Brave: courageous

"When we are put to the test, it is the one thing that we must always be." - Brave trailer

I finally saw it for the first time tonight and loved this movie. Not just because of my Scottish heritage, and not just because it was an outdoor movie on a beautiful summer evening by the lake.

(Photo from: http://tinyurl.com/cfqml9q)

I loved Brave because of the themes of building and nurturing strong relationships, of caring for others, of listening to and learning to understand one another, of learning from our (and others') mistakes, of the value of peace in communities, and of goodness winning over darkness. 

My theme for this year is courage. I want to be courageous in the face of darkness and to use my life to foster strong relationships, caring communities, and peace on earth. 

God, help me to be brave.

Hope is hard work

Good words from the blog of a friend: 
http://hootenannie.com/2013/07/self-arresting/

"We tend to think of “hope” as a positive feeling, one of potential and possibility and the anticipation that tomorrow will be better than today. But I’m realizing that hope is actually a painful emotion – because by its very definition, the thing we are longing for is not.

If it was, there would be no need for hope at all.

Hope is hard work. It’s an acknowledgement that things are not the way we wish they were – and yet, that it might not always feel this way. It’s a willingness to carry the uncomfortable burden of imperfection. It’s anticipation with no guarantee.

Maybe more than anything, it’s simply a decision against resignation.

So I dig in my fingers, dig in my toes, and self-arrest before hitting the bottom. There is so much more ahead, and I want to know what it is – because what if it’s worth seeing?"

Amen, sister. 

Courage and Hope

(Photo cred: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=629202340425349&set=a.255575047788082.76072.166174666728121&type=1&theater)