A Little Peace of Christmas

At the risk of sounding cliché, Christmas is by far my favorite season. I love all the bright and beautiful decorations. I love gift plotting and shopping and giving. I love gathering together with loved ones at a magnificent feast. I love the carols and songs that are reserved specifically for the holiday season. But honestly, although I adore the bustle and hubbub and busyness that accompanies the end of the year festivities, those aren’t my favorite parts. My favorite parts of Christmas are reading under the tree late at night, or watching a classic holiday movie with my siblings while snow falls outside. I love playing quiet piano renditions of beloved yuletide hymns. My favorite parts of Christmas are the peaceful moments that can be found in between the cheerful chaos that has become so indicative of the season.

The prophet Isaiah lists some of the names and titles that the infant Christ will bear at His coming. Among them are Wonderful, Mighty God, and Everlasting, but I think it’s curious to note that the final title listed is Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). It’s interesting to note that the Greek word for peace “eirene,”, meaning “rest,” appears over ninety times in the New Testament — over ⅓ of which are spoken by the Savior Himself. Perhaps His most famous issuance of the word is recorded in Mark 4:29 when Jesus calms a mighty storm that threatened the lives of all aboard by simply commanding, “Peace, be still.” And the winds calmed.

A few weeks ago, I flew to California and spent a week with my family in Disneyland. It was a much needed respite — I’d been enjoying my first time living away from home but I was at the point where I needed a break from my classes and a chance to see my family again. It was a wonderful week, but the time came for me to return back to school.

I was heartbroken to leave my family, and sobbed on both of my flights home. Suddenly, it seemed like the remaining seven weeks in the semester before winter break were like an eternity. I wasn’t sure how I would make it through almost two more months of being separated from my family, especially after just having experienced what it was like to live with them again for one brief, beautiful week. I was in the depths of despair. As I waited for my ride home, I cried to my Savior, begging for any semblance of comfort to pull me out of my sadness. My parents’ voices came into my mind, reminding me that, “You can do hard things.” With that gentle thought, my worries calmed and peace was restored to my soul.

Sometimes it seems like the tempestuous storms in our lives will never calm. Sometimes it seems inevitable that we will be overwhelmed and perish. Sometimes it can be hard to find moments of rest amidst the chaos and noise that are increasingly prevalent in our lives. But Jesus Christ has promised us, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). This holiday season, let us remember the words of Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The glitter of the season should never prevent us from truly seeing the Prince of Peace.” As we draw nearer to our Redeemer – “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace--even Jesus Christ — we will find in Him respite and tranquility to carry you through whatever storms may arise. Truly,“The sweetest gift given at Christmas will always be the one our Savior Himself gave us: His perfect peace” (L. Whitney Clayton).

Avery Palenske is counting down the days until she gets to see her hometown mountains again!! Almost done with her first collegiate semester, she has become an expert in turning in assignment one minute before the deadline and perfecting a foolproof rotation of myriad cold medicines to fight off any of the plagues that commonly fester in freshman dorms, but she always prioritizes attending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.