Here in northern lower Michigan, I’m waiting for spring to
emerge. Schools were closed this
week for a snow day. I, for one,
am ready to move on. We had a
busy, wonderful season of providing dog sled tours and now swing into spring
clean up around the farm.
This
year, we are going one step further and working on our main cabin, which I
warmly refer to as my “Jenga Cabin”.
(I move, and something falls.)
Winters are longer in a 15 x 20 cabin where leg room is at a
premium.
This spring, we will be
moving out, while changes are taking place. Two summers ago, we tried to move back to our Bear’s Den
cabin, but it didn’t work out. We
found we were too far from the critters.
If not for that, I would have stayed. I wrote this after a couple nights “out back”.
As I sat in a camp chair on our tiny cabin porch last night,
I reflected on our first couple of nights “off grid”. With the business of summer days rolling into nights, we
have basically headed back to the Bear’s Den to crash and sleep. However, sleep seems to be the last
thing that occurs while there. For
me anyway.
As I sat last night, inside the porch, near the screen door,
Zip was by my feet, her head just inches from the door. It was dusk and darkness was closing
in. Earlier, as I walked into the
woods, the birds were singing and pats (partridges) were flying up as I neared
their nook, but now, it was dead silence except for the gentle snoring of Russ
deeper inside the cabin.
As darkness overcame dusk, the fireflies began their
syncopated dance among the trees.
In the distance, I could hear the yipping of a coyote and a neighbor
dog, a mile or so away on the wind.
{Our kennel dogs were silent.} While watching the fireflies burst their light and darken, I thought to
myself…is that me? Am I like a
firefly, bursting with the light of Jesus for some to see at times, and then fade
out quickly? Saved by faith and
grace, bold for Christ... but only in short staccato bursts?
As the tiny candle was blown out for the night, and the
cabin was immersed in total darkness, my thoughts began. Laying on my sleeping bag, in complete
darkness I thought I must let my light shine. However, it isn’t anything I, myself, can accomplish. As I die to myself, Christ will fill me
and I will become a cracked pot, with light shining through… I hope so, for if I can alter one
person, just one, who is gambling with this gift of faith and grace, I can help save
them from eternal darkness and being separate from God.
Until next time, dear friends, Lord willing.
Sherry