Finding a Peaceful Place to Land

Sounds like I’m looking for a Peace Island – worry-free, troubles-free, people-who-disagree-with-me free, chaos-free, hatred-free, discord-and-distrust free. Peace Island is all peace and calm and comfort. Another name for this Peace Island is Fantasy Island – because, well – we won’t find any place on this earth where peace reigns supreme.

Our Lord guaranteed it. Straight from our Lord are His words from John 16: 33 “In the world you will have trouble!” I have my fingers in my ears because I don’t want to hear about troubles. “No, Lord! I don’t want troubles. With all due respect, that’s not Peace Island!” And the Lord replies ever so tenderly: “Oh, yes, daughter, it is – “IN ME you will have peace because I have overcome the world.” That’s the rest of John 16:33.

My lightning fast mind gets it now. No need to book a flight to a far-off island to find peace, because it’s not a “that” or an “it” place. It’s a “He” place. We find that peace in His presence. It is the only place of peace that we can obtain beyond our thoughts and feelings. It is the peace that comes with Divine awareness AND the Gospel truth where we find goodness, mercy, joy, hope and peace. BUT, we must intentionally and purposefully go there. We must refuse to live in turmoil and confusion. We must protect ourselves from the gloom and despair that outside sources pander to us. Mentally speaking, we must choose to take the pathways, hallways, byways and highways to get to Peace Island.

Jesus promised we could have Peace Island in our everyday routines of work, play and sleep -- in good and bad times. Here are Jesus’ words from John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Let’s go to Peace Island, but not alone. Let’s be promoters of peace. The antidote to opposition and evil is to walk in the opposite spirit -- being peace promoters. We can promote peace with our words of truth, kindness, gentleness and with our actions – reflecting the peace walk and talk of Jesus. Others will see something distinctly different about those who live in AND on "Peace Island" daily. We are the ones wo trust that God will use even the worst things that we face in life, for good (Romans 8:28) -- so we might as well choose PEACE! We pray for that peace – peace for ourselves and others. Lord, let there be peace on earth, and let it begin in me.

An Icebreaker Became a Memory Maker

Our interdenominational fellowship group came together in my community on Tuesday night for another pot luck meal and time of fellowship. There is always an entertaining or thought-provoking time after dinner. This week we had five icebreaker questions to discuss at our table. I sat by my cousins and there were two other couples at our table. Naturally, for the couples, they answered the questions with each other in mind. For example, question one was “If stranded on an island, what 3 things (or people) would you want to have with you and why?” Each one of the couples gave as one of their three as each other. Widow Donna came up with a hatchet, water, and a ladder (I need help climbing a tree!). I’ve watched “Survivor” episodes so I know what I'd need on a deserted island.

The one question that gave me pause and introspection was “If you could live one year from your life again, which one would you go back to?” The couples’ answers were beautiful: “Going back to the first church that we pastored in Fayetteville, AR that began in our home and grew exponentially.” Another couple talked about the year that their first child was born, and the other talked about the year when he returned from Vietnam to come home to his wife and baby. Then it was my turn. I had plenty of time to consider it and, without a doubt, it would be the last year of my husband’s life that I would want a do-over.

You see, my sweetheart was a muscle-bound, picture of health and strength, full of the joy of living and sharing God’s love in ministry and counseling. We had traveled a lot and had the thrill of precious times with our children and grandchildren. Life was good. Then, came the day when we received the diagnosis of Stage 4 Kidney Cancer that changed everything. Life came to an all-consuming 24/7 endeavor to get him healed. If it had been God’s will, he would still be around today because with all the treatments, surgeries, interventions, and most of all, the prayers from around the world, it was his time.

This is what I shared with our group. I would have stopped being Martha – doing, doing, doing and I would have stopped to embrace every second that I had with my Love. I would have spent every waking moment laughing about our puppy love romance at ages 12 & 13 and some of the crazy things we did together. I would have talked more about all that God had blessed us with in the past than continuing to figure out that awful disease. We both knew he was in God’s hands and it would have been so much better to have trusted implicitly for the outcome than all the going here and there and everywhere. I would have sat with him patiently at the dinner table and just talked and talked instead of hurrying to get the dishes cleaned up so quickly. I would have thanked God for the ups and downs that we survived and even thrived through. Actually, I’ve added a little more than what I actually said in that group, but what I did say to them, as couples, to live each day as if this were the last with each other. Love each other deeply.

Since we can't do do-overs -- the best way to live life on this side of heaven is to take each day -- one day at a time -- and live it as though it were our last -- living with no regrets -- embracing and loving those around us with intensity, gratitude and gusto. Living in the light of eternity -- helping take as many others with us to heaven. My Love is waiting for me there. I look forward to introducing you to him one day!

No Man is an Island

English poet John Donne penned the words: "No man is an island", which paved the way for this beautiful song:
"No man is an island,
No man stands alone.
Each man's joy is joy to me.
Each man's grief is my own.
We need one another, so I will defend
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend."

I love my independence, and, particularly, this sweet season of life that I'm in. Though I miss my sweetheart beyond words, there are still perks to being a widow, or being single. Noone tells me what to do; I go to bed when I want to; I get up when I want to; I eat what I want to, and spend my time the way I want to. And I don't have to share my clothes closet with anyone else. I say, "I may be alone, but I'm never lonely."

BUT, independence isn't what God called us to. We need each other. And, bottom line -- I don't want to be so independent that I withdraw from the assignment God called me to, and has for me to do. He didn't call us to live on islands by ourselves. We are here on this earth, at this time, and this place, to touch others, and affect others by our actions and our words. We should be INTENTIONAL with our daily interactions. Everytime we walk out our door to this world, we are carrying the LIGHT to brighten our world and other people's lives with God's love and peace. We can leave an imprint on every person we meet -- even in a small way -- but, nothing is small in God's sight when we allow His light to shine in and through us. We just might be a difference maker for someone today! So, let's get out of that "island mentality", and get on the "crowded places mentality" -- where we get to rub shoulders with others, and perhaps our LIGHT will rub off on them and they will start "shining", too!