Here I go again – talking about HOPE.
It occurred to me this morning that I speak a great deal about this – HOPE. If you stroll down my archived blog, you will notice just how much (Hope Again; Hope, Even When We Don’t Want It; even in some that do not have the actual word “hope” in the title). Seems I blog about what I need most. I must have HOPE to hang on in my desperate situation. I know that I am not alone. We each have our own desperate situations at times. Mine happens to be a financial predicament, much of which was not my own doing – but that’s another story. This predicament of mine has continued for a few years.
I find myself chipping away at an iceberg that seems insurmountable, but I am “chipping” away. The problem is, if I lose focus and stand back to look at the very large picture, I am overwhelmed and hopelessness creeps in. There seems to be no way out. To keep my focus on the daily task of “chipping away,” I have to keep the possibility of a “miracle good happen” in place. So silly or not, here’s what I do:
- Buy one lottery ticket a drawing, whichever one is the highest (hey, you never know and it’s just a dollar or two) 🙂
- Keep a vision for Reflections (hey, it could be the next Chicken Soup for the Soul or the next Songbird – the song that changed Kenny G’s life) 🙂
- Imagine that I write the song of the year that Jim Brickman plays and Carrie Underwood sings (hey, it could happen) 🙂
- Consider that someone like Donald Trump could read my blog or my book and want to do something to help (sort of like that long-lost, never-known billionaire relative dying) 🙂
So you notice the little happy faces after each item? These are my miracle possibilities, and they help me stay focused on the practical thing of “staying the course” and slowly chipping away through daily commitment to my job, my source of income. And someday, just like in that famous race, the unexpected tortoise may come out the winner.
You see how important HOPE is? We cannot lose it. And if we lose it, sometimes we need help to restore it. I lost my hope this week, was overwhelmed, unable to focus, and actually became physically sick from hopelessness. I am not ashamed to say I called my mother for prayer. That very night, I felt the heaviness float away. (Thank you Mother and Lucy!)
My hope was restored; and, yes, the morning brought about another work day – another day of chipping. But wait a minute, I better check my ticket from last night’s drawing – you just never know! 🙂
WE MUST HAVE HOPE! HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOURS!
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
Sometimes we just need to look around us and see that we have already won the lottery. Our health is good, our loved ones are healthy, I have a great job with benefits, but most of all God is with us and within us. I feel we really need to thank him each and every day for what we do have.
Am I really putting all my money I can, at paying my bills down? Did I miss that Star Bucks coffee all week, that new pair of shoes, or my weekly movie? These are places that add up real quick and could pay my bills down. Oh, but there are other ways to chip chip chip away at paying our bills. For one ,I have to say no to my grand-daughter until I get my bills paid. I have to take my lunch to work now so I can pay my bills off. I eat beans and rice like Dave Ramsey says we can do. Dave Ramsey.com is an excellent website to learn how to get a handle on our finances.
Life can be so much more happier if we take a negative and turn it into a positive. Good luck with your bills and remember, you may have already won the lottery! God Bless!
Thank you Debbie for another inspirational blog.
As you know I have had my own share of hoplesness over the last 1-1/2 years and you have prayed with me and for me and have been the best friend anyone could ask for in my time of need. I am so glad that prayers of others were able to help you get back to having hope. I know from experience that feeling hopeless is a terrible place to be.
I also know a little bit about your financial situation and I don’t know anyone who has worked harder to overcome those problems. Dave Ramsey gives a lot of good advice but even he can’t solve problems that involve a third party that you have no control over.
The important thing is that you were able to get relief through the prayers of people that love you.
God Bless and thank you again.