Posted in Health, Homemaking

That Darling Spot

Before the front patio was finished
Before the front patio was finished

I live in a small town, outside a small town, actually, which puts me smack in the middle of nowhere. And I like it.

I remember when I followed a map and my husband’s instructions and finally, finally arrived at this place, with one of my daughters-in-law in the front seat of my car, and her baby in the back. I remember when we got out of the car I said to her, “Listen!”

She stopped and did not shut the car door, straining to hear something.

I said, “What do you hear?”

Since I was grinning in pleasure, she knew what I was hearing, and answered, “Nothin’!”

“Nothin’,” I repeated.

And mostly, that’s how it is out here.

Quiet. Calm. Safe.

And so, after years of being here, content as can be, I’ve begun thinking of all we do not have.

And I cannot think of a thing I’d add.

Why, just today, near a town of fewer than 300 population, I found a great place to work out (both strength and aerobics), tan, and sauna.

While I was at it, I got my yardwork done for free.

Just cannot beat it. 😉

Yardwork done
Before the strength training, aerobics, tanning, sauna, and free yardwork was done. 😉
Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Scripture, Wisdom

How About the Gift of Peace?

candle-lighter-award

Serenity

What on earth is peace on earth?

Tranquility?

We write poems about it. Is it calmness?

We take classes to learn it. Is it peacefulness?

We build our houses to achieve it. Is it quietude?

We take vacations to find it elsewhere. Is it stillness?

We even try screaming to see if we can’t get a little of it . . .

. . . “and QUIET!”

Is it composure?

Mellowness?

It’s more than the opposite of war.
Is it coolness?

Poise?

It cannot be bought for any price.
In fact, some of the poorest people possess it.
Some of the richest also possess it, along with some of the saddest and the happiest.
Is it contentment?

It also knows no color, no rank, no age, and no gender.
Is it repose?

It sounds indefinable, but it is not.

It just passes all understanding.

The definition?

Peace is the fruit of intimate communion with Jesus Christ.
Anything else that masquerades as peace is false, will fall, will fail, will fly away.

Facts are: Constantly working hard to capture all the runaway part of your own self-manufactured peace and keep them somehow glued together
is not a very peaceful existence.

Getting the Prince of Peace to do it for you is—mmm—peaceful.
He just gives us peace, His peace.

Of course, such a great gift would be wrapped and need to be unwrapped
before we could use it, right?

The wrapping is Jesus, Himself, and the unwrapping is as easy as letting go—
and as difficult.

Actually, this gift is a trade.
We give up our own peace and trade it to Him for His peace,
as when we trade in a bent and sweaty ticket for the ride, itself.

And He paid for the ticket.

And our hands were what bent and soiled it.

So simple, some people let it insult them.
Some people are so accustomed to a difficult peace
that they disdain something so simple.