Peace a world can not give - John 14:27

I already am desperately trying to cling to Pacem.

It has been less than three days since I departed  Pacem im Terris and already I feel at times the waves are hitting against me at a rapid pace...I can see the life buoy, but, it is just out of reach.

While in my hermitage I found great comfort in keeping the tiniest flame flickering

The candle was an invitation,
more to myself than God.
It drew me in to sit down, listen , look, feel and know God was surrounding me, everywhere and at every moment.

Naturally, I figured I could easily repeat this tiny comfort when I returned home.

How hard can it be?  A trip to Target for a candle?

Well this a.m. it proved nearly impossible

2 candle attempts-because neither will stay lit!

see all those matches. 

SEE all those MATCHES!

notice, neither candle has a flame.

My peaceful morning with God was quickly becoming more of a comedy routine.

I was not about to give in.

I wanted my portion of Pacem 

Thankfully I found this:

not exactly the type of peaceful symbol I was hoping for...........

A beautiful hip or shoulder...I don't know....some kind of bone my son found in the woods made a lovely candle holder.

But,  let's be real,

in this world God's peace is really tough to find at times.

While I was with God  Pacem im Terris

God gave me  the gift of understanding and experiencing a extremely small portion, a  hint of  HIS peace that I will some day be granted every moment  in heaven.

It was so refreshing and calming I long to repeat it everyday.

But - I still am living in this world.

Striving to be in it 

but not of it.

And, sometimes that will require me to stretch my imagination & not give up when the obvious falls short

of bringing peace.

God is always there.

He may just prefer to show Himself to me in a dead animal bone candle holders vs a pretty girly one.

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

The Rev. in front of my dad's name does not apply to me. A tip on how to be or relate to a PK

It is ''Throwback Thursday' on Facebook which got me reminiscing.

I must apologize for holding in this nugget of wisdom for so long & not sharing it with the world.

These are my kiddo's

 

The angelic smiles on a Sunrise Service Morning

 

 

The exuberance that Jesus is not dead. 

He is alive.  He is alive in deed.

And.................the early budding signs of  a boy's love for MMA

 

 This kind of looks like my son was the one to invent Gagem Style.  These pics are from 2009 after all



Looking at these photos,
I realize it is blaringly obvious that these are "Pastor's Kids."

I do not have the best parenting style to ever exist in the christian circles........
But, for a moment on a crisp fall day in 2009

I had a stroke of brilliance!
 (yes, yes, let us all pause a moment and thank the Holy Spirit for speaking wisdom through me. 
  I am all about giving credit where credit is due)
But, Dang!  I sounded  GENIUS & that advice has proven helpful for each of my kids.

I picked up my oldest daughter from some type of churchy class one afternoon.
 I could tell by her unusual silence something was not quite right.

And. Then. She. Spoke.

 

"Mom, the kids were making fun of me because I didn't know the answer to one of the questions."

 

"They all say I should know everything because Daddy is the Pastor."

This is where I sent up a few of those:  ""Give me a Grand Answer & Quick" Prayers

& out of my mouth like a stream in a desert came this-

Tell me. 

Pause

Pause

Silence.............waiting for it..........Come on Jesus!  What should I say?..........

What types of jobs do the dads of the other kids have?

Mechanic
Accountant
Carpenter


Alright.
Next time they tell you that you should know it all because of your daddy's job
ask them what there daddy does.

If they say "He is a Mechanic."
Ask them to explain to you what a tie rod is & how to replace it.
-I only know what it is because it broke on our van once :)

If dad happens to be an Accountant 
Ask them. "How much did you figure your parents will have to pay in taxes this year?"

Surgeon?
"How do you perform an appendectomy?"


To my delight.
A look of relief & a smile appeared.

I have since shared this story with the other two children
who got into the van after some type of churchy class
quiet
confused
a little sad

 

Only this time I was ready!

Ready like a Lutheran turned to page 656  "A Mighty Fortress" on Reformation Sunday.

 

 

If you happen to see one of my kids in church bent over the pew in reverence.............

chances are they are not in deep pray.

They are probably about to faint in hunger.

You see, none of them can drive yet & James and I most likely

still have "a few more things to finish" before we go home & feed the hungry bear

Go ahead offer them some fruit snacks.

Just don't ask them to explain the trinity or the meaning behind Luther's seal.

 

They may know? They have been in many churchy classes since 2009)

If they don't know the answer they will ask you what your daddy does & may even expect a power point presentation on
Proper grocery bagging
Fuse box repair
Engine rebuilding
How to cast a broken arm


1 Corinthians 12:4-11English Standard Version (ESV)

 

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.