Peace in spite of . . . .

It is amazing how many lessons of life can be crammed into just a few days. I have been team leading a Vacation Bible School this week. The lady I have been helping in her home in various ways has been having real problems with the heat - it was somewhere around 105 F. today with humidy possibly 90 % or higher. My husband and I manage a couple of dwellings and some folks have not been happy with some of our decisions, to put it mildly. I was asked my opinion on how to make some improvements in the church building where I attend and I am trying to get some pertinent information. Between talking to my brothers (via email for phone) and sisters I probably spent quite a few hours. I am still attempting to get my new 'office/library/sewing & craft area in 'working order'. That is part of what has been happening recently in my life.

In the past I have lost God's kind of peace when involved in 'VBS'. I have also 'lost peace' in time past when dealing with 'residents' here on the farm. I have definitely lost peace in previous situations relating to our church family. And, sad to say, I have not always been at peace with my biological 'family'. And when it comes to my house I have lost peace over it more times than I even care to 'think about'.

So what is the difference this time?

I believe one big difference is that God has been 'growing me up' in maturity levels.
Jesus saves me so long as I choose to belong to Him and accept Him as my Lord and Saviour.
Jesus also will 'grow me up' to become a 'woman' in Him. Just as I am no longer a 'baby' physically', so Jesus intends to grow me up spiritually and in the realm of God given emotions as well.

Peace includes being 'trusting' of the one in whose presence you are experiencing peace.

Experiencing peace in God's presence enables me to begin to see others 'through God's eyes' - the way God sees the other person. When someone who lives here on the farm with us gets upset with me, seeing them more the way God sees them has been changing my attitude toward them. I am still learning and I thank God for His patience with me in this area.

Learning how to keep the balance in my own life also has been a growing blessing. Taking care of my place has, for most of my life, taken 'second fiddle', so to speak. If someone else needed something it almost always took 'first place'. That is not how God speaks, however, and I believe it is helping me in dealing with others better as well.

Choosing to take more space for an office/library/sewing,craft center has caused someone else here to make comments which I would have previously become very defensive about. Their suggestions have been that my decisions to take more space is not 'fair' or something similar.

The main reason I had the space become available for use in the first place was that a couple had been living in a four room apartment type area and they moved out into their own place. Instead of having someone else move in I decided to take most of the space for an office/library/sewing,craft area instead of attempting to cram much of it into our small living room (which had become more like a warehouse than a living room).

I have listened to the 'reasons' given why I should manage the farm differently than what I have been doing, but I am presently at peace in spite of . . . .

I listened to people's comments about the VBS this year (and we did change a few things) and I am at peace in spite of . . . .

I am not the most comfortable with temperatures in the triple digits but I don't seem to be bothered as much as some others. I suppose that is good because I can help my friend who has been having lots of problems with the heat. That has been a blessing to me as well. And in a sense I have peace in spite of . . .

God didn't promise that circumstances would dictate how much peace I can experience.
God gives me peace in spite of . . . .

What a wonderful God is my Creator.

Bringer of Peace