The Lower Lights

When I say that my children are my favorite people, it is more than a mother thinking that her kids are great.  They are strong and good  - smart and fun - and I learn from them.  They are more than that... and all of these things puts them at the top of my favorites list.
   Today, as I was walking down the sidewalk to church, I received a text from Greg.  He had read my blog post from this morning, and he agreed that it was good to write those things.  He also told me that while he was at church this morning they had sung Brightly Beam Our Father's Mercy (by Philip P. Bliss).  This was on Greg's mind while he read the blog - and he reminded me that we are the lights along the shore.  Here are some of the words:

Brightly beam our Father's mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore

chorus: Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Trim you feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

chorus: Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

It wasn't until I typed those words that I remembered I had used a wave/ocean metaphor this morning.

Bless that boy!  I felt like smiling all through church.

Why do I blog?  A year or so ago I continued to hear the message that there was a need to have clean and uplifting content on the internet... The feelings kept coming that I had something that I could share.  It was incredibly hard to begin - social media had never held too many charms for me.  However, I had a lot to say and was ever so grateful to be able to put it all into a format that could be viewed by friends, family and others.  I am usually not too inclined to share personal thoughts - but I do like to keep a journal.  In a journal I would be able to go deeper - but who would know about any of that until after I die and perhaps a great-grandchild shows an interest...
I have discovered that a positive, joyful, peaceful approach to life isn't natural for everyone.  Sharing this approach to a world that is saturated with trials of all kinds... well, I hope that it does provide light to someone.  As we shared our story with a medical assistant at Huntsman, he asked if he could share our story with others when it seemed appropriate.  We gave him our blog address and asked him to please share with anyone he felt could use it.

Christ can calm the waves
when we are tempest-tossed also!!

Back to the hymn - I read the words and pictured myself holding a light on the seashore, hoping to be of help to someone lost in the waves.  Here on the shore there are also storms.   It can be cold, rainy, windy and dark - but having a foundation under my feet is worth everything.  I am not tempest-tossed.  Out in the waves it is too easy to get
lost or feel like giving up.  Lights along the shore may be dim, but they are there, and their purpose is to help others.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
God is the source of our light.  Brightly beams our Father's mercy - He has provided our light and then "to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore."  It may be a "feeble lamp" - last week my light felt rather dim, but it was there.  I feel discouraged when I don't have the mental or physical strength to be out serving in a traditional sense, but I do have light.  My Savior is my light and I will serve for now, in the best way that I can for now... and simply share that there is hope for peace and stability in the harbor!