Small Paper Lanterns
Sometimes it takes only one phrase of a hymn to carry me through the week. That’s what happened for me this past Sunday. We sang the hymn, “God of the Bible.” (I’ll include all the lyrics for the word nerds.)
While it wasn’t the first time we’ve sung it, the song is still in the new-to-me song category of our relatively new hymnal. My brain snagged again on a line that has caught my attention before, “small paper lanterns, lighting the way.”
I find this a rich and beautiful metaphor. I picture a nighttime garden with flickering paper lanterns lining a walkway, enticing me along a path or into corners I might otherwise have avoided. Paper lanterns are by definition fragile, easily destroyed by the elements. They don’t last long because of their fragile nature, so I can’t depend on them forever. But this song reminds me of their strength—our strength.
In general, lights have the power to draw our interest. When I drive at night and look across a landscape with small, scattered lights, I find myself drawn toward them. I imagine walking along in the dark and hoping for some human to be there. The light reassures me. I am not alone. Lights also lead, showing the way ahead whether they be streetlights, headlights, flashlights–even paper lanterns.
As I sat in church, I looked at all the flickering candles, lit in remembrance of loved ones—it being All Saints Day. I began to think of the “small paper lanterns” in my life, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, sisters, close friends. While their influences in my life have been big, I see their weaknesses as well. Like paper lanterns, they are fragile, and yet their influence has been great.
On this Wednesday morning after the election, I identify with the metaphor even more deeply. I feel like a paper lantern—fragile, full of grief, without power or influence. But I feel too the challenge of the metaphor. Looking at the enormity of the suffering and wrong in the world, can I accept my fragility and smallness? Can I trust that my small wick, inside a paper shade will help light the way even for myself, let alone others? What will it mean in the coming days to be a small paper lantern? I remind myself and will continue to do so that I am not a solitary lantern. There are others around me, and this work of lighting the way we do together.
Thank you, Kathie! I needed your words on precisely this morning . . . .
You are welcome! The words of that song seem written for today, for this time in our lives.
Thanks for this share. I think we all need encouragement after these elections to keep on pressing forward and just being the light in our world that God puts in us. Sylvia
Good to hear from you, Sylvia! Yes, pressing forward and not being overwhelmed is my challenge right now. It helps to bring back my focus to what I am called to do, rather than looking at everything I think should be done. Blessings to you.
Thank you, Kathie. Powerfully rich and comforting words on this post Election Day.
Thanks, Barb, I think many of us are searching for comforting words today–and they are there, all around us. A friend posted a familiar Wendall Berry poem about finding peace in the natural world, and another a Thomas Merton piece. And there are many more, I’m sure.
Powerful!
I agree–it is a powerful image. How intertwined true power and vulnerability are.
YES! Powerful and reassuring metaphor. Lord have mercy on all of us feeling like small paper lanterns on this…day after!
Yes, I agree. It is both a distressing feeling and a place of peace.
Thank you, Kathie!
It was part of our corporate worship, so thanks to the planners as well.
We sang God of the Bible on Sunday also. Your words are timely and comforting while pointing forward. Thank you. I will never think of a paper lantern in the same way.
Interesting that we both sang the same song. And yes, that is an image that will forever be different for me as well.
This is very good for this day. maybe it can be a small paper lantern for others of us.
Best Wishes,
The only problem (well, there are lots of bigger ones) is that I can’t get that song out of my mind.
Well said my good friend.
Thanks, my dear friend. I’m grateful for you listening to my distress today.
Kathie, this is beautiful, thoughtful, and insightful and just what I needed today. I sent the link to several friends, and they also were touched by your inspiration.
Thank you for lifting up our spirits!
Thanks, Saloma, for your kind words. It seems that it is what I needed today as well. When I started the article several days ago, it had a different trajectory, focusing on people in my life, but this morning the focus shifted. Amazing how words can speak to us differently at different times.
You are a paper lantern in my life. Always grateful for you, your leadership and friendship.
Thanks, Julie! it has been a long time since we’ve seen each other. Do you ever get to Harrisonburg? We’d love to have you visit.
This expressive message speaks to me regardless of the geographical location that separate us. The hymn to me. is a reflection of the feeling of fragility felt by the author, and yet the strength that comes from our faith in God, who sustains us regardless of our human condition. Thank you for your reflections that shed light in our lives. The light we need to continue walking in our journey. If is all right with you, I would like to share your writings with very dear friends. Thank you for being a lantern.
Thank you, Lydia, dear friend. You too are a lantern for many including me. Yes, feel free to share this with whomever you wish. We all face discouraging challenges, the specifics may be different, but the challenges have much in common.
Thank you, Kathie,
I will share it with my friends.
I am not familiar with the hymn, so, I will look for the written music.
Here is a link to a recording. It looks like the music is copyrighted so you can’t just download a copy of it.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=god+of+the+bible+tune&qs=n&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=god+of+the+bible+tune&sc=10-21&sk=&cvid=D67F0D88D72949DB88636ECF18A5AB7B&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=&ajaxnorecss=1&sid=3774F1C8445D64EB1B54E4F8451265DD&jsoncbid=0&ajaxsydconv=1&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dgod%2520of%2520the%2520bible%2520tune%26qs%3dn%26form%3dQBRE%26sp%3d-1%26lq%3d0%26pq%3dgod%2520of%2520the%2520bible%2520tune%26sc%3d10-21%26sk%3d%26cvid%3dD67F0D88D72949DB88636ECF18A5AB7B%26ghsh%3d0%26ghacc%3d0%26ghpl%3d%26ajaxnorecss%3d1%26sid%3d3774F1C8445D64EB1B54E4F8451265DD%26format%3dsnrjson%26jsoncbid%3d0%26ajaxsydconv%3d1&mmscn=vwrc&mid=A0131F8E484EA0C872F3A0131F8E484EA0C872F3&FORM=WRVORC
Lovely thoughts, Kathie. I picked and led the song almost entirely for the “small paper lanterns”–that day, and this week. Always gets me, especially just now.
Here’s the hymn from the service on Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/live/rDMPp7rmuuo?si=d8TR3V7Ar9dmx-2d&t=793
Thanks, Jeremy! Interesting that we were focused on the same phrase. And thanks for the link. I had trouble finding a good one to send to a friend in Nicaragua.