“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.“ John 14:27
It is a rainy Monday morning while I am writing this. I am home, alone in my kitchen with a cup of tea and a candle burning. My counter is clean and clear and all is quiet. It is a lovely moment, a peaceful moment, and today I love rainy Mondays.
I am well aware that my living room still bears the scars of the weekend. There is wrapping paper on the floor, a few residual presents from a party stand in the corner to be delivered at a later date, and children’s toys are strewn in strange places. Muddy footprints from romps in the woods and the lakefront need to be mopped up, chairs rearranged, and beds remade, but a smile crosses my face as I ponder the chaos and joy and peace of the weekend.
Webster defines peace as a state of quiet and freedom from public disturbance, definitions true of today but definitely not true of my weekend! The Jewish definition of peace, or shalom, is completeness or wholeness. This better expresses the peace that can be found amidst the tears and screams of cousins learning to play together, the successes and frustrations of women preparing a party together, and even the highs and lows of potty training toddlers and puppies!
Don’t get me wrong, my level of peacefulness aka Mr. Webster’s definition waxed and waned during the moments of public disturbance throughout my house over the weekend. A bit of exasperation escaped this grandma’s face, but in the long run I am so grateful for every disturbance. I am so thankful for the completeness of life.
Life is messy. It begins messy, and it gets messier with each diaper, each introduction of new food, each first step. Whether your car is littered with Cheerios, baseball equipment, or tissues and wheelchairs you can’t get away from the messiness of life. But why do we want to?
While traveling in Israel last year, I had the privilege of spending time with an amazing, young Jewish father. He explained to our group the incredible value the Jews put on life. During a discussion of what faithful Jews believe and why, without sinking into a political abyss or defending certain positions, he simply asked, “does it promote life?” The life he lived before us demonstrated his own faith and peacefulness in making decisions based on this question. It did not make life easy or quiet or free from disturbance, it resulted in fulness of joy, vitality. Peace in knowing that where and how he walked brought life, knowing that the God who gives life walked with him.
My rainy Monday is bringing life, watering the forest that is my back yard, restoring the plant life and raising the lake level. My quiet morning rejuvenates my soul, a rest from the squeals of delight and cries of despair heard over the weekend. Alone I can sink into the comfort of Scripture, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid“. But I must learn to own those words when the disturbances of life make them necessary.
Jesus offers us the gift of peace because we need it. He knows life is messy and loud and full of disturbance. The peace he offers does not grant immunity from life’s ups and downs, it gives us a way to smile through the chaos and embrace the fullness of growth and maturity. Peace does not equal easy, but it does produce satisfaction and security.
The gifts still standing in my living room are a changing table and carseat, heading to the home of a little girl that will be our seventh grandchild. If I rely on the Webster definition of peace, I am a long way from finding any. The juxtaposition of my mother-in-law’s walker parked beside the carseat only distances peace further, and yet isn’t this what life is all about?
In celebration of this new little life, we served Almond Twists. This delicious recipe gives a nod to our Scandinavian heritage and just plain tastes amazing. Best to mix the dough up, let it rest in refrigerator overnight, then shape and bake. Well worth the effort!
Almond Twists
Dough Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 4 1/2 cups Gold Medal flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp grated orange rind
- 1 cup softened butter
- 6 large eggs
Filling Ingredients
- 8 oz almond paste
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/4 cup chopped, toasted almonds
Glaze Ingredients
- 2 cups confectionary sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk (more/less based on consistency)
- 1 tsp almond extract
Combine yeast and warm water in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup, let stand for 5 minutes.
In stand mixer combine 3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, orange rind, butter, eggs and yeast mixture. Beat at low speed until blended. Beat additional 4 minutes at medium speed, then add remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat until blended. Dough will be sticky. Place in a well-greased glass bowl and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight (at least 8 hours!).
In stand mixer, combine all ingredients for filling and blend until well combined.
Remove dough from refrigerator and punch down. Divide in half. On flour covered surface, roll each half into a 16×10″ rectangle. Spread half of filling mixture on each rectangle, pushing it into the dough a little. Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds by folding 1/3 toward the middle of the rectangle, and then the outer third overtop this. You should have a 16″ long rectangle. Push down a little, to help the filling stay in place. Cut the dough into 16 1″ strips. Twist each strip, then place on a well-greased baking sheet.
Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 350* for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do not over bake. Remove to wire racks and drizzle with glaze. You can sprinkle extra almonds on top if you desire.
