My heads swirls with words and images – whether they will merge to become a coherent post is another matter.

Valentines day was celebrated this week with usual Canadian style (just short of a national holiday) Love was in the air.  Bella with her secret valentine at school – a time to show love to someone with acts of kindness and gifts. Emily, Jessica and 4 friends organizing a surprise party for their class. Josiah taking ‘someone he loves’ to pre school. Me!

And date night for me and my valentine. The Collins Clan are feeling the love!

An overnight trip to Big White – blue skies, slopes, ice skating and Collins6 in a bed. Well nearly. Loved it.

I wrote this verse on Facebook last week. ‘Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! 2 Thessalonians 3:16’

I had a lot of comments and emails from posting that verse. It seems peace is needed.

Peace is a promise, the bible calls Jesus our Prince of Peace. It tells us to put on the shoes of peace.

Peace is more than a state of mind, it is wellness, a safe place, a complete place. Life will always be busy, noisy and often chaotic – but within that – we are promised peace.

 

I started my year with a prayer. Make me a channel, an instrument of your peace. I can only do this by making peace with others. By being peace to others. By being with the One who is peace.

What about you…

Debt? Torment? Pain? Loneliness? Fear? Sickness? and the rest…..

 

There are people I love where the presence of peace is more than void, where torment overrides any sense of calm, where noise is both external and internal. A life sentence.

In thinking of a loved one, I have arrived at a place where hope is distant and despair close. I find myself freefalling. Out of control. Wondering and wandering, looking for hope I was so sure of.

Shouting the name of Jesus without a word leaving my lips, like some stress dream.

As the spiralling happens I blindly grasp for a glimmer – a prayer arrives, a verse dances on a page ‘”Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

As I freefall i know my Prince will scoop me up once more.

 

Bill Johnson says ‘if you want the peace that passes understanding you have to give up your right to understand’

 

Shalom Aleichem