Daily Devotional

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.)

The Advent season is a time to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus and what it means to our lives. That is why I am intentional during the Advent season to begin each day with devotional time in front of our Nativity scene. I read the Bible, then the daily Advent devotional, and then spend a few minutes just looking at the Nativity before taking time to close in prayer. Including the Nativity scene in my devotional time always helps me center in on what is most important.

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.

I often take a few days off just before Thanksgiving. I spend some of that time decorating the outside of the house and putting up our Christmas lights. I love to hang the lights on the house, wrap them around our trees, and set out the decorations we have accumulated over the years. Somehow, in the middle of winter, with brown grass and leafless trees, our house seems more alive than any other time of the year.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.