Lessons From An 8 Year Old

So there we were enjoying our time together and all of the sudden the door bell rings. My 8 year old son and I were playing a little xbox and one of his friends came to the door. He threw his jacket on, slipped his boots on, looks at me and says; "Peace Dad, I'm Out!" And out the door he went. PEACE! WHAT!

It's Christmas. A holiday season known for "Peace On Earth." But for some reason here are the words I hear around this holiday season; Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Discouragement, Stress, Depression, and Drama. Where is the Peace? Here is one simple thought I want to give you with our short time together.

Peace Is Not The Absence Of Crisis. It Is The Presence Of Christ. We will never find true lasting, deep abiding peace, by trying to create a perfect little world without Crisis. Crisis is apart of life, but Christ gives life. Here is an awesome verse from the bible that I hope encourages you during this Christmas season - John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Hope Is A Funny Feeling

Hope is a funny feeling isn't. The word has 4 letters, yet the feeling has immense power. A recent situation compelled me to write a little about hope. 2010 has been a tough year for a ton of people. Think about all the struggles you've personally heard over this last year? Here are a couple categories that you and I have heard a ton about this last year; Health, Finances, Business, Lack of Faith, Family Issues, Depression, and the list goes on and on. Most of the time, Hope is all we have, and if a person loses hope, what is left? 2011 is right around the corner. If your hope tank is empty, then take the next 3 weeks of this year and begin to fill it. I am praying for you. I don't know many of you, but I am praying that 2011 is an awesome year for you. I pray that your plans succeed, and friendships improve. I am praying that you find the job of your dreams, or the man/woman of your dreams. I am praying that your family is healed, and your relationships are sizzling with passion. I leave you with an old proverb:

As long as we have hope,
we have direction,
the energy to move,
and the map to move by.
We have a hundred alternatives,
a thousand paths and infinity of dreams.
Hopeful, we are halfway to where we want to go;
Hopeless, we are lost forever.