Choose Hope

Marilyn, Will & Michelle are headed to EPCOT this morning to spend the day, eat at Mexico and see Neil Patrick Harris do a legend-wait for it-ary job of narrating the Candlelight Processional tonight. They will have an amazing day. And yes, it does seem even more difficult this year to know I cannot go with them. There was hope back in April; now there is none when it comes to me being able to see this amazing event again. It is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

It is very frustrating. So frustrating, in fact, that I wrote a lengthy post yesterday about my personal situation and the inequities of our justice system and double standards present in our society. But on my way to publishing that post I came to a realization. This is an often difficult, sometimes very dark world we live in, and sometimes hope is fleeting. People lose hope everyday. The Ohio State football player they found this past weekend had lost hope. Robin Williams lost hope. A sweet young woman I once knew very well lost hope last week. It happens every day. Compared to the real trauma and desperate situations so many people face and that are often magnified this time of year, my post just felt like a whole bunch of whining. So I ditched it.

We put up our Christmas tree last night. Every ornament tells a story- tales of Christmas past. When the tree is lit, it always fills my heart with joy and reminders of how blessed I am. Last night, this tree gave me a little kick in the butt. We celebrate this season because God knew that hope was often hard to come by if we try to live life on our own. The gift of Jesus is a gift of hope. Hope for the weary, the suffering, the hungry, the sick, the heartbroken, and yes, even for those who feel persecuted. But we have to chose hope. HOpe is not found in believing we can save ourselves, it is found in remembering there is a greater force at work in our lives. We have to choose to believe that Jesus came for ME. ..and YOU! Without that hope, my story would be very different. Very, very different...

The lights we will see this holiday season should remind us all that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of our souls. And the darkness cannot overcome that light. Today I invite you to join me in pushing aside the darkness and embracing that Light. Choose hope.

Because of Jesus,