light of the world

I love that my husband doesn't argue with me when I ask for things. This morning, while I was sipping coffee and correcting Tera's math, he slipped me a folded sheet of paper. "Happy Valentine's Day."

In the span of time that it took for me to reach for and take and open that slip of paper, the twelve-year old girl in me elbowed her way to the forefront. I felt a little bit Christmas morning and a little bit August 5th, all blended up. I felt shivery like I used to when someone handed me a box wrapped up in cartoony, primary colored paper.

A lantern ... Dave had bought a kerosene lantern. "It will go to a missionary," he explained.

"It's perfect," I told him. And it feels perfect. How absolutely appropriate. Somewhere across the ocean, someone sent by God to share His light with the world will have a bit of light for nighttime reading, or to help with the long walk between villages.

I'm still in the clutches of the twelve-year old me, who has gone back to Gospel For Asia to ogle more goodies. I'm greedy for more right now. I want to buy a bicycle, or a drum set. I want another goat. I want a sewing machine and a giant pile of blankets, and I want some of the big stuff. I want a Jesus Well, and a fishing boat, and a house.

I am Veruca Salt this morning. I want, I want, I want ... and I want it now.

Don't you want it too?