fireflies.

the first time I encountered a firefly (lightning bug, as some call it) was in wisconsin. i was sitting on the dock, taking in the beauty of the lake and the trees and all else that my beloved desert lacks, when this floating light passed me... at first i squinted to be sure that i wasn't crazy... then i realized exactly what it was. i was so excited to finally see a firefly for the first time... then it was gone. later that night, i was curious, so i looked up what makes the little bug glow... as with most science, the technical jargon is beyond me, but basically fireflies contain special cells within them to make light. interesting, but i thought nothing more of it until almost three years later...

that was last summer, when I first visited indiana... we (my boyfriend at the time and i) had been picked up from the airport and were driving back... as i looked out the car window and into the darkness, i saw flickering lights along the side of the road. i wondered if i was really seeing anything or if it was just reflections of light from the car to whatever was around this area i was so unfamiliar with. finally, i asked what i was seeing. much to my delight, they were fireflies... this time not just one, but hundreds! i was captivated. i think i stared out the window for most of the drive catching glimpses of these fascinating creatures. my mind wandered... i remembered what i had read long ago about how they glowed... it was something inside them, shining outward, but only visible when it was dark... 

Later during the trip, there was a big storm in the area, we were advised to either stay put at cracker barrel (delicious restaurant shout out... we need one of those in california) or try to get ahead of the storm and return home... we decided to beat the storm, so we quickly headed out and on our way... it was that night that i saw one of the most magnificent sights i have beheld to this day... in fact, the adjective magnificent (or stunning or dazzling or breathtaking) don't seem to do it justice. In my mind, i assumed that during a storm, there would be no fireflies to watch - surely they would hide from the storm - but i was abysmally wrong. There must have been millions of them; and instead of keeping low to the ground, as i had seen before, they were up in the trees. no longer simply captivated, i was mesmerized. i don't know that i can accurately explain what i saw... the trees just sparkled! 

back to this evening - reminiscing, wishing i had captured the spectacle in a picture or that i could see it all over again... fireflies are so phenomenal... i thanked God for all things simple and yet sensational that He created... my mind continued to wander...

something special within them making light in the darkness... and even more so in the storm...

if you are a Christian, you too have within yourself something special (or should i say Someone) that makes you a light in the darkness. Ye are the light of the world... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14a, 16) 

in this world of darkness, does your light shine? can others look at your life and be captivated by seeing the Light in you? and when the storms of life come (for they always come), will you continue to let your light shine? others will understand and maybe even expect you to hide from the storm, but will you bring glory to your Heavenly Father by letting your light shine on? it is in those times that others who are watching will be awestruck by the peace you have in the storm. it is in those times that your are a testament to the awesome grace of God!