Hail in the New Year

One of my goals this year has been to bring more peace into our home. Like most families, we have our fair share of stresses. During my pregnancy, I picked up some bad habits, namely anxiety. So many of the activities I used to enjoy became far too stressful for my frazzled brain and weakened body to handle. I used to be a very outgoing person, the life of the party. I used to enjoy anything that got my blood pumping, whether it be high adventure or intense exercise or wild dance parties. I very much enjoyed having a good time and bringing others along with me.

After I had my daughter, something changed. It was a rough journey getting her here and that journey seemed to have left it's scars. After nearly a year of trying everything I could think of to recover, I decided to take a different approach. I decided to accept the scars and make peace with them. I decided to embrace these new changes and find a way to use them for good.

In my journey to find peace, I learned some very important lessons that I'd like to share with each of you. Here's some food for thought as you begin your new year...

1. Change, although difficult, does not destroy. Embracing who I have become did not destroy the girl I was. She is a part of me. She brought me to where I am today. She gave me my closest friends. She built memories with my family. She introduced me to my husband. She did not go away, she just changed into the me that's here today.
2. Peace must be sought. In a world made of chaos, peace is an unnatural element. It does not exist on it's own. Peace must be sought out and developed. Peace cannot be given, is must be obtained. The one exception to that is He who is Peace can give of Himself. If we ask of Him, we shall be granted the peace we seek.
3. Peace cannot be forced. On the journey to finding peace, there are no shortcuts. Expect that your peace will be as short as your journey. Each must make the journey by choice. We cannot force peace on another, no matter how much we may wish to.
4. The journey to Peace is continuous. Because our world is fueled by chaos, anytime we stop seeking peace, we start to lose it. Think of a river. If there is nothing to feed the river, the flow will stop. There can be a reserve to feed the river during the dry months, but even the largest reserve will one day run dry. Just as a river must be fed continuously, so must our Peace.
5. Peace begins in you. As I tried to bring peace into our home, I learned that is I was conflicted, I could not bring peace. I needed to take time and find peace within before I could share it with my family. If I was upset, our home would be upset. If I was at peace, our home would be at peace.

Now that you've got the what, tune in tomorrow for the how. I would highly recommend bringing peace into your life. The journey is tough at first, but beyond worth it. As we say goodbye to an old year, why not say goodbye to old stresses too?