Not the World's Peace

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don't be troubled or afraid."  John 14:27

Peace.  Everyone wants to be at peace.  We seek peaceful moments and places, peace of mind.  Peace seems to be the absence of things – strife, worry, conflict, anxiety.

I felt the same way until recently, and then the Lord used Philippians 4:13 to enlighten me – “And the peace of God…will guard your hearts and minds….”  Guard my heart and my mind?  What is that all about?  All of a sudden, the passive peace, the absence of strife, worry, conflict, and anxiety didn’t cut it.  That wasn’t Godly peace. 

God’s peace is active.  It’s working for me, on my behalf, to guard my heart and my mind – the seat of my emotions and the seat of my reason.  Being a sci-fi nut, I envisioned God’s peace being a force field, an invisible shield around my heart and my mind.  It is continually keeping thoughts of God, His Word, and what He’s done ever before me as it simultaneously repels strife, worry, conflict, anxiety, bad attitudes, thanklessness, and other harmful things that beset me.

Always remember, God is for you, and His peace will guard you if you will let it!

In Him,

Carrie

Our Next Seminar!

Be Still

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Life is loud. 

Even if we stripped away
…the tv and radio
…the dishwasher
…the washing machine & the dryer
…the mixer
…the vent hood over the stove
…the timers
…the phones

We are still surrounded by
…voices
…bodies moving about
…children laughing and crying
…bare feet slapping across a hard floor
… a page scraping as it turns
…computer keys clacking
…the sniffing of a runny nose
and these are just the noises we make ourselves.

So how are we able to obey and “be still?”

The best time for quiet, for me to be able to be still is before everyone else gets up in the morning.  This is pretty early – my daughters are quite the morning people and tend to be up between 6 and 7.  The girls are about 3 and 1.5…so there’s no leaving them to their own devices!

So when do I have to get up?  Early.  Stinking early.

I tried for eight weeks…maybe longer, to get up early so that I could “Be still” and know that He is God.  And for eight long weeks, my batting average was HORRIBLE. 
And I beat myself up…daily.
Ugh.

And then Grace stepped in and said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
“[You] can do all things through Christ who gives [you] strength.”

I finally gave in.
I told the Lord that I wanted to be with Him in the quiet, but if He wanted me up, He was going to have to wake me up!

And He did.

I set my alarm for a time that I thought was reasonable.  He woke me up earlier to a baby crying. 
“It’s too early!” I thought, as I crawled back into bed after getting her down. 
So He got me up again.  I stayed up that time.

The next day, He woke me up earlier…and I cooperated that time.

And now, it’s getting easier. 
It’s worth it.
And I am able to “Be still and know that [He] is God.”
And it is good.

In Him, Carrie

Hospitality -- This Summer's Lesson

I was never the great immaculate housekeeper.

·         Dishes?  It’s a constant struggle to stay on top of them.  (I have to remind myself that dirty dishes are a sign that my family has plenty to eat, and I am thankful for that!) 

·         Mopping?  Not my forte.  When did that happen last?  Don’t ask, and don’t look too closely at my kitchen floor! 

·         Dusting?  My mom has lovely glassware that has not been dusted in the year that we’ve lived with my dad…I don’t know that it’s been dusted since my mom died!

I have three kids that are four and under, and I have realized that my time with them is so very brief.  As long as we’re not living in filth or a complete mess, I try to let it go.  (Mama needs clear floor spaces to maintain a modicum of sanity!) 

I know that for some, a spotless house is something they do well, and I am happy for them.  It’s never been my strong suit, though.

How does this play into hospitality?  For a long time, I put off having people in my home if I was not going to have time to achieve the “spotless” house.  And if someone should drop by?  Heavens!  I would vilify myself before them and apologize profusely for the disarray of my home.

Well, the Lord’s been breaking me of what has been, for me, a self-centered viewpoint.  Hospitality is not about the state of my home.

It is about being welcoming.

It is about sharing Jesus love.

It is about developing community and family.

This summer, the Lord has had me call people at 5:00pm on days that I was not expecting to entertain to ask people to dinner.  One night I even posted an open invitation to dinner on my Facebook page…at 5:45p.m.! 

This is not about me…and I guess that’s the point.  I have to get over myself, and what I want people to think of me in order to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

So, if you want to come to dinner, the house might not be clean, and it might be 8:00 before we eat,

…but the fellowship will be sweet.

…there will be enough (if you go away hungry, it’s your own fault!).

…and you will be welcome. 

Just call before you come, ok?

In Him, Carrie

Open Heart, Open Home Seminar September 11

 

Real hospitality does not require a tablecloth or china,

but a heart to serve.

Come learn some ideas for practicing hospitality from

Rosanne Petton, a pastor's wife

who has been opening her home to others

for over 35 years.

 

BRING ALONG A FRIEND

AND

ENJOYAN ICE CREAM SUNDAE WITH US!

 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 6:30