Peace Project Countdown- 7

That nature of things. Have you ever been in a big city? Like LA or Paris or Rome? My time in each of those cities I hold dear to my heart, but while I was there I was struck by one thing over and over: nature felt inaccessible and distant. It brought a strange sort of longing to my soul. So much so that when in Paris, I declared to my traveling buddies that we were going to catch the next train to Switzerland- strike or no stike.

There is a simplicity, peacefulness, beauty found in nature that cannot be manufactured by humans. What amazed me today was the beauty contained in a landscape that was dead. Dead for the winter that is.

Today I recognize that my proximity to wide open spaces is a blessing, and not something I can expect to have through out my life. I drive by these Colorado foothills everyday and ignore them. I can see at least one fourteener out my window and rarely do I stand in awe. Help me God, not to miss the beauty around me, simply because it is usual.

Peace Project Countdown- 8

Unanswered prayer. Need I say more? One of the great challenges of my daily walk with God is many of the prayers I have or am praying that I have yet to see answers too... And I don't have all the answers. Often I think Christians are afraid of prayer and all the unanswered questions regarding it. We hate to look into the void and not understand. We are quick to compartmentalize it into catagories: "oh you must not have prayed in God's will," or "you didn't pray long enough," or "your motives must have been wrong." But most the time I think God just wants us to sit in the uncertainly, recognizing the lack in our own ability to discern or understand... and then to praise him in the midst of it.
I have a love hate relationship with the following verse. But I read it this morning and am thankful for it.
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-18

Peace Project Countdown- 9

#4 on my list of blessings is the ability to train my kids. Even at this young age I spend much of my time teaching them to work hard. Often I find myself becoming frusterated at having to explain over and over again where to put the silverware, remind them constantly to "obey Mom" or stop complaining about having to do chores. But I cannot expect them to act like adults (even some adults do not know how to work hard, finish tasks, or do them correctly). They are kids, and little ones at that. And it is my job, and my blessing, to train them in how to live.

Peace Project Countdown- 10

Thank you for those chappy red cheeks, the 102 degree temp, and running nose and mouth. But here is what is amazing... through it all Ez is still smiling. I wish when my 'world' was falling apart I would still be able to smile and find as much comfort in my Jesus' arms as Ezzie does in mine. There is something so simple and innocent about it. Oh, and thank you God for Tylenol. Where would we be without it?