A Simple Gift, a Simple Light

You are the light of the world…
let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14a, 16

My friend apologized for her late arrival but a police detour around an accident by the middle school caused her delay.

On our way to the candle party we observed the taped off zone but couldn’t tell what happened. I sent up a prayer for all involved, wondering if it would include a middle school student. Little did I know how the events there would weave into my everyday and be connected to another PartyLite Candle gathering.

Read the back story and climax of the accident at my mother in law’s blog here: A Gift for Barbara Rose

Then come back for it’s continuation….
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Shock pulsed through my body as my next door neighbors explained that their daughter was hit crossing the street to catch her bus to go to a movie. She died wearing Elizabeth’s glass beads, a token of my seven year old’s friendship that encouraged a sixth grader’s heart who was struggling to fit in at a new school.

I embraced this mother with the only words that would come, “I’m so sorry.”

In that awkward moment I asked a dumb question, “Do you still have the necklace?….hoping the simple glass beads may be a comfort in the process of grief. She was wearing the necklace and it broke on impact, just as her body did. All I could picture were beads flying everywhere.

They let us know that family from out of state would be arriving to stay for the funeral. The only help we could give was permission to take up the parking in front of our house. God spoke his comfort to me, “No, you have given so much more already because you did not hinder Elizabeth’s simple gift.”

My daughter is now twelve, the same age that Barbara Rose was. I better understand the insecurities of a middle school girl. Back then I wondered if my seven year old would be shunned for such a homemade gift. I now see how such a fear was unrealistic. I’m so glad I prayed over it and trusted God’s divine appointment. I never imagined it would be so significant.

My neighbor came to my candle party a few weeks later. She opened up and talked with me and a few others gathered there. In the midst of lovely lit candles a grieving mom shared her story to women who bore the light of Jesus in their hearts. We cried with her and prayed over her.

As a mother I vowed then to never hinder the surprising work of the Holy Spirit through my children. Elizabeth wanted to make something herself for that neighbor girl, scones from the family wasn’t enough.

I thanked the Lord that even though I delayed in making those scones because life was busy, they came at just the right time. And without Elizabeth’s gift, it wouldn’t have been enough.

The invisible bubble barrier over every house that separates neighbors from one another was burst by our family bringing over homemade gifts to welcome a new family on our street.

Lord, I pray, "Help me to live my life simply enough to feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit; to stop and act on that impulse, and to push through the uncomfortable, awkward moments because You are in control."