The Power and Promise of Hope
There are groups and individuals with which we have contact. Some inspire us, some attempt to control us, others categorize us. How do we find those who will give us fresh perspective, give us affirmation, give us friendship? Are we looking? Continue reading “Standards of Hope”
“Instead, evaluate what you are doing, why you are doing it, and where accomplishing it will take you. If you don’t have a good answer, then stop.” (from The Daily Stoic:366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman)
How do you convince yourself and others that you live in hope? How do you communicate the intensity of your emotions leading you to a future rooted in hope?
“Something happened along the way, what used to be happy was sad. Something happened along the way and yesterday was all we had.” (Earth, Wind, and Fire – Greatest Hits, 1998)
Another rainy day – I have no desire to run and jump in puddles. I am too old for that. What will I do while I wait for the sun to return?
The rain increases in intensity. I begin to wonder if the sun will ever show up again. Three, now four days of continuous cold rain, darkness and drear – where is the sun? Where is the brightness and warmth?
“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899)
As many of you know, the theme of my blog is, “The Power and Promise of Hope.” As a person of faith, my strength comes from the hope I have in a Triune God. I realize not everyone shares that same source of hope and strength.
That being said, I have not always found my strength in God to be an immediate source of hope. I have not always found the courage to bear adversity with the knowledge that my defeat will only be temporary in nature.
You’ve got no choice.Turn off the news. Go outside and take a deep breath. Do the one thing you know will bring a smile to your face. Forget your troubles for an hour.
Exquisite Kindness
A day or two ago, I was surfing Facebook sites to which I post. On the website of one of the churches I served was a note from a church member that stopped me in my tracks. I have no real idea what led that church member to write what he/she did. But that post reminded me that in the midst of a difficult world there are folks who exhibit exquisite kindness.
Hope is not something you and I were meant to hold on to until better times showed up. Hope isn’t the ultimate healer of all of our problems. Hope is a state of mind, a worldview, an attitude that transcends how we look back at the past and how we encounter the present. As you and I approach our unique futures, hope is not intended to be the automatic antidote for all things problematic.
Ever have a thought come to mind and not know where it came from or where it was going to lead you? That happened to me today. What was I going to do with my nagging thought? It would not leave me alone.
I remember sitting at the bedside of a member of one of the churches I served. He was quite old and he was dying. His wife had called me to ask that I come and be with him. She said that he had some questions for me. I knew this would be a tough encounter for two reasons: 1) this gentleman was so weak that it would take all my concentration just to hear him speak and 2) I knew this was probably my last chance to have the opportunity to answer whatever questions he had. I wouldn’t get the opportunity to clarify any answers I might give him.
“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not disgrace to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim, is a sin.” (Benjamin Mays – 1894-1984)
I wasted a day yesterday and for the first time I can remember, I was, I am aware indeed that it was a wasted day.