Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, January 3rd

Today's word is Hope. The first thing I thought of when I heard the theme was my children.This first one is J and the next one is B. They are each 13 months old in these photos. They are so full of potential! As they have grown, the possibilities for their futures are narrowing, becoming fine tuned. As a parent, you are full of hopes for your children. You hope they will live through their illnesses. You hope they will sleep through the night. You hope they will listen to you and learn to behave. You hope they will grow and become a strong child. You hope they make friends at their new school.

Above all the minor things, though, you hope for their future. You hope the world will be a safe and happy place for them. You hope they will fulfill their purpose in life, that thing they were created by God to do. With all the personality traits and struggles and experiences and love and ups and downs, you hope through it all they find a niche in the world that was made for them, and that they use their talents to do it the best they are able. At least this is my hope.

Some people feel great hope because of the coming presidency. Some feel hope every new year---I do this year. But these are things we're just wishing for. There is no certainty in this hope. No one knows what the coming year holds.

I love the verses in Romans 5 about hope:

We rejoice in the Hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and
character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

There are certainties about this life, but only the things associated with God--the unchanging great I Am, who is the same today and before time and forever. In him I put my hope---that He will continue to love me and work things out for the betterment of my soul---and the souls of my children.

My Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness . . .

Next week's theme is aftermath. Go see other hopeful posts through TNChick's site---the hostess for the Photo Hunt.