The true musician is to bring light into people’s hearts. – Bobby McFerrin
I have heard Jesus called many things, but now I have one more name for Him. He is the true musician and we, through Him, are back up players to the greatest one who ever lived!
In this time of following the star, lighting candles, and of the birth of the Light of the World, what a great time to reflect on the greatest gift of all!
Can there be a more loving thing we, as disciples, can do for others than to bring, through our own faith, Jesus’ light into the hearts of those who do not know Him?
Sing His praises! Let your soul dance! He is the Great Musician! Share the Light!
Remember that old tune, The Sunny Side of the Street?
♫
Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street
♫
Can’t you hear the pitter-pat
And that happy tune is your step
Life can be complete
On the sunny side of the street
♫
I used to walk in the shade with my blues on parade But I’m not afraid…this rover’s crossed over
♫ If I never had a cent
I’d be rich as Rockefeller
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street
~Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
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The “sunny side of the street” for a Christian is in the presence of the Lord.
“But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.” Isa. 60:19
When Jesus walked this earth in human form, did he look at life as we all too often do?
use the right fork
hang with the in crowd
drive the right car
seek the flashy job
turn His gaze from “those” sorts of folks
The list could go on, but we do tend to seek a magazine cover kind of life and do we always keep in mind that we are ALL MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD? Do we smile at “impressive” people . . . as this world sees it yet turn our gaze from those not “pretty” enough or dressed as well or . . . yet whom did Jesus sit at table with?
Who did He sit around the campfire with and tell His stories to? Was it a group of influential folks of the day? NO! It was actually those whom society had rejected. What was to become of society?
Folks, they loved the Lord and spread His word. If it wasn’t for them, would we even KNOW Jesus? Isn’t it time we looked at one another through new eyes? If Jesus was here walking the earth in human form today, would He invite me to dinner?
Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. – Emily Dickinson
I have always dearly loved poetry and Dickinson is one of my favorites. This quote is a delightful reminder to me that through Jesus Christ we are blessed with eternal life! Death no longer has the sting it did before He won for us the victory through His great love for us. As His followers we know that love truly is immortal! Those we miss in our daily lives truly are not gone from us anymore than Christ Himself. They live on in our hearts through the love we share. On our darkest day, we still have light, hope, love, and companionship through our beloved Lord Jesus Christ! Let yourself feel the love!
I have read that miracles happen to each one of us every day. We do not always notice them. I am not certain which of the two statements I just made surprised me the most. So, I gave it some thought and realized a number of things:
Jesus loves me
even on a bad day there’s some good to be found
coincidence happens more often to believers
I am more likely to notice the bad things
Where I look is where I head
So, of that list, I’d say “where I look is where I’ll head” is leaping off the page at me because a detested driving instructor said it often. Wanted to strangle him . . . well, not really but couldn’t believe how often it was repeated and wished he’d find another way to “encourage.” lol It’s true though. If we look at the negative stuff and allow ourselves to get stuck there by continuing to look at the negative, we won’t see anything else.
It’s also true that the little nice things that happen are sometimes taken for granted, thought of as entitlements, etc., and not by me anyway fully appreciated. Gotta also say, I’ve tended to be more focused on my “Give me give me” prayers and less focused on appreciating all He does for me. I’m working ont that. Funny how even a forced smile improves my day.
Know what? There are nice things . . . mini miracles happening all the time. Try to find one in your day every day and soon, I promise, you’ll find so many! Example of this change of focus . . . I have a couple of meetings a week during which I’m to share a “moment closest to Christ.” I can recall a time when I’d have found that hard to come up with. I’ve grown since then, THANK YOU PRECIOUS JESUS. Now, I generally have a hard time deciding which of many to share EVEN ON A ROUGH WEEK.
Mini miracles? Here are a few that quickly popped into my mind:
back lawn was SO in need of mowing and my allergy makes yard work painful. A friend called and asked if he could come over and do it for me . . . I had not asked him. I said “yes.”
