As we sat by the window of one of our favorite restaurants, we smiled. The joy of that day was overwhelming. Freedom filled the air, and laughter rolled easily between us. We even joked that our friend Jeff would be jealous—after all, we were now fully retired.
Little did we know that within three years, both of us would face severe illness, and one of us would be gone. But on that sweet day, joy abounded.
This morning, I felt that same joy again. For the first time in three weeks, I could finally see out my windows after painters had covered them while restoring our Montana log home. Each morning for years, I had taken that simple pleasure for granted—the chance to let light stream in through the windows to my soul.
While the phrase “window to my soul” isn’t found in Scripture, Jesus does teach that our eyes are the gateway to the heart. He said in Matthew 6:22–23: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
Just as sunlight through a window brings clarity and warmth, our spiritual outlook deeply affects our entire being. When my windows were covered, I felt anxious, restless, even overwhelmed. Isn’t life the same? When we shut out the presence of Jesus—when we neglect to let Him walk beside us—it’s easy to be overcome.
Jesus also reminds us in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Instead of waiting until the hard days drive us to God in desperation, what if we praised Him in the good days? What if we gave thanks in the moments when joy naturally permeates our souls?
Fernando Ortega’s song This Good Day expresses it beautifully: “This good day, it is a gift from You. The world is turning in its place because You made it to. I lift my voice to sing a song of praise on this good day.”
Of course, there will always be hard days. But let’s not let them eclipse the blessings of the good ones.
As my friends and I often joke, “Any day above ground is a good day.” And yet, Marcus Aurelius captured it with deeper wisdom: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
So today, I lift my voice to sing a song of praise on this good day—a day to praise God for the light that shines through the windows to my soul.