Shadows, Shades, and Brilliant Light

Have you ever tried to walk on eggshells literally? The outcome, of doing so, is those eggshells are crushed and broken under the pressure of our feet. Our home, in which I grew up in, was just like that. We all were smashed in one form or another; and our lives were a mess like an egg dropped on the floor.

My father always liked his eggs scrambled or hard. One morning my mother had prepared scrambled eggs for my dad. He instantly became angry as they were not to his liking. He picked up his plate and threw it up against the wall. We watched in horror as the contents slid down the wall. Mom cried, and we cried right along with her. I remember his eyes; they were full of fury. We all knew we must tiptoe around him or there would be a price to be paid.

We were scrambled, like his eggs, with various ingredients added, such as: anger, hurt, pain, abuse, and worthlessness. Each family member had their own issues to deal with as dysfunction reigned within our home. Its walls could tell the story of shadows and shades and how it all began in our abode. Our home was not a safe place nor was it a happy place. Yet, it is the only home we knew.

We lived on a farm. Though our home was not safe inside, the wide expanse of our farm was. It was a joy to live there. We grew up loving the animals and caring for them because there was not much love in our home. We always had an abundance of baby calves, pigs, puppies, and kittens to play with and love. It was these little animals Dad used, maliciously, to make his point to us should we get out of line. Nevertheless, we will always love animals even in spite of his cruel treatment of them on the farm.

Shadows and shades molested me until the brilliant light of Jesus entered my life. It has taken most of my life to look past the silhouette and the contour of the darkness to focus on the light that Jesus sheds abroad in my heart, mind, and my life. If it was not for Jesus, I would still be drifting on the sea of life.

The brilliance of His life in me has saved me from the darkness that imprisoned me. His light penetrates and outshines the darkness. The wickedness of the deeds done will forever be an imprint on my life, but I choose to replace darkness with His magnificent light. His brilliance is complete and purifying.

Though the memories linger on, the brilliance of the light outshines the shadows and shades of the curtains that made up my life. When Jesus entered my light, the curtains were flung open to behold the radiant light and see the beauty instead of the darkness. I, also, have a choice to remain in darkness or to walk in the brilliance of His light. I choose light - His light!