Written by Beth Jordahl
For December, all of our Twirl classes are talking about peace through the verse: Proverbs 3:5:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart."
What do you think of when you hear the word PEACE?
A quiet house? Being certain of something? A feeling that settles over your heart and soul?
“Peace” in the Bible is a little bit different than you may expect. In Hebrew, it is Shalom and in Greek, it is Eirene. These words usually refer to a wide range of ideas including totality or completeness, success, fulfillment, wholeness, harmony, security and well being.
These are all things that we want and hope for. We all want to be complete, have success and a sense of security. The year 2020 has seemed to combat all of these ideas. The year has flown by, and now it’s Christmastime!
Which may not seem like a peaceful time! There are gifts to buy and wrap, activities to participate in at school, time with family, school projects, and more to coordinate. But there is something so magical about this time of year in the eyes of a child! To them the Christmas vacation, extra family time, and anticipation create a memorable atmosphere. In fact, some of these memories will become ones they dwell on for their whole lives.
Television and movies lead us to focus on gifts or parties or making this season as big as possible. Yet as Christians, this is the time of year where we focus on the birth of Jesus. We call this season Advent. (Advent marks the four weeks leading up to Christmas.)
Advent means “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.” It is a season marked by waiting and anticipation, preparation for our Savior to come to earth. A reminder of how the world is still waiting for Jesus to return.
It is essentially, a time of peace!
It makes me think of that song, Silent Night:
“Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
I don’t think that the night when Jesus was born was actually silent. There was probably a lot of noise! Yet, I think at some point, there was a hush. Jesus slept, the animals were still, and Mary and Joseph probably felt the peace of God all around them. They probably sensed fulfillment, wholeness, and security.
In this month, we want to encourage you all to create moments of true peace for your family! Here are some ideas:
Worship
Play one of your families’ favorite worship songs. Ask your kiddos to dance along or sit and listen. Then afterwards, ask them what the song makes them think or feel.
Pray
Pick one night a week or more to specifically ask your child for their prayer requests. Be prepared! They might sound silly to you, but to them they could be very important. Then take time to pray as a family, thanking God for this season and all that He has provided.
Draw
Ask your child what makes them feel at peace. You might have to prompt or encourage them to help them identify this feeling. But as you share what makes you feel at peace, they will recognize that feeling themselves. Ask them to draw the feeling of peace, or what makes them feel at peace. You can even create a family peace list, full of things that help all of you feel at peace.
Get into Nature
Nature can be a very peaceful place! So try to take some time to get outside, weather permitting. Go for a walk, or hike. Maybe even take a picnic or a snack. Find a beautiful view. Admire it with your kids. Help them see the beautiful things around them.
Remember
Take some time to memorize this month’s verse! Maybe say it out loud at meals or before bed. Ask your kids what it means to trust God. And talk about how trust and faith can bring peace.
May your holidays be merry and bright! And may this season bring a sense of peace amidst the uncertainty and difficulty that seems to have disrupted our year.