peace graphic
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: Waiting for #Peace

For those who celebrate, the Advent season begins on the first Sunday in December and ends on Christmas Eve, the last Sunday before Christmas this year. Advent is a season of waiting and expectations for Christmas, observed by most Christian denominations.

Many rituals and liturgical celebrations recognize the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.

advent candles for Christmas season

As I researched theme ideas for Sunday Stills for December, I came across a post I wrote in December 2015. Like then, and now in 2023, we are, once again, waiting for peace and praying for our world.

In 2015, we read about the November 13 rampage in Paris which killed 130 people. Among other newsworthy events that year, Donald Trump was vying for the US presidency, racial unrest was sadly at the forefront, and migrants poured into Europe to escape war-torn Syria and Afghanistan.

The idea of peace was a distant memory in 2015. Fast forward to 2023…nothing has changed except the names, situations, and countries. Although my blog is not the forum to discuss the current issues in our war-torn world, I felt compelled to remind readers that we WILL continue to wait for peace.

I’ve included a few comments from bloggers who shared their thoughts on peace in the 2015 post:

“Call it Diwali, Advent, Hanukkah, this is a time of year where we all light our candles to spread the lights and pray for peace. I agree with you, there is not much we can practically do, but hoping, spreading love and practicing compassion for ourselves first and for the rest of the world is already a step in the right direction to me.” ~ Estelea

“I don’t think we can ever give up hope of finding peace. Although it might be decades or even longer, we have to believe that it is possible.” ~ Edwina

“We all hope and pray for peace. With all the terrorism and other violent events in this world we wonder if it will ever happen. Probably not in our lifetime or in our children’s lifetime. Even so, I think it is important that we live our lives in spreading peace, love, and goodwill.” ~ PJ

Apply these comments to today and they still ring true.

Seeking Inner Peace

Perhaps we can only control our tiny part of the world. But inner peace is attainable to everyone, even during the frenetic holiday season. How can we find peace now?

Sources remind us to:

Be still. And put your mobile device aside.

Morning coffee overlooking Hwy 94 San Diego
Stolen quiet moment

Refresh your mind and spirit by setting aside time to read, journal, think, or nap.

Reading and lounging

Play your favorite music and simply abide by the words and melodies. (Best instrumental holiday song ever!)

Go outdoors, take a walk, and breathe in nature through your lungs and eyes.

Beach Reflections
What’s Better than walking on the beach with your dog?
walking in snowshoes
She’s up!
Walking dogs on a trail
Aero and Brodie love their neighborhood trails

Rethink your “to-do” list and try to let your “should-do” list go for now. Why shop when I can see bald eagles at Lake Coeur D’Alene, Idaho?

Juvenile Bald Eagle
Juvenile Bald Eagle
American Bald Eagle
Patiently waiting for the right fish
Juvenile American Bald Eagle
Peacefully but intensely hunting

Will You Still Need Me When I’m 64?

December 4th is my 64th birthday. 🎂 I am embracing this year as I look forward to the “magic” age of 65 when Medicare kicks in. As I continue through my mid-60s, I am reminded of the cherished friendships I have with you all.

On the 4th Day of Christmas plate
On the 4th Day of December

We in the blogging community have inspired each other, and I have personally made lifelong friendships with many bloggers in real life and online.

Through blogging, I have met countless men and women who are writers, self-published authors, photographers, fitness experts, and artists. You are all inspiring folks whom I respect and admire. Photographers challenge me to grow and stretch my skills with the lens; writers and authors churn out amazing books, which pushes me to take stock of my own writing skills. I follow many bloggers who share their experiences in leisure, fitness, fine arts, and travel, and I am continually inspired by YOUR expertise and stories.

As I peacefully reflect on my good fortune to know you all, I wholeheartedly look forward to embracing inner peace and continuing relationships with you.

green brushstroke

Inspiring Photo Challenges

Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.

How To Participate in Sunday Stills Photo Challenge

The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.

  • Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
  • Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
  • Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
  • Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
  • Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
  • I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.

This Week’s Featured Bloggers

Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers, poets, artists, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their photos that invoke PEACE. I add these all week as new links are posted.

