flashes of hope...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."~ Hebrews 11:1

Hope...

Over the course of the last few months there have been moments of hopefulness...moments when the storm clouds break and the sunshine breaks through...moments.

I wish I could say that I had these hopeful moments all the time and I was just a walking, breathing hopeful person...I guess truth be told I'm a realist. Not that I do not hope, but I tend to dwell much more readily in the realities of the now. But, yet as my husband reminds me often I do not and did not ever do this when I was teaching...no, I saw potential for growth and believed in that potential throughout the months the student sat in my room...and when they moved on, I still believed. I guess the problem comes to myself...I am inherently pessimistic person when it comes to me...

Can I withstand this storm raging? I don't know...I must admit that this time around my armor is a bit more damaged from the arrows of the first battle in '06. I don't feel as strong as I once did...I wish I could say differently. But, these days things can bring me to tears in a heartbeat...in fact they did today.

I battle within myself to be stronger...keep it together, don't show the signs of weariness...just keep smiling and hoping. Because after all isn't that what people want to see?

Do we really want to see the broken shells of people? I know it's hard, believe me after walking the journeys it's hard to really see the brokenness of people and not want to turn away...not want to look away and hope that the next time you look it's better.

Yet, the Lord provides within the storm and gives me flashes of hope...literally.

Back in February when we were in the hospital an organization called Flashes of Hope came to take pictures of the children in the hospital and their families and give them hope...

To give the kids a make-over...comb their hospital bed hair, or do a little make-up...honestly whatever just to make the child smile. After you've spent time in a children's hospital you know that smiles are not always easy to come by. So, they came and took Camryn's pictures...





















These...these are my flashes of hope. In the midst of the storms this face helps me through each day...you see in the things the Lord provides He gives me flashes of Himself...hope.

I am thankful...just simply thankful.