it has been crazy these past two weeks since i came home from england.  london already feels like a life time ago.  i’ve been wanting to share photos and tell you about the trip, but it just hasn’t happened yet (next week!).  crossed an ocean, one of the great lakes, conquered customs and walked in the door to kids with the flu – a very long lasting one – that ushered us into this very harried week.  two starting baseball, 5th grade field trips, award ceremonies and a day that started with an unexpected and necessary trip to the doctor for one, and ended with a trip to the ER for another (everyone is ok, thank god!).  mix in regular responsibilities, working on the website update / launch and bad headaches (sinus headache suggestions anyone?) and, well, i’m ready for a weekend or two or three.

they say when it rains it pours.  i’ve found that to be true….not all the time, but occasionally.  i’m not for expecting monsoons at the sight of a drop, but sometimes a drop turns to rain and so on.  if i’m honest, i’m usually one that freaks out when it rains this kind of water.  sometimes, admittedly, even when it just sprinkles.

flash back a few weeks, before the pour, and i was packed and prepared.

it has been crazy these past two weeks since i came home from england. london already feels like a life time ago. i’ve been wanting to share photos and tell you about the trip, but it just hasn’t happened yet (next week!). crossed an ocean, one of the great lakes, conquered customs and walked in the door to kids with the flu – a very long lasting one – that ushered us into this very harried week. two starting baseball, 5th grade field trips, award ceremonies and a day that started with an unexpected and necessary trip to the doctor for one, and ended with a trip to the ER for another (everyone is ok, thank god!). mix in regular responsibilities, working on the website update / launch and bad headaches (sinus headache suggestions anyone?) and, well, i’m ready for a weekend or two or three.

they say when it rains it pours. i’ve found that to be true….not all the time, but occasionally. i’m not for expecting monsoons at the sight of a drop, but sometimes a drop turns to rain and so on. if i’m honest, i’m usually one that freaks out when it rains this kind of water. sometimes, admittedly, even when it just sprinkles.

flash back a few weeks, before the pour, and i was packed and prepared.

prepared to travel (surprisingly with a small suitcase for crossing the sea) and prepared for peace.  so much so that i was wearing the word.  adorning my wrist with a bracelet that i had inscribed with it.  i passed on the word peace and went straight for shalom.  because shalom takes peace to a whole other level.

S H A L O M :

“completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord”

i wasn’t sure how it would come, but i was expecting it.  i found a piece of peace in england.  a sliver of shalom. it started on my way when i was ready to walk out the door and the airline called saying my flight was cancelled, re-booked and re-routed.  i was supposed to fly with my friend and had to go it alone.  i started to panic and looked to peace.  i relinquished to rest.  shalom.

a million little wondrous ways led the entire way.  shalom.

and, then i came home.

rain. pour.  and, then monsoon a bit more.

and, i’m sitting here, thinking about the preparing and the pour (between the pound of my head) and wondering about the peace and it’s place.  skipping or, maybe, skimping on shalom.

when i find a few moments of quiet, i’m reminded that  – –  it’s calm in the chaos.  peace in the storm.  rest in the wrestle.  it does’t mean hard times won’t come or that struggles won’t surround.  they will.  they do.  but it is shalom that keeps you as you go through.

i’m there…”in the” chaos and being kept.  i’m trying  one day at a time.  preparing for peace.   letting go and letting shalom.