Turn the Lights On!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12 ESV

(We're gonna just skip the explanation of why I disappeared for months from blogging, ok?)

Let me ask you - have you ever said yes to attend something and then kinda regret it that day of?

If I'm being honest, that was me today.

My Dad had been in contact with a distant cousin of ours who's a singer. He reached out a couple of months ago to ask if my husband and I would like to attend. At that moment, it sounded like a good idea, so we both said yes and my Dad purchased our tickets.

Not long after, I thought about that thing: the concert is almost an hour away. It was on a Sunday at 6pm, which in "non daylight savings time" is dark and feels late. Not to mention, I didn't really know her. What did I get my husband and I into?

Weeks passed and, honestly, a piece of me hoped my Dad had forgotten about the tickets.

He hadn't.

Earlier this week, he sent me a message asking if we'd gotten the tickets. "No," my husband and I replied - which was the truth!

I thought: wait. Maybe this was my way out! (Thank you, Jesus!)

5 minutes later, he replied, "Tickets weren't distributed. Your names will be on the guest list."

Ahh shoot. So much for that way out...

Even though it's a Sunday, technically, I had to work. A church in Greensboro hosted a foster care ministry information session and I was there to present and answer questions (I'm a Foster Parent Recruiter for a living, if you're in NC and interested in learning more!). The info session was wonderful, but ended up being an hour longer than expected.

I came home to my husband bundled up on the couch watching football. I thought to myself, "He probably forgot about the concert..." I went to my room and face planted on the bed, thinking in my head how I wish I could just stay here and chill. Could I just tell my Dad that I didn't want to go after he'd already paid $100 for these tickets for my husband and I?!

*sigh*

I walked to the living room where my husband was bundled up. He hadn't forgot about the show. But, just like me, he wasn't really in the mood to go. Reluctantly, we both got dressed and set out for the almost-hour drive.

Sooo my personality is to always make try to make the best of moments, even if they're not necessarily my favorite. I tried to make small talk and make the ride more cheerful. My husband, however, couldn't hide how he felt...he was not tryin' to go. Let's just say, it was a very quiet ride...

Gratefully, God granted us traveling mercies and we made it to the concert at Catawba College. Sure enough, our name was on the list and we were given a special "VIP goodie bag" with free hot chocolate tickets, 2 cookies, and a custom ornament. Since we were a few minutes early - thanks to my husband! - we waited out in the atrium for the doors to open.

I'm not going to lie - I was planning an early escape. On the flyer, it said that the concert would be for 2 hours. I told my husband before we walked in that if we just stayed for an hour, I'd be perfectly fine with that. That would be just enough time to see the show and (honestly) tell my Dad about it.

The doors opened and everyone took their seats. It was a college classroom, theater-style setup. It was quaint, yet you still felt like you were at a concert (which we were!).

The show began and, within the first 10 minutes, I had no regrets about making the drive. Destiny (my distant cousin) was amazing! You could feel the anointing in her gift as she belted out holiday and gospel classics. Not to mention the energy of the room was wonderful and comforting! I looked over at my husband and noticed a smile or two - he'd enjoyed the show as well.

Afterwards, I got to meet Destiny and let her know that I was her distant cousin. It turns out, our great grandmothers were sisters, which means we have the same great-great grandparents. How neat! Not to mention, I really don't know much of my Dad's side of the family so it was pretty cool.

(Thank you, God, for knowing better than me!)

Now, here I am. Back at home at 10pm and it, honestly, doesn't feel like my day has been as long as it has. I even felt the urge to finally blog (which is feeling soooo good now that my fingers are typing away at these keys!).

As I type, with a YouTube fireplace playing on my TV, I look to the left and I see our Christmas tree with lights twinkling. Seeing it and hearing today's message in church, I'm reminded of why we light up our houses and trees: to celebrate the Light that came into the world to deliver us from darkness. Jesus Christ.

Before Jesus, sin left man in a place where were eternally separated from God's love. The catch is, the world couldn't see how far we'd gone from Him. We walked in darkness and were headed helplessly towards our doom.

...but then, Jesus, the light of the world, was born. In faith, He is the light that delivers us from our sins and brings us into God's light and love. We now have an eternal hope in Christ Jesus.

Not only that, he illuminates the former ways that we walked in darkness and lights the path to eternal life. He promises us that "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Sin no longer has control. As believers, we can turn away and towards God.

God, I thank you for loving and delivering us from our darkness and allowing us to walk in your way. Lord, please continue to open our eyes - our brothers and sisters around the world - that we may all know the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. May this be the center of all that we celebrate this Christmas. In Jesus name, Amen.

(Also, shout-out to my bestie Crystal for the nudge to post - here you go, girlie!)