COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Hope

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS: Hope: HOPE Hope is the optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstan...

Hope

HOPE

Hope is the optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include; to expect with confidence and to cherish a desire with anticipation.

Hope comes into its own when crisis looms, opening us to new creative possibilities.

Hope is the driving force that gives a pregnant woman who is about due to give birth to get into a crowded inflated boat and cross the sea from a dangerous zone to hopeful safety.

Hope can help people heal faster and easier. Individuals who maintain hope, especially when battling illness, significantly enhance their chances of recovery.

Hope is one of the three virtues of Christianity along with faith and love. The word hope in the Bible is a strong expectation of future reward. In Titus 1:2 Paul said his aim was to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end.

Rom 15:4 tells us that. For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Stories of hope are threaded through out the Bible from Genesis to Revelation;

of Noah, Abraham, Nehemiah, Daniel, Ruth Deborah and others.

Hope sustained a lady who lived in an emotional abusive relationship for over 30 years. She was also in a business partnership with the abuser until her mind and body could no longer sustain the pain. She ended up in a woman’s shelter. The years of abuse took its tole on the children, one of them living on the streets, another who wrecked her car and lost her license due to being under the influence.

During these painful years she never gave up hope. She never gave up on the fact that God loved her. She is on the path to recovery and filled with hope.

Hope says that in spite of the fact that sin and death still rules the world, somehow Jesus has conquered them and in some unforeseeable time He will return bringing peace and healing to the nations.

Paul says in 1 Cor 15:19 If only for this life we have hope, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Hope that we are each known by our name. Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name. Isaiah 43:1

In spite of the fact that secular humanism dominates our culture and has played its role in our governments, educational institutions, our homes and yes even in our places of worship; we must never lose hope.

When the angel approached Gideon to deliver Israel from the enemy, Gideon’s response was, “If the Lord is with us why has all this happened; but Lord how can I save Israel, my clan is the weakest of the pack?” After God reduces his army from 32,000 to 300, He blows the trumpets and actually wins without fighting!

Our God is alive and well and has all things under control and hope is rising across our land.

In a world notorious for dashing any ray of hope, may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

TIME TO SHRED

Time to Shred

It is January 2018. Good news, I can purge another file box of business receipts. It’s a struggle getting in and around the close quarters of the storage room. I throw the boxes out the door causing some of them to fly across the balcony.

I set myself up with my brother in law’s, shred one page at a time shredder and know I am in for a day’s work. I hate this job it is boring and somewhat back aching.

O here’s a time sheet, bringing to memory people who I have mostly forgotten. I wonder how Brinn is doing? She was such a great worker. Amazing how many of them could not count back to give out change if the computer defaulted. There were good and better and a few not good at all workers among them. During the fifteen years there must have been some 35/40 students that were part of our team.

Did I make a difference in their lives? Did I show appreciation? Had to let a couple of them go. What are they doing today? The majority stayed with me through high school so maybe I wasn’t too bad after all.

Shred -Here they go in the shredder!

December 2007!! What a month that was! Little Haven Emporium served health conscious lunches, delicious home made goods, specialty coffees along with gift items. The aroma of great food welcomed customers as they came in the door. Christmas Carols filling the place, special features. Memories that were pushed in the back of my mind like being tucked away in that little storage room. I thought of Celine Dion’s song, ‘It’s all coming back to me now’.

As I filled up the clear bags and took them to the ECO depot, I thought, well, maybe this can save just the bark of one tree and if so a piece of my history will go on living.

Life is like that. There comes a time for all of us when we need to go into the backroom filing cabinets of our lives and do some shredding. Some of the work can be boring and painful but through the mess will come memories that can give us new perspective for the future.

The past is always a mixture of the good and the bad. The dark and the light. Forgetting the things that are behind ….

There are stiil goals to reach, visions to fulfill. Mountains to climb and deserts to explore and a filing cabinet that will be filled with new memories.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                           OUTSIDE MY WINDOW

 

 

 

There’s a book full of stories just outside my living room overlooking my condo balcony. I can see that the warm days of summer are past as the falling leaves have reached their end of life stage.  Some by themselves as the life has parted from their veins and others not quite so ready being blown off by the wind.

 My Geraniums, they have brought so much joy this season are still hanging in there, fighting against the cold and the rain and sapping up every ounce of nutrients remaining in their source of supply.  My yellow vine flowers have passed on, guess it was time. The empty chairs that exchanged the laughter and chatter of friends look cold and uninviting and are waiting to go into hibernation until next year.

 My condo is around ten years old and was built besides above ground hydro polls which can be an eye sore, however it also has provided company for me as the birds take rest there occasionally and talk back and forth to each other. So, I suppose in that sense it is a good thing.

 There’s an empty lot in front of my place, with two beautiful huge trees. One might be a Manitoba Maple. I’m not certain as I don’t know my trees very well.  So, help me if anyone dares to come and cut them down.

Across the alley to my left is the Fish and Games building. Prior to the present owners it was used as a church. This gives me something to think about. A lot of history wrapped up in those walls. Weddings, dedications, baptisms, funerals, Christmas carols ringing out, worship, the odd person nodding off while the preacher is giving his sermon. O if these walls could talk!

To my left, across the alley is the Dr. Woods Museum, keeping alive the rich history of a pioneer Dr. who came to the area in 1902. It depicts the domestic and professional life of Dr. Woods and his family. The Museum preserves artifacts reflecting the period of life from the late twenties and forties, as well as showcasing a Canadian Doctor’s home in a small prairie town.

I could write about the sirens I hear daily, keeping me in touch with humanity. There are the planes that fly over my condo taking people on some adventure.

That’s another story.