Peace Within the Home

AH, a year ago, we were walking in sunshine.

This foggy morning, there was a huge fight between Foster and Tilly. It was of a longer duration and intensity than any before.

When it was (finally) over, everyone was pretty shaken up. I was, Foster was, Tilly was, and Olive, who wasn't outside at the time seemed particularly perplexed.

Foster can't see, so he's much more unsure of himself now. He fights harder because he doesn't even know anymore what he's protecting.

Isn't that the same with us? We don't always know what we're protecting, but we're pretty sure it's threatened. Maybe it's our job, our social status, or a bag of Oreos that we fear may be taken from us.

We doubt the stability of our daily provisions. That's not too far outside the realm of normal. How we react, though, can be extreme. It can be a serious disruption to our peace.

Today I read in Luke 9 how Jesus sent out the disciples and told them not to take any food or even an extra coat along as they were set loose in the world to help the sick and demon possessed. Frankly, I wouldn't want to leave without my itinerary firmly in place and a bag of Oreos on the passenger seat of my car. And then I likely would head back to Florida and skip all those sad sick and scary people.

Yet Jesus asks us to seek HIM first - and his righteousness. To trust HIM over everything else, including my planning skills and entrepreneurial spirit (ha). That is NOT easy. Yet if I choose Jesus over security, my peace is deep within me, and I don't have to protect what I fear may be taken from me. It's all belongs to him anyway. Shouldn't I trust him more?