Tag Archives: hope
The people weeping
There is sobbing of the strong, And a pall upon the land; But the People in their weeping Bare the iron hand: Beware the People weeping When they bare the iron hand. — Herman Melville Almost all of us who are old enough to remember September 11, 2001, can describe where we were and what …
The greatness of a nation
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.” — Mahatma Gandhi While Matt was at Ride a Wave in Santa Cruz, a fascinating drama was unfolding on the beach nearby, where a stranded seal pup was being rescued. I watched as workers carefully manipulated the net …
Higher ground
My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay. Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim is higher ground. –Johnson Oatman, Jr. Growing up in a church where a cappella singing was a vital part of every worship, I was exposed early and often to verses that …
Hope is at the root
“Hope is at the root of all the great ideas and causes that have bettered the lot of humankind across the centuries.” — Ronald Reagan Touring the beautiful grounds of the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, it isn’t hard to understand why he was such an optimist. There’s something about California that always …
Connected to something bigger
“When everything around you is changing, turn to the part of you that doesn’t change, that is calm, centered, and connected to something bigger.” — Ariane de Bonvoisin Churchgoing people are accustomed to hearing various metaphors for faith. It’s spoken of as an anchor, a rock, a fortress, and a shield. It’s described as “the substance of things …
A light from within
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross I love stained glass, from tiny sun-catchers hanging in kitchen windows, to magnificent soaring panels in cathedrals. Whenever I see …
Dear earth
“…a greater glory I may one day see, but oh today, dear earth, how I love thee.” — Louise E. Weber, as recorded in The Notes by Ronald Reagan (page 47) Skeptics sometimes describe those of us who believe in heaven as people for whom religion is a crutch; a desperate hope to which we …
Brilliantly disguised
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as impossible situations…” — Charles Swindoll I will always remember the first time I saw this quote. It was fairly recently, in an email I got from an extraordinary person, Dr. Anitha John. She specializes in adult congenital cardiology, a relatively new field …
More than logical
“If we were logical, the future would be bleak, indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope…” — Jacques Yves Cousteau I’m a great fan of logic. My highest scores on the GRE and other standardized tests were always in the “analytical thinking” category. …
Just stand there shining
“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” — Anne Lamott I don’t want to sound paranoid, but people are watching us. They watch us in grocery store checkout lines, in doctors’ waiting rooms, or sitting at the wheel at a stoplight in gridlock. They overhear …
The day of liberation
“So now, muster your strength, and don’t lose heart. We shall all see the day of liberation. Have faith in life. Above all else, have faith. Drive out despair, and you will keep death away from yourselves…The same smoke floats over all our heads. Help one another. It is the only way to survive.” — …
Built in hope
“The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination.” — Marian Zimmer Bradley I love the book Life of Pi, especially the ending where Pi asks the skeptics a valid but often overlooked question: which is the better story? There …
Obstacles or gateways?
“The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.” — Ralph Blum If you’ve ever seen the arcade game called “Whack A Mole,” you may feel as I do: that it’s a pretty good visual representation of what life is like. Troubles keep popping up all over, and as soon …
Our song
“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” — Pope John Paul II Though I have never been a Roman Catholic, I was drawn to the writings of John Paul II. His erudition and resolve impressed me, but I connected most with his steadfast devotion to the theme that …
Divine surprise
“The story of Easter is the story of God’s wonderful window of divine surprise.” — Carl Knudsen It’s possible to hope with complete assurance for something, and still be delightfully surprised when you get more than you asked for. That’s how Christmas morning often felt to me in childhood; the anticipation, though great, never quite captured …
Just three days
“Earth’s saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart!“– Susan Coolidge The gospel story of Jesus and his victory over death was foreshadowed centuries earlier, and not only in the writing of the Old Testament prophets. In the book of Psalms we find this hopeful verse: “Weeping may endure for a night, but …
No life without rain
“Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.” — John Updike As I write this, it’s a rainy day outside with the chill of winter still hanging on. There is an atmosphere of quiet gloom. My moods are strongly influenced by the weather, so I really need …
The quiet voice
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” — Mary Ann Radmacher Enthusiasm and motivation are wonderful, but can backfire on us if we rush in with good intentions and expect too much of ourselves when tackling a new project or difficult resolution. …
Welcomed and recorded
“Each thought that is welcomed and recorded is a nest egg, by the side of which more will be laid” — Henry David Thoreau For me, writing is an effective way to train my thinking. I find that most people give more thought to what they write than to what they say, and this may …
Within our reach
“The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy!” — Attributed to Fra Giovanni Giocondo This blog gives me an excuse to spend time reading from the wealth of inspiring, encouraging and remarkable writings that have accumulated over centuries. Much of what I read — …
Hope beyond measure
“Green pastures are before me, which yet I have not seen; Bright skies will soon be o’er me, where the dark clouds have been. My hope I cannot measure, my path to life is free, My Savior has my treasure, and He will walk with me.” —Anna Laetitia Waring On a recent Sunday at a …
Ring out the false, ring in the true
Verses from In Memoriam A.H.H. by Alfred, Lord Tennyson Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is …
Always springtime
“It is always springtime in the heart that loves God.” — Jean Vianney, the Curé d’Ars Spring brings growth, renewal and rebirth. Yet it also brings rain, mud and labor. Keeping springtime in our hearts does not mean denying or ignoring the difficult and painful. Rather, it means looking ahead with hope and expectation, even when …
Cheerfulness breaking in
“Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in.” — Dorothy Sayers The Bible says “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” For most of us, this is an ever-repeating cycle. Even in years of great happiness, there are intervals of grief. And even in the darkest night, there come glimmers of …
Defeat Despair 