Each day as our family enacts what we discussed as important, more play time, more arts and creative projects, more down time, and less focus on the future or work and more focus on being where were are…..peace returns.
My focus this week has been to take time each day to do something creative. Whether its to take an hour an beautify for the fall season, create something with a yard sailing find (see the tag still on the metal pumpkin?) or to paint a piece of found furniture, just simply doing has brought me personal relaxation and peace.

Today I challenge you to set a time to truly deal with whatever it is that is interrupting your peace.  Maybe its a pile of to do laundry that simply makes you feel like a failure to have before you. Maybe its taxes that need to be done. Perhaps its concern for your financial future that you need to know the reality of the situation and how you will choose to deal with it. Perhaps its simply knowing you aren’t taking care of yourself and need to schedule an appointment to be checked on, so you can end senseless worry.  What are you bearing that is weighing you down?

Balance means different things to different people. When I think of balance it means the ability to flex to  make things work. There is no 50/50 in work/family life in my experience. Sometimes there are surges when you are needed 90% of the time to do 90% of the work…like when a baby is new and you’re the cow.  Other times we can make work life at home or elsewhere 30% of our world. Pursing peace means realizing that we all need work, play, study, rest, creative time and fun.  There has to be a balance of experiences to keep the perspective that leads to peace. Last night during a particularly stressed part of the day I took time to get out our fall dishes and set the table. Those few moments thinking on the pretty candles, meal that was cooking and time with my family set the stage to relax. Even Mr. Bingley got his Fall outfit on.

When we over focus on one area of our life or thoughts, we become stressed.  This week our family is purposefully taking evening walks and doing something creative in the evenings 2 nights this week. The laughter and joy that has brought has help us all realize that this is a happy home, we just needed more play time.  As we end the day and gather for prayer, it is amazing how just allowing for more fun time has audibly allowed us to realize more joy and peace in our day.

Day Four
Peace sometimes creeps away when we’re carrying too many things that we didn’t realize we were putting in our personal baggage, weighing us down.  Those of us who were raised to be responsible and pleasers have a special talent for owning guilt that isn’t ours.  We often continue to bear the burden of choices other people made that somehow we feel responsible for that truly aren’t ours.  I personally call this letting go of that kind of pain, shame, and guilt owning your own.  An elder friend shared with me that one day she looked at what she was carrying in her heart as a burden and realized that about 3/4 of what was there was not hers to own, that her actions could not, would not, and wouldn’t in the future fix the situation because they involved grown folks’ choices she had no control over.  She said she stopped the “what if’s”  the “I shoulda, coulda, woulda” jamboree and the “I was such a dog when” choruses that taunted her when she tried to sleep and realized that she could only orchestrate her own life, not her four childrens.  AMEN.  Peace comes from knowing your own boundaries, what you are and are not responsible for, and living between those lines with thanksgiving and praise for all that we are provided.  One of the best parts of my personal belief in God is that I know each day I can bring to Him that which I cannot handle.  I can take my concerns, fears, guilt to His court and lay them down.  The issue for me is too often I don’t want to burden Him with my concerns….and that is a boundary I am choosing to get over….God is God and I am not. He has time for me!

Matthew ²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
 ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

October is the 31 Days project and this year I have decided to participate.  If you have a goal in mind please join us. You can find out more about 31 Days here.
Since personal peace has been on my mind lately, October will be dedicated to 31 days of activities to pursue peace at home.

Hope you’ll join us!

Today I blogged over at BasicsMatter. com on the Pursuit of Peace. There has been a post it on my computer screen since May that simply says The Pursuit of Peace.  May was when I realized  it simply wasn’t working…..what wasn’t working?  My life.

I’ve lived a life that typically involved a daily amount of joy and peace.  Somehow in the two most financially successful years I have ever lived,  I realized I traded in peace for profit.

Not a very good plan for the long run.

And so the pursuit of peace began.  I first began to spend more time noticing, being aware of my body’s rhythm…when I wasn’t at peace. I began using a journal to list things that brought peace to my heart and mind….it was amazing how hard it was at first…things were that out of hand.  God met me as I sought him again, to guide and steer changes…changes that are still being enacted…but I know that this journey is the one I seek to be on.

What do you do to pursue peace in your life?