Sane, Simple, Sacred: IT TAKES SUNSHINE TO PRODUCE SHADOWS

IT TAKES SUNSHINE TO PRODUCE SHADOWS

Scene in our side yard...

Normally I don't "cross-post". But this morning while uploading (or is it downloading) this picture for my yard and garden blog, I got stuck on this thought and couldn't get it out of my mind! It takes sunshine to produce shadows.

There have been gray days. Plenty of them this winter. I have moaned and groaned about them. But yesterday, gray skies changed. And then there were shadows! I never thought I'd get so excited about shadows! But I was exuberant! My steps were quick. My spirits soared. Above the shadows was the SUNSHINE!

And God (in whose LIGHT is LIFE) smiled on me! It was as if His smile punctuated all my life's experiences to this day with an exclamation mark. A DOUBLE exclamation mark!! Shadows are not necessarily ominous. Shadows need not depress. Shadows are markers pointing to the sun. If you look down or around, it's shadows you see; if you look up, you see the sun! Shadows don't exist apart from the sun. Shadows are like rainbows--just a different shape and color.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

10 comments:

Jacquelyn StagerMarch 2, 2010 at 7:22 AM
I saw that sun momentarily yesterday! I heard some birds. My heart rate stepped up a bit. That's a beautiful picture you posted. I love shadows. They give such texture to the landscape. Our lives are like that too, aren't they? Reminds me of an old time hymn from my childhood: "Standing somewhere in the shadows, you'll find Jesus..."
ReplyDelete
Replies
DeniseMarch 2, 2010 at 7:22 AM
I loved this post.
ReplyDelete
Replies
DianaMarch 2, 2010 at 8:37 AM
I am so happy that you got to see some sun Rebecca. It really makes a difference in one's spirits. We had sun for a few days last week and it was wonderful! We are back to clouds now but mild temps! I noticed that my Easter lily's were popping through yesterday!
Love Di ♥
ReplyDelete
Replies
FlowerLady LorraineMarch 2, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Great post and I love the song playing. Jesus Name. I am thankful to Him for everything.

FlowerLady
ReplyDelete
Replies
BernieMarch 2, 2010 at 3:18 PM
Oh the sun does lift one's spirit Rebecca, enjoy it's warmth and all the good things it hold for you.........:-) Hugs
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousMarch 2, 2010 at 7:45 PM
I will now look at shadows in a different light. Thank you!
ReplyDelete
Replies
SarinaMarch 2, 2010 at 8:22 PM
Thank you for your kind comment on my blog.

Your blogs are very inspirational, and encouraging, and beautiful. They are also full of wisdom and I need all I can get!

God bless you Rebecca! I hope you have a wonderful spring season.
ReplyDelete
Replies
JackieMarch 3, 2010 at 10:31 PM
Our pastor just preached on shadows. Amazing how much your blogs tie into what I've gotten a chance to absorb in church. Thank you, Rebecca.
Love,
Jackie
ReplyDelete
Replies
Crown of BeautyMarch 6, 2010 at 9:44 AM
This is so beautiful, Rebecca! I never thought of shadows, and how true it is that sunshine creates shadows...

This is just something that I have taken for granted, since it usually sunny here in this part of the world, we just take the sun, and the shadows for granted.

Your post gave me a different perspective.

Love
Lidj
ReplyDelete
Replies
ColleenMarch 11, 2010 at 8:30 AM
You have such a beautiful way of looking at the world around you. Thank you for such an encouraging thought and also for the lovely words you left me.
Hope your day today is a beautiful one!
Colleen
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

"We simplify, not just to be less busy, even though we may be right to pursue that. Rather, we simplify to remove distractions from our pursuit of Christ. We prune activities from our lives, not only to get organized, but also that our devotion to Christ and service for His kingdom will be more fruitful. We simplify, not merely to save time, but to eliminate hindrances to the time we devote to knowing Christ. All the reasons we simplify should eventually lead us to Jesus Christ!" (Donald S. Whitney)

Dedicated to my sister-in-law, Beth--a TRUE home manager....

"I work for a King. He has put me in charge of his home. When He comes to see how I have managed His possessions and His children, I do not want to be found wanting. I want to do my best. Everything I have is on loan from Him. I have room and board and a job to do, but it is all for Him. Therefore I want to dress my best and do my best in all my work. I also want to be creative, for this is a sincere attempt to glorify Him and His beautiful creation. How I manage my home is a form of worship to Him." --Lydia Sherman

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Contentment makes poor men rich.

-Benjamin Franklin

"What I am gradually discovering is that in the writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God." ~ Nouwen

~~"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting."~~Edmund Burke

C.S. Lewis: "To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in trusting a person if you wouldn't take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him."

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony." William Henry Channing

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Apostle Paul: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand. It stops us from taking anything for granted. It has also taught me alot about living in the immediate moment. I am somehow managing to live one day, one hour at a time." Madeleine L'Engle

FIVE CERTAINTIES
WITH WHICH TO
START YOUR DAY

God holds you. Each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 NLT
God sustains you. THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1 AMP
God covers you. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust. Psalm 91:4 AMP
God pours His love upon you. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me. Psalm 42:8 NLT
God will not fail you. The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22 NLT

THE BLOGGER'S PRAYER Lord, help me to learn to spell without spellcheck, manage to visit all that visit me, and post regularly - all in 5 minutes a day, so that I can clean house and take care of my family. Help me to not look at every occurrence in my life as a blog post, and to quit taking pictures of weird things to share as well. Please Lord, help me to stop talking about my blog friends as though they are next door neighbors or someone I have known all of my life. And help me, dear Lord, to think of something witty and wise to post tomorrow.
Love, The Dust Bunny Hostage

Sane, Simple, Sacred

Mercy

IT TAKES SUNSHINE TO PRODUCE SHADOWS

10 comments:

Writing a Song a Week #3