Peace

Since building our house one of my favorite places is my deck.  Many people have commented that this deck is the best part of my house.  There is cover and sunshine.  A beautiful view.  Some new flower baskets.  Solid footing.  Comfortable chairs.  A radio.  Birds singing.  This deck was a major project in early December.  Lots of fun time spent building it.  Good visits will be had on it.  Books enjoyed here.  Targets shot off the back.  Peaceful is a good description of this space.  I truly am loving my house.  There is a peace that resides here.  Not just on the deck, but on this place.  I don't and haven't always felt it, but it is here.  I can choose to walk in it or not.  I can accept it or run.  But it is there.  Always there.  There is quiet and calm.  Peace.  That is a lot like life.  There is always peace waiting for us.  Sometimes we are not there.  Sometimes we are not even aware there is a place of peace.  And other times we are sitting smack dab in the middle and don't realize it.  And then sometimes we choose to run from the PEACE to something that seems it may bring peace - but it doesn't.  Sometimes someone or something happens to my peace.  The things I have so carefully lined up that will bring peace get thrown into the fan to fall where they may and I am left to wonder what happened.  Some big storm comes in and it seems there is no peace.  But there is.  I know the Prince of Peace.  The God of Second Chances.  The one who always believes in me.  Who extends grace when I royally mess up.  Who helps me up.  Gives me some clean clothes to put on and then helps me walk through whatever is currently hitting the fan in my life.  Sometimes it is pretty messy.   But a friend and I were talking about Bible characters today and it was a fun and interesting discussion.  One of my favorite is the Apostle Peter.  Probably because I can relate to him.  I think that Jesus chose Peter as one of his disciples simply to give the rest of us following HOPE.  Because Peter was constantly opening his mouth to insert his other foot.  And Jesus still loved him.  Moses had an anger management problem.  And yet, he glowed from being in the presence of God.  King David had a Grandmother who had been a prostitute.  He killed one of his good friends after stealing his wife and yet was called a man after Gods own heart.  I think that God put these people and their stories in the Bible and has preserved that book over centuries to show us hope.  To show us that his hope conquers and brings peace.