Become the Light

I woke up on January 1, 2013 and looked out the window at Lake Anna and searched for the sun.  It was not a bright day.  It was grey and the low clouds hung heavy over the lake, but I talked to God and tried to remember:  We will not be overcome by the darkness.  We will overcome it with light.  I looked out at the lake and begged God to help me find the light in 2013.  We need it, God, I pleaded.  We need the end of darkness.  I kept asking Him to send it.  I kept demanding that He take the dark away.

I am told that the children of Sandy Hook Elementary will venture back to school in a new building today. When I saw the headline crawl across my television screen I fought hard not to feel enveloped in darkness again. I fought hard not to feel a heaviness take hold of my heart.  There it is, again, I thought.  There is the dark, looming here, reminding us of evil.  Well, of course, dummy.  He didn't tell me there wouldn't be dark and evil and trouble.  He told me, that I must overcome it.  He has called me to be the light.  Made in His image, we are the light.  We don't sit around and beg Him for it.  We become it.  Certainly, we need His help, but it is must be our effort.  Our focus.  Our intention.  If I have to wear one of those ridiculous speelunker headlights around to remind myself, I am determined to be a part of the light this year.  I am determined to urge my children to that work. 

Way back before I started this blog, I wrote the following letter to my boys.  I posted it here in April.  How easy it is to forget or even to ignore the job He has assigned us.  I'll read this again to my boys this year and we will, with Him, set out each day to do our work.  The work of becoming the light.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it. April 2012