It seems that at our present time when we turn on the TV (or any other media) that all we hear is gloom and doom.  If it isn’t the virus death rate it’s the violence destruction and mayhem.  It is very depressing and sad.  I am the kind of person who likes to have my windows open at my house.  This morning as I lay in bed debating which eye to open first, there was a symphony of birds singing outside my window.  They didn't know about viruses or seem to care about the violence and problems.  They didn't seem to care about anything except singing their beautiful song for me.  That reminds me of some wise words"Look to the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"  It seems that critters are wiser than people sometimes.  Perhaps we should take a lesson from them and instead of worrying about the state of current affairs, just go singing through our day. 
​
“The Robin and the Sparrow"
Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me.”

This weekend we celebrate a special day, Father's Day.  Those of us who have been blessed to have a great father know what this day is all about. My Dad was a man of integrity, hard work, and showed me his love for me in many ways.  It has been said almost any man can be a father but it takes a special man to be a "Dad".  Being a Dad is a 24/7, 365 days a year job.  He provides for his family, hopefully spiritually as well as physically.  He protects his family from harm.  It is also good if he prays for his family and with them.

In the Scripture, the word "father" is mentioned 140 times when it is applied to an earthly father but appears 280 times when it applies to God as our heavenly father.  So, God, the Heavenly Father is concerned with earthly fathers, after all, he provided them for us children.  My earthly father is no longer present in this world, but his teaching, love, and presence will always exist in my heart and mind.  If you have a father I encourage you to recognize him this weekend, with something special, just a hug or "thanks Dad" would be great. 

​Advice to fathers (and children) from a wise father: I Chronicles 28:9  "As for you my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you."   

​It seems that almost every time we turn on the TV someone is talking about race.  It appears to appear in most conversations about anything from Lego blocks to children's cartoons and songs.  After doing some reading and studying it is my understanding that God created only one race –mankind.

The struggle between people who are different from each other goes back thousands of years. (What would the world look like if we were all the same, boring?)  There is a solution to this whole problem it can be summed up in one word –Love.  Jesus told the Pharisees (who hated Him) "Love your neighbor as yourself" Paul added "Love does no harm to a neighbor"   James says, "  If you fulfill the royal law according to the Scriptures You should love your neighbor as yourself  you do well, but if you show partiality you sin." "God shows no partiality" so who is my neighbor that we should love without partiality?  The answer –everyone.  So how do we deal with this current "cultural" problem: with the love of God the love that "casts out all fear".  Race isn't the problem, love is, love of God and fellow man.

What are your eyes focused on today? Social media and TV news want us to be absorbed with the negatives.  They are so engrossed in the virus and violence it seems that is all we are thinking about or talking about.  Is that what our attention is fixed on? Is that all we are seeing these days? It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  If we only look at the negative things, the "bad" things in this world we are missing so many positive things.  If our eyes are only looing down we are missing the beautiful sunsets and sunrises, the gorgeous rainbows, the pretty clouds, the beautiful flowers, the smiles of little children.

​However, when you look up we see the hope of a better tomorrow.  David said "I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help, my help comes from the Lord." Even Jesus lifted His eyes as he was hanging on the cross to look at God for a better tomorrow.  May we follow their example and lift our eyes to look up at the positive tomorrow that is coming to our world. 

​"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of this world will grow strangely dim"   

Today I have beautiful sunshine outside my window.  We have had so much rain recently and clouds that this sunlight is very welcome. I want to go outside and plant something in my yard, however, water lilies or rice was not what I had in mind.  As I reflected on the sunshine and clouds I was reminded that the sun is always shining, it's just behind the clouds part of the time.  We can be sure that the sun is right where it has always been.

​God promised in Genesis 8:22 "while the earth remains ……day and night shall not cease".  That is like Jesus, our "Sonshine", He will never cease to be there for us.  Sometimes we can't see Him because of the cloud over our eyes (or dark sunglasses we have intentionally put on) but He is there