SUN SPOTS

I have always been a cozy-type person. Layers of blankets: a good cup of coffee, a really good story, a deep conversation.  What I’ve come to know about myself is that I love to be enveloped by warm things, warm places, warm people, and warm thoughts.  I can just feel my soul gently surrender and rest when in the midst of warmth. One of my favorite natural occurrences happens on a sunny day. Much depends on the position of the sun and my window’s exposure. However it happens, I love it when my feet come to rest in a sun-spot that’s puddled on the floor. Just as my feet start to feel the nudging warmth, it makes me want to snuggle into that spot on the floor so that the sun’s kisses can warm my face too. Yup I’ll admit it; I have freakishly slithered off a chair or couch to position myself perfectly in the middle of a glorious pool of natural warm.  Okay, like I don’t do this in public! No, I save this cat-like ritual for my own living room…And why not? My kids already think I’m weird.

They say that vitamin D is pretty essential to one’s emotional balance – I’m a believer. For me, busy thoughts flow so much more clearly on sunny days. Connections between my life as it is and any orbiting Godly truths waiting to be thought about are better made in the sun. Which is unfortunate really - because the very computer from which this script is written is SO in the basement with not a single window in the room! Well, I suppose this accounts for why my ‘backspace’ key is so terribly overworked. In any case, it’s a curious thing to me that the warmly invitation of these sun-spots is not subject to seasons either. Indeed, their bright and comforting invitation is just as likely to appear on a clear, frigid, Manitoba morning as it is on a warm prairie day in May. How very hopeful. How very reassuring. How pursuant!

If one is in search of warmth, one can find a ‘sun spot’ of sorts in many things. It’s possibly found in a special friendship, or maybe it’s found in the chapters of a really good book. Perhaps it’s found in a moment of authentic worship. I have three little sun-spots that I get to enjoy everyday. They call me ‘mummy.’ Just to be clear, I sometimes (okay, often!) have to remind myself that these little spots are the sunniest bits of my life. Especially after THAT kind of day, you know the one - when at last the little spots have been hustled off to their respective beds, and you are left in the quiet to survey the damage…you’re twitching involuntarily and stuttering like a fool.

I was once given a card that quoted Galileo as saying:

“The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the Universe to do.”

I’ve thought about that quote so much, and I decidedly love it. I love it because Gallileo has noticed the efforts of the sun; its faithfulness to its responsibilities, both big and small. I’m humbled that in accordance to God’s bidding the very same planet-aligning, grape-ripening sun is the very one that warms my very own toes on my very own living room floor! And while Galileo may have had his issues with God and the church, I cannot help but revel in a glimmering truth about God’s amazing faithfulness in all matters, big and small.

So, I resolve to sink into whatever lingering sun-spots there are busily warming and brightening up my life. I will accept them as gifts – No, as tender loving from a faithful Father who despite all that is in His care, has thought of me & my toes.