Peace on Earth

What a wonderful Sunday this has turned out to be!! A little after 8:00 this morning, I looked out and noticed snowflakes!! I grabbed sweet Lijah who has been praying for snow since summer and showed him what the cold north wind was carrying to us! Then, I grabbed my cell phone to text Deana B and tell her, but before I could push send, she sent me a text announcing the winter weather!! The boys got dressed and ready for church then headed out the backdoor to play for a few minutes!

They were so pleased!!!!!

When they came inside to get warm, we celebrated with marshmallows and Candy Cane flavored Oreos.

I have fallen in love with Candy Cane Oreos!! I went for a mid week trip last week to Wal-Mart to pick up a few necessities and came home with three bags of Candy Cane Oreos!!! Erik asked if I got milk. I said that I didn't know we needed milk. He walked to the fridge to show me that we had less than half of a half gallon. Then, he said, "You mean to tell me that you went to Wal-Mart and came home with 3 things of Candy Cane Oreos, but you forgot to buy milk???" Oops. Guilty. . . and happily so!! :-)

Now here I sit, curled up in a very quiet house ~ husband and two littles napping, big boys playing at a friend's home. I am watching snowflakes blow about in my backyard and sipping cider!! The hardest thing about this afternoon was deciding what hot drink I wanted to sip ~ coffee, cider, or hot chocolate!!! We've yet to hit 30 degrees today and the wind is bitter!! I'm so happy. I hit Erik up again this morning to move me a little farther north ~ Kentucky or North Carolina, but he ignored my request. Oh, well! I'll take what I can get!!! I'm soaking it in today!!!

My heart is heavy for a family here in our little town. Word got out last week that a little cancer survivor who was at Joshua's elementary school last year has been diagnosed once again. This is her third time, and the tumor is near her brain. As we sang I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day this morning at church I couldn't help but tear up as I thought of her ~ little girl with such a big diagnosis.

"And in despair I bowed my head: 'There is no peace on earth' I said, 'For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men.'"

"And, mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men!" How true in our world today! But, I love the next verse's answer to the previous verse's despair! It replies,

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.'"

I nearly shouted the part in bold above as I sang this morning. I, somehow, wanted the world to hear it!!

And, so I have been thinking. . . is there peace on earth, can it be? Or, is it impossible? Maybe we will never truly have peace on earth as a whole, but individually I do believe we can have peace. This world will be full of trials and hard times, but our Prince of Peace says, "Take heart, for I have overcome the world." I am praying his sweet peace over this little girl and her family right now.

I am planning a week of peace for my little ones this week. I am refusing worry. We will work slowly and peacefully and enjoy the moment, each and every one of them!! We will do happy Christmas things as well as our basic studies ~ focusing primarily on math and grammar/phonics. I am looking forward to a more laid back week. Excelsior ended for the semester with a Christmas party last week. The kids were studying Tchaikovsky, so they got to watch a version of the Nutcracker and eat yummy Christmas goodies. They had a fun day. We also did the Christmas party thing at church last week, so now things seem to be a bit more calm! I am looking forward to sticking close to home and enjoying time with my little men!! The first of this week will be very cold, and so I am having visions of coffee cups, board games, puzzles, and lots of books!! This is pure peace to me!