*I wrote this in my journal the other night, and thought I would share it here...*
Tonight there is peace. I am in my room--my "haven"--and my door is shut. The only sound is faint strains of the boys' classical music from where they sleep in their room next door. The only light is a few candles around my desk. My senses are flooded with a delectable blend of delightful scents--and my whole being is flooded with Peace. "My peace I give you," Jesus said. "Not as the world gives, give I unto you." There is still trouble in this world. Life can still be overwhelming. But here--now--in this place and this moment, there is peace in the midst of a fallen world.
I'm reminded of Christmases past, when I would sit in the living room with only the Christmas lights and Christmas music on, staring into the tree and thinking:
Quietness in the midst of noise.
Resting, stopping even, in the midst of busyness and rushing.
And pondering, in the midst of all the commercialization, pondering that first Christmas night.
When grace lay in a manger.
When joy was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
When the timeless was born.
When love whimpered in a stable.
When peace was held in Mary's arms.
We don't have a Christmas tree this year because we're moving back to San Angelo just a few days before Christmas. I have missed the joy and laughter of setting the tree up. I have missed the quietness and peace of its soft light. But I realized something tonight.
Peace and joy are wherever hearts are open and yielded to the King of kings and Lord of lords--Jesus Christ, once a baby in a manger.
Tonight there is peace. I am in my room--my "haven"--and my door is shut. The only sound is faint strains of the boys' classical music from where they sleep in their room next door. The only light is a few candles around my desk. My senses are flooded with a delectable blend of delightful scents--and my whole being is flooded with Peace. "My peace I give you," Jesus said. "Not as the world gives, give I unto you." There is still trouble in this world. Life can still be overwhelming. But here--now--in this place and this moment, there is peace in the midst of a fallen world.
I'm reminded of Christmases past, when I would sit in the living room with only the Christmas lights and Christmas music on, staring into the tree and thinking:
Peace in the midst of chaos."This is Christmas."
Quietness in the midst of noise.
Resting, stopping even, in the midst of busyness and rushing.
And pondering, in the midst of all the commercialization, pondering that first Christmas night.
When grace lay in a manger.
When joy was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
When the timeless was born.
When love whimpered in a stable.
When peace was held in Mary's arms.
We don't have a Christmas tree this year because we're moving back to San Angelo just a few days before Christmas. I have missed the joy and laughter of setting the tree up. I have missed the quietness and peace of its soft light. But I realized something tonight.
Joy is not tied to an artificial evergreen.
Peace is not bound to a string of soft lights.
Peace and joy are wherever hearts are open and yielded to the King of kings and Lord of lords--Jesus Christ, once a baby in a manger.
And tonight, there is peace.
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