Shining in the Dark

"You are the light of the world.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, 

that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

"Do everything without complaining or arguing,

so that you may become blameless and pure,

children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,

in which you SHINE LIKE STARS in the universe

as you hold out the word of life..."

Philippians 2:14-16

Lights go out, and the light goes on in my head. 

Here is our evening, spent in darkness, but only in physical darkness,

and for that I am thankful. 

Last night, the electricity was out for a couple of hours. 

The candles were lit, 

the little boy was super excited 

and we roasted mini marshmallows on toothpicks. 

They tasted like potpourri.

All available candles were lit. 

Our one working kerosene lantern shone brightly-ish. 

Heather turned on her Japanese lanterns. 

We are thankful for batteries. 

Ryan had the most fun.

I mean, flashlights are fun no matter how old you are,

especially when you need to use them. 

Then as the evening darkness continued one...two...two and one-half hours,

my bed got filled with my three youngest, reading books. 

And not a one of them was reading the Little House books.

Where oh where have I gone wrong? 

But, they were reading and for that, I am thankful once more. 

The darkness and the shadows were not threatening. 

We were together, the house was warm and the love between family members, even warmer. 

I was at a place of contentment and peace.

Believe me, I haven't always been there, and I often lose sight of the path,

but when those moments are illuminated, I am thankful. 

Even thankful for the dark times, because it makes these moments shine even brighter. 

So, when the lights go out, whether literally, or in my mind, or when I see someone else 

struggling in a dark place, 

I need to remember, and I need to shine.

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

So maybe, just maybe, when the pit is at it's deepest and darkest, I can reach out with a light to help. 

Or if I am in the pit, I can reach up and grasp the flicker of hope that I see. 

And as a fan of The Lord of the Rings, I leave you with one last thought: 

“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

May I be a light as God has called me to be. 

Love,

Dianne