Look to God and Live… Joyfully!

Confession time. I have never liked Valentine’s Day. (For those who have known me through church for many years, that statement probably brought back the horrific memory of my announcing to the congregation during a short lesson when we were young adults that “I hate Valentine’s Day because it is so gaggy.”)

Anyway, back to the topic. I don’t know why I have never been into Valentine’s Day. Maybe it was the trauma of never being able to fold the valentines straight to put into the teeny envelopes when I was a kid. Or maybe it’s the fact that I could never do valentines crafts required in school and make them look the least bit decent (I just don’t have an artistic/craftsy bone in my body). Maybe it was the inherent sense of “loser status” in high school if ASB didn’t deliver a flower or flowers to you during class from someone who liked you (we all knew those girls who ended up with whole bouquets from different admirers). Perhaps it was the young adult stress that surrounded the holiday and whether or not you had a date. Even later, when Ben was alive and we were married, Valentine’s wasn’t that big a deal. Usually we just made it a family event at home, with Ben and I going out sometime during the week for a nice dinner. Ben always said the day made it feel like he felt awkward being forced to show love in a specific way on a specific date chosen by a greeting card company and I totally understood.

Don’t get me wrong. I do have some fond memories of Valentine’s Days. I came to love the music from Kenneth Brannagh’s Henry V due to a Valentine’s date. I have received some favorite gifts on Valentine’s. There was the year when as newlyweds Ben and I ping-ponged between Pismo Beach and Solvang, California because I couldn’t remember where the hotel was where I’d made reservations. There are all the wonderful Valentine’s dinners we had at home as a family with homemade fettuccini and chocolate and a singing pink hippopotamus named Lola.

Besides those memories I mentioned, what I really enjoy about Valentine’s week is the opportunity to think about all the many people that I love and am so grateful for. It’s a time for me to think about the blessing of good friends and family – people who show me love throughout the year. These people are legion, be they close friends or mere passing acquaintances. People bless my life in so many ways.

Today in church I chose as an opening hymn the song, Scatter Sunshine. I did this despite the fact that Elizabeth barely tolerates it. I, however, love the hymn and since I choose the music for church, we got to sing it. (And on a humorous note, we had our first major snowstorm of the season overnight and it was cold and cloudy when church began.)

I chose this hymn because it sums up what I find so good about this particular day. Before I get into my reasoning, however, let me first share some background on the hymn itself.

Scatter Sunshine was written by Lanta Wilson Smith and first published in 1892. Smith was both a daughter and a wife of ministers, and although she says she personally wasn’t blessed with the gift of oratory, she felt she could preach the gospel through her writing. She is credited with penning the lyrics of more than 500 hymns, although most of them haven’t endured the test of time. Scatter Sunshine, however, was one that has lasted. Early in the 20^th Century it was voted the official song of the International Sunshine Society. This organization, founded by New York City journalist Cynthia May Alden in 1900, was established to fight for the rights of the needy, with a particular focus on blind infants and children. According to contemporaneous author Ella Celeste Adams, it was an organization whose object was to “incite its members to the performance of kind and helpful deeds, and thus bring the sunshine of happiness into the greatest possible number of hearts and homes.” As a side note, isn’t the name, Sunshine Society, just fabulous? I kinda want to reestablish it today! For more information about Lanta Wilson Smith, you can read about her here: https://ldshymnology.wordpress.com/tag/scatter-sunshine/

Valentine’s Day falls in the middle of winter, when people are beginning to wish for the warmer days of spring. Seven weeks past the emotional warmth of Christmas, the holiday greenery is put away and the feelings of communal charity engendered by the holiday season have dissipated into the quiet days of January and February. It doesn’t even feel like winter anymore, except in weather. During this time of year people tend to stay indoors more and look outward to give service less. It can be a hard time for many, and the truth is that in these lingering winter days people need watching out for as much as at any other time of year. Punxutawney Phil seeing or not seeing his shadow on February 2^nd every year doesn’t actually give hope to those who are struggling to endure the dreary days of February. Enter, then, the need to give what is expressed in Scatter Sunshine.

In a world where sorrow
Ever will be known,
Where are found the needy
And the sad and lone,
How much joy and comfort
You can all bestow,
If you scatter sunshine
Ev’rywhere you go.

Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing, passing day.
Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing day.

Slightest actions often
Meet the sorest needs,
For the world wants daily
Little kindly deeds.
Oh, what care and sorrow
You may help remove,
With your songs and courage,
Sympathy and love.

Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing, passing day.
Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing day.

When the days are gloomy,
Sing some happy song;
Meet the world’s repining
With a courage strong.
Go with faith undaunted
Thru the ills of life;
Scatter smiles and sunshine
O’er its toil and strife.

Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing, passing day.
Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten
Ev’ry passing day.

Lanta Wilson Smith

I have been richly blessed with sunshine scatterers throughout my life. I have had people who lift me up from depression, grieve with me, listen to me as I fall apart, and strengthen me when I feel weak. I have people who laugh with me and cry with me. I still have two separate cassette tapes made by two separate friends 30 years ago designed to be lifter-uppers. I have notes and cards and memories. Just this morning I was greeted with a kind and loving comment on social media by a longtime friend. I have people all around me who bring sunshine when I most need it.

When I think of Valentine’s Day, I think about giving back a little bit of what I have received. If others can scatter sunshine and show love to me – no matter where I am emotionally – then I can scatter a little bit of sunshine to others as well. I relish saying, “I love you” to the many people who are in my circle and I love giving hugs to just about everyone. I think I can admit to being a champion hugger.

Maybe the sappy romantic commercialized elements of Valentine’s Day aren’t for me, but the opportunity to focus on my gratitude for those who have sown seeds of love throughout my life and set the example for me to follow is something I can get behind. Happy Valentine’s Day!