On the Power of Peace
A Quote to Carry You
December 14, 2015
“And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
On the power of peace – The power of peace is amazing and it can enable so many wonderful things. When I experience peace, it causes me to smile; it allows me to rest; and most importantly, it causes me to focus on the things that are most important to me. The power of peace became even more evident to me while preparing for Christmas this year; and I will cherish what I found in it…
One of my favorite things to do at Christmastime is to bake my grandmother’s Italian Christmas cookies. Every year, I pull out the tattered recipe and go out and purchase the ingredients. After setting up the kitchen with all of the bowls, stand mixer, rolling pin, cookie cutters, and cookie sheets, I embark on my day long task of baking. I’ll admit that by the time I begin making the second or third batch of dough, covered in flour dust I might add, I start feeling a bit fatigued and overwhelmed, wondering if I’ll ever finish. Then, by the time I’ve iced and sprinkled candies on the last cookie, and I stand back and survey the kitchen table filled with all of those colorful treats, the power of peace pours into my heart and it fills me with an overwhelming joy.
The joy that I feel is not so much the happy relief of having completed my baking for the season, or having a tangible symbol of my labor of love to share with others. My joy goes deeper than that. You see, for me, the power of peace is manifested in the sense of closeness that I have to those who are dear to me. When I am baking and singing along to the Christmas carols playing in the background, it feels as though I am a young girl again standing next to my grandmother, rolling out the dough and putting the finishing touches on our little “works of art,” as she used to call them. While I am carefully packing each cookie into tins decorated for the holidays, I can almost hear the voice of my sweet husband telling me how beautiful and delicious my baked goodies are. While labeling each cookie-filled package, I find myself smiling with delight as I envision each recipient delving into and savoring all of those sweet treats. That close connectedness that I feel towards my loved ones, of both my past and present, floods my heart with a peace that is so powerful, I can hardly describe it. Indeed, it is a peace that transcends my understanding.
May the power of peace fuel your heart and soul this Christmas season, and may it reveal to you the fullness of the love that God bestowed upon us through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Peace and love,
Felecia
