Blog for December 8th, 2025
Peace
As I said last week, when advent begins, each week is a different focus, last week was hope, this week is peace. Today is day 8 on the advent calendar, and my favorite verse regarding peace is the verse that says: “and the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:7 I love that verse. What great unimaginable peace that is?
As I have traveled this road of recovery, I have made peace to be a constant goal, an achievement to seek after. I truly wonder if I will ever know peace at its fullest, 100 %. I can certainly tell you that by staying clean, having faith and working a program that I have found peace and even a calm in situations that would have been impossible for me before I got clean. Everything seemed like a tremendous battle to overcome. Making mountains out of molehills was indeed a favorite past time. Aka- a term I coined in my recovery, “Okie fatalism”.
Okie fatalism is that mindset that was instilled in me by my mother and family, you know, the ones from Oklahoma. Which is pretty much about drama trauma. Making bad matters worse or spinning and twirling over matters that I see now can be easily handled. Thank God for those twelve steps. Because I have learned to take a beat and a deep breath, say a prayer (even the Serenity Prayer works on the spot) and just calm down and wait to see what’s really going on. Wait and pray over whatever has me concerned.
That’s why I say, I’ll never have 100 % peace, because there are situations that cause me to be concerned and draw my attention into worry. Maybe not for long, or not as deeply as before, but the fact that my neighbors got kicked out and have nowhere to go troubles me. I am praying hard for them.
There’s also health, family, friends, finances, travel problems, service commitments, plumbing breaks and millions of other things that go wrong with the house, cars and world. I try to handle the issues as they come, stay calm and just deal with them. I have responsibilities these days and do my best to fulfill them and stay on top of things. Those are things that are somewhat within my control. As well as my attitude. The staying calm part is a choice and so is prayer.
Yet, those are things that can mess with my serenity, my heart, mind and spirit. But they are also things that bring me peace. Having my home all tidy and in working order brings me great peace. Getting along well with my husband and children, grandchildren and family also brings me great peace. Doing service work and helping others does too. Keeping our vehicles in working order brings peace too. My husband feeling well and being in good health really brings me peace. When I am well and healthy (as much as possible at my age) I have peace. When my family healthy is well, it brings me peace. Watching my children live happy, fruitful lives and enjoying themselves brings me a lot of joy and peace.
But the greatest peace of all, is with my God. When I am resolved and feeling like I’m in good standing with my Higher Power, I am most certainly at peace. And there is nothing like it in the whole world. Money cannot buy it, conning, bribing, stealing, dealing or bargaining cannot bring me that kind of peace. Only the Lord and being in His loving care and guidance. Best feeling in the whole world. 😊 Everything can come crashing down, but if I have my faith, my relationship with God and I’m right with Him, I know, even in the eye of the storm, that I will be just fine. What a glorious, precious and priceless gift that is.
Question of the Week: Do you have peace?
