IN ME... DARKNESS???

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

(and a little more)


For God, who said,

"Let light shine out of darkness,"

made his light shine in our hearts

to give us the light

of the knowledge

of the glory of God

in the face of Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:6

1. On Sunday, I used the mirror - looking in it and seeing the glory of Jesus.
   
2. On Monday, I used Thomas Kinkaide, The Painter of Light, and his house paintings to remind us that God is THE PAINTER OF LIGHT and we are a house of God...
   
3. Yesterday, I used an earthen vessel... a piece of pottery...jars of clay... to remind us to pour ourselves out and let Jesus fill us up...
   
4. Today, I'd like to revisit the Thomas Kinkaide house and move in a little closer to look at the windows...

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I'm not sure when I first heard this story... whether it was when I first met Thomas Kinkaide about 10 years ago when I had a booth at the Christian Bookseller's Association market right next to his... or maybe it was through some reading I've done on Thomas and his works... or possibly just reading on one of his calendars... whenever it was, it was confirmed in part last week when I watched a TV movie about him..

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Thomas may have lived in a neighborhood much like mine where many of the homes had lights in the windows like this one.

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He said that as a teen, when he would head home after dusk, he would pass all these homes with the lights on and he could see mothers, fathers, and children inside. Yet, when he arrived at his home, there was no light on there. Living in a single parent home, his mother had to work long hours and he and his brother would arrive home before she did. His loss of not seeing his mom and light shining through the windows are part of his gift of a deeper appreciation for light that he has given to the world.

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Darkness? A dark house? A darkened window? Fear of not seeing? The unknown? Evil? All the forces of darkness?

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On Sunday, my very wonderful husband (who today I have been married to for 36 years full of love, faith, and hope...) looked at 10 windows of the soul. To look inside these windows there is darkness... unless light permeates the darkness...

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1. The window of SECLUSION
2. The window of SUFFERING
3. The window of SILENCE
4. The window of being STRETCHED
5. The window of being SLANDERED
6. The window of being SURPRISED
7. The window of being SECOND
8. The window of being SATURATED WITH BLESSINGS
9. The window of SIN
10. The window of SPIRITS

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Join me tomorrow as we look at how LIGHT and permeate the darkness in each of these areas.

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In the meantime, I'll be spending the day celebrating my 36th wedding anniversary!

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Blessings...