Gray Skies and Sunshine

This morning I was feeling totally overwhelmed, totally frozen with doubt and totally alone. The gray skies and snow never help, either. I could not, no matter how I tried, shake the bad feelings. So I went about my day trying to seize any little bit of sunshine I could. Sometimes our Heavenly Father lets us feel like this so we can feel the "good stuff" much more intensely. I did a good bit of throwing things that could have been carefully placed into their receptacles and even let fly a few choice words while my kids were distracted with Thumbelina. (Yes, really. Just being honest here). It didn't make me feel any better but I got a lot done in my frenzy. I made progress. I took a break to check my email (which I have done obsessively for the past few days hoping for new pictures from Ghana). There I found not only MANY pictures, but the sweetest, most precious videos of our girl. OUR girl. She is amazing and funny and silly and lovely and did I already mention beautiful? Her smile is bright and full of joy. My heart was healed in an instant and I spent some time on my knees, humbled and grateful. Once again I am reminded that even when we have to trudge uphill against a gale of doubt, we will be blessed as long as we hold on to our faith and keep moving forward. And sometimes the Lord pours out his mercy upon us in unexpected ways that are JUST what we need. He loves us! He wants us to be happy and to feel all that this earthly life has to offer, the gray skies and the sunshine.