"I am the light of the world," he said. "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness." John 8:12
View of Seattle from across Lake Washington…picture courtesy of www.mtgfoundation.com.
I was born and raised in Seattle. I haven’t spent all my time there – seven or so years in Spokane and now I reside just south of San Francisco. Each city has its own distinct characteristics, weather patterns, and expectations (you should KNOW how to drive in the rain if you live in Seattle, and if you can’t handle snow, why are you living in Spokane?).
The biggest change I have noticed is the amount of light. In California, it isn’t light as late in June/July as up North (Seattle it can be 10pm before dusk finishes), but in December/January, California stays lighter later (Seattle hits twilight around 3pm and is DARK by 4pm).
I didn’t realize how much I craved light until I went home for Christmas and I was loosing almost two hours of it each day. I felt as if my day had been cut off and I had been “shortchanged.” Honestly, in July, when I moved to California I felt the same way – the sun was setting a lot earlier than it had been in Seattle and I didn’t like it!
The light deprivation got me to ruminating (surprise, surprise). How much light do I show in my life at any given time? What do my attitude, my actions, my articulations reveal about me? Am I more like the longer light filled sunny winter day in California, or short cloudy day in Seattle?
With me, it is a choice. I have to choose how to view the world around me. Yes, crap happens. Yes, bad things occur. Yes, our world is overrun with violence, death, destruction, corruption, abuse, manipulation and control – but it is a choice how I choose to view it.
Jesus is known as “the light of the world” and when he is accepted into your life as Savior and Lord (see letter #61) he brings the light with him. Darkness is dispelled, dismissed, and driven away. 2Corinthians says we become new – we get a new lens in which to view things.
What lens are you looking through? Are you viewing the world through the lens of light that sees the possible hope, comfort, optimism, and joyfulness? Or are you seeing the world through your own short-sighted, un-transformed view?
Further, what do your attitude, actions, and articulations say about your perspective? Are you living in the light? Is the light shining out of you? Is your light affecting others?
Where do you live? And how many hours of light take place there?
Updates:
View of Seattle from across Lake Washington…picture courtesy of www.mtgfoundation.com.
I was born and raised in Seattle. I haven’t spent all my time there – seven or so years in Spokane and now I reside just south of San Francisco. Each city has its own distinct characteristics, weather patterns, and expectations (you should KNOW how to drive in the rain if you live in Seattle, and if you can’t handle snow, why are you living in Spokane?).
The biggest change I have noticed is the amount of light. In California, it isn’t light as late in June/July as up North (Seattle it can be 10pm before dusk finishes), but in December/January, California stays lighter later (Seattle hits twilight around 3pm and is DARK by 4pm).
I didn’t realize how much I craved light until I went home for Christmas and I was loosing almost two hours of it each day. I felt as if my day had been cut off and I had been “shortchanged.” Honestly, in July, when I moved to California I felt the same way – the sun was setting a lot earlier than it had been in Seattle and I didn’t like it!
The light deprivation got me to ruminating (surprise, surprise). How much light do I show in my life at any given time? What do my attitude, my actions, my articulations reveal about me? Am I more like the longer light filled sunny winter day in California, or short cloudy day in Seattle?
With me, it is a choice. I have to choose how to view the world around me. Yes, crap happens. Yes, bad things occur. Yes, our world is overrun with violence, death, destruction, corruption, abuse, manipulation and control – but it is a choice how I choose to view it.
Jesus is known as “the light of the world” and when he is accepted into your life as Savior and Lord (see letter #61) he brings the light with him. Darkness is dispelled, dismissed, and driven away. 2Corinthians says we become new – we get a new lens in which to view things.
What lens are you looking through? Are you viewing the world through the lens of light that sees the possible hope, comfort, optimism, and joyfulness? Or are you seeing the world through your own short-sighted, un-transformed view?
Further, what do your attitude, actions, and articulations say about your perspective? Are you living in the light? Is the light shining out of you? Is your light affecting others?
Where do you live? And how many hours of light take place there?
Updates:
Thanks for praying – it has been a PHEOMINAL couple of weeks!
Living – at my relative’s house until God puts me in different accommodation.
Work –After our staff retreat Brett re-assigned our responsibilities…I am very excited to be in charge of intercession! Otherwise, tons of events are happening, training starts this week, and the hum is back to “normal”!
Relationships – Jodie Cottrill and Jamie Sanders came down for the weekend from Seattle and experienced an early spring (the weather was FABULOUS) – we had so much fun! Now I miss them even MORE…wonder triplets unite…
Family – my Aunt is cancer free! She has been having throat issues for months and with a past history of cancer we were really concerned but whoo hoo! It isn’t cancer! My Dad’s foot surgery is healing nicely and he should be able to get his other one done on schedule! My mom is becoming the incredible shrinking woman…another couple pounds lost this week! Go Mom!
Computer – My boss bought me a new machine! It arrived last Thursday and by Friday afternoon it was ready for use! I can’t believe how fast she is! Yipee!
Requests:
Housing – I am with my relatives for the time being but will move when the time is right into my own little space.
Work – Our next round of training starts this Wednesday, The Big Weekend retreat (March 28-30) and pre-The Big Weekend conference (March 24-28) are fast approaching, we need to finalize recruiting, for our host country resident teams, and for odd and ends administratively…please pray for consistency in excellence…
Relationships - deepening of present ones, start of new ones and that God will be present.
Computer – what does God want me to do with my old machine? It is currently being used as my QuickBooks computer (Vista, on my new machine, doesn’t support the QB version we use)
Husband – I don’t know who he is /where he is, but I am sure he would appreciate prayer!
Financing - If you are interested in contributing, please see ‘Contribute’ at http://www.repurposing.biz/ on the left of the page, or visit http://www.denaandrews.blogspot.com/ and read the footer for additional info.
Dena
Living – at my relative’s house until God puts me in different accommodation.
Work –After our staff retreat Brett re-assigned our responsibilities…I am very excited to be in charge of intercession! Otherwise, tons of events are happening, training starts this week, and the hum is back to “normal”!
Relationships – Jodie Cottrill and Jamie Sanders came down for the weekend from Seattle and experienced an early spring (the weather was FABULOUS) – we had so much fun! Now I miss them even MORE…wonder triplets unite…
Family – my Aunt is cancer free! She has been having throat issues for months and with a past history of cancer we were really concerned but whoo hoo! It isn’t cancer! My Dad’s foot surgery is healing nicely and he should be able to get his other one done on schedule! My mom is becoming the incredible shrinking woman…another couple pounds lost this week! Go Mom!
Computer – My boss bought me a new machine! It arrived last Thursday and by Friday afternoon it was ready for use! I can’t believe how fast she is! Yipee!
Requests:
Housing – I am with my relatives for the time being but will move when the time is right into my own little space.
Work – Our next round of training starts this Wednesday, The Big Weekend retreat (March 28-30) and pre-The Big Weekend conference (March 24-28) are fast approaching, we need to finalize recruiting, for our host country resident teams, and for odd and ends administratively…please pray for consistency in excellence…
Relationships - deepening of present ones, start of new ones and that God will be present.
Computer – what does God want me to do with my old machine? It is currently being used as my QuickBooks computer (Vista, on my new machine, doesn’t support the QB version we use)
Husband – I don’t know who he is /where he is, but I am sure he would appreciate prayer!
Financing - If you are interested in contributing, please see ‘Contribute’ at http://www.repurposing.biz/ on the left of the page, or visit http://www.denaandrews.blogspot.com/ and read the footer for additional info.
Dena
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