Sunshine Sweetens It Up

“Sunshine is sweet; it is good to see the light of day.”  Ecclesiastes 11:7

Recently I had a conversation with a gentleman in Moultrie, Ga. who is helping our family with some land we own.  Our conversation turned to the large amount of rain we were getting at the time.  This part of South Georgia is the watermelon capital -in fact, I have a friend who was the Watermelon Queen in high school.  I asked him how the watermelon crop was doing, and his reply was, “Well, they sure do need some sunshine to sweeten them up.”

Sunshine is good for the soul as well, and it takes many forms.  It can be the actual sunshine that we see or feel, or it can be the “sunshine” that is brought into lives through small acts.

When we first moved to Mt. Bethel, we had the honor of knowing Miss Eleanor who was over 100 years young at the time and still very active.  On one occasion, we invited some of the ladies in a circle to lunch at our parsonage, and she was among the ones who attended.  Our driveway was very steep, so Randy picked the ladies up in the church van and delivered them to the door.  As they began to unload, it was clear that Miss Eleanor was struggling to get down the steps of the van, so Randy asked if he could help her. She smiled and said, “Honey, I thought you’d never ask!” He scooped her up in his arms, she put her arms around his neck,  and together they came inside. When they got inside, Randy asked her where she would like to sit, and she replied, “Oh, I’m fine right here –  this is like bringing sunshine to my soul.”  Just a touch can be sunshine to many folks.

I think a lot about ways to bring sunshine into lives of those I know and hold dear.  It really only takes a moment of my time to call, text, write a note, give a hug, or reach out in some way.  It can mean the world to someone, and I may or may not know if it’s needed, but I always know it’s appreciated.

I love the sunshine both physically and emotionally.  It provides more than Vitamin D – it provides sweetness to the soul.  A small deed done in the name of God can produce a lot of sunshine!