MamaArcher's Blog

My Daily Sunshine

One thing I have learned living here in Alaska is the value of the sun.  Sunshine is something that you have to learn to live without for a while.  One thing for sure is that I appreciate the sunshine more now than I ever have in my entire life.  When the sun is out I will find myself just stopping and soaking it in, like I did the other day when it was actually above 50 and sunny.  But I remember it might not last long.  April here is a hard time for me.  It seems more like November in the midwest.   Right now, it is in the 40′s, slowing melting, mostly dirty, yucky looking snow, and LOTS of brown!!  It is cloudy and gray!  It is mostly rainy and just icky out at the moment.  The thing is, the weather forecast says it is going to like this for at least another week!  I am definitely in need of some sunshine!

To add to the dreariness of the weather, I am not feeling well.  That is to be expected.  When one is feeling yucky and needing to just lounge it adds to the blahness one is already feeling.  The children are starting to feel the effects of daddy being gone.  The younger ones really do not realize that is why they feel the way they do.  But they act out at times and are grumpy, whiny, tearful, and sometimes even mean.

Life can sometimes seem to be filled with clouds.  Literally and figuratively.  One must always remember though that clouds come with a silver lining.

Even when the sun outside isn’t shining I still receive my daily dose of sunshine in different forms:

• Knowing the great God I serve and his grace, his mercy, his love, his providence, his protection, his holiness.
• Knowing that the literal sunshine will soon appear.
• Knowing that after April comes May.
• Seeing my littles dance and play in ballet shoes, high heals, and pretty little crowns.
• Knowing that when they are down I can cuddle and comfort them.
• Hearing from my hubby and seeing him on Skype.
• Listening to my children play beautiful music on the piano.
• The phone call from a friend when I needed it the most.
• The vitamin D I can take when skies are gray.
• The joy of new child on the way.
• Being able to laugh with hubby who is on the other side of the world (Skype is great).
• The knowledge that my first trimester is half way over and better feeling days are ahead.
• Comments of encouragement from my great blog readers.
• friends who stop by with lunch and a birthday cake
• friends who come over when I am out and clean my house and do my laundry
• more time in prayer
• Hearing a little one say “mommy I love you”
• many, many, many other things………………………………..

There are so many blessings one can miss if you are focused on the clouds rather than looking for that ribbon of silver that is woven throughout the gray.  Who knows, the sun may shine sooner than the weatherman thinks!  God IS indeed so very, very good!