Blessed are the Peacemakers

Mathew : 5 9  tells us

 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

But how can we achieve this goal if people around us refuse to let us. Do we just capitulate and go with the crowd instead of standing up for our beliefs to keep the peace?

Years ago when my family and I moved to Southern California, we went innocently to church expecting the warm loving acceptance we enjoyed in the congregations we had left. We were disappointed. My daughter asked one child after another at the playground if they would like to be friends. Their answer?..”No we already have friends.” I decided that every person who moved into the congregation after we did were going to find friends in us, and we worked hard at it.

It is the political season now.  And again you can just feel the hate being thrown around by the candidates and the public in general. The candidates who are taking the high road and being peacemakers are losing and dropping out leaving us with the hostility to deal with. I feel like this vibrant exciting country is dying a slow death.

This month has been a sad one for us. It feels some days that our neighborhood is in a “them against us” situation. “We paid more so we expect exclusivity! “ ” We need to keep the riff raff out. ! “ “You are rude and argumentative” if you don’t just do what I say without questioning the reason. “Mom he’s looking at me” from our childhood.

I feel like I live around a bunch of six year olds!

What have we always been taught by our mothers?

Love one another

Share

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Don’t be a bully

Stand up for your rights

Always leave your surroundings better than you found them

If you have a problem, pray about it.

Smile, don’t yell

I love to hear the men’s choir singing the hymn 

School Thy Feelings

by Charles W. Penrose, 1832-1925. (c) 1948 IRI

 School thy feelings, O my brother;

Train thy warm, impulsive soul.

Do not its emotions smother,

But let wisdom's voice control.

School thy feelings; there is power

In the cool, collected mind.

Passion shatters reason's tower,

Makes the clearest vision blind.

May you fill your life and the world around youwith peace