I will leave you with this image and last thoughts:

Frosty winter morning
Last on the card; a peaceful, frosty morning

“But indeed, the holidays are a time of eager anticipation! May peace, hope, joy, and love reign this holiday season and always!” ~Lia

Tell me, what brings you peace? Share your ideas in original images, poems, music, short stories, and more! Next Sunday is the red/green monthly color challenge. Have a peaceful week!

mountain signature

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126 comments

  4. This is a beautiful post Terri! I discovered in my 30s that humankind is not peaceful. Most are, but all it takes is one to spread hate. This was after reading the Old Testament. Since then, I’ve tried my best to create a loving environment for those I care about. Right now, our world is in dire trouble. Your wonderful hints will help us cope and renew. Happy Birthday to you! Enjoy your 60s!

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  9. Terri, I am fairly sure that if there were just two people left on this earth they would find something to argue about. It is an unfortunate side-effect of being human. The best we can do is to create peace within our own lives and continue to pray for everyone else. Wishing you an early birthday gift of peace, joy, and happiness. Next year you will hit the bonanza!! Turning 65 is pretty awesome.

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  11. Happy Birthday Terri! Mine was last Wednesday (29). We are both Sagittarius! We love the outdoors!
    Thanks for showcasing my recent adventure. I did that paddle on my birthday. I was hoping that the bears and I could have a birthday picnic in the forest?

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  17. Such a beautiful and “peaceful” post, Terri. Little has changed, but I love the reminder that while we wait for peaceful choices in the world arena, we can still bring peace into our lives through presence and through practicing friendship and kindness with all those whose paths we cross. Happy Holiday Season, my friend. ❤

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  19. Love that little eagle in your watermark! Peace doesn’t even exist in the natural world does it with predators like eagles and cougars. Mankinds peace hasn’t happened in 2000+ years, so I doubt to see it in my lifetime. To find my own peace, I walk in b
    Nature; trees or prairies or both. Sunset moments of gratitude also bring me quiet and peace.

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  25. Once again, my comment wouldn’t go through. Grrrrr! Happy early birthday, you whippersnapper! Have a wonderful day and a blessed year. I love the photos of the eagle and I completely agree with putting aside devices to relax, enjoy, and create. Unplug periodically. Get outside! Christmas is a season of thinking of others and, as a Christian, of the birth of Jesus and its meaning to us. ❤ But Christian or not, you can use the break.

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    • Thank you for sticking to commenting, Janet. Weird how WordPress has its quirks. I discovered recently that I stopped receiving some bloggers’ emails. Perhaps through the Reader, commenting is twitchy? In any case, December is an eventful month and peace can be elusive. Today I discovered our new church celebrated advent. Whippersnapper, huh? 🤣 Thank you.

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  27. What a wonderful post this was Terri – you have tied together many thoughts about peace. Peace is sometimes elusive isn’t it? We watch the news and it sure isn’t found in the headlines. But if we can find peace, be it inside a church, or in a nature setting, we need to do so to carry on. We need it to thrive in today’s world. Yes, dispense with the devices for awhile each day and just breathe, or reflect, or be still. I like all your photos and I’m happy to see the eagles that you photographed on your family trip over Thanksgiving weekend – yes, this was much better than shopping. Your parting shot, the last image on the card, was very peaceful as well. Frost or snow has that effect, much as we despise it sometimes – at least I do as I’m not a “snow bunny” in the least. An early happy birthday to you – yes, that’s a fun song for turning 64. That plate is perfect too! I have passed that magical age of 65 – I will be 68 next April, but I don’t feel or act my age. (At least I don’t think so.)

    Here is my post, a little long, but that is nothing new:

    Fall waited in the wings …

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    • Thank you for sharing your thoughts about peace and how we can try to attain a tiny bit of it, Linda. Loving God, nature and our families, and taking care of ourselves are ways to feel peace. Yes, we got about 6 inches of snow in 2-3 days which is normal. The snow sure muffles the ambient sounds around here. Thank you for the birthday wishes. My Australian friends are already posting on Facebook. I’m off to check out your post 😀

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      • Terri, that is how to achieve peace. You have got your priorities right. We had a freak snowstorm that dumped nine inches of heavy snow on Veterans Day 2018 in the early morning. It was a Sunday. The snow was so beautiful and the only noise was the steady scrape of the shovel as I shoveled. I was actually disturbing the peace by shoveling. I took a lot of photos of that heavy snow. Enjoy your birthday!

