Not too long now

Two weeks from Monday, I go home. When I arrive back home, I would have been gone for 13 and 1/2 months straight. A previous post of mine was "home is where the heart is." That is very true and it means that I have homes all over the world, but that doesn't stop me from missing the materialistic aspect of home. Who would ever say that they miss Mississippi? I do. Mississippi has a quality of hospitality like no other place I've been, and I've lived all over the world. When the Brits ask where I'm from I say Mississippi and they recognise the state because of the river and its peculiar spelling.

It's the little things I miss about home: American products, Southern cooking (ok, well that's a rather big thing), rain and thunderstorms (the latter is a rarity in the UK--i've experience only two this year), my own bedroom and all my gadgets and gizmos i've collected over the years, etc....ya get the picture?

I am the Light of the World

In various religions and cultures such as Judaism, lights play a symbolic role in ceremonies. For instance, during Jewish Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, the Menorah bears nine flames over a period of eight days with one candle lit anew per day. This symbolizes the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem. Similarly, the Catholic Church celebrates Advent, lighting a candle for each of the season’s four Sundays. Advent candles symbolise the determination of life during a harsh winter season. The wreaths, which surround the candles, symbolize the eternal cycle of the four seasons. Through the simple lighting of a candle, these festivals of light bear resemblance to the birth of Jesus by incorporating themes of illumination and rebirth.
Christmastime in the Thomas household means the house is filled with the aroma of burning firewood and Douglas fir pine needles. The house speakers sing the music of Mannheim Steamroller, The Polar Express soundtrack, and The Cambridge Singers. Warm scents waft from the kitchen as Mom or I prepare festive holiday treats. Lights twinkle from various trees around the house whilst Mom’s nutcracker collection stands proudly above and around the roaring hearth. If one takes a closer look around the den, one sees that Mom has an abundance of candles. In nearly every nook and cranny are candles of all sizes, pillars, tapers, tea lights, and large, chunky, tri-wicks. Candles are a central part of the Thomas household during the harvest and holiday season.
Candles hold many different purposes. Firstly, they provide light whether in complete darkness or dimly lit spaces. In Christianity, candles represent the light of Jesus corresponding with the verse from John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” Jesus is essentially the flame of Christianity, the flame in the darkness. In the Bible, God is usually compared to a source of light or being surrounded by light; therefore, his Son receives the same treatment. Secondly, a candle’s flame serves as a guide. The Star of Bethlehem’s light also serves as a guide, leading others towards the Son of God. Jesus, as the “light of the world,” leads sinners towards eternal salvation. His birth symbolizes the birth of a new flame. When He was born into that lowly manger, God lit his earthly candle.
During my second year abroad, I have become more familiar with the different uses of candles. (Mind you, when I was in the states, I was hesitant about lighting a match.) While at Bangor, I lived at the Anglican Chaplaincy, a church hostel and chapel. In the chapel, a candle vigil stands near the altar. People are free to come in and light candles as a form of prayer or remembrance.
Before this year, I never truly understood the significance candles can play in my faith and I how interpret it. I have learned that candles do not consist of only wax and a wick. Instead, they are physical metaphors for guides that help us in the journey of life. These guides include Jesus and various friends and family members leading one through the maze of life’s dark trials. Jesus is my Saviour, but Jesus is also the steady, tall flame that guides me through every step of my life.

Take your candle and go light your world!