Hope Restored

Do you remember my post right after Mother's Day? The one that included this pic...

For those of you who don't remember, you can backtrack and read the post here. For those of you who do remember, you can read on. :o)

After that post appeared on Writes of Passage, I got so many sweet notes and emails sharing links with other hope-related pins or necklaces. A dear friend, Susan Downs, even bought a darling necklace bearing the word "hope" on a glazed tile because she felt so bad about the loss of my pin. I appreciated each person's attempt to replace the shattered pin, and as pretty as each of the suggestions were, they just weren't identical to the one I'd lost. I liked many of them, but it wasn't "the same," if you know what I mean. Eventually I came to accept that the pin was gone and there wouldn't be another one.

So...leaping forward in time here...the past two weeks Hubs and I enjoyed a get-away in Alaska. Oh, such a marvelous time of relaxation and basking in God's beautiful creation! I'll share more of the photos next week, including one of a GRIZZLY BEAR! (I can mark off "see a grizzly bear live and in person" from my bucket list), but for now, let's stay focused on the subject of hope, okay?

While in Alaska, I received a devastating update concerning my mom's remaining sibling, my dear Tante Lois. (I dedicated A Hopeful Heart to her because so many of my favorite childhood memories include time spent with her. She has always made me feel cherished and loved.) My least favorite "c" word in the world has now touched Tante Lois, and she is facing an arduous battle at the age of 85. I confess, it hit me hard. I love her and I don't want her to have to suffer. And, as silly as it sounds, I don't want her to lose her beautiful snow white hair. (Odd how the little things can matter so much, isn't it?)

I also came home to a mile-high stack of mail and a half dozen packages. The smallest package contained...are you ready for this?...a pin. A Hope pin identical in appearance to the one that was shattered.

Now, add to this my daily Bible reading on my first day home took me to Psalm 112, which included this portion of scripture:

"Happy is the man who fears [holds in reverence] the Lord,
taking great delight in His commands...
He will never be shaken.
The righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will not fear bad news;
his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord."

Can we all agree this is not coincidence? That God knew I would sorely need encouragement? I went back and reread my May post about hope, wanting to recall the lesson from that Sunday morning, and I got a lump in my throat when I read these words:

I'd told the people in the class, "This world might rob of us loved ones, our job, our home, our health...but we always have the promise of eternal life with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That is our hope, and it is something we will never lose."

No, this world doesn't offer many promises, does it? Nothing here is forever. But God--and my relationship with Him--is forever. It can never be taken from me. My hope rests in Him. And so does Tante Lois's.

May God bless you muchly as you journey...and rest in...Him! ~Kim

P.S. -- Prayers for Aunt Lois (and her family) are coveted. Thank you.