P: Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Matthew 5:9

It's been a sad week in America between Monday's Boston Marathon explosion and yesterday's explosion in Waco, Texas. I’ve been thinking a lot about peace. What does it mean to be at peace? to live a peaceful life? and to live peacefully with others? There are many directives in the bible about peace. We are to be peacemakers.

In many ways, I am not a peacemaker. I’m a wavemaker, more like it. I write about things that others would like kept quiet. I write critically about beliefs and practices that do not align with scripture. And that doesn’t keep the peace.

But I really do want to live a peaceful life. I love it when my children play cooperatively together (I almost always grab my camera to record such blessed moments). I love teaching, especially when I get that magical dynamic of students where everyone works cooperatively and enjoys learning and helping their classmates.  When I hear people yelling at each other (or – and especially this – their young children), I will step in and ask if they need help (which often redirects their anger toward me).

When I began this blog, in 2011, the description on the header under “Does Air Exist?” was: “An insider’s look into the notorious Followers of Christ in Oregon City.” About six months later, I changed it to the quote you now see under my blog title. I did that for several reasons – the biggest motivator was that I didn’t want my blog to be just a tell-all, but a place where I could write about my journey as a Christian woman and the issues that are important to me. Yes, the FOC was instrumental in my foundational beliefs, but that’s not all I have to say. I don’t want to be their enemy. I don’t want to argue with them. I don’t have it (peace) mastered; it’s a daily struggle. But it’s a worthwhile and important journey.

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Do you struggle with being at peace? How do you maintain a peaceful life while dealing with very fallible people on a daily basis?

M: Meaning

This afternoon, I'm sitting at my desk pondering the two certainties of life: death and taxes. If I live out my natural life, I'm about half done (though, in light of this morning's events in Boston, I don't take a natural death for granted). And with every passing year (and decade), I have to face the fact that there are no do-overs. We only age in one direction, and that's up. Where has the time gone? And, what was the meaning of it? Where's this narrative going?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:31-33

I think about the meaning and purpose of my life often. Am I doing what I’m meant to do? I believed, as a child, that the purpose of this life was a trial to determine our eternal destiny: if we were good, we’d go to heaven; if not…bad news.

I still think like that in some ways, though I try not to be so legalistic, I’m not sure there’s a way to overcome those old records. But, the way I think about the purpose, or meaning, of life is evolving. I believe I have a purpose that goes beyond proving myself to be “good” enough. I have been given certain abilities for a reason.

The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is a story I heard from the pulpit as a child and one I have often returned to in my search for meaning. I know that the talents in the parable refer to money, not skills/abilities, but I like to think that since this is a parable, the current meaning of “talent” can very well apply.

I believe the purpose/meaning of life is to live for God, seeking His will first, and to use my God-given talents to the fullest, rather than bury them. In the parable, the last servant – who had been given only one talent – buried his talent so it wouldn’t be lost. This servant was reprimanded and the talent was taken away.

I’d love to hear from you: What do you think the meaning of life is?