I Hope You Can See Hope

Hi! Ready for another round of ramblings?

So it's getting to be my favorite time of year again: Easter is once again creeping upon us. I know it's a little early yet to be thinking about it, but, as I mentioned, it's my favorite time of year and I just couldn't wait any longer to write about it.

Easter is my favorite holiday, even more than Christmas or Thanksgiving. I like it because my family gets together, I like it because I get to dress up, I like it because I get to see my friends. But I love it because it is a yearly reminder of what Jesus Christ did for us, and that is cause for somber reflection, yes; but also praise and celebration.

So, I definitely think that Jesus is a hero who's story deserves to be told. And since that is one of the purposes of this blog, to share the inspiring stories of heroes, I think I'll do just that. Really quickly and briefly, here's some background in case you don't know, or maybe you just forgot:

Easter comes in three parts.

First: This dude Jesus - who happens to be the perfect, sinless son of the Creator God - leaves his paradise in Heaven and comes to earth. He spends thirty-three years among us humans, eating, drinking and talking with us. This in itself is huge. He also preaches and does miracles to convince us that he is, in fact, who he says he is, and that is God. He makes friends and feels emotions and connects with us so he can understand what we're going through.

Second: Jesus is brutally murdered. He's killed. He knew this was going to happen - in fact, it's the reason he came to the earth in the first place. Because we are sinners we needed a perfect sacrifice to compensate for our guilt. And we are guilty. A mob took him and he went with them, unprotestingly, and they beat him within an inch of his life. Finally, they crucified him. He was definitely dead and he chose to die for you, and for me.

Third: Jesus doesn't stay dead. He, in his infinite power and grace, rose from the dead; not like a zombie or a ghost but as a regular person. This is the reason we celebrate Easter. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, we would not be able to partake of the gift that God can now offer us: eternal life with him -  if we believe this true story and follow God's leading.

(If you want to know more about this awesome true story of good overcoming evil, the epitome of hope, take a look at the gospel of John in the Bible.)

This is what I believe with my whole heart. I know that it isn't necessarily popular and I am not trying to preach, only to share information and truth for others to make a decision of their own. The thing is, if I've chosen wrong, I've only wasted my life. If someone chooses something else, and they chose wrong...well, they've wasted their eternity.

So, I wanted to share something that I think is really interesting about the story of Jesus's resurrection that was shared with me by one of my best friends. John 20:15-16 is the story of Jesus first appearing after this miracle, to Mary Magdalene. It says this: " He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means “Teacher”)."



He even spoke to her and she remained unaware.

Mary was grieving tremendously. Her hope for the future of mankind had just died, this man that she had spent the past (about) three years worshipping and learning from and loving. She was so caught up in her distress that she failed to notice the presence of her Teacher, her Lord. Her God. Jesus was standing right behind her. He even spoke to her and she remained unaware. 
Similarly, I think that we can get so caught up in our own troubles that we don't notice Jesus. We cry out for him, stumbling blindly in our darkness and ignorance, not realizing that Jesus is right there, waiting for us to notice, ready to catch us if we fall. He's got our back. But we concentrate on our troubles even as we pray for guidance, and we don't feel him there. And then you just want to give up, because how can you do it on your own?

Well, you can't.

But Jesus is holding onto you, even if you aren't holding onto him.

As soon as you search for him, he will make himself known to you. He has a way of popping back up, if only you know where to look. He is reflected in the natural world all around us. Little things, anything from the lyrics to a song that just won't get out of your head, to a shooting star that touches your heart just right. Jesus can show himself in many ways as long as you are looking. But most of all, he shows himself in the actions of his followers. That is why I share stories of people performing good deeds. Even if those people aren't Christians, their actions can inspire Christians to do the same for our Jesus. It brings glory to God. And it helps people who are searching for Jesus to be able to find him. That could be an unbeliever, or it could be a Christian who has "fallen away" (for lack of a better term) and has all but given up. We have the opportunity to show others hope, to be lights to even the darkest of hearts.

