Fire Flies (aka Lightning Bugs)

I was headed out to the shop this evening to do some more work on a couple of quilt racks for a friend, only to find Emerson closing up the shop. Rats. Hmmmmm. So I grabbed my fishing pole and headed for the pond. I thought that it must be a sign from God :>)

We have had a LOT of rain, so I knew it probably wouldn't be great fishing, but still, I knew I'd have fun. I got a couple of little bass along the edge of the pond. Then I thought I'd go up and try a couple of casts off the dam.

It was getting dark. There was a cool breeze making the cottonwood tree leaves dance. Everything is very green. It even has the smell of green growing plants. Lots of ivies growing--I'm sure some of it is poison ivy and oak--but I don't seem to be allergic to any of it.

The frogs were croaking out a dissonant song--in several different frog languages! The big bull frogs with their deep resonating song, and then several other kinds of frogs that I don't know the name of--but hear their songs all the time. The ones that give a long bbbzzzzt, those that are almost a metalic sound click, and then the ones that sort of whhhhrrRR!

And then, my most favorite--the fire flies. Doing their own little mid-air waltzes and minuettes. They just look so.....happy!! I love watching them!!! Then I started thinking about a verse in Phillippians (2:15):

"...prove yourselves to be blamesless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world..."

And I think just maybe we are fire flies for God. As you watch fire flies your eyes are just naturally drawn to where they are because they are such a contrast to the darkness. By our own daily living, we can be like that for God, walking in His steps, a stark contrast to the ugliness of this dark world. And you don't ALWAYS see fire flys. Their lights shine for a few seconds and you see just a streak behind them as their light goes out. Then our eyes are drawn to the next fire fly. And the next, and then, maybe back to the first. We don't ALWAYS have to be front and center, in the spotlight to be a light for Him. Just as there are many fire flies, so there are many Christians, and we don't always have to be the most brilliant one out there. We just have to keep on flying, and make sure our light doesn't go out completely. And you know, you can't really SEE fire flies in the light. If you ever have, you'll know they are not a particularly attractive little bug. And that, I think, is how we will appear when we are bathed in HIS light! Just plain looking bugs. His brilliance will be so glorius!! But we can have a great impact on the darkness in this world.

Father, let me be a fire fly for you! I love you.

Grace to you, and all kinds of peace in believing!