A new word

The 'buzz' on the blogs for the new year seemed to be about choosing a 'word' for the year. Others challenged us to ask God for a 'picture'. I wondered about a 'song'.  All good ideas, but what?
I could only think of 'mercy'.  To dwell on God's mercy, to aim to extend mercy, to be merciful...this is the word that has stayed with me. 
Mercy. To be compassionate, forbearing, kind...It implies forgiveness, indulgence, clemency, leniency, lenity, tenderness, mildness. 
Most of those words do not come naturally to me. I am decisive, with no natural inclination to 'suffer fools gladly'.
At least, that was definitely the teenage me.  Several decades on, I am glad to say that I am far more merciful than I used to be.
Yet still, mercy is a good word for me this year. A new word in my life.
Now I have another word, arising from the Good Morning Girls study on Ephesians. This comes from chapter 1.
Fearless. Fearlessly.

Because I am  because I am redeemed, saved, paid for, rescued...I am safe, and can live fear less! And because of that, I can also live FEARLESSLY. 

So I pray I will respond to compassionate instincts, not hold back, examine, assess, weighing up risks...but acting with mercy and kindness towards those around me.

A good idea for a new year.

(I still haven't had a 'picture' yet.)
Faith Barista offered this challenge. I love the tagcloud she made of all the words which others had been given for this year. 
                                               
Interestingly, I can't see 'mercy'.  Or 'fearless'.  Hmmm...