Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sabbath and Sunday, April 25 and 26, 2026
One of my first teen-age non-babysitting jobs was as a vacation fill-in clerk-typist in the State Fire Marshall’s office in my hometown of Juneau, Alaska. The next four summers I worked for the Forest Service, not in an adventurous outpost as a fire watcher in a national forest, but as a clerk-typist and receptionist in the Finance Office on the fifth floor of the Federal Building.
These entry-level jobs helped with college finances, and gave me a life-long fondness for Smokey Bear and his admonitions, such as, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!” and “Smokey’s Friends Don’t Play With Matches!”
I thought of my friend Smokey when I first saw this painting. It seems to depict a fire still blazing its destructive way through a forest. The mood is grim and bleak, dramatic and traumatic. I puzzle over why this particular piece of art was chosen for this wall, because this scene is what greets us as we enter our medical clinic’s reception and waiting room.
During each visit, as I wait for my appointment, I furrow my brow. I remember clinics of my younger years which featured calming pastel walls and large tanks where fish swam serenely around and around.
I picture a committee reviewing several potential art purchases for this new clinic and choosing this one: “Yes! Let’s go for the dark and stark approach this time!” The choice seems so odd to me that, rather than cast a gloomy shadow on my clinic visits, it makes me laugh!
Both my husband and I are blessed with wonderful medical providers. We tell the Lord, and them, that we are grateful for them. As a counterweight to their gloomy waiting room décor, they “bring the sunshine” of their listening and caring, along with their expertise, to our visits.
I heard that phrase recently. I was driving home with a lot on my mind, and I was planning to share some of that with my husband when I got home. I can’t remember the specifics, which is a good thing for both you and me. I know I was planning to mention some rather negative news or feelings. Suddenly I heard that phrase, not spoken audibly, but yet clearly to my mind: “Bring the sunshine.”
Well. That brought me up short. This called for a course correction. So by the time I arrived home, I walked in the door minus the gloom. I remember a song from my childhood, “Brighten the Corner Where You Are.” I guess I need to bring that song with me into my adulthood, too!
I believe the Holy Spirit was nudging me that day to “bring the sunshine” – the same Holy Spirit who inspired the following Scriptures, all from the book of Proverbs:
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)
. . . the cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15b)
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30)
As we step out into a brand-new week, we carry our personal weather with us. I’m going to try to remember to bring the sunshine, not the forest fire!