Where is the hope and the joy . . .

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. ~Job 8:20-21

I don't think I know one person who has not had some kind of bad stuff enter their lives, I know I sure have. Nobody is saying that we have to break out into giggles every time something bad comes along . . . but I do think we need to remember that, during those times of weeping and mourning, the promise that our Heavenly Father will . . . fill our mouths with laughter and our lips with shouts of joy, is a promise which we can depend upon.

"Hope . . . is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear." ~Dieter F Uchtdorf



This promise of joy and of hope . . . can, and should be our strength during hard times. The more we practice having an attitude of joy-yet-to-come, and of hope, the more powerful it is, and the greater the possibility of it becoming our walk through the fires and difficulties that would consume our happiness during this lifetime.

During my own trials, I have learned that I must reach into my innermost being to retrieve the words of my Heavenly Father, which I have held in my heart . . . just for . . . such a time. This helps me to remember all that He has done for me in the past . . . and all that He has promised to do for me in the future. The scriptures are full of just such hope and just such promises.



"Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God's laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.
In the language of the gospel, this hope is sure, unwavering, and active. The prophets of old speak of a 'firm hope' (Alma 34:41) and a 'lively hope' (1 Peter 1:3). It is a hope glorifying God through good works. With hope comes joy and happiness. With hope, we can 'have patience, and bear . . . [our] afflictions' (Alma 34:41)." ~ Dieter F Uchtdorf

Keeping "His" word in my heart helps me to keep track of all that He has lifted me up over, all that He has carried me through, and all that He might yet be taking me, even in the midst of troubles and sorrow. It is the lifejacket which helps to keep me afloat in the ever rising tide of hopelessness and despair that we see all around us in these modern times. It is my faith in all of these things that ever sustains me.

It's like the difference between wallowing in the mud . . . or learning how to jump in the puddles and dance in the raian.

Just my thoughts this morning . . .



This is what I got up to yesterday whilst the men were downstairs ripping up the old kitchen floor and making a mess. (It's about halfway done now) I took myself off up to my "studio" (ie, the spare room/library/craft room/studio/spot to store everything that hasn't got a place) and got lost in my thoughts and paints. Mitzie kept me company, although to be sure she wasn't all that happy up there and would much rather have been downstairs with the "guys!" I have long held a fascination for fairies and red and white toadstools. It was really only a matter of time before both of them made their way into my artwork. What do you think?

I am really hoping that the floor is finished today. I have my fingers crossed. I have people coming for Easter Lunch on Sunday and I don't want everything to be in a mess! So far it's looking very good. I will be sure to take some pictures when it is done. There hasn't been any cooking going on so to speak, but I always have recipes waiting in a queue for just such a time so . . .



In The English Kitchen today you will find a lovely Coconut and Basil Curried Chicken.