And this just by our actions and our words. If we keep our eyes open, and know what to look for, we will be encouraged by the knowledge that Jesus is right there, right behind us. If we keep our eyes open, we'll recognize him. And if we believe in him, he will never leave us. Hebrews 13:5-6 says that "he has said, “' will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" 

This Easter, I hope you can see the hope: the Hope for all people. I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and that you will touch others lives with something you say or do. I hope you never take for granted the kindnesses of others because they are how God shows himself in our world.     

I Hope You Take Time To Give Credit

"Yeah. I'm so wise. I'm a regular Gandalf."

So, my cousin practically begged me to write another post. Apparently, she's bored without my words of wisdom.

:)

Yeah. I'm so wise. I'm a regular Gandalf.

Be that as it may, today I'd like to write this post for my mother specifically, and all the other people in my life who take time out of their very busy lives to spend time with me and help me. They, among others, have passed along the wisdom that I so clumsily attempt to repeat here.

Some background: A few months ago I got the opportunity to attend classes over the summer at a prestigious university. I've been really excited about it, but I put off writing the personal statement until the day it was due because I can't talk about myself. I mean, I can, but I don't like to make myself look good. I finished my statement around ten last night and my mom was going to mail the package with all the information today after work.

However.

Today, my mom was wicked sick. I mean, the "lie-around-in-bed-until-you-throw-up-and-then-lie-around-some-more" kind of sick. (Sorry if that was embarrassing, Mom...) I was sick, too, and neither of us felt like doing much of anything. But my mom, my awesome amazing mom, still got out of bed and went to the post office and mailed that package for me so I might have a chance at this exciting opportunity.

Remember what I said about love and actions? That's it!

People do things like this all the time without getting credit, so I'm giving my mom some. She works long hours all the time, and she still finds time to spend time with us (meaning, my sisters and I) and do things for us, like helping us with our homework or planning a sleepover. I think that she doesn't get thanked enough. We take these small actions of love for granted until she's forced to ask for credit: "Sophie, I did the dishes for you. Didn't you notice? Aren't you glad?"

Little acts of kindness deserve more credit, even if, perhaps, the person doing them doesn't expect it. Take a moment and say "Thank You." Write a thank-you note. Send a thank-you text. Did someone talk with you for hours after your breakup? Thank you, Kenzie. Does someone drive you to your violin lesson every week? Thanks, Grandma. Did someone plan a party for you and your cousins, even though they have crazy lives as well? Thank you, Auntie Bee and Auntie Jennie. "In all things, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The concept of gratitude is lost on this generation. We expect things. We assume that we deserve the acts of kindness and so we neglect to give thanks to those who've earned it.

"Why should she talk with me for hours after my breakup? Well, she's my best friend! She's obligated to do that! It's in her job description! Who cares if she's on vacation? I'm more important!"

What?

"Of course they should plan a party for us! We're awesome! We deserve a party!"

Seriously?

"She's my mom! She has to mail my packages. She has to take care of my responsibilities. She's sick? So what? What is that compared to the chance to go to a great college in a different country this summer!"

Say it isn't so.

We are steeped in a culture of selfishness, and I would just like to point this out to those who aren't aware.

Look back at those examples: "She's MY best friend!" "I'M more important!" "We're AWESOME!" "We DESERVE..." "She's MY mom!" "It's MY chance." Maybe those were a little ridiculous. I mean, no one talks like that, right?

I wouldn't be so sure. We may not actually voice that kind of thought process, but it is ingrained in the media, and it is a part of our sin nature that is especially hard to combat. Even if you don't say it, even if you don't consciously think it, at least once or twice you've acted in such a way that proves you expect to be waited on. I'm guilty of this. I think we're all guilty of this. But I'm not necessarily trying to make you feel guilty. All I'm saying is that this is a problem today, and it's one that I think we can attempt to fix. After all, knowing that the problem exists is the first step to solving it!

The next step would be intentionally noticing the kindnesses of others.

The third step would be a "Thank You" directed towards those kindnesses.

Even if this is just thanking that guy for scooting over at the movies so you and your buddies can sit together. Even if this is just thanking the grocery store checkout lady. Even if this is just thanking God for keeping you alive. They're steps in the right direction. And if you do this, people will notice. I said, "Thank you!" once to the guy who gives out the shoes at the bowling alley, and my friends were like, "Sophie, you're so nice!" I mean, it was just his job, but it's refreshing for others to see a kindness returned for their own. It's something relatively easy to do that will shine a light in this world. So, I hope you remember to take the time to give credit to others who do things for you, even if it's only something small; but especially if it's something big.

