Celebrating the Christmas season with remembrances : Jesus Came – and He came to me when I was a child – praise His name – read the story taken from my book, Strains of Glory – recently published –

“This Little Light of Mine”

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 you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:15

I am so thankful for one “little old lady” in Portland, Maine, who made that light shine for me. At the age of seven I, and my sisters, trudged weekly to her tiny upstairs apartment for our weekly kid’s Bible Club. Oh, how I looked forward to those days. Must have been on Saturdays or Sundays – I don’t know for sure, maybe it was even some afternoon after school – but I’ll never forget climbing those steep narrow stairs, knowing that at the top we would find a warm, cozy welcome and a loving smile. I can’t even remember the lady’s name, or picture her face. How sad. But I know I will meet her in Heaven someday and I’m sure I’ll know her immediately!

I’m sure she must have had cookies or some little treat for us as well, but I don’t even remember that part. I just remember the little candlestick which she would light every time we sang, “This Little Light of Mine”, and each of us were allowed to “blow it out” whenever it was our turn. I remember the little individual flannel boards she helped each of us make, also. I kept mine for many years after that – even when we moved to North Appleton a year or so later! Little does she know – or perhaps she does know – the light she brought into my life at that time. I learned of Jesus and His love. I believed what she taught us in those days. And I have had the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the troubles and trials, joys and sorrows of my life ever since.

When I recall the hardships of those days of my early childhood, how I thank God for that “little old lady” who opened her heart and her home to a bunch of little ragtag kids living in a third-story apartment building down by the railroad tracks, who so desperately needed a loving smile and a little light to shine into our hearts!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       fjs