peace

just in from kentucky, where we laughed, visited and slept in ac.

i went running both mornings while we were there. in the cool weather i went far and long (well, for me, that is). and as i was running i thought about peace. and how, running through the neighborhoods and seeing people out with dogs, picking weeds and getting the newspapers, where i could hear birds chirping and see bunnies hopping as the sun glistened off the dew drops on the grass: yes, it is peaceful there.

fast forward to last night, walking home. we stopped at the garden to water our increasingly large pumpkin and squash plants, and to check up on our still puny green beans. we walked through our street and came upon our friend clinton.

"where are you coming from?"
"we're just getting back from kentucky."
"oh, kentucky! i've never been to kentucky before. what's it like?" he smiled his almost toothless grin. "is it like here? all built up like around here?"
"the part that we were in was, but kentucky is a big state."
"oh, maybe next time you can bring me back a picture...like of a building or a restaurant or something. that would be nice..."

we promised him a picture, said our goodbyes and walked towards our apartment. up the stairs and into the stillness and heat. we briefly discussed if we should leave the blinds down and windows closed and decided it was too stuffy not to open up to the world. and as we settled back into the norm with frozen pizza and some scrubs episodes, and as night fell onto our neighborhood and the sounds and smells of the night returned, i realized something: that this is peaceful, too.

some verses i meditated on while i was in kentucky are found in philippians 4. the first, verses 4-8, are the verses i had my kids memorize in sunday school. about rejoicing in the Lord always, and meditating on good and true things. the second part is further down, in verses 12 and 13. almost everyone knows verse 13. athletes quote it as their favorite verse, and people use it to get through earthly trials and tribulations. "i can do everything through Him who gives me strength." but people seldom know what paul is talking about here. and that is found in verse 12: "i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation...i can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

our contentedness and peace should not be found in our surroundings, in our situations, or in our worldly comfort. no, it should be found solely in the One who gives us strength.

"And He will be their peace."
Micah 5:5