I wanted a copy of Peterson’s “The Message” so badly but didn’t feel I could spend the money. Felt an “urge” to go to the thrift store and there was a brand new copy on one of the many loaded bookshelves. It was only 1.00.
Several friends like yoga exercises but paying gym fees isn’t in the budget. Went to a second hand bookstore and found a book with very clear instructions for these exercises . . . just .50 cents
Read the aforementioned book and saw the cushions/mats they did the exercises on. Mental noted that when I get a job, I should pick one up. Brought Mom to her favorite thrift shop. They had an exercize mat for 1.00 and it was just what I needed.
I could go on, but I’d rather you shared one or more of yours. Please do! Sharing good news is the best way to reflect Jesus to the world and encourages others to seek Him. Let’s try, shall we? How has Jesus blessed your heart today?
Yup. It’s raining. My paper’s still in the driveway and wet, so here I sit chatting with you and drinking coffee without the paper. It’s Mom’s 83rd birthday today and I planned some “out and about” things today, but the skies are bleak and gray and there’s a promise of a return of yesterday’s bad storms both today and tomorrow. They’ve said “avoid travel until the storms pass . . .”
We do try to avoid storms, yet they find us don’t they? Still, as I was waiting in the cafe at the front of a store with a ton of other shoppers yesterday, we were taken by surprise by it. We sipped sweet tea or lemonade and waited. We saw a pause between the drops and ran to our cars laughing. We drove a short way and ‘WAM’ the storm was lurking there awaiting us.
As we arrived safely at our destinations weather or not, the focus of our attention on the storm shifted to relief as we laughingly ran into the shelter awaiting us. This is what our Lord desires us to do. We weather the storm knowing He’s in it with us, will calm the storm, and has His welcoming arms waiting for us to run into when our focus shifts from storm to Sonshine.
Anyone can reflect His light on a sunny day, but we are called to do so at all times . . . weather or not. Who’s with me?
““You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and
What does the word “share” bring to your mind? Perhaps it’s a thought of the kids fighting over a toy and “I wish they’d share.” How do we teach them? Perhaps, it’s a book you just read that “I can’t wait to give to Sue.” Could be the last cookie in the jar . . . broken in half, it becomes a treat for two.
Sharing is a tough concept in our world today. We seem to have raised generations of people who are driven to acquire, to have it all. We have so much more than previous generations and yet we aren’t satisfied. We lack joy. What is the answer? I think this quote sums it up well. Share something precious today! God did. He gve us His only Son. Look for Him in the eyes of all whom you meet today . . . and smile!
There is no delight in owning anything unshared. Seneca
You are not ugly either! Okay, I’ve not lost my mind. Well, not yet anyway. Tell me, though . . . haven’t you sometimes thought that people just didn’t like you? Did “they” make you feel:
not pretty enough
not smart enough
not good enough at sports
not good enough at . . .
too tall
too short
too fat
too thin
eyes too big?
nose too big?
This list could go on. It is so easy to see, with human eyes, that people around us seem to have it all and we do not. Most of us think these thoughts from time to time and some very often think this. Those folks who seem to have gotten the cute gene? The pretty face? The blue eyes? The pert little nose? The small feet?
Know what, though? Whatever the mirror seems to shout at you could and likely is ALL LIES!
You can work out, buy expensive makeup, wear cute shoes, and it might make you feel better for a time but what you see isn’t “real.” God created a beautiful you . . . trappings are just trappings. So what is the answer? It’s not the eyes, my friends!
“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.“
Gosh, mountain tops are amazing! So beautiful, so quiet, so peaceful, so close to God. Thinking about it gives me that rush I love so much.
We can’t remain there though. There’s life down below which must be lived. What would have become of us if Jesus and His chosen ones stayed in that quiet place away from all the drama?
So, I take leave of my mountain top, or find myself transported from it. Sad for a time, I change my focus outward and find joy there . . . though I am at the edge of darkness, I can still find joy there, for it is at the edge of the darkness where we discover the Light still shines . . .
Posted by Martha L Shaw 
Martha L Shaw - Poet, Writer, Author, Artist 