As I scurried around the house yesterday, I raced the clock to pick everything up.  Have you ever reached a point when life must stop for a moment and reset?  That was my moment.  I couldn’t take the clutter anymore.  So I began trying to handle every detail in life (as if it were possible to have every detail completely tied up at one time!) and went room to room picking up the house, making it once again look like a home.

Once finished, I walked back into our family room and beheld a surprising sight…the Christmas peace pillow!

Instantly, I began to chuckle to myself.  There I was, frantically picking up stuff, checking email, checking voicemail, checking the food simmering on the stove, making appointments, picking up an ornament that fell off the Christmas tree, reminding myself of the gifts I need to wrap and mail – busy, busy, busy.

Of all the Christmas decor, it was the peace pillow that was turned upside down.

What an ah-ha! moment that God orchestrated.  As I stared at the pillow, haphazardly tossed upside down by any member of my family, God asked me, So, how’s your peace doing?

He reminded me in this nano-moment that a clutter-free home doesn’t offer guaranteed peace.  Neither does a made bed, clean dishes, empty inbox, zero voicemail messages, a full tank of gas, dinner waiting, children on time to school, or a good hair day.

All of those things are great and help lighten our load.  But all of those things can change. They depend on us to continuously oversee, tend, work and re-work their condtion.

As I picked up the pillow and set it in its rightful position, I took a deep breath, relaxed my tense shoulders and replied, Better now, thanks.

We can have a perfect-looking life on the outside, but be void of peace and joy and love on the inside.  Peace, true peace, comes from the heart because it is a gift from Jesus.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~ John  14:27

Jesus gave us a present!  Have you unwrapped your gift of peace?  Even when our life is messy, frazzled, unkempt or unorganized, we can still enjoy peace this Christmas season – and always.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  He came to bring peace on earth.  He left us perfect peace as a tether to Himself and our citizenship in heaven.

We’re all trying hard this season to be all to all.  In the process, don’t let the peace that Jesus gave you get tossed upside down when life gets deshelved.

In the words of Jude 2, may mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance today, and every day, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Christ.

Peace out! 🙂