I Shall Name Her Peace

I'm naming 2011...the year of Peace.

"May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.

The Lord be with you all." 2 Thess 3:16

Last night while driving with my love to a New Years Eve get together at a friends' lovely home, we were listening to xm radio. My love has an affinity for the old shows like Jack Benny, and I honestly enjoy them too. They take me back to the "simpler" times of loved ones who've passed on, but have left their lingering love forever imprinted in our hearts and memories.

Back to Jack Benny...

last night they played his New Years sketch from 1946 called The New Tenant. They portrayed the New Year as a little baby (who could talk) - anyways, the baby came early, and when they asked him why...he replied that 1945 was such a good year, he was just raring to go to make 1946 even better ☺

I thought I'd research a bit and remind myself of why a baby is used as a common symbol of the start of a New Year.

Explanation:

Baby New Year is represented as a chubby baby wearing nothing more than a diaper and a sash across his torso that shows the year he is representing. This Baby New Year grows up into the old bearded Father Time at the end of the year. At this point, he hands over his duties to the next Baby New Year.Father Time is one of the most significant symbol used in New Year Eve celebrations in several countries around the world. The common image of Father Time is that of an old bearded man dressed in a robe wearing a sash across his chest with the previous year printed on it. A personification of time, Father Time carries an hourglass or other timekeeping device and a scythe. This particular image of Father Time is said to have been derived from several sources, including the Holly King - the Celtic God of the dying year, and Chronos - the Greek God of time.

The Father Time hands over his duties to the Baby New Year, which is the symbol of "New Year" and is depicted as an infant wearing a sash with the new year printed on it. Father Time and Baby New Year thus serve as metaphors for death of one calendar year and the birth of a new one.

Maybe if I were to intentionally treat each year like a new born baby, something I need to nuture, to treasure to plan and dream and hope for, it would turn out more like I plan for too. I mean, in the past I think I just assumed you just got what it gave you, and you react and deal with it, but maybe it also requires a bit more from me...

Each year will bring with it the challenges and blessings God ordained for me, but maybe how I approach it can be improved...

2009 was a hard year. I remember on Dec. 31st that year determining in my heart to do all I could to make 2010 different and...

2010 was a good year.

I prayed, a lot.

I laughed, quite a bit.

I chose to stop and savor moments with my kids and my love, a lot.

I loved, I lost, I won, I tried and I threw myself into the arms of Grace.

I slowed down, everything... I named her Selah and she was a good year.

So, back to 2011...the year of Peace...

My hope, dream, in fact my PLAN is to make my heart, our home, my life and my 365 days that will make up 2011, that they will be filled with Peace. I know in doing this, my intention to to make room for the Lord of Peace in every area... i know that in myself, it is impossible, but in Him, it is a free gift and more than possible...

Peace means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, security, felicity, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full.

The Lord of peace of course is Jesus Christ, who is called our peace, Ephesians 2:14; and The Prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6. May he give you peace, for he is the Fountain and Dispenser of it. By all means, methods, occasions, instruments, and occurrences; peace or prosperity in every form and shape.

The Lord be with you all (my house) by his presence, to comfort and refresh; by his power, to keep and preserve; by his grace, to assist; and by his Spirit, to counsel, advise, and direct.

One Bible commentary says that peace is "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is."

Wow, after meditating on that for even just a little bit I'm overwhelmed by the possibilities that will be unveiled in the next year! Happy New Year and Peace to You All.

Y t

So, how about you? If you were to name 2011, what would it be?