"I can no other answer make but thanks and thanks and ever thanks." ~ William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene III  




 

I Hope You Find Somebody to Love

Hi again. It's me.

First things first: I decided not to make my January post a two-parter because I still couldn't come up with anything that I liked. That wasn't posted by my mom. You know? So Part Two will just have to go down in the catacombs of Sophie's blog history as a post as dead and boring as January itself.

Fitting.

Anyway, February is finally here. Or it will be, in a couple of days. I love February. It's short, and the less time you have to suffer through winter, the better. After February comes March, and after March comes April, and hopefully by then, spring buds will be blooming. And, of course, February is THE month for romantics like me!

Although my Valentine's Day looks like this:



:(. Oh, well. There's nothing wrong with that.

Valentine's Day is the thing in February, mostly because card companies and restaurants feel the need to elicit money from love-struck (or not) couples and high schools feel the need to encourage teenage romance with heart-themed dances. That said, I am in favor of the holiday. Of course I am. It's a holiday dedicated to love! And if you can't find it in you to tell your significant other that you love them on all of the other days of the year, you are pressured to on this day. Though I think you should feel that pressure all year round.

However, I don't think that Valentine's Day should only be about sharing love with your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancé/spouse. There are so many ways to show love to other people - your friends, your neighbors, your strangers. On Valentine's Day I would like to see someone celebrating another kind of love. The holiday is centered around romantic love, of course, but who says that it has to be that way? I think that people like this should be celebrated:

 

Love is defined by Dictionary.com as "an intense feeling of deep affection" or "a person or thing that one loves." By this definition, this modern world's definition, none of these people are showing love. The surfer isn't showing love to his friend by fulfilling his dream. The teenager isn't showing love by treating that little girl with respect and kindness. The child isn't showing love by befriending a blind boy. By this definition, "love" is a "feeling", an emotion, something fleeting and inconsequential that comes and goes between two people. This is the definition of love that Valentine's Day is built on.

I would argue that this definition of love is ridiculous.

Of course these people are showing love. They are showing real love, not a come-and-go emotion or urge that pop culture romanticizes into a completely unrealistic viewpoint. Love that you share with a lifetime partner is, naturally, different than the kind of love that these people are displaying; nevertheless, real, true love is not a noun for an emotion, but a verb, an action. Love is always shown by actions, whether that is a girl cooking a special Valentine's dinner for her man or a teenage boy teaching a tomboy to skateboard. Both are taking time out of their day to show another person that they matter. The desire to do these good works for others stems from an emotion, true, but the "loving" part isn't fulfilled until the works are. If others would describe you as a "loving person", it means they can tell that you treat others with the respect and honor they deserve as creatures made in God's image because you are obviously doing something about it. If you love your boyfriend, you take time out of your schedule to do something special for him. If you love your wife, you plan a date night when you know she will be able to enjoy it, even if it interferes with your schedule. If you love your family, you clean their nastiness out of the bathroom without being asked or hang your sister's laundry for her when she forgets it in the washing machine. If you love your best friend, you spend hours consoling her over the phone after her breakup, even though it interferes with your vacation time. Real love takes work. It takes action. Often, it takes sacrifice. But it is worth it, because you will create close relationships and those loved ones will, more often than not, return with kindnesses directed at you.

So even if you're single on Valentine's Day, you don't have to spend the night sulking with a spoon, a heavy blanket, a quart of Ben and Jerry's, and Allie and Noah from The Notebook. Instead, spend it thinking of things you could do to show the people you love that you love them.

I'll probably still have Ben and Jerry's, though.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I love you all!

 

I Hope Your Resolution Means Something

This is a new year.

2016.

Pandemonium erupted.

We waited all night on December 30th, anxiously anticipating 12:01, January 1, when all of our "old year" problems would magically disappear and we'd turn the page to a new chapter, a new year. And when that little zero finally flipped to a one, pandemonium erupted. Kisses. Embraces. Glowing spheres fell. For that one moment, everything was perfect.

