Archive for July, 2008

July 29, 2008

And they lived happily ever after…

July 29th 2008 Posted to common life

That’s really what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale. Nothing ever goes on forever, happily ever after. Life would actually be boring if that happened!

Yet, our stories and movies try to tell us that is what we want. Which means that if hardships or twists in the plot (of our lives) continue to occur, we think something is not right.

When a book ends leaving us hanging or with the story unfinished, there is a sense of a loss of closure. Yet, it really is most true to life if this is the ‘ending’.

But the beauty of the human life is that it is changing and that we can continue to respond to the new events and challenges and that they will be bring new joy and happiness.

The reality is the ever after, and ending with happiness, only will occur when we die – because then we will not have any more chances for sadness or pain.

I wonder what a blissful eternity will be like. Since newness often is what brings joy, what will the experience of newness be without struggle or pain?

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July 24, 2008

Some musings about hope(less)(full)ness

July 24th 2008 Posted to Religion

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13, NLT)

I need to keep this verse handy because I have a problem with hope. I seem to live in and come across lots of stuff that drains my hope. Some of it comes out of figuring out myself and dealing with growing up issues. Some of it comes out because life seems hard lots of days.

A colleague at work shared a story about his family who had 3 kids during World War II. His parents’ testimony of faith in the midst of the common sense wisdom to hold off having children during the dark times, showed they trusted that God would not let that darkness stay forever. They continued to hope and lived out that hope.

The Apostle Paul is also telling me something significant – that it is God who gives me hope. It is not something I need to manufacture within myself. Rather, it comes from the power of the Spirit. That’s hopeful!

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