Peace amidst Chaos

Since the last Fave Five, last Friday, much anguish has entered the United States of America as the tragedy in Connecticut....not that far away from my part of New York State, unfolded before our eyes and ears.

Chaos in the community.

Churning minds in the schools.

Questions of WHY?

Yet....we move on.....and try to gather peace in this holiday season amidst all this chaos.

It seems a little strange to look back on this week and find 5 blessings while so many families in that Ct. community are grieving and questioning and praying.  Yet, I CAN find blessings. Because if we look hard enough, we know God is present.  We know He continues to love and hold us and He brings the peace.  He does. Nothing else.  Which leads me to my first fave.

image taken from wikimedia commons

• C S LEWIS QUOTE:

"GOD CANNOT GIVE US A HAPPINESS AND PEACE APART FROM HIMSELF, BECAUSE IT IS NOT THERE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING." ~C.S.Lewis~

image taken from LLBean website

• POWER WALKING! So, I've been power walking for 4 good days. NO BACK PAIN OR SCIATICA have returned!  This is a plus!!  I get on the fitness ball before heading out to do my core strengthening.  I then do my leg/back stretches and put on my LLBean sneakers that I've owned since my youngest was in the womb. So they are 14 yrs old.  For some reason, I had stopped wearing them to power walk and they've sat in the garage unless I'm doing a flat hike.  I had been wearing my walking Sketchers but...I've switched due to an experiment. Every time I was power walking in the month of November, my lower back would start aching.  The chiro says it must be the way I was walking or my shoes because my back would be fully adjusted and the sciatica had  gone away. He believes the disc is back in place and no longer "bulging" so I said I'd try a different pair of sneakers. VOILA! My faithful, old LLBean ones still fit, are more comfortable than the lower Sketchers and I can now power walk  for more than ONE MILE with NO BACK PAIN!  Major progress. I am happy, my waist is losing some inches and my cardiovascular system is getting much needed exercise. 

image taken from internetmonk.com

• BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL!  During dinner one evening this week, Dave and I were talking with Claire about how sad to hear that some Christians say school shootings wouldn't happen if God were allowed in public schools. Those are insane, immature, and quite frankly, stupid comments. God is omnipresent and there are MANY Christians (my self included) who teach in the public schools. If we are born again Believers, we have CHRIST LIVING IN US!  So we discussed how yes, we can still pray in school because we can do it silently during the daily moments of silence AND students can pray any time. Teachers in NY State cannot lead prayer events. People need to learn the laws. My daughter then proceeds to say " well, I read my Bible every day during silent reading (a 20 minute block of time right after her lunch period) and it's my Chronological Bible. It's really the only chance I get!" Um.....her chronological Bible is a HARD COPY BIBLE! It is not an app on her I-Touch.  We are so proud of her. I told her that this was making my Fave Five list for sure!!  And yes...she attends a public junior high.  Yeah for Claire!!

• READY!  All the gifts are wrapped and under the Christmas tree.  The ones for my extended family are in a pile up in my oldest daughter's bedroom until Christmas afternoon when we will all get together at my youngest sister's house near Lake George, NY.  It's a good feeling to have everything done! (Other than the baking!!)

CLAIRE!
December 2012

• CELEBRATING CLAIRE!  Today, the first day of winter, is our youngest child's birthday.  Claire Rebekah danced her way into the world at 4:22 a.m. in 1998. And she's been dancing ever since!  Her due date was the 28th but from the time we told our firstborn child that we were giving her a sister, she prayed every night to Jesus for "my sister to be under the Christmas tree in time for Christmas". So the prayers of a 5 year old girl were answered in the way she wanted!  Now, it's Claire's turn to get her prayer answered: big sister Courtney will be home from college tonite in time to celebrate Claire turning 14!  Claire's wishes are simple:  homemade chicken potpie, bakery fudge vanilla cookies and a trip to the mall to see The Hobbit. (she is also getting a couple of gifts but instead of going to her fave restaurant or having a party, she chose the movie. Since we RARELY go out to the movies, due to the cost and the fact that we have Netflix, this will be a real treat!). I just hope we can find tickets for tonite. I heard it might be sold out in almost all the cinemas around here. We may have to do a matinee tomorrow!  Either way, it will be fun to celebrate and she is delight to us. She has always brought a lot of laughter and music into this house. She is a true blessing!

That wraps it up for me.

May the peace of Christ enter your homes and your hearts this Christmas season..........

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

to join in on the Friday Fave Fives, head over to Susanne's at Living to Tell the Story!