“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You’ll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take
My sunshine away”
This song has been sung to me since the womb. I can’t count the amount of times my mom would sing this to me while I would be wrapped in her arms. There is nothing like feeling safe and covered with love by the warm arms of your mother, while listening to the sweet words of this song. Oh, how I look forward to the day of being in my mothers arm and listening to her sing this song to me.
What’s even sweeter is as I was sitting in a tea shop trying to think of what to write, this song popped into my head and thought of the father. How he should be the sunshine in our life, especially when the skies are gray. Or the thought of being in the fathers arms while he sang this song over me. Romania is known for its gray skies, so during this time of living in less sunlight how can I let the father be the sun in my life?
I am going to be real with y’all.
Life has been hard.
Living in community has been hard.
Ministry is hard.
Having constant thoughts of my family, dog, and home is hard.
Living in the cold, and the occasional sunlight is hard.
The spiritual atmosphere here in Craiova is hard.
Sometimes it is difficult to see joy throughout these long days. Finding and even looking for joy is something I find harder than I had imagined, but something so necessary. This is a season of intentionally choosing to seek joy. I have learned that joy is a choice that we have to make, because we have already been given all of the joy available, when we received the Holy Spirit. The father is holding his joy out to me with open hands, and its my choice if I take it. With that, the easiest way that I have seen my life being filled with joy is by asking the father to give me his joy today, or to let me see joy in whatever I am doing. That requires me intentionally asking him, which is where the choice comes into play.
Playing cribbage and watching movies.
Chocolate pretzels.
Face times with my family and dog.
Going to the climbing gym.
Hugs from sweet friends.
Sunsets.
Wearing pajamas
Mornings with the lord.
Are just some of the things that have brought me joy during these tougher months.
Jesus you are my sunshine,
Jesus be our sunshine, our only sunshine.
You make us oh so happy
When the skies are gray
And the sun is put away.
Oh my Brookee! How I long to hold you and sing this song to you! You are my sunshine! What a sweet reminder that we can choose joy in the midst of our struggles and darkness. God is our joy! I pray that you continue to see God through all situations you face as well as His Joy! I love you! Only 20 more days before I can give you a great big hug!!!