Let the Son shine through you

As I drove along the ocean today on my way to school, I couldn't help but notice the brightness. The sun reflecting off the water had an almost blinding effect.

But it made me very happy.

I've always loved sunshine. Sunbathing on a warm day is a spiritual experience for me; I close my eyes, lay still, and it's as if God is smiling down on me from heaven. I listen to praise music, pray, and bask in the warmth of God's greatness and love. I feel so close to Him.

People often comment on the sunny outlook I have on life. Just a couple of days ago, Nakano-san from the office told me that he is jealous of me because I'm always smiling!

I usually respond to comments like this by saying, "I have a lot to smile about." Or sometimes I'll say, "I'm very blessed."

But what I usually don't tell people is that I pray for a positive disposition on a daily basis. I start my day with the prayer, "Lord, use me today. Help me shine Your light to the people around me."

It's not always easy. Of course I sometimes get upset, sad or stressed-out. We all do.

However, I do my best to find something positive in every situation. When I make mistakes, I learn from them, laugh at myself and move on.

There's a lot in this world to get depressed about. I lay awake at night sometimes thinking about how broken our world is--the injustice: racism, extreme poverty, abuse, genocide, other horrible things that occur every day--and it makes me so sad that I cry.

At the same time, there is so much to be happy about. I could make an extremely long list of simples pleasures in life that I absolutely love. At the top of the list are my relationships -- with God and with other people. I'm in my element around people I enjoy being with, and one of my favorite things to do is make new friends.

When deciding what to name this blog, I chose "Keep Shining" because of my desire to shine light into the world, any way I can, to people I interact with. The Newsboys' song, Shine, (also an inspiration to me) says it so well:

"Shine. Make 'em wonder what you've got. Make 'em wish that they were not on the outside looking bored. Shine. Let it shine before all men, let 'em see good works, and then, let 'em glorify the Lord."