Fireflies and Thunderstorms - This Little Light of Mine

  
     Something I have noticed (and always loved ) about the northern summers is the enormous amount of fireflies that we have. Brings back memories of childhood. What felt like late summer nights running around w/ our pickel jars seeing how many we could catch.

    Something I have been noticing about this little bug though. Whenever I step outside on to my balcony I can see the yard below well lit w/ little blinking bugs. It's not just the warm and/or breezy nights I see them  though,  I also see them even when it is raining and storming out.

     Now given there aren't as many and their light may not be as bright as some but they're still out there and just a shinging away
       Lately in the great city of Indianapolis it has been storming off and on for over a week (and shall continue for another week...or so I hear/read) If were up to me I would go without them.
 
     Well anyways tonight was one of those many nights that it decided to storm (we're talking rain, wind, crashing lightening, and rolling thunder).

     Now I know whoever is reading this is automatically assuming that I'm going to turn this into something spiritual and well... you're right lol.

       I'll just keep it short and simple though. What if like the firefly we continued to let our lights shine even through the storms we go through. Sure there might not be as many fireflies out shining their light during stormy nights as there are on the warmer and dryer summer nights. But if you look around there are still quite a few just the same. Just remember you're never alone in your storms and to always let your light shine. You never know who is watching you.

     Like me with the little fireflies I didn't expect to see any bugs out the first time I noticed it (about a week ago) I thought maybe it was some kinda fluke. But have continued to see them out in the back yard weathering the storm and letting their lights shine.

   Pretty insperational if you ask me

Thoughts...

So I had a few random thoughts and though I should being studying for finals I feel as if I don't get those thoughts outta my head then I'll never be able to start studying...so here it goes

Thought #1: You know the saying "Can't teach an old dog new tricks" ? Well it was on my mind the other day and the thought hit me . What if the "old dog" this quote is refering to is actaully talking about a stubborn and/or lazy  old dog. Because I've met some "old dogs" in my life and well... they're more apt to learning "new tricks" then even some of "younger dogs". So I think the inventor of this quote was mislead

Thought #2: Things you have been taught through out the yrs. really can and do stick w/ you through out your life. Tonight in church they sang a song that I had learned a good 5 or 6 yrs. as a choir song for youth camp and when it came to a certin part of the song that the camp choir director had REALLY worked w/ us on , I found myself tonight singing it the way she had taught us. I giggled at myself.

Thought #3: Sometimes the simplest thoughts are actually not as "simple" as we think they are. We just hear them so often that we get bored w/ them. When in reality they are very prfound. Just like "God is love" ... yeah we hear it every day and it's simple, yet try REALLY thinking about. AMAZING!

When you don't have the words to say... sometimes you can use somone elses

Happiness

Just one simple thought and it is this ... Happiness isn't being blind to the wong around you. Happiness is seeing the wrong around you and choosing to be happy.

Joshua and the Battle of Jericho

     So Sunday I had to teach a lesson at Jesus House. I had been praying about it and decided to teach on Joshua and the battle of Jericho (which is my fave. Bible Story). I went through the motions of explaining the story and trying to stay somewhat animated so as to keep the kids attention.

    I have always enjoyed this story and the older I have gotten the more I have learned to appreciate it. When I first realized I loved the story I couldn't figure out why it meant so much to me until one day it hit me that it was a story of promises, commitment, and how even after you've obtained it all it takes is something as simple as taking of the "accursed things" to destroy it all .

    I have learned (and am continuing to learn) that God has promises for us out there. Sometimes we just have to shut up and continue doing what he has called us to do, and in the end we will obtain our promises.

   I have also learned though that even after we have obtained his promises it's not something we can take for granted. If we let "accrursed things" into our lives it can not only destroy us but everything/everyone around us. Because Achan couldn't keep his hands/eyes to himself and took of the accursed things, the children of Isreal lost the battle at Ai (the first time that is). God's blessing wasn't upon them any longer. It wasn't until God had revealed it to Joshua, that Joshua had found out why God's blessing had been taken off of them. It also wasn't until they rid of Achan and the the things he had taken that they were able to conquer AI.

   Sometimes we feel that if we can hide the sins in our lives or whatnot that it won't hurt anyone. As the saying goes "What they don't know won't hurt them." But in the end our sins will always find us out. Maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow...but in the end they always will. It's not until we rid ourselves of  these accursed things/sin that we will truly be able to obtain God's blessings again.

   Some of this didn't truly hit me until I was infront of all of those kids telling this story. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of some of these concepts before. But I thank God for both pointing it out to me and also allowing me to teach it to the kids. It has become a great blessing to me. I guess it's kinda like when a preacher says "I'm preaching to myself too", sometimes you end up teaching yourself a thing or 2 even when you're teaching others.

- Aundreya :)