Let Their Be Light

As a mom of six, I sometimes crave solitude. But weekends like this, I realize that even though I wish for quiet some days, I thrive on interaction with people.

COVID-19 scrapped my social calendar, and I've missed seeing friends and going to church. But I have enjoyed the less stressful weekends and quiet Sunday mornings. I still have a loud and busy household, and I'm never bored for a minute, but it is nice to not to watch the clock and rush.

But this weekend was fuller than any for the last two months. And even though I had no down time, I loved it. Here is a glimpse of the blessings, in  no particular order.

1. Great food. I made a triple mammoth batch of pasta salad. I love chopping veggies, especially a lovely variety like this. But I also enjoyed grilled pizza Saturday night and a delightful Sunday breakfast of caramel apple coffee cake and omelets, both meals made by my children and brother and sister.

2. Time spent with favorite people in the outdoors. We geocached for several hours this afternoon. We chose harder caches which means we didn't find many, but the weather was amazing, especially after snow flurries yesterday. We even hiked to my favorite stream. I love how little girls delight in simple pleasures like throwing stones in water and watching the splash.

3. Laughter shared because of silly family challenges. I'll tell you more about these later this week.

4. Counting blessings. Yesterday we helped serve a community meal. Time spent with the homeless has a way of making me realize how blessed I am. This afternoon I chatted with a young mom at the park. She looked ready to cry and in a few minutes she dumped out her despair and asked me what she should do. And she was seriously desperate enough that she was asking me, a stranger for advice. I didn't have any solutions, but I hope that just listening to her helped. She found out that I too was a single mom and asked me blunt questions on how I survived financially. How could I tell her that I've been so well supported that I have no financial stress when she has absolutely no one and is in danger of becoming homeless with three little children?

I  know that Mother's Day is hard for many people, like this mom. Sometimes it highlights crushed dreams or disappointments or personal failures.

This year might be even harder for many. Some mothers have had their days stretched to the breaking with 24/7 care of their children. Add in financial or health or political worries, a many don't have a rosy picture to share about their weekend.

I wanted to share a hymn today about peace, but since we were busy, it is now late Sunday night before I'm sharing this.

"Let Their Be Light" is my prayer for our community, and our country, and our world. I think that COVID-19 is a chance for another Great Awakening - a time for revival in the church and in the world. But I fear that worry, and bitterness, and fighting will destroy the opportunity. I'm praying for humility and surrender to God in my own heart and in the hearts of all God's people so we can reach out to hurting people with the hope of Jesus Christ.

Let There Be Light
William M. Vories
Hymns of the Church #778

Let there be light, Lord God of hosts,
Let there be wisdom on the earth;
Let broad humanity have birth,
Let there be deeds, instead of boasts.

Within our passioned hearts instill
The calm that endeth strain and strife;
Make us thy ministers of life;
Purge us from lusts that curse and kill.

Give us the peace of vision clear
To see our brothers’ good our own,
To joy and suffer not alone,
The love that casteth out all fear.

Let woe and waste of warfare cease,
That useful labor yet may build
Its homes with love and laughter filled;
God give thy wayward children peace.

(If you are viewing by email you may need to click over to the blog to view the video of this song.)