The JOY Challenge: Day 11 - The Color of Fireflies

I'm deliberately looking for joy for forty days. To start from day one click here.

As I celebrate the last of summer this post brings a smile again... 

 

photo by stevendavidjohnson.com

The sky is inky blue, a swirl of dark and light. Day and night do a slow dance before the moon rises high above the trees. The music we can't hear beckons the fireflies from their hiding places. One by one they appear, little lights twinkling against the backdrop of an early summer evening.

I first caught fireflies as a girl of seven or so. Taking my brother and I to the porch, my grandmother handed us a mason jar. "Be gentle," I'm sure she told us. Then she watched and smiled from the edge of the flowerbed in a wheelchair. (She had polio at age 29, younger than I am now.)

I don't know where these creatures live, what they do in the winter, why they come again...but I do know each one is like a bright and beautiful memory floating through the air.

And, because of this, I still catch those flickers of brightness even though childhood has long gone. I place them (gently, yes) into jars, water bottles, whatever I can find. When I have twenty or so I let them go and watch the homemade fireworks display.

Saturday I did this for the first time of the season. Our dear friends, Sean and Kim, were there. We sat on the patio and as the fireflies appeared, I begged my guests to go with me. Sean joined the chase while Mark and Kim watched from the patio at our crazy zig-zags across the yard.

In my firefly moments I feel more alive, happy, and closer to heaven than I do almost any other time all year. It's as if everything that's sweet, good, and right is made real in tiny flashes of light as I think of my Grandma and all she taught me of joy.

In the hospital after being told she would never walk again, her pastor said, "Frances, you can choose to let this make you bitter or better." She would tell me again and again with a twinkle in her eyes, "I chose better."

My Nana knew joy, like a firefly, flits about you. But if you are serious about it, you must pursue it. And she knew joy, like a firefly, often comes surrounded by darkness. Perhaps that is what makes it so brilliant and beautiful.

Yes, on the porch beneath a summer sky I still sense my grandmother's smile. And as the last lingering firefly disappears into the night I smile too...knowing I will find it again some other evening or, when least expected, it will once more find me.

 

Would you like to join me in the Joy challenge? Just share one thing that brings you joy. I'll have random giveaways for people who comment or subscribe during the next forty days. And you never know when it could be you...  

I'm deliberately looking for joy for forty days. To start from day one click here.

As I celebrate the last of summer this post brings a smile again... 

 

photo by stevendavidjohnson.com

The sky is inky blue, a swirl of dark and light. Day and night do a slow dance before the moon rises high above the trees. The music we can't hear beckons the fireflies from their hiding places. One by one they appear, little lights twinkling against the backdrop of an early summer evening.

I first caught fireflies as a girl of seven or so. Taking my brother and I to the porch, my grandmother handed us a mason jar. "Be gentle," I'm sure she told us. Then she watched and smiled from the edge of the flowerbed in a wheelchair. (She had polio at age 29, younger than I am now.)

I don't know where these creatures live, what they do in the winter, why they come again...but I do know each one is like a bright and beautiful memory floating through the air.

And, because of this, I still catch those flickers of brightness even though childhood has long gone. I place them (gently, yes) into jars, water bottles, whatever I can find. When I have twenty or so I let them go and watch the homemade fireworks display.

Saturday I did this for the first time of the season. Our dear friends, Sean and Kim, were there. We sat on the patio and as the fireflies appeared, I begged my guests to go with me. Sean joined the chase while Mark and Kim watched from the patio at our crazy zig-zags across the yard.

In my firefly moments I feel more alive, happy, and closer to heaven than I do almost any other time all year. It's as if everything that's sweet, good, and right is made real in tiny flashes of light as I think of my Grandma and all she taught me of joy.

In the hospital after being told she would never walk again, her pastor said, "Frances, you can choose to let this make you bitter or better." She would tell me again and again with a twinkle in her eyes, "I chose better."

My Nana knew joy, like a firefly, flits about you. But if you are serious about it, you must pursue it. And she knew joy, like a firefly, often comes surrounded by darkness. Perhaps that is what makes it so brilliant and beautiful.

Yes, on the porch beneath a summer sky I still sense my grandmother's smile. And as the last lingering firefly disappears into the night I smile too...knowing I will find it again some other evening or, when least expected, it will once more find me.

 

Would you like to join me in the Joy challenge? Just share one thing that brings you joy. I'll have random giveaways for people who comment or subscribe during the next forty days. And you never know when it could be you...  

Comments

[C.C.]

