Bird at Sunrise
Turkmenistan 2009
Romans 15:13
I've thought about hope quite a bit the past few days. The approaching New Year fills me with a sense of hope for a year where conflicts and problems are resolved. A time when divisiveness is reconciled and self-centered behavior makes way for altruism.
Let me hope, at least.
Emily Dickinson wrote about Hope. Here is one of my favorite Dickinson poems.
Hope
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
Without hope, I don't think I could get up and face the new day. As Allison and I drive to work, we see some amazing sunrises that always fill me with hope and prepare me to face the challenges of the day.
I heard a story last night called the "Story of the Four Candles." The author is unknown. It is another perspective about Hope.
The Four Candles
The Four Candles burned slowly.
Their Ambiance was so soft you
could hear them speak...
The first candle said,
"I Am Peace, but these days
nobody wants to keep me lit."
Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes
and goes out completely.
The second candle says,
"I Am Faith, but these days,
I am no longer indispensable."
Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes
and goes out completely.
Sadly the third candle spoke,
"I Am Love and I haven't the
strength to stay lit any longer.
People put me aside and don't
understand my importance.
They even forget to love
those who are nearest to them."
And waiting no longer,
Love goes out completely.
Suddenly...A child enters the room
and sees the three candles no longer burning.
The child begins to cry,
"Why are you not burning?
You are supposed to stay lit until the end."
Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy,
"Don't be afraid,
for I Am Hope,
and while I still burn,
we can re-light the other candles."
With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope
and lit the other three candles.
Hope is an essential element of my life. Without hope, I couldn't face the world around me. No matter what challenges I face, I have had to face them with hope. I've had to hold on to hope for better times. Life is cyclical, I tell my students. There are good times and bad times, Thankfully, the bad times don't last forever; I just have to hold on and have hope for a better tomorrow.
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Thank you, Lord, for the joy and peace you fill me with as you give me hope that each day will be a great day with you.
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