My Prince of Peace

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rest."

Luke 2: 8-14

I hear this passage and I sense a calmness in the story.  Peace came to the shepherds.  I'm sure they were startled and perhaps even fearful of what they were seeing, what they were experiencing … but all in all peace surrounded them.  I sense a quietness and stillness also in the moment … as the moment stood still as they grasped what was being told to them.

This time of the year we hear the word "peace" quite often.  However … do we live in a moment of peace?  Drivers cutting in and making wrong decisions so they can get to where they are going and honking at you to get out of the way, shoppers getting cranky and downright rude as they feel the pressure of Christmas coming closer and they have still way too much to do, and just society becoming more focused on our own selves than who we are doing life with - peace is hard to find sometimes, and sometimes down right impossible.

I sit here with a knot in my stomach, one that just won't unwind.   I wrestle with my dad not only being put into an assistant living home, but how fast his disease is taking him.  I wrestle with the decisions ahead that I'm not really part of but hearing about - whether I agree or disagree isn't the issue, but the confusion and exclusion I'm dealing with.  I wrestle with my connection to other family members with all this and helping my daughters walk through this as well.  I wrestle a lot with what I'm dealing with at work.    I hear things, see things that just aren't right.  Confusion is part of my circumstances.  Being pulled in many different directions, being a support to those around me as well as being the one everyone wants to talk to - because "I'm a little easier".  And in the midst of all this we decide to do remodeling.

My stomach hurts.  The knot just doesn't want to loosen.

I know I need to sit with my God.  However, what do I say?  What do I open my Bible to?  What do I do?  After all, He knows everything and sees what I'm going through.  How do I release it?

Christmas we call out Peace.  But yet we don't experience peace.  Life is cruel and gets in the way.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:27

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For me yoke is easy and my burden is light."  

Matthew 11:28-30

I don't have to have the answers, for Jesus is the answer.  I don't have to worry about tomorrow because He has it taken care of.  I don't have to figure out what is right and wrong because He is the truth and wins in the end.  I know this full well.

Jesus came.  And all He asks is for me to come to Him.

 don't have to have an agenda, or know where to open my Bible to, or even know what to say.  I just  to come.  He will take care of it all.

So today  come.  I ask all the emotions, turmoil and details I'm going through with my Dad He will handle.  I surrender the hurt, anger, and confusion for His peace.  I come.  I surrender.  And I receive His peace He has to offer.

I chose to walk away from the troubles of this world, and just come to Him and sit.  I receive His peace.

I chose to walk away from my job today and let Him be the center.

I chose Peace.  I chose Him.  And I receive the Peace that entered this world years ago is entering me today.

Simply come.  Simply receive.

In All Circumstances I Will Give Thanks

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.  Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.  

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.  Test everything.  Hold on to the good.  Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming o the Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:28

It was a week ago, as the administrator,  I discovered salary compared to my fellow workers.  Anger came with it.  I felt cheated, used and a big slap in my face.  Face it, my heart for my company, and my role is being taken for granted.  I even had thoughts of reverse discrimination on my heart and lips … as I know the comments that have been made in the past that revealed my boss's heart, and the circumstances my fellow workers face compared to my blessings.  I will confess bitterness, ungratefulness and ugliness filled my being.  And I was ready to give my notice.

It was all justified.

In the midst of this anguish, I have dealt with Duane's job and it's lack of leadership and how it's affecting my husband and his demeanor at home.  The shock of my peace and hope being robbed from me when I heard how after my dad's return home things aren't as they seem and now needs a permanent care facility.  Still finding my fit and purpose at my church and always question if I'm good enough.  And the continued battle of entitled customers who want to fight, intimidate and threaten - all over chicken.

It's been a very hard week.

I've been angry, bitter, hurt, and beaten this week.  Yet we turned the page of the calendar today. And we are now in the month of thanksgiving.  And I can't help but remember "give thanks in all circumstances".  I am reminded too I can change my circumstances with thanksgiving not just over my lips, but in my heart as we arre called.

I'm leading a Bible study about Gideon.  Priscilla Shirer reminds us "God designed your key specifically to fit the lock He has in mind for you.  He uses your weaknesses, the areas and places where you feel the least strong, to open a divine door".  God uses our weaknesses to show how strong He is, and a reminder of WHO He is.

Life is hard.  Life isn't fair.  But this season of Thanksgiving, may in mark a start of a heart of gratitude not for a month but for a lifetime.  And may I see my God in the midst of my circumstances and see not only what I have to be thankful for, but who I have to be thankful to.

I may have "reasons" to quit.  I may have an ungrateful employer.  But like the disciples in the boat, focusing on the storm that they were in the midst of instead of Jesus who was with them I too can shift my eyes off the circumstances and see the God I have to hold onto.  With Him I can find my peace, trust and comfort. I can see my weaknesses - my lack of education, my lack of experience, my financial mistakes, my bad behavior and anger towards everyone this week …. and see I have a God who provides enough, a God who remains faithful and protects, and a God strong enough to carry me through the storms, and will justify all that comes against me.

I don't know what tomorrow holds in these circumstances … but I do know if I shift my eyes I will have the highest regard because I continue to be a hard worker.  I am to be patient with those around me, hold onto good, be joyful always, be thankful continually.  And I am able to do these things if I shift my eyes toward Him and off the circumstances.  I'm God's vessel … those who come against me, are coming against the God who takes residence within me.  And as his word says:  "He is faithful and will do it".

I'm thankful for a job I enjoy.  I am thankful I have a setting that I can change someones day around.  I am thankful I am able to use my spiritual gifts, and even though I don't "preach" to those around me, most see the Jesus within me and treat me with respect.  I am thankful others feel comforted, encouraged, loved and appreciated by me and find me to be a safe place to come to to share their hearts and let me pray over them (even though they don't know that's what I do).  But more importantly I am thankful to a God who sees, who loves, forgives and will use a weak person like me with crappy circumstances and do something even greater to show how perfect and great He is.