Light in the Dark

How light is it where you are right now?  In a country where the sun rarely shines from November til at least March, I'm feeling the cold. Do you have nice warm lighting, or do you dread the afternoons when you have to put on the eco-saver bulbs just so you can see what you have to make for dinner?

Back when I was in University, I went on a choir trip to Minneapolis. In February.  It was COLD.  Colder and icier and darker than I had ever experienced. And I was ill. Half the concerts, I had to sit out because of an infection I finally got treated while there.

But one encouraging thing happened, and it changed my life forever.

I stayed one night with a host family who gave me breakfast by candle-light.  It was comforting and I asked them, "Why the candles?" They explained that their ancestors (Swedes) always burned candles on dark mornings. It helped them be cheerful to greet the day when the natural light finally arrived.

We are burning candles at breakfast now, and the children really appreciate it. It helps all of us feel warmer, and it's a more friendly light than the eco-saver bulbs.

I've been listening to a song by Sara Groves called "You are the Sun" quite a lot recently. In it, she describes how we can only glow when our face is turned towards the Light. Maybe you need some more Light in your life. Maybe a vacation to Spain isn't in the budget. And just MAYBE, even more sunshine wouldn't warm your heart. I know for me, feeling cold can sometimes be helped by turning up the heat in the house, or by going outside and feeling the sun on my face. But often that chill comes from lack of time spent looking at the One who is the True Son.

Home for Christmas

Just wanted to say Happy Christmas, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!! So thankful we all made it to 2016!

You know that house I wrote about that I never thought we would be able to move into?  The one that surpassed my expectations, and probably was a little unrealistic for us to afford? We moved into that house on the 17th October, and now live in a town called Glossop, in Derbyshire.  We have hills out the front windows, and hills out the back.  There's a cricket pitch in back of our garden, and it is so quiet.  No traffic noise, and no mold!

For the first time ever, Valerie and Jenny and I spent a morning the week before Christmas cutting out Christmas cookies, which we then decorated. We delivered 12 plates to various service people around town. They were not gluten-free or dairy-free because we weren't eating them. I was so thankful that Valerie didn't start wheezing from the flour in the the air and did not break out in hives, even after having her hands in the dough. I made her wash them often, but she must be doing better with her allergies because I never would have even tried this in years past. 

The police station was so shocked by our gift that they asked if we would like a friendly visit from some officers. They came the next week! The Fire and Rescue Captain happily gave us a tour of the fire trucks, even letting the kids climb in the special little truck they take out on the moors to fight the fires or rescue poor folks who get lost in the fog.  

The library ladies haven't forgotten us, and now we have friends there! The ladies at the Volunteer Centre were very surprised and I think thankful that someone realized they needed encouragement.  One is head of all volunteer services, and the other heads up the Alzheimers' Unit.  "Well, then you DEFINITELY need cookies," I said, smiling.  And they both said, "YES we DO!"  

We went to the petrol station and handed a plate to the workers there. At first, they gave me a dirty look, thinking I was going to ask them for something. When I handed them the plate and said, "We'd like to thank you for the services you give our community and wish you a Happy Christmas," we were turning to go before I heard, "Oh...wow..Thank you..That's sweet!" How could anyone resist tiny Jennifer in her shiny red raincoat reaching past her knees and her little red rain boots. 

The postal service workers were equally shocked, and it was something we will definitely do again.  The hardest part for the kids, but the part that I think made the strongest point, was that none of the cookies were for them to eat. 

They were to be given away. 

I explained that Christmas is about celebrating the greatest, most generous gift ever given. We talked about how it is a happier thing to give than to get. And although David (7 yrs) and Valerie (10 yrs) REALLY wanted to eat what they were making, they were happy to see the looks of surprise on people's faces. Jimmy and Jennifer enjoyed handing the cookies to people and were quite subdued by each response. I believe they felt the sacrifice after the last plate was given out and everyone wanted to stay in our warm house and not go anywhere else. 

We made special cookies for ourselves another day.