Hope in . . .

Spring awakens in all of us a renewed hope for things to come. Almost like listening to the politicians. You know, the ones that stand up and do more then just promise less taxes, (as if that will ever happen). If we look back, we can remember politicians promising the sun. Then there were other ones, who made no promise but offered us hope in a better tomorrow. And isn’t that what we want? And a real wave of hope we should grab onto, taking it as far as we can. Don’t we hope for a better future? They are things like, better relationships then we have had? A great education in a prestigious school, a better job and more money and the car, home and pool?
Those of us who live closer to the ground have much simpler hopes. Hope for good crops and for business to pick up. Hope for people to get along better. Even hope to make the rent or mortgage payment due in a week. Some people even hope for rain, or large sunflowers. Our lives are filled with new hope that only covers up the reality that many of our previous hopes have failed to materialize. If we look at them closely, many of them encompass the ridiculous to sublime. Okay, who is hoping to win the lottery on Saturday?
In a country like we live in, it’s easy to hope for . . . and even the attainment and enjoyment of the Canadian Dream. Which by the way is much different then our southern neighbours. We hope for a better life for our children. We even hope that we are a good enough parent to raise wonderful children.
While at Drumbo School for eight years I watched many a child, your child, experience the fulfillment of humble questions being answered simply enough so they could take hold of something new. Hope for good marks, hope for someone to play with, hope no one will make fun of them because . . . Their hopes and dreams grew as they did. Their world changed as each grade and each birthday came and went. It was something to see. It was wonderful to see the change from a timid, quiet, unassuming kindergarten child just learning to tie their shoes and finger paint, into a young poised and confident young person ready to attack the world and all that is out there. I have heard many a teacher at grade eight grad say, “I remember when they first . . . ” Or a parent wiping tears away while saying, “It seems like only . . .” Each of us looks on them and wishes and prays their hopes and dreams will all come true.
The reality of it is, we live in a world filled with lost dreams and crushed hope. Where dreams are destroyed when dashed against the rocks and all too often we discover we often lose hope. Paul writes in the Book of Romans, about real hope. Hope of the glory of God. I honestly believe hope in God brings to each person a joy and peace that can never be achieved through this world or hope in anything this world has to offer. It is a realization that lets us know that with God we are in the right place and, and, “It is well with my soul.” Who is your hope in?
Something to think about
Rob

Blooming Again

Spring arrived a few weeks back. It happened while the children were out of school. Don’t think many of them noticed. We adults took hold and embraced it whole heartily. We have been waiting for it. Who cares that it wasn’t terribly warm. There was sunshine and the temp was above freezing. The evidence of it is also in our gardens. I see the bulbs up with some already in bloom. We have seen the snow bells come and go. There are the occasional bushes developing buds that will soon turn to blooms and then to leaves. What an exciting time of year. It is the time of new beginnings. The earth, after a long sleep is starting to wake up. It’s a new start. We look at each spring with anticipation.
We say to ourselves, "It will all come together this year". Things will be great. The garden will look like it never has before. The grass will be perfect. The bushes will be strong and full. Trees will stretch further to the heavens and the flowers will bloom for what seems an eternity. But never think you do it all on your own. Wait a minute, God is involved. In fact He is the one who from the beginning of time, put nourishment in the soil, clouds in the sky, rain in the right season and an abundance of sun for which every plant reaches heavenward.
Most of us won’t just sit in a lawn chair and watch this just happen. We will be there to lend a hand. Yes, God can do it on His own but, we get in there to lend Him a feeble hand. Our lives are much like that. We have so many beautiful parts of our life. We have blooms, and strength and fullness and beginnings. But we also have what every garden has, weeds, like of Creeping Charlie. There are also natures animals causing havoc. Did you notice dry spells or too much rain with not enough sun? As you walk through the seasons of life, look for the beauty in them and notice the trying times. They are all there for a reason. Our life becomes what it becomes because of both.
A new friend I just met something interesting last week. He said he wanted to grow in the place God planted him. You see, God is the gardener and He is the one who tends. May the nourishment of God guidance help us grow as we are in the spot He placed us. While there, accept the rain as you reach up to the Son.
Something to think about Rob

It’s Easter! Happy Easter Everyone! An amazing celebration of Jesus resurrection which is a shadow of what waits for us. I love Easter. No presents, or so it has been for many of us. No decorations like Christmas. No dashing to the store for that last nothing! It is all about Jesus. We wish.
Where did the bunny and eggs come from? Did they come from the chocolate makers? After some search I find they both come from Germany between 1600 and 1800. The bunny is also considered the counter part of Santa. The rabbit has his origin, not in Christianity but with fertility and spring. In the quietness of the morning, I ask myself if secular society develops a celebration they can enjoy outside the resurrection. Maybe resurrection of spring life? I wonder. So, there, lay that one aside.
So, what is Easter to you? It may not be easy to set aside the celebration of excitement when children get up in the morning to search for eggs or find that brightly decorated basket. And who can forget bitting into that first chocolate bunny’s ear. After all, it is the only day you can have chocolate before / with breakfast.
Maybe it is a way for all of us as a society here in north America to think seriously about spring, especially after this weeks snow? Remember with me; summer starts with school getting out, fall begins with school going back, fall ends with Halloween and winter sets in hard at Christmas. So spring just naturally comes with daffodils and tulips and warm weather. The more senior among us will relate to spring and Easter and the song Irving Berlin wrote in 1933, “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade”
To others of us, Easter is new clothing for the children? Do parents still buy Easter outfits for their children to wear to church? Or to school or wherever? Just asking. You see, we have all kinds of traditions that move us through our year. Celebrations that have meaning and connect to the whims and wishes of the people who make up our society. Starting with a good idea, they slowly become part of the transition. And that can be good. That is, as long as we don’t disconnect from the reason the tradition started in the beginning. Easter has so many wonderful things about it. And they all have their place and their significance where they touch our lives.
This Easter, do not separate this wonderful day from where it began. Easter begins with Jesus Christ. Easter is filled in the middle with all the activities of the day we all hold dear but just as the beginning, so Easter ends with Jesus Christ. It began at the entrance of a small cave cut in the rock face where once a body of man lay cold and breathless. It began with the stone rolled away and a burial cloth folded, no longer needed. It began with disciples running to find out for themselves. Bill Gaither said it better then I ever can:
Then came the morning, night turned into day:
The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn!
Then came the morning,
Shadows vanished before the sun;
Death had lost and life had won,
For morning had come!
Easter began and ends with the realization that, HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!
Something to think about.
Rob