Apricity: Take Two

 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone. Galatians 6:10a

Apricity: a word that means the warmth of the sun in winter. I shared a devotion based on this word last year as well, for Earth Day. At that time, I shared this: Apricity is an old word that is not used much anymore. Hearing about it reminded me of reading that native tribes of Canada (Yupik and Inuit) have many words for snow. Using specific language to convey feelings is a beautiful way to communicate and share ideas.

However, with the cold temps and a few recent walks at a local park I’ve been thinking about apricity again.

How wonderful it is to have the sun come out on a cold day! The warmth of the sun on a cold day recently made me consider an article I read recently in National Geographic magazine. This paragraph, from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission sums it up this way: NatGeo provides a comparison of two nuclear processes, fission and fusion. Fission involves the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei, while fusion combines light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. “Both processes release a large amount of energy, but they differ in their energy sources and the conditions required to initiate them. Fusion, which powers the sun, requires extreme temperatures and pressures, whereas fission can be initiated with little or no energy input. The article also discusses the potential of fusion as a clean energy source, with scientists working to recreate the conditions necessary for fusion in specialized machines on Earth.”  What power the sun has! It is no surprise to me that many cultures throughout history worshipped the sun. Without it, where would we be?

Where I’m going with this: A smile or a kind word can brighten someone’s day just like that sun appearing on a cold day. Sharing God’s love with others doesn’t always need to be complicated. A kind word or deed may be exactly what someone needs at that moment. We often don’t realize the power that simple actions have on others around us. Smile and share a kind word today!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the warmth of the sun on a cold day. Thank you for the sun, the moon, and the planets. Help us to remember that we can share your love with a smile, a kind word, a kind deed. Amen.

(Photos above taken in the past three weeks. Feel that apricity come through as you view them! Click on photos to view larger.)

Donna Gustafson