Peace That Surpasses Meltdowns

Hi. My name is Melanie. I write here. Sometimes.

And since the last sometimes was April, thought I should re-introduce myself.

Ok, now that we have done that…here we go again.

We spent yesterday at Ohiopyle State Park. Surrounded by the beauty of rushing water and scenic views made for hiking, it was the kind of place that invites peace.

This red chair, so appealing against the old white clapboard building, was calling my name. The type of spot I could sit for hours, reflecting, noticing and resting. An idyllic spot for such a thing, a setting that one easily imagines as peaceful.  Except this was also going on.

A tired four year old whose displeasure could be heard a few blocks away. Who fell and scrapped her knee and wants you to take care of it, but not to touch it. Who wants her ice cream now, not when her brother and dad return from their hike. Who is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad moment and wants very much to move to Australia.

To onlookers, not a very peaceful situation. And yet, it was. Peace that enveloped and protected. Peace that made a bright red chair a sanctuary among the chaos.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

Peace that surpasses all understanding. Peace that surpasses the energy of a meltdown.

And He guards my mind by not letting lies in. Lies that whisper ‘you are not a good mom’. Lies that make me worry about what other people are thinking. Instead he holds my mind on truth. And peace floods in.

And He guards my heart with remembrance. Remembering his love for me. Allowing my heart to fill with that love. Allowing that love to overflow to a napless little girl. And peace floods in.

I know the opening for this moment comes in a myriad of ways. The endless times I have clung to his word as a lifeline. Those Scriptures have marked my soul and they rise up speaking truth to me when I most need it. The number of mornings I have prayed words that go something like “Help me be a calm parent today. Holy Spirit I yield to you. Fill me up with you, that the fruit of the Spirit may be evident in me.”

But I am like the farmer, preparing the crop. He works and he waits. For unless the sun and rain come, nothing will grow.

And so I do my part. I prepare, I open my heart to receive. And I wait for what only he can do.

Grace.

I don’t know why it often catches me off guard. The amount of grace He offers. I sometimes think there is a limited supply. As if he, at my birth, said “Here is the amount of grace Melanie will have for her life.” But oh no. It is high and long and deep. It is always.

It is not just for the big moments. Even more so, it is for the small daily, washing one more dish, preparing one more meal kinds of moments. It is grace in meltdowns and waterfalls and every moment in between.

“The saint burns grace like a 747 burns fuel on takeoff.” (Dallas Willard)

My once upon a time aeronautical engineer husband tells me that an airplane burns 25% of its fuel at takeoff on a typical flight. (Make note of this. It might be the only time you find such information on this blog.) I have often thought of this Willard quote and how grace is not exclusively about forgiveness of sins. It is for this daily faith journey. The more we live into the Kingdom of God, the more our life is run off of his grace. The more we depend on his grace enveloping and permeating our daily life, the more of his love we let in . The more we “know and rely on God’s love for us” (I John), the more our life is operated from this place of amazing grace.

Amazing grace that is not just for the times of deepest despair.

Amazing grace that is for this day, this moment.

Amazing grace that covers skinned knees and waiting for ice cream.

Amazing grace that covers a mama’s heart and wonderings of the right course of action.

Amazing grace that allows me, allows you to experience the peace of God. The peace that surpasses what the world throws our way. The peace that guards our hearts and our minds and makes a red chair next to a white building more than enough for today.

Linking with Still Saturday and Purposeful Faith