We can’t deny it, we love to organize! Being intentional about how we set up our home to keep it functional and tidy excites us. Having a good system in place that helps it happen faster and more automatically is even better! 😉 We get a little pumped up for the challenge of things like unloading a Costco haul or getting three kids geared up in snow suits! We realize this all could sound a bit geeky. Actually, it just IS geeky, and we embrace that! It’s who we are and how we live. However! A perfectly orderly home and an organized life is not our end goal. Peace is. At the heart of rhythms is the desire for peace.
Rhythms move us toward unshakeable peace
We are all in the thick of it, right? Busy, survival-mode, loud, chaotic, and whirlwind – all words we often hear to describe life with kids. They’re lovable, and they’re a lot! So let’s get right to the heart of the matter ~ Life rhythms are important because they help move us toward peace. We understand peace to be a deep, unshakeable, internal knowing and believing that we are safe, secure, and supported.
True peace is experienced in spite of what is happening on the outside. Fear and anxiety are prevalent in our communities at younger and younger years. This is devastating, and we are determined to do everything we can to help ourselves, our kids, and our communities build lives on a foundation of peace. Leaning into rhythms in our home is one of the ways we can do this. Rhythms have been able to reduce chaos and pressure in our home and bring more calm and peace.
The desire for peace does not mean that we hope for easy lives for our children, or even for protection from pain. They are going to fail, people are going to let them down (including us), and life is going to hurt. When we look at their innocent, bright-eyed, soft and squishy faces, we really don’t want it to be true, but we know it is. We believe, however, that there are two things we can do to help them grow up into resilient people of deep, unshakable peace!
We desire peace – God is the source
- The stories are endless of people who “have it all” and are empty inside. So the source of peace must be something deeper and more fundamental than what we find in the world itself – Connecting with its creator is the most essential way we can become resilient people of deep, unshakeable peace. Jesus is peace. In Isaiah 9:6 He is called the Prince of Peace. Peace isn’t a circumstance, a mindset, or even a choice. We all know that sheer will power is not enough to overcome the fear and anxiety that can seep into the crevices of our hearts and minds. Peace, the kind that transcends understanding, is a gift that comes from a source greater than us, the kind we can only receive from Jesus.
- Psalm 29:11 God makes His people strong. God gives His people PEACE.
- Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect PEACE whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of PEACE himself give you PEACE at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
- John 16:33 I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at PEACE.
Rhythms are one way for us to pursue the peace we desire
2. Isn’t it compelling how many times Jesus, when in the midst of performing a miracle or teaching a crowd, directs people to DO something?! (eg. fill wine barrels, go to a pool, present yourself to someone, wash in a river, get UP, follow Me!) In our family, we have found rhythms are one way we can respond to Christ’s call to action. They are a tangible way we can create a home where our kids feel safe, secure, and supported.
We believe we can equip and inspire our families with skills that empower them to navigate the challenges they will face. For our little ones, life is overall pretty simple right now. Some days their biggest hurdle to overcome is brushing their teeth when they just really, really don’t want to. How quickly basic, daily tasks can turn into catastrophes! 🤪 While having patience during these irrational meltdowns can be very trying, we remember that their emotions are ‘normal,’ even healthy. It’s actually detrimental if we teach our kids to avoid or suppress disappointment, pain, and frustration. Instead, let’s help them move through these moments and emotions in a way that doesn’t shake them to their core. We can validate their feelings, comfort their hearts and dry their eyes. Then, guide them through a process, a rhythm, to help them find their place of calm again.
Encouragement
The source of peace beyond understanding is available to us – Have you connected with Him about what’s happening in your life today?
What event is happening tomorrow where you expect to “feel the pressure” – And what plan can you make now to approach it most peacefully?
Brianna and Ben
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