Tuesdays With Naqvi--7

 "Lucky" number 7 started with my chemo Mojo being off since someone stole MY chair.  It all worked out because I ended up being right next to another 30-something mom with cancer.  We actually met at Monkey Joe's, of all places, last week and discovered that we have nearly the same type of cancer and see the same doctors, but she is on the other side of the mountain--only finishing up Herceptin--and offers me hope that it will get easier {after it gets harder} and I will make it through.  I was so excited to get to talk to another mom of young children who has been through it.  It's nice to know people who have gone before and can live to tell about the light at the end of the tunnel.  {And, like in pregnancy, she said she was reading this blog and realized how much of the dark parts she had forgotten.  Somehow, we are able to remember the good and forget most of the bad.}

Here's some more of the good to remember.  After my hair party last Tuesday night, I was getting ready for bed and realized there were a few people who had offered their support via text/fb message, but were not close enough to come to the party.  I had the thought that I needed to snap a picture of my baldness and send it so they could get the {almost} firsthand experience, too, not knowing how long it would take to get all the pictures uploaded and an official post written.

I got many texts back, and I cherish the uplifting and supporting words.  I truly need that in order to stay positive, and I believe that the support is what's going to get me and my family through this.  A few specific texts caused me to pause and reflect and have been the subject of my thoughts and study this week.

"You are so beautiful! Look at that beautiful smile! God's love is shining through!"

"Seriously--you are so beautiful--physically & emotionally--God's love shines on your face!!"

The similarity between these comments and specifically the part about God's love shining through immediately struck a chord.  What is it could make a shaved head and a smile shine with God's love? What is it that shines at all?  Light.  But why would the shining be described as "God's love?" Specifically because the shining light in this case must be THE light, even the light of the world, Jesus Christ.  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  {John 8:12}
I started to think about the Light of Christ and how it is our job to let that Light shine through us as we live as positive examples of His love.  The light of Christ is an uplifting, empowering, enabling enlightenment that is given to all people because of Christ.   This verse explains the light even further.  Talking about Christ: "In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not....That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." {John 1: 4,9}   This light is given to everyone born to this earth.  In some it shines more brightly.  Why?  Because this light is love and truth and happiness.  Darkness cannot comprehend it.  His light cannot shine through us when we are not on the path of love and truth.  The light shines forth as we serve and act as witness of God and step away from the darkness.  It shines through us in order to stand as a witness to others of goodness.

In fact, we are commanded to let God's light {love} shine through us:
"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." {Matt 5:14-16}

We should not hide the light of the world, but should arise and shine with His love and light:  "Arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of The Lord is risen upon thee.   For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth...but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. {Isaiah 60:1-2}  When we get up and do good things, the glory of God shines through us, especially at the times when darkness seeks to cover the earth.   "Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." {D&C 115: 5}  When we rise with the goal to bring light to the world, we set a standard for the nations.  

We are commanded again to live in such a way to cast off the works of darkness and to let God's love shine through us.  I absolutely love how it is described here as "the armour of light."  "...let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light...But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ..." {Romans 13: 12, 14}  When we take upon us the name of Christ and try to live a life that would cast off the works of darkness, the "armour of light," we are blessed with countless blessings and the saving grace of Jesus Christ which protects us.  That is the promised blessing from living in such a way that our light will shine and glorify God.  We are told that taking Christ upon us will be as if we were putting on armour.  "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this TREASURE in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. {2 Cor 4: 6-7}  Living with the light of Christ shining in our hearts is such a blessing that it is referred to as a treasure--not a treasure that should be buried, but one that grows and grows as it is shared.  I love that every time we follow a commandment, we are blessed with even more of the light and knowledge.

Sometimes, it is much harder to hold to that "armour of light"  or to feel the light that shines in our hearts or to arise and shine forth.  Sometimes the darkness seems to consume our light.  Sometimes it's hard to make such an effort to rise up and stand out.  Sometimes it's easier to just keep that light hidden.  Surely, it's hard for me to seem excited and happy and confident in my current physical state.  We are told that we will have times that we have to walk through the darkness, but we are never alone.  "For ye were sometimes in darkness, but now are ye light in The Lord: walk as children of light." {Eph 5: 8}  We are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us.  He has granted each of us the ability to hold a piece of that light of Christ that is given to all.  We can hold tightly to it at all times, especially when we are "sometimes in darkness."  We are reminded again that WE ARE light in the Lord.  When we follow Him, that light carries us through anything.  All we need to do is to keep on moving, walking as "children of light."  Times will never truly be dark unless we let go of the light that is within our hearts from birth and forever--as long as we chose to keep it.