When I think of the word “Peace,” it used to mean making everyone around me happy—like I was running the world’s least effective happiness factory. You know, I thought if I just spread enough goodwill, we’d all be singing Kumbaya around the campfire. But now that I’ve discovered that words can have different meanings—who would have thought, right?—I realize it’s really more about finding my inner peace. It turns out, I was like a circus clown trying to juggle everyone’s feelings while my own were slowly slipping away. Eventually, I got tired of being everyone’s personal happiness genie and figured out how to stop granting wishes for a change, which has definitely made for a much happier me!

When I think about all the energy I wasted trying to make everyone else happy while my kids and I were left fighting over the last piece of pizza, it really puts my life into perspective—like a funhouse mirror! Seriously, I was so focused on the wrong things, it was like I was trying to win an Olympic medal in not putting myself first. It wasn’t until God tapped me on the shoulder, probably while I was assembling a toy with 57 pieces, that I realized I had been putting myself on the back burner—like yesterday’s lasagna! As mothers, we all have a PhD in self-neglect. But once you see that you can juggle both happiness and chaos without needing an energy drink, you’ll be so thankful—maybe even enough to treat yourself to a nap!

I’ve discovered that trying to change people who don’t want to change is like teaching a cat to fetch – it’s just not happening! I was laser-focused on these folks, convinced I was fulfilling some divine mission. Spoiler alert: I was not! I was merely pouring my energy into people who could suck the life out of a battery! It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure that out; I guess I’m one of God’s most delightfully stubborn kids. The plan was supposed to be simple: plant a little seed and let God handle the rest! Now that I’ve figured out that I had it all wrong, I can finally direct my energy toward my family instead of these energy vampires!

You never quite grasp how crucial life is until you misplace it—like those car keys you keep forgetting, but on a much grander scale. The life lessons that come with this realization are like a roller coaster ride: terrifying but somehow educational, like that time you tried cooking without a recipe. You discover you’re stronger than you thought—like lifting an imaginary weight during a motivational speech! The best part? Jesus is right there with you, navigating the chaos, kind of like a divine GPS. You don’t exactly fear the unknown because you trust that He’s got the map, even if it occasionally leads you through the fast-food drive-thru. You embrace change with open arms because you know God’s got a stellar itinerary—after all, you put your faith in Him, and let’s face it, you could use some better directions!

The word “frustration” doesn’t mean I’m waving the white flag just yet. Nope! It’s more like I’m strapping on my learning helmet, ready to dive into a new adventure! So, listen to your body—it’s got more drama than a soap opera! When you finally tune in to yourself, words start playing by their own rules. I stumbled upon this site called Human Design, and instead of asking someone to interpret my cosmic pizza, I decided to buy the book and do it myself. Let me tell you, two weeks of that page-turner had me diving deeper into self-discovery than a cat playing hide-and-seek. As I peel back the layers like an onion (without the tears, hopefully), I dare you to join me on this chaotic journey of self-exploration!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience. kindness, goodness, faithfulness" Galatians 5:22