I Am HOPE-FULL!
It could be obvious that I am hopeful. Aren't procrastinators inherently hopeful? (I procrastinated right past the deadline for this exercise!) If not hopeful, we wouldn't dare to be late -- we have hope that all will be ok. That is also the mantra of the optimistic, the confident, the assured.
Not helpful in meeting my deadline was the fact that I was no different from some of my artist friends trying to select one word that wraps up their essence. . . not to mention that while I was procrastinating, one of the sweethearts that posted on time used the word I thought I wanted to use. LOL.
Never fear. I thought (before I sat to write) that there would be many such words for me. Words I love -- like love, joy, happiness -- I thought I could be inquisitive, searching, obsessive, compulsive, helpful . . . and on and on. But when I got serious and thoughtful -- not one of those words alone has the exact shade of meaning I would use to describe my total self. I then thought maybe I don't even know who I am so maybe I should ask some of my friends or family . . . NO-O-O-O, nevermind. I wasn't brave enough to go there --- maybe my word is "coward!" LOL.
I decided to just start my collage and perhaps my essence would show through. What I found was a little picture of me as a very small child. What a cute little pose -- (I was always a ham in front of the camera!) Didn't that little girl look hopeful? "Oh, I hope I get the part." "I hope I get an ice cream cone." "I hope you choose me." "I hope you love me." "I hope we win the game." " I hope I don't owe any taxes." "I hope my ship comes in." "I hope my life turns out great." In the end, I settled on "hopeful." If not hopeful, then what kept me pushing on this assignment?
I looked up hopeful in the dictionary:
adj. 1. optimistic, confident, assured, looking forward to, anticipating, buoyant, sanguine, expectant
adj 2. promising, encouraging, bright, reassuring, cheerful, rosy, heartening, auspicious, propitious
Oh my, that sounded like Pollyanna me! In all aspects of my life -- even the dreary parts -- I am, if not cheerful, at least expectant. If not bright, at least promising. I tend to live in the future - can't remember the past and usually put off the present. Anyone who focuses on the future must, by default, have hope, I think. The final scale-tipping thought was that I know that my God holds me in His hands. He has promised me -- and you -- hope and a future.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
(Jeremiah 29:11)
The lyrics to the song below, Hopeful by Sean Wiggins, can also illustrate the biggest and best hope I have --which is the hope in my Lord, the light of the world. In my final analysis I declared, it is His love "that keeps me so hopeful." After all, love is the basis of all hope, wouldn't you say?
Listen to the song here:
(Be sure your sound is on - then hit the play button below)
Hopeful
by Sean Wiggins & Billy Cioffi © 2001 BMI
I'm not rich
I'm not well known
Sometimes that hurts
Down to the bone
But even in my darkest night
I reach my hands out toward the light
Hopeful
I don't need
The world at my feet
Knowing I've been loved
Makes me complete
Though the gray clouds block the sun
I wish blue skies for everyone
Hopeful
There are days in my worried mind
I want to walk away, leave all this behind
But something deep within holds me here
It's your sweet love shining bright and clear
My soul gets heavy
My heart grows weak
I want to say something
But I don't speak
Years go by, they ebb and flow
Please know it's your love that keeps me so
Hopeful
May the God of hope fill you with all 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
I am hopeful that you are hopeful!
(And now I am hopeful that I can get this collage finished so this post can be published before everyone forgets the "One Word" challenge!) Yea! I did it.
