The Light of the world

I participated in a webinar training on Monday and of all the information I learned, there’s one thing that hit me like a Nerf dart suction cup, between the eyes.

“You can’t be the light of the world if you can’t pay your electric bill.” ~ Bill Baren

It struck me so profoundly for a couple of reasons.

1.  Because of my personal faith, this is the season I celebrate the true Light of the world coming to earth.  I’m incredibly grateful that it’s not my responsibility to light up the whole world by myself, because that’d be a pretty daunting electric bill.
2. If I’m not taking care of me, making sure my own needs are met, the Light that I’m made to reflect in this world will dim.  That’s true of this blog, my marriage, my family, my friends and the HeartStories business as a whole.  If the practices that are in place in my life aren’t sustainable, the lights will eventually go out.  No matter how I try to position it, if I’m not feeding and nurturing myself, it won’t matter that I’m doing all of these things for other people. 

That’s a big deal.

And all my excuses about how it’s just a season, or it’s just this project or just this week. . . they’re all bologna.  The way I live through this season, IS MY LIFE.  It’s not going to change in the next season.  It’s going to be the life I look back on when I’m 80, wishing for a few more years to make it right.

Since Monday, I’ve hugged two different friends who also needed hear that they have to start shoring up to be able to pay their own electric bills.  It both comforts and saddens me, that so many of us are walking around with a deficit in our plan to care for ourselves, while we try to go light up our corner of the world.

And for the most part, we’re not talking about it. 

“Everything’s fine!” we say as we wave and keep walking.  “Merry Christmas!”

Your lights are flickering sister.  We know everything’s not fine.  Among friends, the connection that will happen when you let yourself be known will pay a big ‘ole chunk of that electric bill.

We need your light.  

Let’s figure out how to pay our electric bills together.

to more love,

Crystal