My Word

I keep coming across the concept of choosing one word to focus on for the coming year.  For years I've chosen a theme or one particular scripture, but never just one Word.  It was fun roping in all my goals and aspirations and boiling them down to one Word.  After much thought...ta da!  My word is:

I figured that my other pet words/ideas all fell under the umbrella of this one fruit of the Spirit that I desire so badly to embrace (embrace was actually one of my word wanna be's :) and exhibit.  I want to experience Peace with my heavenly Father in all the ways He wants His children to.  I want to experience it in all my relationships.  I want to internalize it and have it materialize in my physical life.  This is an excellent time of life to begin to cultivating peace.
To that end, I came across the following in a great book I read last year on the beatitudes:

A WOMAN OF PEACE

1. She has surrendered her life to God and she's not mad about it.  She is learning to trust Him with the outcome and, even beyond trust, she anticipates that His plan will be more exciting and better than she could have imagined.
2. She tends the hearts of those she loves.  Petty details decline in value.  Love matters more.
3. She is beginning to see what counts for eternity and gives her attention accordingly.
4. She is interruptible.
5. She looks into the eyes of neighbors and strangers and the goofy friends of her kids and sees the person who wants to be loved and valued and applauded.
6. She understands that life doesn't always turn out right and people don't turn out right and just about everything needs to be covered with forgiveness.
7. She is slow to mumble stupid words of discouragement.
8. She considers when it is appropriate to become angry.
9. She is way past appearances and pretense.
10. She surrounds herself with passionate contentment.

I was so blessed by it (and supremely challenged!) that I've copied it, put it my Bible and try to read it every day.

...and, isn't this a great fabric?  I bought it online a few months ago...premonition, hmm?   God tapping me on the shoulder and winking?  Anyway, I made an apron out of it :) as the kitchen is as good as anyplace to be at peace don't you think?