You are My Sunshine

It's spring in Minnesota and this year all it does is rain. Every day. Cloudy, rainy, cold. The sun only peaks out about every 5 days or so for a few moments. The cows are getting stuck in the mud. Hardly anyone can plant their crops, and those that do are planting in the mud and praying they will still grow. And our bodies that craved the sunshine and warmth all through that longer-than-anyone-can-remember winter are still left wanting.
Our two littles are visiting their mom for two days. I was looking forward to being able to tackle some projects, fight with my washing machine and re-find the living room floor. And I have gotten so much done. I went to bad last night and still had energy left, what a weird feeling!! But the house is quiet. And even though it's easier, there's less joy.
Babies are so demanding, needing to be fed more often, held more often, played with instead of running off to play on their own. Its hard to take them anywhere, they get into everything, I'm constantly chasing them. They need sippy cups and outfit changes and of course those stinky diapers no one likes. But oh they are the joy of the family. I truly believe. This is why big families seem more jolly. Its one of those things you don't realize until it's gone suddenly. The way they find joy in the simplest things, in everything really. The way they love with their whole entire selves.
This is Gods gift to us, sunshine even on the cloudiest day. Amidst the brokenness and hurt of this world he sends a reflection of Himself, pure and ready to burst with joy and love and wanting to give it all to us. Can't see Him through the clouds? Don't worry, He's still there, and just to be sure we know here's a giggling baby playing peekaboo or even a teething baby who only wants to be held and go everywhere we go. This is His love sent down to us.
And oh how we need it. As badly as we all need the sun to shine, we need these little people in our lives to show us who God is and how He loves us when we have forgotten. To brighten our spirits and give us hope. To bring joy, sunshine to the endless string of cloudy days.
We forget this though. We see stinky diapers, and sticky floors and missed work opportunities and fill in the blank. And we wonder why every day is cloudy. And He longs to share His sunshine with us if only we would accept it.
All across our country we are in crisis, the news says. Millenials aren't saving enough money, Baby Boomers didn't plan well for retirement, and the worst problem of all, no one is having babies anymore and there aren't enough people for the workforce and to keep the economy strong. And God keeps wanting to send His love into our lives. He keeps pursuing us, keeps trying to break through the clouds. But we tend to run, to say "No" to His good gifts. We good Christians even, who have better things to do, long lists, things to accomplish, clean houses to feel good about, "enough" other children to care for. And yet, when the house is all clean, the sky is still cloudy. He keeps pursuing, He keeps giving himself to us in so many ways, but oh the sunshine that's waiting to burst into our lives if we would accept this gift He's waiting to give. And we won't get anything done, and the house will be a mess and our career will be on hold and if we're lucky we'll realize none of that matters as long as the sun is shining. Because can we ever have "enough" sunshine. Will there ever be too many children, too much Jesus in the world, in our lives?
You are my sunshine little ones. From the moment you entered our life more than 8 years ago there has not been a day that has been too gray. Thank you God for sending us sunshine, even on a cloudy day.