partly sunny

i took the photo above over the weekend while visiting my parent's house. i looked up while talking to my dad who was cleaning out his gutters & the sky just took my breath away. there was a break in the really cloudy day which revealed a brilliant blue sky & fluffy white clouds.

the remainder of today's post comes from proverbs31 ministry & as soon as i read the email devotion below, it immediately reminded me of the photo above. are your days partly sunny?

{aw}

25 Aug 2009

Marybeth Whalen

"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:43 (NIV)

Last week my seven-year-old son and I were waiting for his sister to get her hair cut. As we sat in the waiting area, we had no choice but to listen to the radio that played in the background. The forecast came on and the announcer said that it was going to be partly cloudy. My son, who was playing with LEGOs® on the floor, stopped playing and looked up with an indignant look on his face. "Mom," he said, "That man said it's partly cloudy but it's not. It's partly sunny." Then he went back to playing.

Oh, to see the world the way my son did in that moment. He taught me a huge lesson on perspective that day and I have b een mulling it over ever since.

Do I see my days as partly sunny or partly cloudy? Do I marvel at the wonders or get caught up in the mess? Do I consciously choose to alter my "glass half empty" mentality and choose to see it as half full? Do I rejoice in what I have or focus on what's missing?

Just for today, let's focus on the good things that happen, so they don't get lost in the shuffle of life. I hope that you will join me in seeking to see our days as partly sunny. Sure, a few clouds may enter our horizon, but that doesn't mean our outlook has to be altered.

Partly cloudy or partly sunny? My son taught me it's all in how I look at it.

Dear Lord, when life starts looking cloudy, help me to remember that the sun is still shining. Help me to take my negative, defeating thoughts captive and shift my perspective. Most of all, help me to remember that as one of Your children, I will someday shine like the sun in Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.