I’ve been cold all day today. Truth be told that isn’t super uncommon. I seem to stay cold most of the time. This has been a long-standing part of me – I just trend cold. I know I’m not alone living this life. My mom was also always cold. She was probably worse than me. I know it’s not an issue for all of you, but for some of us, it’s a real thing.
Despite the fact that my thermostat is set on 72, I was freezing shortly after finishing my lunch. The glass of ice water probably didn’t help, but I digress. I poured myself a cup of post-lunch coffee, mostly just to hold so I could warm up my hands. Then I went to the back door and stood there in the sunlight just like a cat in a window.
I turned like I was on a spit – you want an even cook. Warm the front. Then warm the back. Laugh if you want but it works. I don’t know how long I stood there, probably longer than I should have. Long enough to drink my entire cup of coffee. By now you hearty souls who read my stuff regularly are probably getting a glimpse of how my mind works. You know I couldn’t just stand there and shut my brain off. I used it as quiet time to talk to God.
Overwhelmingly He led my thoughts to a simple place – we should stand in the sun more. Sunshine is kind of a big deal. We take it for granted a lot. Or many of us do. We wouldn’t be here without it. I don’t just mean that we need to burn ourselves in the actual sunshine everyday. I mean that sometimes we need to seek out and hold on tight to the sunshine in our lives. Sometimes that’s actual rays of sun. Sometimes it’s people who feel like sunshine to us. Sometimes it’s a place or memory. And sometimes we are the sunshine for someone else.
You’ve probably seen that quote that says, “If you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.” Have you ever really processed that and tried it? We can’t control much of life but we can control that. I mean when someone is going through some dark days and they really need some light and warmth. I try to do that. I don’t always succeed, but I try. Sometimes I just pray extra for someone. Sometimes I reach out and tell someone I appreciate them or just check on them. I have one friend that I actually text pictures of sunshine to. There are lots of ways to be sunshine.
As I stood warming in my little patch of sunlight this afternoon, I thought about how I needed some sunlight from others just today. A couple things on my agenda today left me missing my Dad. It wasn’t an awful day or anything but one friend helped me with a specific technology issue, another provided some encouraging words and still others unknowingly provided some much-needed laughter. I felt deeply thankful for the people who bring sunshine to my life.
Then my gaze shifted to a picture on the wall next to me. It’s a picture of a sunrise over the house and ridge where I grew up, taken by a neighbor. I looked at the rising sun in the photo and felt the warmth of a good childhood and wonderful, life-long neighbors. Sunny days and happy times flooded my memories for a moment.
Then I looked down at the cherry rocking chair that sits below that picture on my wall. It was my Mom’s. She loved it. It has curved arms that end in fancy spirals. I broke those spirals clean off while throwing a temper tantrum as a child. Mom gifted the damaged chair to me as a reminder of my poor choices at the time. I ruined its value to anyone but me. It’s priceless to me now.
On a dark day that chair could just be broken. It sure felt dark the day I broke it. I cried. I thought for sure Mom was going to kill me. She didn’t do anything to me. She glued it back together and never said a word to me about it until I brought it up years later as an adult. Now that was some sunshine. I brought that chair to my house just as quickly as I could after she died. It’s not very comfortable anymore and it’s super creaky, so I don’t sit in it much. But I like knowing it’s there, and I like knowing that Mom chose the sunshine and used it as a teaching moment instead of just being mad at me.
Sometimes we have to look a little harder to find the sun. It’s worth seeking, though. Just like God. It’s worth standing in for a few minutes to warm yourself back up. Sometimes you need to warm your hands and sometimes you need to warm your heart. Sometimes we need to seek God and stand in the knowledge of his warmth and comfort. If you stand with Him, He’ll show you some sun. Other days we need to share Him with others. A lot of people are out there seeking anything that might help. I hope I’m encouraging people to seek His light. That’s an unshakable warmth in your soul.
You know when you share the sun with someone you can’t keep it from yourself. Whether that’s a simple smile or word of encouragement or a reminder of the love and faithfulness of God, it will boost your spirit as well. It’s the surest way I know to brighten up the days on this side of Heaven. What are you waiting on? Go make some sunshine.
