A still, small voice … whispers “Where is the hope?”

A circle of friends … gather, light candles and through tears, gasp “There must be hope.”

Nations of people … shake their heads and mumble “Is hope possible?”

Phrases like
… “It’s hopeless”
... “I can’t even hope that change will happen”
… “Hope doesn’t exist”
seem to be popping up in conversations around me more and more lately.

The first week of Advent is here.  Today is Advent 1 and its theme is hope.

Natalie Sleath’s words of her “Song of Promise” (aka “In the Bulb There Is a Flower”) remind us of the hope that is all around:
“In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise, butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season something God alone can see.
There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future, what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning, in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing, in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season something God alone can see.”
<Natalie Sleath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpqHE84LAAw>

There’s something about the evening skies lately that draws me to the back deck to simply gaze in awe.   Not a gorgeous sunset – no birds flying overhead dotting the horizon.  Really, nothing spectacular.  And maybe that’s the wonder of it all
… the hope.

In their simplicity, the slight colour differences in the sky peering through the almost-barren trees, a sense of peace and calm is portrayed and hope fills in my soul.

There is always hope.

The theme of ‘hope’ for the first week of the Season of Advent is so appropriate – and timely.   The adapted words of “Let There Be Peace on Earth” by songwriters Jill Jackson & Sy Milleron can be a reminder this First Sunday in Advent that each of us can be a part of bringing hope to our world – if we let them.

“Let there be hope on earth, and let it begin with me
Let there be hope on earth, the hope that was meant to be
With ev’ry step I take, let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live each moment in hope eternally
Let there be hope on earth, and let it begin with me.”

May the Season of Advent be an opportunity for hope 
… to be welcomed
May the Season of Advent be an opportunity for hope 
… to be experienced
May the Season of Advent be an opportunity for hope 
… to be shared.

And may all be blessed with a bundle – a cupful … or even just a ‘drop’ of hope each and every day.

May this Season of Advent bring a blessing
– a blessing of hope to our world.

With love,
June
(https://soulistry.com)
You are welcome to share.