In Others' Words: Hope

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." ~ Barbara Kingsolver, novelist

What do I hope for?

That life isn't all about me. 

That there is something ... Someone ... bigger than me. Wiser. More sufficient. 

What do I hope for?

Grace instead of the backbreaking load of do-this-don't-do-that laws I lived under for too long.

What do I hope for?

Faith that sees the rainbow in the midst of the flood of tears.

What do I hope for?

Truth, even the harsh "how do I live with this?" kind of truth that takes you to your knees and makes you look up and cry out for God. Yes, I will take that over placating lies any day.

And love. Laughter. Forgiveness.

May my life be shot through with hope that is constructed of all these treasures.

In Your Words: What do your hope for? Are you living inside that hope--or merely admiring it from a distance?

In Others' Words: Hope

"Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier." ~ Author unknown

It's the end of the week.

I don't know what kind of week you've had. Mine has been crowded with reasons to smile (like my wedding anniversary) . . . and a few reasons for tears.

Vertigo, wretched experience that it is, came back. Knocked me off balance--literally.

I'm beginning to wonder if vertigo is going to play a continual game of hide 'n' seek with my health. Do I have to look over my shoulder and wonder when it's going to reappear? And when it will disappear again?

And then I reminded myself that my word for 2011 is hope.

I can either have hope in this situation.

Or not.

Yes, doubting would be easier.

I'm clinging to hope.

The photo is one I took in Mexico. It's a sunrise--a reminder of one of my favorite Scriptures:

The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22-23 NAS)

Did you have a rough week? Struggling with doubt? May you find reason for hope!

In My Words: One Word

Most of my friends know that I don't do New Year's Resolutions. Over the years, I've lost too many long lists of good intentions before the end of January.
Instead, I focus on a word--one word--for the year. I've found that it's fairly easy to keep track of one word for 365 days.
My word for 2011 is hope.
I like to have visual reminders of my word for the year. So, I've got a little silver "hope" dangling off my desk lamp. And another "hope" looped over my rear view mirror in my car. My husband tucked an insulated mug labeled with the word "hope" in my Christmas stocking, along with a little wooden plaque that reads: "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him." (Lamentations 3:25) I keep it on the kitchen counter so I see it often.

With 140 days gone in 2011, I've had reasons to cling to hope. Reasons to offer hope to people I care about. I'm sticking with my word choice.
What about you? Did you make any resolutions way-back in January? How's that going for you? Want to trade in that list--if you can still find it--for a word? And if you can't find your list of resolutions, stop looking. Instead, pick a word.
Just one word.