“Those who offer peace to everyone have found a home in Heaven the world cannot destroy. For it is large enough to hold the world within its peace.” ~ ACIM Text-25. IV. 4:9-10
Happy Sunday! Feeling good today!
In this morning’s sermon Joel spoke about keeping strife out of our relationships. I pretty much had my head nodding through his sermon as I was in agreement with all he was saying. He spoke about staying peaceful and how it is more rewarding than arguing just to prove (in your own mind) that you are right.
Joel said to be peaceful and God with take care of any issues – Amen to that!
Joel said those who argue to be right end up on their own alone – so true!
And, he said that scripture says that those who join together reap 10 times the harvest. I have seen that in my life as well.
I see growth and well-being thriving in my household from the peace of the relationship Peter and I have grown into.
I, most of the time, choose peace over being right. But Joel got me on something; he mentioned that in our minds we like to say things will be better when the other changes. I do this too.
Yes, I have learned much these last few years that have brought the love I desired into my life. I desire more … I want to be more.
I realized from Joel’s point that in my relationships, while my awareness sees I have grown from my past reactionary self, I focus on how the other person needs to grow to catch up. I have stopped asking ‘how can I change to improve this relationship?’
I want to keep evolving.
My ego instead says, ‘how can I relate to others if I get so above them – don’t they have work to do on themselves?’
IT IS NOT MY BUSINESS!!!
Yes, I have a wonderful relationship with my husband. I changed and things improved. BUT, I have noticed during my recent weeks of stress that he has been the calming force when I have fallen into fearful, worrisome, and reactive behavior.
If I have grown and evolved, Peter has too. And, I can take no credit for that.
LIFE did it!
All things grow naturally in a nurturing environment of Love!

The rose reaches its beautiful blossoming state by the potential put in it by the Creator and the experiencing of Life.
I recall being a little girl, the home I grew up in had red rose bushes that grew along the posts of the front porch. Each year the bushes would extend up to reach the roof of the porch before the branches became filled with red roses. One day I picked an unopened bud and pulled back the green leave-like covering of the bud. These tore irregularly, not along the neat seams I saw on the closed bud. I had to peel away the green to get to the red petals below. The petals were just a tight layered mass that was impossible to individually pull back.
I think in my early technical mind I expected that the rose structure would be able to be hinged open mechanically under my manipulation, perhaps like a stainless steel vegetable basket steamer. I quickly learned that I could not make the rose open but had to instead be patient and let it open on its own.
My involvement just made a mess of it.
The rose has within it to reach the fullness of its potential; to bloom is its enlightenment. Life gives what is necessary to nurture, feed, and support the unfolding. It is the same with each human.
Do I have a role in the evolution of those I love?
Life will provide the nurturing medium. I just need to not poison, poke, pull, tear apart, or interfere in anyway with the natural unfolding.
Make me a channel of your peace. Saint Francis asked this. I have turned to this prayer during the most difficult times of my life. Many times during this blog I have asked to be of service, to heal, or to channel; this is my wanting what other mystics have and wondering what gifts I may have to offer.
… a channel of peace.
Wouldn’t this be great! To aid others in just clearing away the disturbances to just allow! To allow Life to provide what is needed for the blooming of each person’s individual beauty.
AMEN!
Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; 
to be understood as to understand; 
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; 
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.