Blessed Are The Peacemakers

 One of the most famous verses of scripture says this: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." As I was reading from the Gospels this morning, I was struck by how applicable this is to parenting. As a mother, all I do is make peace! I make peace by negotiating conflicts between my daughter and other people/objects, keeping my home, and teaching my family the gospel.

Amelia lives in a state of constant turbulence. Sometimes the opponent is a stray toy (ask me about her toy shopping cart accident that almost ended in an emergency room trip. Sometimes the problem is our very reactive rat terrier. Other times, I find myself making peace between her and Joseph as she dumps water on the floor for the sixth time that hour. Most times, it's frustrating. But I've had to learn to put that aside and learn how to communicate with people/animals who are under stress. 

I've also noticed that my and my husband's efforts to keep our home tidy and our lives organized increase the feeling of peace in our home. A few weeks ago we started holding Family Home Evenings centered on how to finally get our home tidy. We've been making (imperfect) progress since, and I feel like my mental health and ability to relate peacefully to my family have increased. I even see the impact on our toddler, as she generally seems less prone to tantrums. It's amazing the difference being able to walk through the living room without tripping makes. I'm delighted every time I eat and can actually find a clean plate! The time I spend teaching Amelia to clean is so worth it. The time Joseph and I spend cleaning up after after she's asleep is time spent promoting peace in our home.

The most important way I make peace in the home is teaching my family. Joseph and I try to read scriptures as a family during breakfast every morning. We hold family home evenings together. We sing hymns throughout the day, and Amelia kindly reminds us to pray several times a day. A typical meal involves at least three prayers initiated by our very eager 18-month-old. My mom got us a set of beautiful board books to help us teach scripture stories to our little ones as well. The gospel is the ultimate source of peace, and it's crucial to me that we have an immersive home culture. The world will never stop pushing our children the wrong way; it's up to us to keep pushing forward in Christ. 

I feel like I've been more reflective of Heavenly Father as I have pursue peacemaking in the home. My divine heritage shines more brightly as I try to cultivate the peace of the Holy Spirit in the place that matter most. What experiences have you had with peacemaking recently?