How to be a candle not a firework . . .

(I found this today and thought I would share it with you since we just celebrated the 4th of July. It also reminds me of my dear friend Dawn Mayer as she lost her battle with cancer last week and I attended her funeral this week. She was truly a candle that shined brightly throughout her life and her candle never flickered even through the tough times. She will be missed.)

The sky stretches inky black above us as we wait for the first spark to light the sky with color.
Bang.

Then the evening is filled with red and blue and yellow. We ooh-and-aah as each firework explodes and sends ashes to the ground.

When it's over we walk back into the house--back to the ordinary of dishes, laundry and conversations about what we'll do tomorrow.

As I drift off to sleep a quote someone once shared with me drifts across my mind, "Be a candle not a firework." In other words, shine brightly for a lifetime not just a brief, spectacular time.

But how do we do this?

Three ways to perhaps make it happen...

* Live with intention - Fireworks are scattered. A million sparks in a thousand directions. Candles burn with a single flame. Be thoughtful about how we spend your time, affection and resources.

* Stay Steady - We love fireworks because of the thrill and excitement. Candles aren't quite as glamorous but they last much longer. Yes, have "firework moments" that are thrilling--and that's great. In daily life, be quietly faithful to what God has called us to do.

* Go for Substance, not Show - A firework is flashy and draws a crowd. But as a source of light and warmth, well, they don't quite do the trick. Stay true to our purpose, even when it seems no one notices.

I'm all for fireworks and I'll be staring at the sky with a smile of wonder this time next year. But there are 364 days in between. And on those it will be candles that glow in my home.

Each time I light one and set it on a dinner table or in a window, I'll remember that sometimes being steady, faithful, and intentional can make us shine brighter than we will ever fully realize.

{You shine. Oh, how you do. Keep it up, friend.}

Dear Lord, help me to shine brightly in my life like a candle. Let people that I may come in contact with day in and day out see that my light shines for You. Let them see that I am not just a firework that looks to You in brief moments of my life, but I look to You in all I do. In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings on your Thursday.