Light in the Darkness

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Let us be that single candle, spreading light into a dark world!

Welcome to my Light in the Darkness meme! (If you missed my post on the inspiration for this meme, you can read all about it HERE.)

This is the place to share good things that are happening in our world...whether it's a link to a news article/video, something from your personal experience...anything good that can bring light into darkness!

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I recently finished reading the book A Million Steps by Kurt Koontz. He shares his one month pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela...the almost 500 mile long path through northern Spain. 

The reason I'm mentioning this is in regards to several men he mentions meeting in his life, one while on this journey. These men left jobs, sold their homes & belongings, & began their own journeys around the world. They never knew what each day would bring, but they were led by those they met along the way. Their goal was to go where they saw a need that they could fill...helping someone w/ their yard work, working in a soup kitchen, collecting items those in need, etc. One man even set off w/ no money (just as Jesus asked of his disciples!) 

The commonality is that all of these men plan to dedicate the rest of their lives (or at least as long as they're able) to helping others.

I know that is not something we can do on that grand of a scale, but helping others is definitely something we can do. We just need to look at our lives & give of our time, talent, or treasure in the best way we can. Sometimes we can give more...sometimes less & that's okay! God knows our strengths, abilities, & hearts.

Deo Gratias

 
"If the only prayer you ever say in your life is thank you, it will be enough." - Meister Eckhart

Colleen, from her inspiring blog Thoughts on Grace, hosts this wonderful meme each Wednesday. She says, "Deo Gratias is Latin for Thanks be to God. Remembering to give thanks for all of our blessings, big & small, helps us to find God in our everyday moments and gives us an attitude of gratitude!"

Each week, I join Colleen in remembering & sharing the many blessings in my life. This is such a great exercise for me, helping me to focus on the good that truly is happening in my life, no matter how many trials & stresses I may have.

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As I said in Monday's "Light in the Darkness" post, I'm sorry for the delay in posting. It's been a busy past month or so!

Here are the things I'm thankful for...

1) When shopping at Volunteers of America over the weekend, we came across a sturdy cartop carrier for only $30. We snatched it up right away, knowing it will come in handy for our family beach trip next summer.

2) Regarding said purchase above...we got to the van & realized that there wasn't any room to carry it home. It didn't come w/ instructions, so we didn't want to risk installing it incorrectly. So, after a quick call to my parents, HelpfulGrammy came to our rescue w/ HandyGramps' pick-up truck!

3) My annual Hocking Hills trip w/ my mom & four other dear friends was last weekend. We've always gone in the spring, so this was a pleasant change to enjoy our rented house in the fall. I wasn't feeling great w/ a head cold, but still managed to have a wonderful time laughing, crying, eating, shopping, & repeating!

4) Matt & I put it off long enough...we broke down & invested in smartphones. Thankfully, we were able to get a good deal on them & now he can rest at ease when he needs his for college classes.

5) Church choir is back after taking the summer off. It's so wonderful to join my voice in praise for our wonderful God & all He's done for us! An added bonus this year...The Prophet has joined the tenor section. He's loving it!

Light in the Darkness

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Let us be that single candle, spreading light into a dark world!

Welcome to my Light in the Darkness meme! (If you missed my post on the inspiration for this meme, you can read all about it HERE.)

This is the place to share good things that are happening in our world...whether it's a link to a news article/video, something from your personal experience...anything good that can bring light into darkness!

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I'm BAAAAAAACCKK! Sorry for the lack of posts w/in the past month or so. We started back to school, I've picked some extra shifts at work, & life in general happened!

The link I'm sharing for today is from the beginning of September...a man who doesn't let his disability interfere w/ bringing some cheer to children!

Blind Veteran's Creation