Hoping for Spring

Who isn't hoping for spring these days, with the extra cold wind blowing fresh snow across melted ice? It's the hope of spring that allows me to step outside in the early morning, knowing that soon I won't need to bundle up as much. It's the fact that spring always comes after winter, even if it's weather pattern is unpredictable.

Not everything I hope for is a certainty. Hoping to win the lottery is outside of my grasp, especially since I don't have a ticket in my hand. Hoping that someone else will change is beyond my control, even if I can change my own words and reactions. But hoping in heaven is a surety for me that I cling to, some days more than others.

When illness robs a friend of health and vitality, I put my hope in an eventual healing for her. When cancer brings intense pain, I know that God will wipe away every tear as they enter heaven. Seeing grief mixed with joy as I witness goodbyes to a ninety year old mother and grandmother gives me hope. Her children and grandchildren recognized how her faith and hope in Jesus guided her life. Peter says it like this: You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.

So what do I hope for today? Wisdom to lead a PLC of colleagues, insight into handling challenging student behaviour, stamina for an after school staff meeting, safety driving to the airport tonight and a restful night of sleep to prepare for another busy day.

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