Just the name of Patsy Clairmont lifts my spirits. She was the most dynamic, energetic, comical, spitfire among the ladies who were speakers in the Women of Faith Conferences that were attended by thousands of women nationwide a few years ago. Surprisingly though, Clairmont was one to touch hearts with her spiritual messages. (Her books ae still available online.) When Clairmont shared her childhood memories about catching fireflies, one could easily remember them every time a firefly could be seen flitting in the summer evening skies.

Sharing from her book, CATCHING FIREFLIES, she says she loved her dreams of steamy summer nights ‘dripping in handcranked ice cream.’ These yummy dreams are drizzled with squealing children who fill mason jars with fireflies during summer vacations.

Her daily devotional readings are such a joy to peruse using her humorous, bouncy, fun, descriptive words. She adds that she was once one of those squealers. She can still feel the same tummy-giggle at the sight of lightening bugs that dot the landscape with magic. She says: ‘Those pinpoint flashes sent us kids dashing down the hill to capture them in our glass jars.’ Then they would line up their jars on the picnic table, creating a row of luminous lanterns. She said far away and ago, the fireflies of Kentucky won her childhood’s favorite memories.

What amazes me is how so much joy a tiny bug can bring to all ages. These are only one of a million beautiful creations God made for us. Children should be taught about these wonders of the natural, beautiful world that can be seen as God’s movie theater or classroom.

Even though the firefly is tiny, its light can be seen quite a distance away. We can be like that little bug. We may be just one in billions of people, but we should let our ‘light’ shine by sharing peace, love, patience, kindness, and other qualities that Jesus share when He was here in earth. This reminds me of the time many years ago, when I had gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Using just a night light, I could see a little light on the floor. At first I didn’t recognize what it was, so I kicked it with me toe, but it still kept shining. i flipped it over with a comb, thinking it must be a hairpin with a rhinestone. I picked it up with a tissue smashing it lightly--which made a bigger light. I turned on the light to look at it closer and discovered it was then a dead lightening bug. (I wasn’t used to seeing one in the house.)

The next morning, the dead bug was still glowing.

I thought of a little lesson here, and that was that one can be tiny, out of place, alone, stepped on, poked, pried, flipped, poked again, pinched, almost dead, but still the light that God puts in a person can still shineeven AFTER death.

In Matthew 5:6, ‘Let your light so shine before man that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’ And, Psalm 118:27, ‘God is the Lord. He has given us light. Faith keeps the light shining.’

My sister, visiting from Tennessee, said there is a phenomenon discovered in her state. There are areas in Tennessee where swarms of fireflies have been found to synchronize their flashing. I Googled this to learn more. It says this is done through a combination of individual tendencies, and the influence of nearby fireflies, creating a collective display. They essentially mimic the flashing patterns of their neighbors, leading to a wave-like effect across the swarm.

When this was discovered in the Smoky Mountains, it was shared to the public. It seemed a good idea to limit the amount of people who may want to go to the areas, so a lottery was established for vehicle reservations in Elkmont within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The total cost is $30 per vehicle for one viewing. When one’s number was selected, they were notified of being allowed to enter the area. This began from May 2-May 5 for the lottery. After winners received information of their night, viewing then began for 8 days from May 29 through June 5.

I’m sure this phenomenon has been or will be discovered in other states as well.

And when you thought you’d heard it all! Have a wonderful, blessed week!