I Still Have Hope

Last week a friend was telling me that when she had a bad day, she would go online shopping because "brown paper packages tied up with string" was one of her favourite things.  She loved getting packages in the mail and I must admit that I do too.  I love buying something that will give me more ideas for teaching and encouraging my students, buying a good music book, CD or a fiction story to read.  I look forward to receiving that package and if I've sent it to school, the office staff will see me daily saying, "Has my book from Blake arrived yet?" and they're happy when it finally comes too.  Sometimes I am disappointed that I got rid of so many of my teaching resources when I went to the States but it is good buying new things that are appropriate for where I'm at now.  I also get to visit other teachers and check out their ideas and resources which helps to remind me of things I used to do in my classroom.

On Sunday I got to skype with my brother-in-law Dan and his wife Rhonda, and he opened up the birthday present I had sent him. It was fun to watch him open it and read the inscription in a book, play with the wind-up toy crocodile (actually Rhonda played with it) and then open up the puzzle.  I love giving even more than receiving!

On Monday after a typically challenging day, I went home and opened up a package from a Christian bookstore that had posters, CDs and a book in it.  I had ordered the goods last week so I was excited about it being delivered already.  I took out the "mauve mug with Hope written on it" which was the description at the website and looked at it closely.  Hope seems to be a theme for this year and certainly on this day, I needed a good dose of hope.  Inside the rim of the mug it said, "My hope is in the Lord all day long." I chuckled to myself and repeated the words to my heart.  The posters were great and I looked forward to putting them up in my classroom.

Today my students had to "perform" at Chapel and the verse they were sharing was "Luke 17:3  So, watch yourselves.  If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them;  and if they repent, forgive them."  We turned it into a kind of rhythm/chant with one half of the class echoing what the other half said.  I then narrated the story of Jacob and Esau while the students acted it out.  They did a good job and I was very proud of them.  One of the teacher's has asked me to send a student to her grade one class so that they can learn the verse the way we recited it.  We went to the computer lab and after they had googled, "Australian Endangered Animals" I showed them a youtube clip with that topic which they enjoyed. 

It was a good day and after stopping at the bakery for tomorrow's lunch, I drove home.  On the doorstep was another poster that had been on backorder from Koorong bookstore and in the letterbox was a small package.  I pulled the package out and looked at the sender.  What a pleasant surprise Janice had sent me!  In the package was a DVD of a play the students at Southside Christian school in Spokane had performed called, "A Hat for Ivan".  The story was based on the book by Max Lucado.  Janice and Tami had bought it for me knowing that I would enjoy it.  I cried almost the whole way through it as it brought back wonderful memories of teaching at Southside and as I recognised those kids sharing a special message that we all need to remember.  At the end of the DVD, I wanted to just wrap my arms around all the staff and students at that school and give them a big hug!!!! 

I am so privileged to have been a part of their school family in 2010 and 2011.  I am so blessed that I have thoughtful people in my life who will send me gifts for no other reason than because they love me and think I am worth the 'special treat'.  One of our good friends, George, sent me an email entitled, "You Still Have Hope" and it said:

You Still Have Hope

If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope.
If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower, then you still have hope.
If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope.
If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope.
If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep, then you still have hope.
If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope.
If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope.
If you give people the benefit of a doubt, then you still have hope.
If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope.
If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills your with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.
If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.
If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope.
If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or cook the supper, then you still have hope.

If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.
If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile,you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase..."yeah...BUT.," then you still have hope.

Hope is such a marvelous thing.
It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break.
It sustains us when nothing else can.
It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we'd rather give in.
Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage.
Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it.
Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the direction.

Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return.
And it can be found in each of us,
and it can bring light into the darkest of places.
NEVER LOSE HOPE!

I was only going to use a part of that email but all of the words are great.  I am thankful that I still have hope.  Thank you to all those people who pray for me and who believe in me.  Thanks for your encouragement.  Because of your love and encouragement, I know what it is to have hope.  Even though I miss Dave so much, even though my grief seems to make my  heart break over and over again, even when I wear one of his shirts, or dream of him being alive again, I still have hope.