The Butterfly & the Bee: A Plan for Peace

Hope's Lesson Plan: Day with Daddy! My Lesson Learned: The plan for peace My Sexy Tree Man came back from a work trip last night, so he graciously took the kids for the morning while I helped to lead a field trip for my alma mater. Upon my return, Hope cozied up to me (I might have bribed her with salami), and I asked her what her favorite part of the morning had been painting. She continued with, "But my painting was ugly. I wanted it to be a butterfly, but it turned in to a bee." Of course, I immediately said, "Honey,sometimes, we have a picture in our mind of how things are going to look, but they turn out differently. But guess what? It's still beautiful." Isn't that how our lives are? I look back 10 years ago to the picture I had in my mind of where I would be today: coaching at an elite level, traveling often, and in fantastic shape. My butterfly. Today's picture is much different: managing 3 little people, endless loads of laundry, but also lots of love. My bee. Different, but still beautiful. After reflecting on this today, the Lord brought Jeremiah 29:11 to mind. " 'For I know the plans I have for you,'declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and hope.'" The words welfare and hope really stuck out to me today. In the original Greek, the word welfare is "shalom." This can be translated to completeness (when referring to numbers), soundness (of body), welfare and peace. My pictures of what my life should look like were not about giving me peace, but what I thought the desires of my heart were at that time. But God's plans are about the peace of my life, and Jesus even gives us his peace in John 14:27. The word hope is "tiqvah" which can also be translated as expectation. God's plans not only gives me peace, but also an expectation for future peace! He knows what I need even when I can't paint that picture in my mind. Thank you Lord for your peace!