I'll Be A Sunbeam

Sometimes my mind wanders excessively and I get easily distracted.  This week was no exception.   It all began by thinking of Pity Parties - you know the kind - the ones where "woe is me" is the theme.    I have definitely learned over time that I do not want, nor do I need, a Pity Party.     They sap our energy and they bring us (and others around us) down.

More wandering on a familiar topic...  We all have times in our lives when things don't go as we had hoped or planned.    Some events or life circumstances may be practically unbearable.    Life is difficult.    It always has been.   One minute/day/year everything is fine, the next minute/day/year it can be turned upside down.    (Of course, this is where I always have to remind myself and others - "choose your response").

I continued wandering.    I thought of the spiritual song "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" (recently brought to mind by one of my favorite commercials).    But wait, you must check this out!   How awesome is that performance in 1962!   Classic!   Just love that smile!   (oops, even wandering as I write!)

And then I started to wonder what old hymns have similar "living through troubles" themes.    Being a lover of nearly all things vintage - I dug into my piano bench trying to locate an old garage-sale-find hymnal.    I ended up finding the following ....

JOYFUL - I like that word!  Copyright 1932 - Vintage Love!   I flipped through its pages and landed on this song that grabbed my heart and mind....

There are actually two versions of the song - the other more popular - but I like this one by F.E. Belden best.   The first two verses go like this:

If I were a sunbeam, This is what I'd do -

I'd find the dark places, searching the forest through;

I would kiss the pale flowers, Bending low at my feet,

Till each lonely blossom Opened fair and sweet.  

So many dark places in this world of sin,

Why not be a sunbeam, Letting the love-light in,

God's beautiful love-light, Smiles and words of cheer;

Kindness is the sunshine We should scatter here.

Chorus:

Beautiful sunbeam!  God sent you here;

I'll be a sunbeam, *Lonely hearts to cheer.

*notation indicates other words can be substituted, e.g., Mother's heart; Baby's heart; Brother's heart, etc.

I so love this little song!  What started off as a mind wandering session ended up being a little life lesson.   YES,  I"LL BE A SUNBEAM!    WE ALL NEED SUNBEAMS!   No Pity Parties!   ICE or no ICE, giver or receiver, smiles and words of cheer can help us make it through! 

Wishing you many sunbeams of cheer today!