Daily Devotional

One year during the holiday season, my mother introduced my sister and me to one of my favorite Christmas movies, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We giggled and joked about all the crazy things the Herdman children said and did! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was the opposite of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All.

After Jeff and I were married, we lived in Edmond in a house I had lived in since 2004. We remodeled the house, installing new carpet and tile and re-painting all the walls. We tore out the kitchen and installed beautiful cabinets with glass windows. I had my dream of two ovens, which made cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas for many people much easier.

Students across the great state of Oklahoma are involved in sports of all kinds. Each year, students compete in football, basketball, softball, baseball, track, cross-country, volleyball, wrestling, soccer, tennis, dance, cheer, swimming, golf, and more. Sports allow students to develop the discipline needed to compete at a high level. Through athletic activities, students learn positive practices that will help them succeed for many years. Sports provide an opportunity for growth. Athletics can change a kid’s life.

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” – Luke 1:31-33

Peace is a multi-faceted word. It can have a plethora of meanings to different people. Let’s consider imagery associated with the word peace for a moment. I am a visual learner and tend to think about things in images or pictures. When you hear the word peace, what do you envision? You may see a peace sign. It could be a pointer and middle finger held up with the other fingers tucked away by a thumb, or maybe you thought of a circle with a line down the middle and two diagonal lines branching off the center line to the sides of the circle. Did you see a white dove carrying a piece of an olive branch when you read the word peace? Some people imagine God cradling planet Earth with His protective hands.

When I was little, one of my favorite holiday traditions was driving around with my family to see the Christmas lights in our neighborhood in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I was in awe of the amazing decorations and the lights on the roofline of the houses. My mom always said the solid colors, all blue or all white, were the most beautiful, but I really liked the ones that were multicolored – to me, that seemed fancy and perfect. We would enjoy spending time taking in all the joy and peace of the season represented in these simple lights and decorations shining in the darkness.

When I think of the word “peace,” there are many images that come to mind: flowing streams, the cool breeze on my face, sitting on our patio listening to the birds chirping, the sounds of the fountain, and children laughing and playing on the playground at the school not too far from where we live. I think of holy moments shared with friends when our shared conversations center on the places and experiences where we have experienced God at work. I think of quiet moments when holding a newborn baby and the joy I see in his or her parent’s eyes.

During the holiday season, millions of Americans (115.2 million cited by AAA, to be exact) will travel from home to visit loved ones and celebrate together. In theory, this sounds like fun, even potentially joyous, but when your last name is ‘Griswold’, traveling tends to come with some interesting baggage. Yes, my maiden name is Griswold, as in the famous National Lampoon film: Christmas Vacation, or in my family, we called it “The Griswold Family Christmas.” In the film, Clark Griswold and his family experienced all of the hysterical ups and downs of visiting family members, an extremely large Christmas tree, and a house so adorned with Christmas lights that it caused a power surge that created a city-wide blackout.

When people arrive at Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO) looking for help, they often come in the most vulnerable of conditions: unemployed, homeless, and usually, they have experienced great tragedies in life. Whether it’s a young teen aging out of the foster care system or a single mother wanting to provide a better life for her children, NSO is there to help. The team at NSO understands the peace that comes with stability and the light of hope that arrives through a loving neighbor willing to help.

When I was 11 years old, my parents allowed me to go on a short excursion with friends. Alongside me in the backseat were my best friend and her younger brother. In the front seat were her sister, who was the teenage driver, and two of her friends. We were traveling at 55 miles per hour when we crashed into the back of a vehicle that was stalled on the highway. Our vehicle wasn’t equipped with seatbelts. (Yes, I know I’m old.)