Welcome the Prince of Peace

The door opened ajar, and in came my daughter, sounding vulnerable, seeking protection, complaining of a bad dream. My natural response was to have her join me in bed, until the reality that she is no longer a tot set in. Dark still, I suggested we move to the living room couch, where we could lounge out in more comfort. As we made our way through the darkness, I asked her to quietly share her bad dream with me. It had been a long while since she last had one. 

Though I am not a decipherer of dreams, I can sometimes guess certain meanings or figure out what the overall meaning may be. At the very least, it certainly must be therapeutic to discuss the bad and shed some light on it. She proceeded to share vividly, using lots of detail and color, and I discovered she was right to be scared. Her dream took place at school, after a school trip. You know, school, that institution that is supposed to feel safe. With all of the current and not so current events, it does not surprise me. I still dream about school myself, but the worse occurrence is missing a deadline or realizing I had been gone for some time and returning to a quiz (seems laughable even as I type it). That is as bad as my dreams about school get.

As she carried on with the details that seemed like a plot of a thriller, she finally came to the culminating point where she woke up frightened, confused and seeking refuge where she feels comfort and protection: by my side. Since I figured we still could get some sleep until sunrise, I gave my "review" of her dream with a "thumbs down" and proceeded to do what I know to work best: PRAY. 

Certainly, our children must be feeling afraid with all the uncertainty in the news. I did mention she is no longer a toddler; otherwise I would not even expose her to the news. However, she is a teenager as of earlier this year, so current events are discussed in the classroom, without the added benefit of assurance that all will turn out right. Even as parents, we cannot give our children that guarantee; after all, we do not even have the answers in times of tragedy, political unrest, natural disasters, etc. But as Christians, we do have to guide them to prayer and to connect with Christ.

"The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life." (Psalm 121, NIV) I told her that the word “peace” will have even more meaning this Christmas, since it is something we collectively need to ask for in prayer. I pray that the Prince of Peace become known to all, that His message of light and love will prevail. That true good will triumph over evil and that humanity will seek to be humane. I pray that the innocent will not continue to pay with their lives; that our leaders will be enlightened and choose their actions wisely; and that those seeking to do harm, will stop in their tracks and discover God in all His glory. Join me in prayer.

Written by Jesabel Cruz
Office Manager and Case Worker, Red Bank Corps