What Is Peace?

Now that I am blogging so much more, I find myself frequently composing blog entries in my head while driving, or sitting outside with the kids, or during other down times. I thought this one up while driving home from the zoo this past Tuesday morning.

Peace is something that people with my temperament enjoy less of than others. My mind will work overtime to produce a never-ending list of things that need to be worked on, talked about, worried over, or planned. I have more energy sleep-deprived than most well-rested people do. Though I may never find out, I'm pretty sure I would have been successful in the business world because I truly love to work...to produce, to accomplish, to complete, etc. All that to say, a peaceful mind and spirit is something that has frequently eluded me. Nevertheless, I have persistently prayed for more peace over many years, and I'm grateful to realize that God has slowly been guiding me along the path to peace.

So now I will answer my own question with some images from my life. To me, peace is waking in the middle of the night and knowing that my husband and children are all sleeping peacefully and safely under the same roof. Peace is feeling a child moving inside my body and knowing that I will never nurture that child more perfectly than I am at that moment. Peace is coming out on the other side of sorrow, and realizing that sorrow will happen again, but that it will not defeat me. Peace is that moment of finally meaning "Not my will, Lord, but Your will." Peace is walking in the woods and feeling that God is so close that all I need do is stretch out a hand and He will fold it into his hand and walk alongside me. Peace is realizing that no matter the differences, the frustrations, the misunderstandings, the selfishness, the four of us are a family and we will not let anything erode our love and acceptance of each other. Most of all, peace is knowing with certainty that God loves me even more than I love my children, and that he will be with me through whatever may come. No matter what atrocities are committed in the world, no matter the personal pain and losses that I will suffer in my life, if I place my hand in the Lord's, He will not allow anything to destroy me. That is the source of my peace.

Thursday
Quaker oatmeal
Pretzel goldfish
White grapes
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches
Fresh peach slices
Garlic chicken pasta salad (http://miraclequelle.blogspot.com/2009/07/garlic-pasta-salad.html)
Strawberry sundaes from McDonald's