THE PEACE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING

DRAPER’S PAPER ROUTE

THE PEACE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING

by Adam Carroll Draper

If you could go anywhere, where would that be; and would you want to live there?

 Stef and I have been thinking about that a lot.  It’s fun.  We have never been to Dominica, which is an island in the West Indies.  Both of us have always wanted to learn to dive and never have, which is kind of crazy (frustrating and mystifying, frankly).  Anyway, we hear that there is great diving in Dominica.  We can sail and ride horses.  We both love horses.  Apparently, there is great hiking in the mountains there.  I have a feeling that I would love a West Indian sunset (just saying)… and scotch.  Stef and I are all about sunsets (if you could not tell from the pictures I use). 

 I am not sure we would want to live on Dominica, but how would I know?

 We also want to go to Ireland.  My mom’s maiden name is O’Rourke, so it’s my island (like the crazy guy in Braveheart).   Stef has a preternatural draw to Ireland.  It’s like she came from the tuatha de danann.  My grandma, Belva O’Rourke, used to tell me I’d kissed the Blarney Stone.  Have you ever seen the upside-down gyration it takes to do that?  I don’t know.  My family does have the gift of gab.  And me wee ma loves to hear When Irish Eyes are Smiling.  Stef tells me that standing on the Cliffs of Moher will change you.  It must be something like when Legolas heard the crying of the gulls.  That was it for Middle Earth, he was called to the Elven Home from then on.  

 I am sure I would love to live in Ireland, but I am not sure how much the Irish would like me.  My truly Irish friends, the ones born there, dinna seem too impressed with me accent and jokes.  Have you heard the one about the young leprechaun at a convent, searchin’ for a wee leprechaun nun he’d been seein’?  I’ll skip to the punchline.  It was a penguin. 

 I am never going to call soccer football, but I know a couple of rugby songs.  Stef says the Guinness in Dublin can’t be duplicated elsewhere.  Ireland might work.

 There is an amazing draw to be somewhere else, particularly when I am in a storm.  Yet I am also comforted that the Lord’s own peace is within me, like the kingdom.  God is always encountered there.  I can’t be aware in yesterday or tomorrow, only now – this instant.  Yeshua taught us not to worry about tomorrow because there is enough going on today.  Our Dad takes care of birds and flowers, so I know he’s going to take care of me.  He’s got this.  He put me here for a reason.  When that’s done, I get to go home and enjoy him forever. 

Some friends called me after my missive last week, making sure Stef and I are ok.  In a way, we are in a maelstrom, but the reason for writing about it is that we remain contented regardless.  I am writing about it because I hope it helps someone to know that peace happens – even in a storm. AND I write it because it comes out of me, like a bird’s song. There is something reinforcing about it. I know that I cannot possibly be content and at peace without some amazing grace.  At another time in my life, I would have super freaked.  Now, when I hear that accusation of guilt and doom or feel that gut wrenching torture, most of the time something (someone) reminds me it is the enemy.  The amazingly wonderful thing is that he has taught me to listen and remember.  I rebuke the enemy right out loud in the name of Jesus (which can be… interesting if you think about that one).  I remember the sound of Jesus’ voice, singing songs of love and peace and joy over me.  I smile and let him have my life.  It’s his anyway. He has taught me some ways to do this, and last weeks’ missive was about one of those ways.

Call me schizoid! I know what peace and love and joy sound like.

I wrote about this earlier, but Jesus asked me once what I would do if I thought he was somewhere extremely difficult for me to get, like on some craggy peak in Tibet.  I told him I would do whatever it took (other than evil) to get there.  He taught me that he is not in a desperate land, he is right in the middle don’t worry.  I resolved to live in that country – the undiscovered country.  The Kingdom of God is within me.  I am learning how to live there.  It is not hard - it is impossible. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide in the shadow of the almighty.”  Psalm 91:1.