a balancing act

“Again 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

One minute i'm letting the light shine through, and the next i'm snuffing it out. After writing notes to some friends, i found my family in sudden need of a thermometer. Using the one in my cabinet, there was no beep after five long minutes.  I checked the reading... 97.2.  I don't think so.  I zipped to our local drug store and was shocked to find empty racks.  I quickly went to the store across the street... same story. They assured me a shipment was coming next week. Well, that's good and well, but i needed it now. Sensing my panic rising, they wisely advised me to call around to find one.  After 4 attempts, i located one. Dashing to the store, i spotted a clerk at the desk and told him i was there for the thermometer. He looked from me to another clerk, and they concurred they had none.  WHAT?  I about jumped over the counter! Short of breath, i explained we had just talked, and he was suppose to hold one for me. He didn't give in, and i was one step from hysterics.

I lost all sense of calmness as i demanded from him, " IS THIS NOT WXY DRUG STORE ON OAK STREET!?

"Umm, no ma'am, this is CBA Drug on Oak Street."

Silence... and a very dark moment for me.

"oh.  So sorry, sir."  I crawled out and around the corner to the correct store holding my thermometer.

  

The struggles to survive our daily challenges are real. Trying to balance our emotions during this difficult season is hard. In desperate times, people do desperate and dumb things.  

As we go forward with life, be mindful we are not alone in two respects:

*others are also battling this emotional roller coaster, and need the light of our positive, calm support 

*God is by our side, and in our weak, dark moments, helping us forge through our walls of despair and pain  

 

Father, as i teeter between light and dark moments, i pray for You to pull me back closer to You.  May Your Light be my guide, my peace, my strength, my hope, my joy, my all.  And may Your light shining through me be strong enough to help others replace the darkness of their pain, difficulties and fear with the hope, life and joy we have by following the Light instead. 

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live like we believe it,

veneal