Reflections on my 2013 Goals- Peace

It's the time of year, to look back over the entire year of 2013. My personal New Years goal was to be more peaceful. I wrote about it here if you want to peek.

Being peaceful on purpose came at just the right time. I was not liking the panicky and stressed part of Sabrina. And I did not want those things to become cemented in my character. I was afraid they already had. Anyway, with growth in peace comes growth in the tests. Ask for something, and then see how life will make you use it. But overall I was blessed to be much more peaceful this year, and I want to carry that on for as long as I live.

This year has been full. And I was able to bring peace with me as I worked and played and worshiped. And I tell you this, it is a much better quality of life that I am enjoying now! There is no need at all for me to stress myself to death about things. Everything will be as it was meant to be. There is no need to believe that I need to be the boss or head person in charge all of the time. I purposefully stepped back and did not volunteer for everything. And guess what? Everything got done.

So much of this goal of peace was internal work. The things that each person has to do for themselves, at just the right time. And I was past due for these lessons. Here are just a few things that I learned.

1. People just won't do right sometimes. And I can't make them, so I just acknowledge it and keep on going with the small set of things that I can control.

2. There is a Biblical principle, that God makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust. It is found in Matthew Chapter 5.
 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[a] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Yep! And the more I remembered that, the more peace I was able to find. And because I am growing in wisdom and faith, when the rain fell on me I accepted it, and when it fell on others I accepted it. And I remembered what I tell my kiddies everyday. Life is not fair, but that does not mean that we stop trying.

3. People are desperate for peace, and while you can share yours, you can't give it all to them. So, I work with many a crisis situation at my school. It's sad, but it is life in the very poor corner of GA, where my kids live. And my first year I gave until I was empty, and have never been in a worse place emotionally. And I did that to myself! People don't pay attention, and they will ask everything from you. And I saw that to be peaceful, I had to keep some in reserve. I also had to let it grow again, when the meter was low. How did I grow peace? Prayer and positive people, and reading my Bible more.

4. I stopped running myself ragged. I learned to treat Sabrina Maude much better this year:) There is only one unique me, and I had to be good to her again. I let myself rest. I turned off my phone and even ignored some calls until a later time. I walked in nature, during every season. I wrote down questions, and cried some tears. I laughed and became joyous and then shared that with others. I looked at my parents and Melanie, and incorporated lessons of peace. I was a little more silly and appreciative of ridiculous things!

So yeah, now that I look at it. Being peaceful changed my life! 2013, you set me up very nicely for brand new experiences in 2014.