Beautiful! I saw a firefly the other night, and it made me smile, too. :-)

I am on day 3 today...
http://his-heart.blogspot.com/2009/09/joy-challenge-day-3.html

[Katie]

I grew up in Ohio so fireflies were part of my childhood. My kids are growing up in Florida so thier experiences with fireflies have been few. There was one time though-we were on our way to Ohio on vacation. We had stopped at a rest area, the kids were young. It was dusk and the fireflies were just coming out. Next to the parking area was this huge field and when they started thier "lightning" it was absolutely stunning. Thier light danced across the whole field.
We all stood there in wonder and just watched. "Did you see that one, what about that one?"
Sharing good times with people we love-what better way to experience Joy!

[~Grace & Peace]

Your Nana sounds like joy personified. What a blessing.

We didn't have fireflies where I grew up. We chased dragonflies instead. I love the different colors of the body and the wings. Most of the time we caught the skinny ones but there were days when we caught the big ones.

Today, joy is recalling a childhood memory. Thank you.

[Linda]

It has been fun going on this 40 day joy journey with you. This morning I told some of the staff one must have been having fun if they flinch from a pulled muscle yet smile at the memory. Chasing two little buddies last night brought a gleam in their eyes and a glimmer in mine. The chasing stopped short with a pulled muscle but the fun in my heart was still there. Joy comes around in the most amazing ways.

[amy]

What a beautiful story! :)
Have a blessed day, Holley.

[Susan]

Fireflies, they do make us smile! This summer Dean has discovered the joy in catching fireflies - and he uses them as his nightlight! He thinks "they are the coolest bug God ever made!" . . .I'm not sure, ladybugs, dragonflies, butterflies all seem pretty special to me! Don't we have a wonderful Creator God?

[Jeanne @ Inspiring Ideas]

Happy Anniversary!!!!!!

[Shaunie Friday]

Oh Holley,
This is pure magic! I'm sad to say we don't have fireflies in California, but I grew up catching them like you described in the first 8 years of my life in Iowa.

I love the firefly as an illustration of joy--that is so vivid! Thank you for bringing back sweet memories and for such good words on joy, including your dear grandmother's story of choosing better over bitter.
Wishing you lots of fireflies!
Shaunie

[Linda]

I am enjoying reading your posts and writing my own. Somehow joy multiplies when you deliberately look for it.
We don't have fire flies in our part of Texas. I've looked and looked. I grew up in the north and did exactly what you've done. Thank you for sharing yours Holley.
Happy Anniversary.

[Yolanda]

What brings me joy? Hearing my husband's breath at night as he sleeps...Smelling the sweet baby smell of my daughter before bedtime...Seeing butterflies fly...Hearing rain hit a roof and hearing the crack of thunder...Saying thank you for all I've been given.

[Mary Lynn]

Joy today was simply running errands with my children- time will come when they will chose to stay home and leave me to do those tasks alone- For all the frustration and extra work it is to get them in and out of the van and try to shop smart with their energy and questions, it is nice to do the mundane chores of life together.

[Joan]

Joy in listening to my grown son's championship game on the internet, as he plays professional ball many states away from home! I miss him so, but know he is in the "best hands" where ever he goes.

[Jennifer Saake (a.k.a. InfertilityMom)]

Fireflies are one of the things I really miss about living on the west coast. Such special memories I also have of evenings in my Grandma's Missouri backyard catching these beautiful creatures!

There is always a deep and special comfort that God enfolds around my heart when I read about your Grandma's polio. I don't know exactly why (other than a reminder that God can do great things even aginst the odds of physical limitations), but every time you mention her you misnister to me greatly. Thank you for bringing joy to my heart just in this simple retelling of a sliver of your own family history. {{{hug}}}

[Mayte]

Choosing between being bitter or better...thank God for always helping us to see that there is the better side in everything we experience. God put joy in every little thing we encounter in our lives. Such as fireflies, and friends smiles !!!

[Maria Jones-Davidson]

Hi Holley, Lovely fireflies, dancing in the dark! I just hope we have them also here in Australia but I have not seen any fire flies here in OZ. However, I have known and have seen a lot of them on TV and have known them to be lighting up in the dark. Also I think there are fire flies in Philippines and have seen them when I was very young in those days. Today, I have been enjoying just sitting next to my husband watching our favorite Football teams and seeing them win at the same time brought so much joy to me and to my hubby! Also seeing my Cat in backyard enjoying itself in the lovely sunshine was gorgeous experience. Praise the Lord!

[Rainin'Grace]

Holley:

What wonderful memories my mind holds of Summers chasing fireflies as a child, and again when I had a child of my own. We would spend countless hours in the dark of night, chasing fireflies with flashlights and canning jars.

So many things in life are like butterflies and fireflies -- chase them and they run away; sit quietly and they will perch upon your shoulder.

Praying joy lands on your shoulder today -