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not cardboard hope

March 24, 2020 Leave a Comment

24 Mar
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re posted on April 19, 2013

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I went through older post looking for something else but found this. Are you tired? It hasn’t been long since we self quarantined though our daughter has been back from Study Abroad, Florence and under a quarantine basically 2 weeks before the public was. There is hope.

Week’s end finds me tired of the world.  

It has been a tough one for us in the US.  A trial of a Philadelphia, PA abortion doctor for 7 murders of babies and one woman coverage finally started letting many outside the region know about the heinous acts committed from lack of inspections to drug dealing to murder. The jury will determine the who, what and why and measure of guilt.  Bombing on a beautiful day at the Boston marathon killing 3 and injuring over 100 people with a city almost shut down in the hunt for the suspects (more that the 2 brothers are being sought) and a college freshman found dead with a bashed head not even 5 miles from our house and even closer for a school friend of the girls. It was not a robbery and his cell phone was found on top of a silo.  West Texas was rocked by a fertilizer plant explosion that was felt 5 miles away. The pictures look like those of towns burned and destroyed we have seen all too often of war zones.

For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.

When I was telling my girls about the news report of the local student found murdered that they had heard about it in school one of them wanted to know if they checked for bullet holes?  No, they didn’t. If there had been a pistol shot, someone would have heard and reported it.  Guns have silencers you know she informed me.  I wondered at what kind of world a 13-year-old knows this forgetting that we both love mysteries and Sherlock.  My eldest told me those were exactly the kind of questions Sherlock would be asking.  In a crazy kind of way I felt better. Violence. Hurt. Despair. Grief. Fear. Anger. The desire for revenge. When will it turn to hope, peace, sorrow and healing?  Will it?

For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.

We, as a characteristic of our nation, are a resilient people. Historically our resilience comes from our deep faith and belief as a minimum in Judeo-Christian values placing great emphasis on forgiveness and seeking to do good. Where will it come from today?

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For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.

I ache for those who are directly affected by these acts of violence. The family and friends of each victim, of the brothers, one dead and one found, of each piece of destroyed property of each death, I wonder how do they handle it if they have no reason to hope?  What can you base life on if not hope for the future? I am not so eloquent with words buthope without certainty seems to me like a miss placed word that has a full rich meaning but in this case a

cardboard hope.  

Empty without substance or real. A cutout, a box instead of the real.

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For my soul takes refuge in You; 

And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge 

Until destruction passes by.

My heart is full of sorrow for them.  I too want action forgetting in most cases prayer is a very effective course of action. It is not passive at all.  I want to influence lawmakers and others for His good and His glory.  I want to be satisfied that He is indeed sovereign. I want to pray and do. But this has smacked us in our faces!  Do we or don’t we believe, have faith?  How to we hang on to it, hold on, live by faith?  One minute and one day at a time.  Why else would we be admonished to pray without ceasing, to stir ourselves up by way of reminder, to rehearse the truth of the gospel and reliance of God and His character by recalling those times we know that He protected and comforted us becauseHe is faithful and true and loves us totally. I write these words because I say them to myself so I will not be cynical or complacent.  I say them out loud to teach and encourage my children and others.  We recall from our memories when God showed Himself in a vivid way who He is.  We read scripture searching for answers.  Some of those answers are not exactly what we were hoping for

but the Hope

that is spoken of and shown to be true over generations demonstrates the certainty of the hope for eternity He has promised us and confirms the Hope of His presence with us always and always.

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I do not pretend to understand the evil that draws men to these depths nor do I get why sometimes accidents happen.  It is not lackadaisical or random or proof of a “clockmaker” creator.  It is an opportunity to trust the trustworthy for comfort and for justice. I am glad to hand that and other human burdens over to Him.

Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,

For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.

I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.

He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. 

Psalms 57:1-3

blessings, linda

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Welcome! I’m Linda and I’m so glad you stopped by.
I live a rich and full life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in a very, very old farmhouse. Bushel & a Pickle (named for my daughter’s childhood saying) is my story of life experiences, family, travels and faith.

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