When We Need Hope

Another winter storm blew through here yesterday depositing a fresh layer of fluffy, white snow. Strong winds blew the sparkling powder into even deeper drifts. 

Mother Nature has a sense of humor, don’t you think? And I don’t believe she has much regard for our Groundhog Story, either.

The landscape is endless white, as far as the eye can see, with just a little frosting on the trees and shrubs. It used to seem pretty. But it’s March, and we are yearning for a change, and we would sure like to see some color return to the landscape. 

In my previous post about endless winter, I shared photographs of a recent snowy day in my yard. Today, I am going to blast this page with the colors of springtime in order to bring hope to the winter-weary among us, and to assure us that spring truly is right around the corner.

I’ve been telling friends that I have visions of tulips dancing in my head. Last year was my first year to view the nearly 100 tulips I’d planted in my gardens, and I can’t wait to see them again this spring! These are pictures of my gardens from last year. Spring will come again, my friends, I promise.

We need hope in so many areas of our lives, wouldn't you agree? I know I need hope just to begin the day. I need hope when life gives me problems that seem insurmountable. When I am weary and sad, I need the hope that comes from blessed rest.

Where do you find hope?

For myself, I find hope in my relationship with God. We share conversations every day, and He knows my heart better than anyone. He touches my spirit with His love, and I can begin to see hope for another day.

 

I have complete trust in the One who saves me. He even saves me from myself, sometimes. He has saved me from the pit of despair. Knowing that God is always at my side brings me comfort, and I know that no matter what trials I must face, I will not face them alone.

This amazing trust has been built through years of doubt and questioning. Trust is built through relationship. I know I can give any of my myriad emotions to God and He will understand. And oftentimes, He guides me in ways I never would have imagined.

“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3

As surely as the sun rises and a new day dawns, so will the earth turn for its seasons. Spring will come. We can put our hope and belief in that. And we can place our hope and trust in the One who said, “ I will never leave you.” 

 

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. "  Isaiah 55:10-11 

The Winter of Our Discontent

Shakespeare! Again! This quote came to me while I pondered life and love as I drove through the rising dawn and viewed our endless winter. Snow is falling again, and though I still see beauty and feel some excitement as the white flakes fall, our Midwestern winter seems to drag on and on. As winter’s cold and gloomy days stretch on, it’s hard not to feel heavy laden, and to feel the darkness begin to seep into our spirits.

And yet, there is beauty to be found. The canvas of white outside my window is etched with the angular shapes of bare tree branches, which catch and hold the snow like frosting on their limbs.

I love to follow animal tracks in the fresh snow, and try to determine who the critter was and when they passed through.

Oh, and when the sun comes out! When the sun comes out! Especially after a crystal snowfall, when millions of diamonds sparkle at my feet, I am filled with wonder and awe.

Truly winter has its beauty. It just sticks around too darn long.

Likewise, when we are living through a winter of our spirit , we may feel that the heaviness seems to last forever. We are weighed down by our burdens, and instead of singing, we turn inward and want to crawl back under the covers.

But every cycle of life is always changing. Deep under the drifts of snow, down in the frozen earth, I imagine my tulip bulbs beginning to awaken. Soon, the days will warm and hope will renew as life returns to the natural world around us. What joy we will feel in the delight of the first blossoms, and that incredibly bright shade of new spring green that the trees and shrubs will wear. It will happen. It will come, as surely as the sun rises each day.

And thus, so shall the darkness of our spirit come to a time of lightening. We will begin to feel our burdens diminish, and in time, hope will dispel our sadness. Though sadness may pervade our thoughts, and languish in our hearts, joy will one day find its way into the dark places and the light will come again.

Like the sun warms and nurtures the earth, we need to nurture our spirit with all that is good. Be kind to yourself. Take the time to treat yourself to whatever it is that makes you feel happy. Honor your sadness, but don’t let it linger too long. The spirit longs for peace, and though our discontent may last for a season, even seemingly endless winters will end.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”

Psalm 42:5-6 & 11

You Are Never Alone

Sunday Scripture

and a

Song

"When you go through deep waters,

    I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

    you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

    you will not be burned up;

    the flames will not consume you."

Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)


Please enjoy this beautiful song of encouragement by Meredith Andrews 

Not for a Moment

Subscribers please click on Hope to find to view this video on my blog. Thanks!

To Thine Own Self Be True

Good Heavens! Now I’m quoting Shakespeare. But this line has been rattling around in my head for at least a week, and it’s time to heed my muse and explore this deep thought.

My experience with Shakespeare is limited to performing in “Kiss Me Kate” in high school. This play is a modern take on “The Taming of the Shrew”. Though none of this has any bearing on today’s post, I thought you might like to know that I am not well versed in the Bard’s long-winded speeches.

However, from Polonius to his son Laertes (Hamlet Act 1 Scene 3)

    “This above all: to thine own self be true,

    And it must follow, as the night the day,

    Thou canst be false to any man.”

So, what does this mean to us? We are faced with myriad choices every day. We have a favorite quote for our teenagers, “Life is full of choices.” But surely, it applies to every day of our adult lives, too.

To be true to oneself, one must first search deeply within to know what we need. Perhaps that’s why it’s taken me a week to work through my thoughts on this verse. How often do I listen to my head and not my heart? Too often, I'm sure.

And how often do I choose not to listen at all, and go with my own free will?

That’s usually what gets me in trouble - with myself. My heart is the best guide for what is right for my life, and my brain guides me in making the right choices. 

But trusting my gut in situations where intuition is necessary serves me well. For the last couple of years, I have been focusing on listening to that small voice that guides me in my daily life.

It all began when the hammock broke.

One fall day, I lay swaying to and fro in my rope hammock, watching the tree branches sway above me. For some reason the back of my head was uncomfortable, and I kept hearing this thought that I should get a pillow.

I ignored my intuition, knowing soon I would go in the house to check on the cake that was baking in the oven for my son’s birthday. But the thought kept nagging me, “Get a pillow”.

Interestingly, my husband came out to where I was swinging and said, "Don't you want a pillow?" I said no, I'd get one in a minute. He turned to go back into the house, and no sooner did he leave then SNAP! The rope holding the head of hammock broke, and I crashed to the ground, landing mostly on the back of my head. (See where a pillow would have been helpful?)

Now this may seem like coincidence, but to me it was a wake-up call. Luckily, I was not badly hurt. But something deep inside of me awoke to the realization that I had not been living through listening to my inner voice. Since then, I have relied more on my intuitive thoughts to guide me in everyday decisions. Truthfully, this process has served me well.

I think this is the basis of being true to one’s self. In order to provide what we need through honoring our inner selves, we need to regularly check in with our gut feeling and listen to our inner voice to make sure we are staying on track.

Photo Courtesy Best Light Photography

We are challenged every day by receiving so much stimuli. We need to take time to be still, and focus on our intuition within. Quiet the mind, and let your higher self speak.

We may think our brains are the most highly advanced organs in our body, but our spirit inside, our intuition and our gut feeling are there to help protect us from danger. Learn to trust your inner guidance. 

By doing so, you will find that you are following the path that honors your integrity “To thine own self be true.” Live your life by being true to yourself, and you will find a pathway to knowing inner peace.

 

You Are Beloved

Sunday Scripture

and a

Song

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Phillipians 4:8 New Revised Standard Version

God does not see us the way we see ourselves. We focus on what we've done wrong, and how imperfect we are. We dwell on past mistakes, and think we are not worthy of the many blessings God desires to bestow on us.

DON'T LISTEN TO THESE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS!

God sees us as pure as freshly fallen snow.

He sees our inner beauty and the promise in each of us 

for what we can become.

He loves us, every one of us.

We are His children

and we are Beloved.

Jason Gray's song "Remind Me Who I Am"

Reminds me every time I hear it

That no matter what the world tells me,

I must always remember...

I AM A CHILD OF GOD

Subscribers please click on Hope to Find to view this video on my website