I spent a lot of time at my Grandparents house as a small child. I loved their home, which my grandfather built. I can still shut my eyes, walk into their house in my mind, place familiar things, and remember every nook and cranny. Their house was bright and airy with lots of windows, which always felt good and safe. It was a ranch-style home with three bedrooms and a finished family room in the basement with nice furniture, and even the console TV that got three channels. My grandfather built a bar with knotty-pine wood that they kept stocked with soda pop and snacks, and some beverages for the grownups. Behind the bar was a little well that collected fresh spring water from a natural water source from up on the hill behind the house. A ladle hung on a hook on the side of the well that I could use for dipping into the cool, clear, fresh spring water for a refreshing drink.
We spent lots of time in the basement of their house playing games, watching movies, and just being together as a family. The only thing about that basement was that you had to walk down the well-built steps to get there. It wasn’t the steps that got me, or the carpeting on the steps, or the hand-rail on the left side. It was about 1/2 way down the steps on the right side of the painted brick wall—the window. There was no glass in the opening, but vertical bars into an adjacent coal cellar that was very cold and very, very dark. It was as dark as night, and in it, there was no light at all.
That opening in the wall terrified me. I wouldn’t go downstairs unless someone stood at the bottom of the steps that I could see clearly, and they could watch me pass by the dark opening safely. Even if someone were watching me, I would lay down and slither down the steps past the opening, and then I could breathe. Coming up the stairs was the same way, except that I could put on my jet-pack and fly past the dark opening, and then I’d be safe.
My Grandma had a brilliant idea after years of me slithering or jet-packing past my fear of the dark opening. She bought me a little flashlight that we kept at the top of the steps. When she got it, she let me hold it as we went down the steps together, and I could shine my little light into the opening. That small flashlight was able to pierce the scary darkness in the coal cellar, and I could see it was just a standard room—nothing to fear. We would sing the song ‘This Little Light of Mine’ as we were going down the steps. Do you remember that song?
“This Little Light of Mine” Lyrics
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.
Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine
As I grew, I didn’t need the flashlight any longer to go down the basement steps past the opening, but I sure remember that song coming into my head every time I went down. I still have that song etched into my memory that starts playing whenever I’m in uncomfortable darkness of any kind.
Yesterday, January 6, 2021 was Epiphany, a day to celebrate that the Three Wise Men visited the Christ Child after His birth. We’ve heard that the particular star that shown brightly to light the way for Wise Men to come from the Orient to honor Christ, the Light of the World.
Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, my people! Let our light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all of the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you.” Did you hear that? The glory of the Lord will shine FROM you!
There are times in all of our lives when uncomfortable darkness starts to lay it’s shadow over us, and it terrorizes us. We’re living in a frightening time of the virus, the unknown path that is ahead of us that appears dark, the political state of the Country, the darkness that seems to surround our financial situations, the fear for our families and friends.
I read a devotion this morning from Carol Kent’s “He Holds My Hand” that struck me. “The heavens are spectacular in their contrast of darkness and light. The darker the night, the more the moon and stars sparkle with brightness, glittering in the night as if to say, “You can shine in the darkness, too!”
This is the time for us to let our little light shine even brighter, but how do we do that? I believe we do that in the ordinary happenings of today. I’m going to shine my light as I make a pot of soup for supper, with love and light. My light will shine as I drop two birthday cards in the mail today for two special people. Touching base with family and friends through texts or calls will spread love and light. As I look at my Facebook page, I will pray for those who are suffering and crying out through their posts. As I look at the paper, and read the obituaries, I will pray for the families who have suffered unbelievable loss. As I watch the news, I will pray for our leaders and pray that Thy Will Be Done in our great country. Our quiet prayers on behalf of friends and loved ones that come to mind today will cause our little light to be a bit brighter. As our light becomes brighter by using it, we hopefully can spark the light in those around us.
We don’t need to slither or jet-pack past any openings of fear any longer. Let’s shine our light on those things that seem to darken our path and help to spark the light of love in others. Who in your world needs a little light shown their way today? Your light shines brighter in the darkness, too!
“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Dan 12:3
Be blessed to be a blessing,
Candy
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Musings from Candy 