You Light Up My Life

When writer’s block hits, I want to pull my hair out. I get fussy and depressed and snarky, desperate for inspiration to pour back into me.

I suffered from this earlier today while preparing to write Dry Ground. Despite exploring various methods to jumpstart the creative juices, not unlike repeated attempts to rip cord a lawn mower low on gasoline, I sat in the hotel lobby with my forehead in my palms. I may have been growling a little bit too.

The root of the problem lay in the fact that I was bored.

I don’t get bored often. I’m an only child with an overactive (usually) imagination who loves to watch movies, read books as well as make up stories of my own – I can handle alone time just fine.

Still, after a while… like, a few days… I crave a shake up in the old routine. And when that doesn’t happen, I end up pounding my head against a wall.

But my Daniel works long hours at a new(ish) job in a new location no where near anyone I know, except for my best good friend who just moved to Alaska – so I’ve been alone a lot lately. (Not complaining, just setting the scene – diagnosing my writer’s block…)

ANWAY, I’m sitting there gripping multiple strands of my hair, close to giving a good yank, when all of a sudden…

My Daniel walks into the lobby, three hours earlier than expected.

I sat up, perked up, felt my face light up, like somebody had lit a fire under me.

“Are you here for good?” I spouted, which meant I wanted to know if this was a break and he had to go back or if he was home for the night.

Home for the night, and ready to take me out to dinner – just the routine buster I needed.

I couldn’t believe how thrilled and relieved I was that he’d come home early. Seeing my Love walk through that door, seeing his face, changed my entire countenance on a dime. I’m so thankful that after fifteen years of marriage, my Daniel still lights me up.

And… it got me thinking.

What if it had been Jesus walking through that door?

First of all, would I be prepared to see my Perfect Lover? Or would He catch me distracted with my own pursuits?

And then, would I thrill to see Him? Like I did when my earthly mate surprised me?

As time flies, it’s easy to forget the face of our Savior. Maybe that’s because now we see through a glass darkly.

One day, though, we’ll see Him face to face. What a day that will be - when the routine of this life is eternally interrupted by Jesus striding through the fabric between dimensions to whisk me away in a twinkling of an eye on the best “date” I’ve ever had.

In the meantime, I pray I let Him light up my life.

I hope that’s your prayer too.

Happy Monday, Dry Ground friends!

(photos by photobucket.com)