Blessed by a Peacemaker

BLESSED by a PEACEMAKER

It happened again today. A workman finished his work and sat down on our deck. “You have a great view,” he said. 

Every time I hear those words, I think of dad.

Over fifty years ago, dad moved our family to the Arizona desert. Back then you could get to the outskirts of Phoenix pretty quickly and dad loved doing breakfast in the desert. He’d pack us all in the car, along with the camp stove and supplies, and create some really fun memories.

The desert was fine, but dad also wanted a cabin in the pines. Knowing there was an affordable option in the Prescott area, he headed north to look around.

In Search of a Dream

Available lots were around the edge of a private campground and retreat center. The property was hilly and filled with huge boulders, but he picked a corner lot where two rough roads intersected.

The summer cabin he built was small, like all the others. I always thought the lot we enjoyed had been his first choice. But when I became his fulltime caregiver, I got the rest of the story.

One day I was remarking on the view when Dad said, “I really wanted a lot down closer to the center of the camp.” I said, “I never knew that.” He said, “I picked it out and thought it was settled, but then someone insisted they had picked it first.” I was intrigued at this new information.

“What did you do?” I asked.

“I explored lots farther away from the camp center. Not many people wanted to drive up the hills and build over boulders and gullies.” That explained our cabin, built over major boulders with a good view because of a gully.

Good Choice, Dad

I said, “I’m glad you let someone have their first choice down below. Nothing could be better than this view. But which lot was your first choice? Who got it?”

When he declined to say, I was rather disappointed. But then I thought I don’t need to know. All I need to do is enjoy the view. He kept his peacemaking decision private right to the grave.

The New Living Translation says, “God blesses those who work for peace . . ." (Matthew 5:9). During twenty-five years of ministry in Phoenix, dad and mom enjoyed lots of vacations and short trips to the cabin. Later it became their retirement home.

When my husband and I purchased the cabin as a vacation home, we agreed the folks could always live there. After mom and dad passed away, we decided to make it our retirement home.

Peace Just Keeps On Giving 

Dad was blessed for being a peacemaker, but his descendants were blessed, too. Isn’t that how life is? The decisions we make for good or bad affect not only us, but those around us now, and those yet to come.

Because I was blessed by a peacemaker, I’m often reminded to be one.

Thank God for Overs

THANK GOD for OVERS

Blogging is a rather new thing for me. About six years ago I started writing inspirational stories. I set a goal of five-hundred words or less, but I didn’t know how I would share them.

Cost was a factor, so my husband encouraged me to start sharing with my email contacts. That satisfied me for a few years, but I wanted to do more.

I had a couple of deep desires: (1) self-publish my stories, and (2) have a web site. Both were fulfilled in the same year.

My older brother and his wife funded the publishing of my book: REFLECTIONS: Inspirational Stories from Everyday Life with BookLocker.com. At the same time, I created a website under the domain name of Author Darlis Sailors.

New Opportunities

This past year a friend told me about BlogSpot.com. Her encouraging articles appear under Fresh Start Momentum.  My youngest brother, a professional writer, suggested I call my blog New Day by Darlis. I loved that idea because I look forward to a fresh start each day.

I look at it this way. Why get stuck in yesterday? Maybe it didn’t go well, but you don’t have to stay in the past---even one day past. Give yourself a new start. God does.

A Source of Hope

One of my favorite scriptures is Lamentations 3:22-23. Since life can only be lived one day at a time, I see it as a source of hope. See if this encourages you, too:  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

I love the idea of a fresh start. Instead of regrets or self-condemnation, I make it a point to thank God each morning for His new mercies and a chance for “overs.” I don’t know about you, but my days are not generally perfect and I’m not either. A second chance on some things is very much appreciated.

Hope for the Ancients

If you know much about the life of the Apostle Paul, he suffered many hardships as he shared the good news of Jesus Christ. But he must have counted on God’s new mercies each day, too. He wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Read to the end of that chapter and you’ll see why his faith was strong. He focused not on the seen, but the unseen. Think about it. Things we see are temporary, but the unseen is eternal.

Hope for Us Moderns

In the realm of the unseen, faith and hope are powerful energizers. When life gets tough, faith and hope help us persevere. But there’s nothing automatic about them.

The key is to deliberately apply them to your life. As you wake up each morning, let God know you’re grateful for a new day and you’re counting on His fresh mercies. Thank God for “overs.”