We’re still up to our ears in peaches here! I’ve got a few more peach-y peace-y things up my sleeve. Here’s a few I’ve been toying with and a few we’re still planning on doing this week…

• Learn the song, Peace Like a River. (I even found a video of the song with motions!) Apparently this song comes from the old hymn, It Is Well. And if you know the story behind this hymn it will really make the song come alive for you! Horatio Spafford, the hymn writer had some very serious loss in a short span of time (his business burned down, his children were drowned, his possessions lost). He wrote this hymn as his ship passed near where he lost his children:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—
My sin—not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so”—it is well with my soul.

Isn’t that awesome?! Peace, indeed! If your kids are old enough, you may want to buy or download the Adventures in Odyssey‘s re-telling of Horatio’s story, It Is Well.

• Read some peach-y books:
  • Each Peach Pear Plum. I’ve been trying to get this at the library for a couple of weeks now. It’s was Where’s-Waldo before Waldo was cool. I remember reading it as a kid and loved it!
  • James and the Giant Peach. I actually have never read this book. But I did see the movie and I adore Roald Dahl. He’s fantastical and funny.
  • P is for Peach: A Georgia Alphabet. What can I say? I was born and raised in Georgia. A real live Southern Peach! I love this series of books. I want one from every state I’ve lived!

• Make the Peach from Veggie Tales. (Remember him? “Thanks for the hairbrush.” Ha!) This would be a fun one because you could make him into a paper-bag hand puppet and make him say your scripture. Or just have him perform the Hairbrush Song for you.
• Make a peach pit craft. We’ve eaten so many peaches this week due to our Peach Scavenger Hunt (and the local farmer’s market) that I decided to save the peach pits. I knew I had seen a craft with them at one point in my life but couldn’t put my finger on what to do with them. Finally, I remembered: POTPURRI. Yes! Back in the 8o’s when potpurri was the rage, we always had peach potpurri at our house–complete with peach pits. I’m just not sure I want to conquer a craft with essential oils with a 3 year old. Instead we might:
  • paint them and decorate as different animals (via AC)
  • make a fruit necklace (this one is a strawberry which might be confusing, but how cute!)
  • use them to make impressions in playdough or clay
  • or maybe a little carving would be fun…KIDDING!

See all our PEACE activities here!

photo by adwriter