When the Son Shines

The “staycation” we are currently experiencing has brought with it many memorable moments.  My four-year-old cowboy is pretty confused as to why I’m home from school but it isn’t summer.  He also does not understand why we can’t go to his favorite places, see people he misses, or eat out in restaurants.  All of this has brought some pretty memorable quotes with it…

In reference to the Governor’s stay home order, in frustration he announced “Let’s just break the law!”

A family member mentioned wondering when she would see him again, and he responded “Well, we are having sick days over here.”

He forgot something and told me “I’m over here acting like I’ve lost my mind!”

I feel like he is possibly getting a little stir crazy.  I have tried VERY hard to keep it fun for him.  We have done a lot of art, tried to have snuggly movie time, had HOURS of imaginative play, made fun cookies, read tons of stories, I’ve taken meal requests, and we have had numerous dance parties.  But what we haven’t had much of… is outside play time.  Unfortunately, the weather has been pretty cold and often rainy for nearly the entire time we have been home “socially distanced.”  One of the memorable “Coronacation” quotes happened on a super drizzly afternoon last week when (a) asked, “Mom, why is it raining today?”  I, of course, had no good answer for him, so I responded with “I guess God just thinks it’s what we need today!” To which he quickly fired back, “Well, when is he gonna decide we need a sunny day?!”  If I was being honest with myself, I had been asking our Heavenly Father the same question. 

But on day… well I’m not sure, I’ve lost count… after a very foggy morning, the sun finally shined!! And oh, what a difference that made!  Sunshine meant playing outside, hunting for bugs and worms, digging in the mud with sticks, dragging around his red wagon, helping me clean the winter yuck from the flowerbeds, driving his Gator, writing with sidewalk chalk, soaking up the warmth of that beautiful vitamin D, playing with his dogs, splashing in leftover mud puddles, telling baby (b) all about the spring things he was seeing, wearing sunglasses, and a HUGE smile.  There was something SO wonderful and joyful about seeing that sunshine and experiencing all the outside had to offer.  We played outside for hours, and after dinner quickly collapsed in peaceful exhaustion after taking in so much fun.  Everything changed when the sunshine appeared.

No worries, I didn't actually let him drive with the baby by his side! He just let little brother sit there and check things out ;-)

As I took it all in, I couldn’t help but think of how things can change when we allow “SONshine” into our lives.  When the Son shines in, the way we see the world is so much brighter, we feel hope and clarity where things were once cloudy, we have a warmth in our heart, and a purpose with our attitude.  Everything changes when the Son shines. 

In the midst of all the uncertainty, I will admit I have struggled.  I have struggled with “teacher guilt” as I think about all that still needed to be accomplished in my classroom.  I have struggled with loneliness as I am extremely extroverted.  I have struggled with worry as I watch our economy and hear of more people every day who have lost a job or are taking a huge financial hit due to the closings.  As I have struggled with these and many other emotions, I have tried so hard to focus on enjoying this unexpected time with my boys.  I can’t change any of the things I am struggling with, so I have got to change the lens I am looking through.  I could look at the clouds and the “rain” in all of it, or I could keep watching for the Sonshine.  Our state may call them “Act of God” days, but I am trying to think of them as “Gift of God” days… especially when the Son shines. 

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalms 113:3