I snapped this picture after the end of a wonderful day filled with fun, food and sparklers! What is the 4th of July if it doesn't include some sparklers??? I just love this very casual photo of the adults as we were in the process of helping the kids with their sparklers.
Zeke, Lia and Ellie (with some help from dad) managed to sparkle. Anna, however, was just not interested in getting that close to those flaming sticks!
She was quite content to stay by Aunt Susie's side, far away from the smoke and sparks!
I can't help but think about all of my growing up years that always included Lake Maud on the 4th of July. As a matter of fact, I don't remember a July 4th anywhere else until I was out of high school! There was always a parade of boats (not very impressive, but we still always watched). And there was also some kind of fireworks. Many years the older kids would take the show out to a raft anchored off shore and light the "big" ones out there. I was telling Ken that I always had some of my own firecrackers and sparklers and snakes. I was trying to remember just how young I was when I actually shot off my own firecrackers and I think I was pretty young - like 3rd or 4th grade. My dad would buy me "pink lady" firecrackers that were about a half inch long. They were not very powerful and mostly made a small pop when the exploded. But it was still a very big deal to have my OWN and my very own "punk". Talking about that with Ken and the kids was really interesting. I actually had to look up punk to find out exactly what it was. My explanation was a long chunky stick that you would light off of a match and then it would stay lit for a long time. It had enough "power" to light off firecrackers without lighting a match each time. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this definition on the internet..... "Punk - a smoldering stick, usually made of a thin piece of banboo that is covered with manure and wood shavings". WOW! I had no idea that manure was involved, and I can't tell you how many times I actually held that stick of punk in my mouth (not the lit end, but still.... UGH) in order to light those firecrackers!
After I got home last night, I was thinking about punk. Isn't it interesting how something that is not really burning can actually light off a BIG BANG? I remember my brother and cousins lighting off cherry bombs that were big, loud and scary! And they were lit with a punk. All you had to do was just blow a tiny bit on the end of the punk and it would glow red. If there was no red, the punk was burned out. What a great Spiritual application this is! Sometimes when I look around at the "world" it looks pretty dark out there. Even when you look around at the churches and at people who say they are Christians. Not much light and not much fire happening. I am convinced that there are many who, like punk, are just sort of smoldering. Not really on fire. But they are just waiting for that "wind of the Spirit" to hit and light that fire! I've felt like that so many times times. Kind of cold and dry and not feeling like I am really being the LIGHT in the dark world. But the good news is that it only takes that little spark - the smoldering stick and wind - to get a fire going!
This reminded me of the old camp song "Pass It On"
It only takes a spark to get a fire going
And soon all those around will warm up in it's glowing.
That's how it is with God's love
Once you’ve experienced it, you spread His love to everyone
You want to pass it on
What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming
That’s how it is with God’s love
Once you’ve experienced it, you want to sing
“It’s fresh like spring”; you want to pass it on
I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I’ve found
You can depend on Him, it matters not where you’re bound
I’ll shout it from the mountain top – PRAISE GOD
I want the world to know; the Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on
It all comes back to God's love. That wonderful love that keeps us smoldering, even in those dry times. Even when we feel just as dark as the world around us. With just a little wisp of the Holy Spirit wind, we can become those wonderful bright fires that can light up our dark world! There is so much hope and joy in this. I don't know about you, but I have a new wonderful feeling and I am humming...... I want to pass it on!
Jesus, thank you for the reminder that your love is big and powerful and able to be passed on - even by just a little spark. Holy Spirit will you blow over all of us and touch our smoldering spirits with a new wind of the love of Jesus. Help us to want to show the world more of the wonder of Jesus. Amen
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