pray. - This Little Light of Mine

A few weeks ago, I was lying on my right side in bed. The front of my body was facing the front window of our bedroom. The front window of our bedroom is on the front of the house. We live on the corner, so from our bedroom window, we can see the house across the street and several houses on the street that runs perpendicular. I was having trouble falling asleep and through our blackout curtains, I eyeballed a blinking halo of light. The blinking halo was coming from a neighbor's porch. For close to a year or longer, we have occasionally talked about the annoyance of this blinking porch light. Why the neighbor doesn't fix it or change out the lightbulb, I have no clue. However, on this particular night, I found comfort in that blinking halo and not an ounce of annoyance.

See, this flickering light suddenly comforted me. I no longer thought of it as something the neighbor needed to do something about. I saw it as a sign or affirmation of where I was - home. I could be anywhere else on Earth, and I wouldn't be able to see this light. Only in the darkness and safety of my home can I see this light. 

So, it reminded me how lucky I was to have a home to come to after work each day. It reminded me how lucky I was to have a dry, warm, and safe place to lay my head at night. It reminded me how lucky I was to have a home to hide in when the world gets too heavy and difficult to face. It reminded me how lucky I was to feel loved and comforted inside my own home. 

In that moment, Matt was tirelessly working on a busted water pipe that was conveniently located underneath a concrete sidewalk, and there I was safely and comfortably in bed staring at a blinking light. Eventually, I heard Matt walk through the front door and turn on a water faucet. It was like I felt his sigh of relief inside my own body. After eight hours of work, he had succeeded in saving us thousands of dollars and had replaced our old copper water pipe. There he was closing up a significantly stressful day, and my head was peacefully resting on a soft pillow as I watched this blinking halo. 

A smile inched across my face and gratitude saturated my heart. I was home. Matt was home. Our home was and is our haven to retreat to when we feel the world is against us. And, even though our home was more of retreat for me that particular evening, it eventually became one for Matt to rest in once his hard work was complete. We are the lucky ones.

So, maybe, that blinking halo was a Divine reminder for me to let His light shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

Everywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine
Everywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine
Everywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

All up in my house, I'm gonna let it shine
All up in my house, I'm gonna let it shine
All up in my house, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

Out there in the dark
I'm gonna let it shine
Out there in the dark
I'm gonna let it shine
Out there in the dark
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!

Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!
Let it shine, shine, shine
Let it shine!


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