Peacemakers

Today is Owen's fourth birthday, and while we have always allowed our children to choose whatever kind of cake they'd like, I don't think I will ever quite recover from the fact the Owen insisted on Popsicles instead of cake. It's a tragedy of epic proportion for my tradition loving heart, that shows its love in greasing cake pans and homemade frosting. Sigh.

He is happy though, and I suppose that's what really matters.

I am very grateful for four years with this precious little boy. He has such a sunshiny personality. This summer, he was out in the sun a lot as we took the children swimming regularly. He got these teeny tiny little freckles right across the bridge of his cute little nose. I adore those freckles. I've told Owen that angels painted them on while he slept. He seemed to like that idea. And you know what? I'm not even all that convinced it isn't true.

Whatever good thing he has chosen for his special dinner, I will be eating chicken soup. This crud I have seems to be settling down into my chest and the cough is not letting up much. I stayed in bed all day, under my electric blanket, grateful not to have anything I needed to do. I just read and listened and thought all day.

I've been thinking specifically about the Beatitudes, where Jesus tells us blessed are the peacemakers...

We discussed this in our Bible study a couple of weeks ago, and last week as well.  One of the things my mister pointed out after studying the passage was that Jesus was not speaking of worldly peace, not simply lack of conflict. He was talking about peace that comes from being right with God. So to be a peacemaker is to be one who brings his or her fellow man back into right relationship with God.

I've been applying this to my parenting. Bringing my children back to God relieves me of the feelings of frustration and failure when they don't immediately comply. I can leave it with Him, and trust.

Today, I tried to apply it to a conflict two of my friends are experiencing. I'll admit it, I am partial to
one of them. But I attempted to point both of them, separately, back to Jesus. Because I can't solve their problems, but He can. Only He can. He sees into our hearts and He is able to heal and restore and even transform them, messy and complicated as they may be. And it is my prayer that He does so.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.