"I am grateful that despite everything, a lone bird singing at dawn can still move me to tears. The sight of a crescent moon in a sapphire sky can still take my breath away......"
I was feeling emotional this morning. A dear friend lost their cat early yesterday morning. She lifted her head and meowed once and then layed down as if she were asleep and that was it. It's funny how the death of a pet can let loose all the emotions that have been stuffed down for everything else. It's like you feel again, everyone you have ever lost before. Death is just so unnatural.
A bird sang alone as I opened the door to leave this morning at around 5:20. It brought me to tears. I have often written about how I feel that birds are little harbingers of hope given to us by God....to remind us that life is always, always worth it. So when I heard it sing this morning in light of all that has been happening, and Allie dying, and changes at work, I was reminded again. God is the glorious backdrop of everything else.
And though I feel the joy of the Lord burning inside me when I think of all the wonderful things He has done for me and continues to do, the challenge remains. How to get that joy to spring forth so that it spills over onto others. Lately I haven't recognized the person I am at work.
How do you shed the light of Jesus when you're at a place you are not excited about being? In general, I am very excited about being here on the earth, about what God is doing in my life. But then I get to work and I feel more like a wet blanket. I see the person I should be at work, and the person I am, and I feel the gulf between them. Too many times, I keep my light hidden at work. I feel like a firefly beating around in that bushel Jesus was talking about.
We all have bushels in life, what's yours?
The challenge remains, how to get the light that is inside my heart out to others?
The place of prayer is the place I go when I can't find the answers, there, and in the wisdom of the Word that brings life.....I hope something is shining through even when I can't see it myself.
How do you let your light shine in challenging times?
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
You are missed, Allie! Thank you for the joy and comfort you brought in your six years of life.....
I've been wondering a bit of that myself ... yet He never leaves us.
ReplyDeleteDear sweet Lori,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for the loss of dear cat, Allie.
I also mourn the loss of my dear cat, Mimmo.
I am an animal lover. Companion animals are our best friends. They will never be forgotten.
God may bless you always, sweet Lori!!
Thank you for your heartfelt note in my blog post!! I love your inspirational blog. I would love to be your friend, Lori. If you give me your Email, I'll write to you, Lori. You sound like a real caring friend.
All the best on your way, Lori.
Until we write again.
In God's Garden,
Poet Starry Dawn.
Oh no. Dead cats. Me no likey....
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about birds -- how interesting to think about them as God's harbingers....
I taught school forever. I mean. Forever. It's a whole different calendar when you teach school.
*giggles*
But.
I had trouble letting my light shine through too -- but there were times when God let me. The best thing I ever heard from students was that they knew I believed in God. Somehow, the light does get through.