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  29. Happy Birthday Terri, it’s the 4 December here already so I’m able to wish you a happy day! Your post was lovely Terri and so full of peaceful intentions and images. I hear you on things not changing much in all those years, it’s hard isn’t it? Thanks for all your kind words.

    I’ve just written a post about a peaceful gathering we held last week for a very important cause. https://debs-world.com/2023/12/04/a-peaceful-gathering-sundaystills/

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  31. Happy Birthday, Terri! 🎉 And thank you for hosting this wonderful photography blogfest. I agree, there’s not much we can do about the turmoil in the rest of the world, but inner peace is achievable. Your photos are excellent examples, music especially. 🙂 Those bald eagles are so majestic!

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  38. Happy birthday, my dear friend! I will call you soon. Your post is beautiful. I love how you referred back to your 2015 post and quoted several of your commenters. That’s brilliant. Our lives have certainly seen changes in those eight years. It’s hard to talk politics, and I think you did that well. You live such a well-rounded life, interspersing leisure with relaxation – they are definitely different! Have a wonderful day! 🙂 Lots of love xxxx

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  41. What a beautiful post! Peace has to come from inside of us. We cannot depend on others.
    Happy Birthday to you! 💐
    I hope you eat lots of birthday cake!
    I enjoy the outdoors! It brings me peace. I also enjoy sitting at night with only the Christmas lights on. Pure joy!
    Merry December to you, dear one.

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  46. Happy Birthday! I remembered yesterday, but ran out of blogging time so am the Belated Happy Birthday Wisher! 🥳🎉💗 I hope you had a wonderful day and that you’re finding peace knowing you have one more year before you can wear the First Year of Medicare Badge of Honor. I appreciate reading your words of wisdom about finding peace and the beautiful photos you chose to emphasize your thoughts so well. 5 inches of snow falling is so peaceful to watch, that photo is stunning.
    As always, it’s a joy to join you on your Sunday Stills! I hope your peaceful moments are plentiful and restorative. 😊

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    • Thanks, Kirstin, glad you like the post! Peace is such a human construct that we can’t seem to abide by very well, or at least with any consistency. If we can focus on ourselves, family and our tiny parts of the world, at least we can know a little of the meaning of peace. Happy advent and holidays to you!

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  52. Firstly, a belated happy birthday 🎂 I hope you had a lovely day! And secondly, what an apposite theme for our times (and sadly often needed at various other times too). I love your point about putting aside the ‘should-do’ list 🙂 Encouraged by your previous comment I’m double-dipping this week: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/a-walk-in-the-montagne-dambre-national-park/ There will hopefully be a sense of peace for you in that landscape.

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  53. All life on our planet needs some peace at some stage, but perhaps some need it more than others, Terri. Sometimes, sitting in a comfy chair with no noise around us is perfect for refreshing our minds, although playing music through headphones also helps me get peace – nothing too heavy music-wise, though.

    I also get a lot of peace when walking up an empty beach with my two dogs, although just the one photobombed this photo.

    I hope you had a lovely birthday, and thank you for such an uplifting post full of inspiring and peaceful photography.

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    • Thank you for the birthday wishes via X on Monday, Hugh! I forget how many bloggers I also follow on Facebook…I enjoyed those and the birthday wishes on the blog too. Perhaps I just needed a little more love this year 🤣

      I agree that listening to some good tunes is a wonderful way to gain some peace. And of course walking the dogs, especially on the local trails, is peaceful…a delight to the soul! Love the pic! Your dog’s photo bomb gives a unique perspective to the peaceful image!

      I continue to enjoy my relationships with fellow bloggers and would be lost without you all. Have a wonderful week, Hugh!

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  55. This is an especially beautiful post Terri. Everyone is very busy at all times (myself included,) and we all need to sneak in moments of quietude where we appreciate and meditate. Just breath. It is so important and easy to forget. I believe that without inner peace inside each and every human (or at least the majority of humans) it is difficult to achieve peace in the world. Thank you for your beautiful post.

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