Only Count the Sunny Days

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
~ Isaiah 41:13

The rain has begun to fall along the Gulf this morning as a cold front approaches from the North.  A seasonal change is underway, and all around us are signs of that transition as leaves continue to turn, flowers retreat, and the daylight hours begin to fade earlier in the evening.

Years ago I saw a sundial with these words, "Only count the sunny days," on it's face.  Almost defiant, the long gnomon, pointing towards the sky, was determined to find the sun so it's shadow might cast the time of day upon it's face.  Somehow cloudy days were thought to be less important, but it was the cloudy days that were powerful as they rendered the sundial's ability to clearly harness the hours of the day as they passed by.  "Only count the sunny days," seemed to declare the importance of one day over another.  

Funny how cloudy days work in our lives.  Like the valleys we encounter, cloudy days still provide time for the journey, and provide for the steps that we must take in order to once again reach the summit of whatever mountain that lies ahead.

I always seem to learn more about myself when I encounter cloudy days, or dark times in my life.  They are something out of the ordinary, and I am drawn to think about what it is that has changed, or caused the sun to disappear.  

"Only count the sunny days," was the motto placed on the sundial by the one who created the piece.  For us, God has designed us in a way to make every moment count.  Even the writer Paul is bold in proclaiming to, "Give thanks in all things." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

While I must admit that I have a hard time giving thanks when I am surrounded by cars and stuck on the roadway, or when one of my children has encountered an adult problem I cannot fix, I do try to give thanks for the days that are cloudy, as well as, sunny.

The idea that any day is more important than another gives way to both joys and disappointments.  Each day, whether sunny or cloudy is an invitation.  It is an opportunity to remind us that God never rests.  God is always present, and that each day is a gift.

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019