Time to Flourish

On New Years Day I brought myself some flowers.
Not just any bunch of flowers.
These beautiful Lillies.

I got them for 2 very specific and different reasons.

Reason number 1)
Over this last year in my own personal prayer life, I have sensed God speak to me about the word FLOURISH. It is such a fabulous word, full of hope, possibilities, growth and opprotunities for new things.
I am choosing to have this word for this year 2010 and am praying about and actively looking for different ways I can apply it to my everyday life, like in my creativity, for example.
To Flourish in all I do has to be a good aim to work towards, doesn't it!

Reason 2)
I have begun looking into my own family history.
I am adopted and have always known this.
Last year, I discovered that my original given birth name was Susan - which means Lilly and to flourish!
I was telling one of my friends who was also adopted this story on new years day and she suggested that I should buy some lillies.
So I did.
I have loved watching them open out over these last 2 weeks into their full open bloom!

Another friend of mine, has one of those baby name meaning books with some suggested Bible verses to go with it:
Susan (origin: Hebrew)
Literal Meaning: Lily or Graceful Lily

Suggested Character Quality: Full of Grace

Suggested Lifetime Scripture Verse:
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows mercy and honor.
He holds back nothing good from those who walk uprightly.” – Psalm 84:11

So, that is my prayer for me since discovering this news - a part of my life that has now come into the open.
A part of my life that is now flourishing as it relishes in this discovery:
My prayer is that I will be full of grace - even though I am no ballet dancer and not very graceful - Thankfully, they are 2 very different things!
Also that I will FLOURISH in all that I do.

Aren't these lillies just gorgeous?
They smell wonderful too.
I wonder what your name means and what that means for you?