Glow Sticks

"Do you want me to tell you the story about the fourth of July?"

"Sure baby, I would love to hear that story." 

I have only heard it 1.7 million times since the holiday 6 weeks ago.
It always starts the same,

"We were at a place and...."

The details change a bit here and there, but it is basically the same every time. I have heard it so many times I know just when to say, "oh wow!" or "no way!" 

Then she says something new and it catches my ear and my heart off guard:

"We were playing with glow sticks 

and you have to break them so that they will glow. 

And you have to do it in the dark, 

because you know mom, 

glow sticks wont glow the same in the light."

So much insight for such a young girl.   
"You have to break them so that they will glow." 

So that's it Lord.
That's why we bend and break.
That's why we are given more then we think we can handle. 
So that we can glow brighter for You. 

The mom with the infant in the NICU. She needs to bend a little, break a little, so that she can glow for You. When the mom next to her can not take one.more.single.second. She can glow a bit brighter for You.

The couple who is struggling in their marriage;
They need to bend a little, break a little,
so that they can glow brighter for you.
Because in 20 years, after all the fights and tears and counseling sessions.
When some young bride asks, "Whats the secrete?"
They will glow brighter for You.

The women who envisioned a home and life full of kids;
Who has none.
Whose womb and heart is broken.
She needs to bend a little, break a little to glow bright for You.

The mom who has more kids then she ever envisioned.
Whose heart is more full then she ever could have imagined.
But whose time is limited and sleep is seldom and patience is thin.
She needs to bend a little, break a little so that she can glow a bit brighter for You.

Why pay checks are few and bills are many.
Why words get said and feelings get hurt and friendships need mending.
Why tragic loss and grieve goes hand in hand.
Why he needs You as much as he needs the chemo.

So that we can glow brighter for You.
Because in the end it's all about You. 

"Glow sticks wont glow the same in the light."

We have to bend a little, brake a little, 
in the dark places,
so that we can glow a bit brighter for You.

Why dark places are so unwanted and so scary.
Because the most bending and breaking occurs there.
In the dark places.

But so does the brightest glowing.
In the darkest places there is the brightest glowing.

Why the dark places are as unwanted as they are necessary.

So that we know how bright we can glow, for You.
So that others can see how bright they could glow, for You.

Because in the end,
It's all about You.