The Sun Will Come Out … Today
By Tricia Goyer

I cringed when I saw my friend's Facebook photo of her new spring flowers. Spring? Flowers? Living in northern Montana, spring will most likely show up around May. Begging for more sun, warmer weather and less slushy snow/mud doesn't work. I've tried. Loudly.

Of course, it's not just the weather that's the problem. It's the sniffles, the high heating bills and the hopes that maybe the next phone call will be the job offer your husband's been hoping for. Winter isn't just an atmospheric condition. Just ask your friend. Just click through the numerous worries weighing down your mind.

Recently, as I stared into the gray-tinted sky begging for golden rays, God reminded me of his gift of seasons. He created weather cycles with a purpose. And maybe, just maybe, the best way to make life sunny is to find simple ways to cast sunshine in our homes.

S – Sing. It's hard to be grumpy when you're singing favorite songs. I sing for my kids and with them. Adding a sway to the hips helps!

H – Have a party. Yesterday it was a tea party with chai and crackers. We're planning a Wii party for tomorrow night. Any boring day can be livened up. Having hotdogs for dinner? Grab some bandanas and a picnic basket for a BBQ. Stream salsa music off the Internet to go with your tacos.

I – Invite friends or grandparents over for a story night and share stories from your lives – funny stories, embarrassing stories and life-changing ones too. Cocoa and cookies can be added for fun, but the real treat is connecting hearts.

N – Navigate a nature walk. Bundle up and explore your favorite park or trail. Take photos to keep and compare over the next three, six and nine months, noting the seasons of life.

E – Elf yourself. Make a bed, do someone else's chore or pack a treat in a lunch bag – and try not to get caught.

Don't stop there. Incorporate God:

• Sing … praise songs.
• Have a party at a rest home or preschool. Just because, just for fun.
• Invite your friends and family to share stories about God's work in their life.
• Navigate a nature walk and talk about God's amazing, creative power.
• Elf yourself and serve someone in need, letting them know you're giving and serving as a way to share God's love.

Winter may not be over anytime soon, but the sun can come out … today … in the hearts of your family. When I take the time to focus on ways to care, give and serve, my heart is transformed not because the weather improved ... but because love happened.

Tricia Goyer lives in northwest Montana with her husband and three kids. When she's not singing and playing games with her family she's writing and blogging at triciagoyer.com