Word" for 2026? I'd love to hear about it!

Below is a list of my previous One Words with a link to when they were chosen:

One Word 2025: Wisdom

One Word 2024: Strength

One Word 2023: Listen

One Word 2022: Delight

One Word 2021: Believe

One Word 2020: Joyful

One Word 2019: Abundance, and this link contains the links to all previous years, which includes the following words: 2012 was my first year doing the One Word, and it was "Hope", 

2013: Presence,  2014: Strengthen, 2015: Focus, 2016: Grace, 2017: Rest,  2018: Renew