Live as Children of the LIGHT.

My word for today is LIGHT: the brightness that dispels darkness. Christmas LIGHTS are getting scarce now as most of us have taken down the LIGHTS from our homes and businesses, and packed them away for another year.

Now, it’s up to us to represent and be THE LIGHT to our family, our neighbors and our world. We are "the chosen ones" to be the peacemakers, servants, joy and hope bearers to this world that needs that LIGHT so much. We must live as Children of the Light! Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are LIGHT in the Lord. Live as children of LIGHT."

Just before Christmas my family and I went to see the new Star Wars movie: The Final Jedi. As with any Star Wars movie, the LIGHT Side and the Dark Side are at war with each other. You can sure tell that jealousy, hate, bitterness, anger and revenge caused Kylo Ren to champion the Dark Side. When we examine our hearts, it’s quite possible, we won’t find that we hate anyone, but every little “dark” thing that we allow to remain in our hearts can have a “dark” effect on us. We might not be in darkness, but we certainly might find ourselves in the “shade”.

In 1 John 2:5-7, John writes “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is LIGHT and in Him is NO darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness, but He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "YOU are the LIGHT of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house. Even so let YOUR LIGHT shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

What if OUR LIGHTS were shining so brightly that when people pass our way, they draw toward THE LIGHT and their world of darkness is dispelled? Maybe at the beginning of this new year, we should have a winter clear-ance sale and clear out all those things that hinder the LIGHT in us. Let’s open ourselves to His healing and empowering LIGHT today. When we declare with the Psalmist, “The Lord IS MY LIGHT and my salvation, who should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge, of whom should I be afraid?” – then there will never be a shadow of doubt which side we’re on, and all the dark forces that try to draw us to their side, will never win! May we BE the LIGHT that keeps on shining -- all year long!

Christmas Lights and the Light of the World

No shortage of Christmas lights here in Frisco, TX! The homes in my daughter's neighborhood seem to be in competition on who can light up their home and yard the most. I love it! That's been one of my Christmas favorites since I was a little girl. We were always light gazers when we'd drive around neighborhoods to see the lights of Christmas. Occasionally, we'd see a truly spectacular display covering the house and yard and trees and we'd ohh and ahh at the workmanship, plus wondered about the cost of their electric bill at the end of the season. Not everyone gets into Christmas so audaciously, but even lights on a simple tree in the house expresses that wonderful Christmas spirit. I like to think that those lights express the true LIGHT of Christmas that dispels darkness.

Whether we are the extravagant, over-the-top Christmas light displayer, or we simply put a candle in the window of our homes, there is good news for us. Lights are an important symbol of the meaning of Christmas. Jesus entered this world to be the Light in the darkness, and God got in on the original light show. After all, the angels appeared to the shepherds, and whenever angels appear they often have this dazzling array around them. Talk about LIGHT SHOW! And then there was the star over Bethlehem that the wise men were drawn to. "You LIGHT UP MY LIFE" took on a whole new meaning that glorious Christmas night.

I know there are those who don't consider the lights they're putting on their homes to symbolize the Light of the World that dispels the darkness. But, nevertheless, that's what this girl thinks. Those light displays, GREAT or SMALL, are dispelling the darkness where they are......and I like to think that the LIGHT that lives in us is dispelling the darkness in our sphere of influence -- at work, at home, at play, at school, at the restaurant, at the store, at church, at a football game, at a political event. In that case, "YOU light up my life" really does take on a whole new meaning to a world that is begging for LIGHT.

"Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” John 8:12. And, here's the real kicker.....Jesus said to us "YOU are the light of the world....." Matthew 5:14. WOW!! How's that for a standard to live up to? It sure puts onus on us to check out our wattage and our light output, doesn't it?

Bottom line, the darkness of this world can only be cured by the LIGHT of the ONE who created it. LIGHT that comes from HIM; LIGHT that comes from us. I'm thinking that the song "This little light of mine, I'm gonna’ let it shine" should be turned into a Christmas carol....for most certainly, His LIGHT shining through us could be the extravagant, over-the-top Christmas LIGHT display that could make the difference in our world.

And the LIGHT Keeps Shining Brightly

Day 4 of 365 days of my photo inspirations for 2015:
Tonight I was taken with the lights on many homes that are still brightly lit and shining in my children's Texas neighborhood.  While many Christmas lights have been put away for another year, I, and many others will conclude our Christmas season on January 6th, after the 12 days of Christmas, and at the celebration of Epiphany (the manifestation of the Lord)  and the day commemorated when  the Wise Men brought their gifts to the Christ Child.

As I saw those homes tonight, I was touched by our desire to hold onto the lights a little longer -- it makes for such a tender and welcoming invitation to those homes.  But, most of all, those lights continue to remind us of THE LIGHT that shines ever brightly in our hearts.

We will take down the lights from our homes, but it's up to us to represent and be THE LIGHT to our family, our neighbors and our world.  We are "the chosen ones" to be the peacemakers, servants, joy and hope bearers to this world that needs that LIGHT so much.

Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house. Even so let YOUR light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

What if OUR LIGHTS were shining so brightly that when people pass our way, they draw toward THE LIGHT and their world of darkness is dispeled?    Let's  BE the Light that keeps on shining -- all year long!

Give Your Family and Friends "The Perfect Gift for Christmas"

I keep getting email messages that the subject line reads, "Give your family and friends "THE PERFECT GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS".  I was deleting most of those and not even finding out what they meant until yesterday.  THE PERFECT GIFT???  A Gift Card.  And, I thought, yes, gift cards are great because you can buy anything you want.  But, why not just give someone cash?  What's the big deal of the PERFECT GIFT being a Gift Card?  I'm really grateful for any gift that comes to me, but I receive, and have even given, gift cards to stores that just maybe the receiver of the gift card just doesn't shop there.....and then when you get to the store and start looking.....it takes FOREVER to find something there you want to use the gift card for.  PERFECT?  I don't think so.

I think you know where I'm headed with that observation.  THE PERFECT GIFT?  That ONLY PERFECT GIFT we could ever give, is that of HIM, Who is the PERFECT One, Who isn't a tangible "thing", but is the ALL in ALL, BEGINNING and END of joy, comfort, peace, life, love, happiness, and life everlasting.

So how do we give that PERFECT GIFT to others -- by giving ourselves as peacemakers, servants, joy-peace-hope bearers, by being LIGHTS that this world so needs and wants.  Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines to all that are in the house.  Even so let YOUR light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Your GIFT this season?   YOU and YOUR LIGHT shining brightly so that others will come to know THE PERFECT GIFT -- Jesus Christ!
#ThePerfectGift #LightOfTheWorld