Finding Peace in this Noisy World

Gospel Reading today John 14:27-31
"Peace is what I leave you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world gives." John 14:27

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that His gift to us is Peace. Peace is God. God is Peace. So how do we find peace in today's noisy world? We have the TV blairing with news of car bombs and annoying cartoons. We have work out facilities that roar of treadmills and rock music with bigscreen TV's taking front and center. We have phones attached to our hips (literally) where anyone and everyone can reach us at any given time. We have the world at our fingertips through the internet. Noise, noise, noise. I am guilty of getting caught up in all of this noise....it is very easy to do. So how do we find peace amongst the noise? I really don't know the answer, but what I do know is that I had a breath of peace yesterday afternoon. Daily, I try to unplug the TV after morning cartoons and not let the kids watch it the rest of the day (alot of times that doesn't happen). Yesterday, I was drinking my afternoon coffee outside with relaxing instrumental christian music playing. I sat and read a book in a comfy chair on our deck under the trees. The kids were singing the alphabet and chasing each other around. We then built a hide-out underneath our brick oven and put a sign up that said "keep out", which they loved! As they were playing in their hide-out, I looked up at the sky and breathed in peace. My goal yesterday was to be "present" to my children which is sometimes really hard to do. Through making that effort of being present and not trying to get tons done around the house, phone calls made, emails checked, I found immense peace. This was an answer for me on finding peace. By living in the moment and not trying to put too much on us as mothers is key because the most important task at hand is being present to our children. In the grand scheme of things, the noise of to-do lists, laundry, closets, returned phone calls really do not matter. They will eventually get done and their will always be more to do. The one thing that truly matters is seeing the face of Christ in our families. Of teaching our children how to use their immaginations to play. Laughing and being silly with these precious souls.

So there you have it, my take on finding peace amongst the chaos and noise. Ofcourse my most peaceful time of the day is early in the morning when I drink my coffee and say my prayers.....that time is easy to find peace. But the challenge is finding peace amidst the noisy world. When you do, you are truly accepting God's gift of peace and the Kingdom of Heaven starts to descend upon you. Also, when you are trying to make a decision in your life, search for peace. For where there is peace, there is God.

Blessings to you this Tuesday!