Another ocean blue sky day, but the moon’s not peeking out. He’s got his days and nights straightened out. Sat in the swing this morning eating a late breakfast, watching the birds frolic around the bird feeders. The day is beautiful but the earth is parched, needing a good soaking rain.

My friend sent me this quote today. “It was only a sunny smile, and little did it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living,” F. Scott Fitzgerald. What a beautiful way to describe a smile, scattering the night and making life worth living. Smiles can be powerful tools. Dale Carnegie wrote, “The value of a smile… It costs nothing, but creates much.” Sometimes a smile can change the course of our life.

I know God has a radiant smile, full of genuine warmth and love. I bet his eyes twinkle with mirth, too, when we amuse him. God’s smile is a source of blessing and peace for us. When the days are beautiful we feel he’s smiling. We can all see God’s smile in a rainbow or a sunset. When the days are stormy, I sometimes think God is frowning, disappointed in us, reminding us to not turn away from him, telling us his radiant smile and our faith can lead us out of the darkness of life’s storms. We read in Numbers 6:25-26, “May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Our smiles are natural responses to joyful moments. Smiling increases our feelings of happiness and reduce stress and anxiety. I love a random smile from a stranger that makes me smile back and nothing is more glorious than a baby’s smile. Proverbs 15:14 says, “A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” When our hearts are full of happiness our smiles are cheerful and contagious.

I think God smiles when we follow his teachings and when we praise him and thank him for our blessings. Just living a life of faith brings smiles to our face and God’s face, too. America needs some smiles, some joyful moments. Her happiness and faith seem to be shattered. We all need to smile more, spreading God’s grace and bringing light to the darkness of those around us.

“Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” — Mother Teresa