DEVOTION~Linger Longer! by Shirley Corder

Image courtesy of alex_ugalek; 

In the small village of Dullstroom, South Africa, there is a beautiful resort called Linger Longer. The cottages border a small forest and have a glorious view of rolling hills and fields. All four cottages are isolated from one another, and it is possible to spend several days there without any human interference.

You may be visited by an occasional family of duiker (a small antelope found in Africa south of the Sahara), and the family dog periodically pops in to make sure you are comfortable.)

A nearby dam is a bird watcher's dream as it houses a number of different species of water birds. Visitors are welcome to walk around the estate and fishermen are free to fish in the well-stocked trout dams. The units are exquisitely appointed with everything you need for a good break. The luxurious decor makes visitors feel pampered without having to rob a bank.

Image courtesy of Phil_Bird at FreeDigitalPhotos.net; 

Are you drooling yet? My husband and I stayed there for a short break some years ago, and we would both love to go back there. The resort is well named: Linger Longer. It is the sort of isolation and place of rest which most writers, and I'm sure just about any other type of busy person, longs to experience.

In case you wondered, this is not meant to be a travel brochure, although I'm sure you would love to visit! No, it's about the new year, which in eleven short months will become the old year!

I wanted to follow the popular trait of choosing one word for the year 2017. As soon as I gave it some thought, I knew what I wanted to use, but I couldn't find one word to express it. I wanted this year to be a period of my life where I could spend longer quality time enjoying the company of people I love. Where I did not want to stop writing, I did want to soak in the lives of the people I'm currently writing about. I didn't want to just tell their stories, but enjoy their company and seek to understand their challenges as well as what brought them joy.

I also wanted to get more into the Word this year. That probably sounds strange, as I am a retired minister's wife, have led Bible Studies most of my adult life, and am writing a series based on lesser known Biblical women. But I longed to sit and absorb the Scriptures in a way I have never been able to do. To spend more time and have someone apart from my husband teaching and explaining the passages to me.

And finally, selfishly, I wanted some "me" time. The days, weeks, and even years, seem to fly past. I have so many things I want to do, but I never find time for personal fun.

And I wanted one word to say all that.

I couldn't find one, until I read Ian Acheson's Wednesday's post on ICFWay. He speaks of "Lingering in His Presence". Suddenly, I had my word. Linger. I want to linger with people I love, linger over the passages of Scripture that I'm seeking to bring alive with my writing, and linger over my Bible.

Instead of racing to meet a self-imposed deadline for the next book in my series, I'm lingering over the story, enjoying each part of the character's life, reading other material that relates to her and imagining how I would have behaved in her sandals.

I've joined a Precept Bible Study. I've longed to do this for many years, but never found the time. The idea of an hour's homework every day totally put me off! Now, I'm so enjoying the in-depth teaching of God's Word, and believe it or not, I'm loving that hour, first thing in the morning, when I get to linger over the designated passage for an hour.

And I have returned to an old hobby of card-making. I've found it an ideal way of lingering with my husband at night. We chat or watch television, while I make creative use of my time.

I have also joined a wonderful group of card-makers with whom I am in contact on Whatsapp as well as regular get-togethers where we can linger together over our shared hobby.

So thank you Ian, for giving me my 2017 word. I was already following the principle, but now I have a word for it. With a stretch, I'd even like to use the phrase, "Linger Longer" as I travel through 2017.

 What about you?

Have you chosen a word for the year? 

Please share it and tell us how you're getting on with it in a comment below.

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast of South Africa with her husband, Rob. She has recently embarked on a series of eBooks titled, Out of the Shadow. Book 1 is Naomi, Beloved Mother-in-Law and Book 2 is Eve, Mother of All. Coming soon ~ Miriam Part 1, Devoted Sister.

Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer contains 90 meditations based on her time in the cancer valley.

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Please visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com, where she encourages writers, or at  RiseAndSoar.com, where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or FaceBook.