A Mix

Ireland. I'd wanted to see it for years.  My husband surprised me on my 50th birthday with a ten day trip to Ireland.  He's Irish.  He took his dad to northern Ireland to search their roots. He had not been to southern Ireland.  In any case, it's the one place he's been that he would go again and probably again. I would love to go back there. But even if I never go back, I will always have those moments, those views, and that awesome time with my husband (in the year we turned 50 together) in my mind, heart, and soul.

I found this while looking for quotes to use in lesson plans--part of my assignment for my course.

I liked it and think it fits for many of us right now.  I chose the picture from our trip to go with it.  That's me.

The reality that is present to us and is us: call it

Being . . Silence.

And the simple fact that by being attentive,

by learning to listen (or recovering the natural capacity to listen)

we can find ourselves engulfed

in such happiness that it cannot be explained:

the happiness of being at one with everything

in that hidden ground of Love for which there can be no explanations . . .

May we all grow in grace and peace,

and

 not neglect the silence that is printed in the centre of our being.

It will not fail us.

by Thomas Merton

The following is from a devotion by Joyce Meyer that really ministered to me this morning.

I've never thought of peace as an umpire, but she has a point and she got my attention!

Peace is to be an Umpire:

"Peace is our inheritance from Jesus, but we have to choose to follow Him daily.  Colossians 3:15 teaches  that peace is to be the 'umpire' in our lives, settling every issue that needs a decision. To gain and maintain peace in our hearts, we may have to learn to say no to a few things.

For example, if we don't feel peace about something, we should never go ahead and do it. . .  

The presence of peace helps us decide and settle with finality all questions that arise in our minds.

If you let the Word have its home in your heart and mind, it will give you insight and intelligence and wisdom."

From NEW DAY, NEW YOU! 365 DEVOTIONS FOR ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE

  And let the peace  from Christ rule in your hearts to which as one body you were also called

Colossians 3: 15:--Amplified Version