"How Can We Find Peace?"

Last night, I was thinking about some things... Things that I've had to deal with my entire life, things that I've had to deal with for several years, things I'm dealing with now, & things I believe I'll have to deal with for a very long time... Some of them are personal, that I go through alone, and some of them are shared & struggled with others in my life.

Peace is one of my favorite words. It finds its way into so many realms of our existence. And I find myself longing for it almost every day, in one way or another. I found the following, quoted on a website about finding peace, & I couldn't leave it there, without sharing:

"The answer to this question depends in part on how you define peace. One way to define peace is simply the absence of conflict. If you can resolve whatever conflict you are facing, then you can have peace.

But when conflict rears its head, peace runs out the door, and it won’t return until the conflict is settled. This notion of peace is a good start, but it is also fragile, because it is totally dependent on your circumstances.

A stronger definition of peace is one that allows you to rise above your circumstances and remain calm despite the storm raging around you. It is a sense of assurance that no matter what happens, things will eventually get better, and that somewhere, someone trustworthy is in control.

This sort of peace is not dependent on circumstances. Rather, it allows you to see beyond your surroundings and fix your eyes on a point in the distance, that allows you to hold steady on your course and ride out the storm.

How can you find this sort of peace? By putting your trust in the one person who transcends all of our trials and struggles: Jesus Christ."

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How can we not realize that God is always in control? He knows us better than we know ourselves. We don't know the end of the story. But He does. And if we can somehow just hold on... hang in there... and live each day the very best we can, then He will make everything ok.

I have to remind myself of this every day.

I believe that each of our stories will end with peace, if we can just hold on & have faith. And I believe that we can all be at peace while living our individual stories, if we can just remember that everything happens for a reason, and He will not leave us alone.

Jessi-lu

My beautiful baby Jessica.
I was sitting at my computer looking at her
& couldn't help but capture the moment.
I remember when I was 15, like it was yesterday.
Where did the time go?

Summer... Finally!

Me & Jess enjoying in the sun, while we watch the kids play...


My flowers are blooming! I love daisies :)


James, Chylanne, & Ashlynn playing on the huge 'slip & slide' they made with tarps & shower curtains - Intuitive, I think!


James taking a little break, to chow down some Mickey Mouse chicken - & get warm!

Goofin' With My Kids

Got ANOTHER Van...

Mini Van #6 - No kidding. I've had a tan one, a dark blue one, & three red ones. Now I have a brown one :) So it's what we could do for now, but I SWEAR... I WILL get another SUV some day. I really really really miss my Expedition. Such is life. However, it's a pretty little van, I think...

Travel Treasures

In the south, you find 'dinner' on the side of the road.
Out west, you find plastic bouncy horses! I love free stuff :)

My Favorites

Ok, so I have nothing to post. No recent photos... no nothing. So I've just been googling stuff I like. Obviously, from previous entries, it's apparent that I really like dresses. I kinda like shoes & coats too. A lot.

My shoe favorites are strappy heels, tall black (or dark brown) dress boots, & of course flip flops! Then again, I'd just assume go barefoot too. What can I say? I'm from the south.

Coats - um... my current favorite is the pea coat. (Weird name, but who cares.)

Oh - And my favorite jewelry is silver with Diamonds & Rubies or Olive Green Peridot - (simple & not too flashy).

And again, not that anyone else cares but me... Stuff I found :)


I think this one would be awesome in black or red too...


I'm pretty sure those are my feet!

Love love love knee high boots...

Not exactly hot & sexy, but cute & comfy works too :)
***And they're Tevas. Can't go wrong there.

Yup, that's me :) and my favorite necklace with the little green stone. Had one with a red one in it, but its lost :(

Just gotta love red.

Brave Boy

James got 4 kindergarten shots today. I tried to keep his mind elsewhere by taking pics of him making silly faces. It worked... temporarily.

He was very very brave - (even though he passed out when we left the hospital)

2009 Youth Trek

My poor girls :) Had to re-live the past this week... Pioneer clothes, no modern conveniences, pulling & pushing handcarts, sleeping under the stars, & good ol' roughing it in the desert & mountains - with over 200 other teens (including boys), for 4 days, on this year's beloved TREK.

It's very apparent who is NOT excited to go.

I'm really trying not to laugh! - Oops. It didn't work :)

And I'm thinking this might be close to the ultimate teenage humiliation. BwaHaHaHaHaHa!



Ok. I'm good now. No more laughing...

Here's the 'family' the girls were assigned too:

Thunderstorms

I LOVE thunderstorms! Those are the days I wanna just snuggle up under a blanket on the couch & watch out my window... This is what it looked like yesterday:

Right above our house...


To the east...


To the north...

I Love Dresses :)

Wasn't a fan of them when I was young. But I kinda like them now. A lot. In fact, since February, I think I've gotten 6 new dresses & 2 skirts. Weird, cuz that's more than I usually buy in 5 years!

Ok, so I'm in a dress mood today. I was looking at 'em online, & I found these: (who cares? probably no one... but I'm posting it anyway)


This one only came in gray a while back. Now it's in this raspberry color & black. Mmmmmm! Might have to add that one to my closet. Which color? Maybe both!

*****

LOVE black dresses. Thought this one was kinda cute.

*****

And this one... Loooooove it!
I actually tried it on, and oh my gosh. It's so pretty. Ask Jessica. It was awesome! I just might get it... when it goes on sale?