How You Shine...

Ah my loves...how you shine, how your heart for others pours out, how you walk into a room as bright as the morning sun...smiling though your heart breaks...spreading love though you feel broken down into the tiniest of pieces, scattered across the floor.

I see you...I see you as you take a moment in the bathroom to shed a few rare tears...

I see you as you take a moment before opening the door to the sounds of many voices raised in laughter, the sounds of children playing, yelling, breaking things, adult voices raised once again with a different tenor now...I see you as you close your eyes and smile despite the wetness on your cheeks...I see you...know you...you're not alone dear hearts.

I watch as my precious children give out love one to the other, as they come together in the aftermath of loss...I sit and listen with attention, with focus, with purpose as my daughter speaks her heart, tucking it all away for later prayer, for later ruminations.

I sit with a thankful heart for the beauty of children and their 'normal.'

I sit with a heart of gratitude for the love of my family, extended and otherwise...the love that opens its heart and invites in all comers...we hunker down together and hold on tight as the storm rages over and above all we expected...hold fast as grief bubbles up as anger, as frustration...hold fast as that well of anger dries up in the face of acceptance, of compassion, of LOVE...

Love saves us...once again...with all that I have I wish, I pray for a heart that never stops giving...that will not hesitate in the face of dispute, of disagreement, of anger and all the emotions in between...

Hear me now dear treasures...giving love does not equate forgetting ourselves in that mix...we must love and respect the woman (man) we are and guard against those who would seek our downfall, seek our destruction...

Giving love does not mean becoming a doormat...stepping down from our place of confidence and growth. No...love gives and supports but takes a step back for evil, for the disquietly destructive personality walking about looking to devour and destroy.

We step back and step up our game...we walk tall and proud and know our worth...

We step back and prepare for war, spiritual and otherwise...

Justice WILL be served my friends...God has a way...while our justice system is broken and erring on the side of caution, on the side of the perpetrator...God is able, always....

In the meantime...we have the life we choose...a life of peace, of joy in the morning, in peace that passes all understanding no matter what is happening around us...we stand firm and keep our circle small and intimate.

We give out kindness, we give out love in wisdom...in perception...in understanding that not all will receive nor enjoy our 'shine.'

May God richly bless you during this season...may He make a way for you....'He is mighty to save,' dear lost ones....mighty to save!