Having a Peaceful 2009?

Blogs are filled right now with news of "New Year's Resolutions" and goals for 2009, for future days yet to unfold. My own planner looks so nice, so clean and so organized. My last year's planner looks like something that survived time under the seat of my car, darkness in the bottom of my purse, falls off of tables at the coffee shop, and splashes from cooking dinner on my counter. Life happened, and my old planner is sort of like a souvenir of all that washed through what was ... 2008. But still I go pick out a new one, changing only the color to help it seem like a new year and, hopefully, help me to remember to write the new year on future checks (I can always hope). I have to admit that I use the $5 planner from Wal-Mart year after year, since I know it will have a hard life. No expensive planner for me, named after a historic figure or matching my high heels. This record of my plans and days will help keep track of what will fill my life, and it will show its wear, too.



I keep a planner for the same reason that I think people make New Year's resolutions. We are all hoping to embrace a little more peace in our lives. It's a pursuit that crosses over the turning of the calendar page and applies to the life of a busy exec in an office, a mom in a carpool line, a woman washing shirts in an Asian stream, and, well, you and me. As we do life, we are all longing for peace in the process, so we make resolutions, set goals, use a planner, and establish priorities. We try to manage the duties and the responsibilities, the expectations and the hopes, both our own and those of too many others, so that we can enjoy a life characterized peace. Not like the world gives, but peace that is truly divine.



Today in my Adult Bible Fellowship, the teacher asked us to brainstorm why people make resolutions in January. Someone quickly blurted out, "To disappoint ourselves!" Laughter rippled throughout the room as we all related to the cycle of setting goals and being disappointed when we are met with our weakness in the months, or maybe just days, ahead. January seems like a good time to try to do a little better in embracing a peaceful life. So, is it worth it to try to pursue a peaceful manner of life?



Yes!!! I believe it is, because Jesus says that in Him we can have peace. He said that His peace isn't like what the world offers temporarily (tho' I'd never turn down a foot rub or a latte), but it’s a peace that’s beyond our understanding. Now that's really something to pursue in 2009!



I hope you'll visit back with me in 2009, to take a breath in the fullness of your days and find encouragement and strength. Come, and have a peace.