And then that moment ended.

What makes us so excited for the new year? It feels the same as the old one, doesn't it? All of those New Years greetings feel a little cliché to me: "May every day of the new year glow with good cheer!" Get that cheesy grin off your face and step into the real world, please. I guess that goodness is what we want, what we hope for; but our resolutions die, our excitement dies within the month. By February all of our "Exercise more"'s and "Eat healthy"'s have faded into the every day doldrums again.

Sorry. I'm shooting down other people's hope.

But I'm not, really. Because even though this is going to happen, even though we're bound to lose steam after a while, there has to be some kind of resolution that we can keep. Something that isn't an "Exercise more" or "Eat healthy". Something that means something.

Why do people do "New Years Resolutions", anyway? So they can feel better about themselves? So they can fulfill the tradition? Or so they can legitimately work on improving themselves? That isn't hope, not really. These silly little lists don't restore faith in humanity because nobody ever sticks to them. They don't mean anything. And you can't say, "My New Year's Resolution is to make a resolution that means something!"

Come on.

So how do we change this? The non-fulfillment of the resolutions is almost as much a part of the tradition as making the list in the first place. We want to make resolutions that are meaningful but not cheesy, hopeful but not unrealistic. Maybe I'm placing the bar too high because I can't think of anything that exactly fits that description.

I think it'd be awesome if somebody could come up with something like that. I've done a ton of research and I haven't been able to come up with anyone who could fit my standards. The resolutions are made but never followed through. HOWEVER: if you have a story about an AWESOME resolution that you KEPT from any year prior to 2016 (obviously), email me at rsophie865@gmail .com or talk about it in the comments below, and I'll write about it in my next post!

I hope you all find some "meaningful" resolution to do that will eventually become a habit! Happy New Year! Go do something!

I Hope You Give more than You Get

The Christmas season is upon us! In exactly eight days, everyone in the nation will be singing Christmas carols or hearing them, cooking a feast or eating it, giving gifts or getting them. This is a season of happiness and peace, a season in which even the most miserly Scrooge opens his shutters and buys his clerk a turkey. We happily grant things to those with less fortune than ourselves, even if that simply means our best friend in a lesser situation or even our children who do not earn any money. We are consumed with a fire of charity and giving.

Or are we?

For some, perhaps,  the above paragraph is true. Giving really is more important to them than receiving. But others are more consumed with their own fast-paced American lives than with a "fire of charity and giving". Has buying presents become simply a chore for us to get done, another thing on our holiday to-do list? Do we expect to be happy when we receive gifts ourselves instead of simply being content with the smile on a child's face, or on an elder's, or even on a stranger's?

Ben Carson, a prominent surgeon and a candidate for presidency, says that, "Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give." This is and has always been absolutely true. Everyone knows that giving makes you feel good. But it shouldn't be about that. We shouldn't give because it makes us feel happy. We should give because it will make someone else feel happy.

This year, Glade, the candle company, aired a commercial that illustrates this idea of giving perfectly. It features an elderly man sitting alone in his darkened house, among his neighbors' festive and bright homes. He looks around at pictures of holidays past, of him and his wife together, and then he drives off in his car. While lighting a Glade candle in her window, the man's neighbor notices his dark house. She takes down her own Christmas lights and hangs them on his house for him to discover when he returns. It is really a beautiful picture of giving in a completely selfless way. I've included the extended version in my post; take a look:

 

 

Look at the way the old man's face lights up, literally, when he sees the strand of brightly colored bulbs hanging from his porch. And look at the joy on the young woman's face as she shares in his happiness. That's what I'm talking about. That's what Christmas is about. It's about sharing, giving, unity. Making someone else happy. What did this woman get in return for her kindness? Nothing, not even the credit for doing it.

 

Sharing.

 

Giving.

 

Unity.

 

This year, when you buy your last-minute Christmas gifts, try to think of it that way instead of  cursing yourself for procrastinating. After all, what is the real meaning of Christmas? What, surely you've heard! We celebrate God's sharing, merciful spirit when he gave us His son on that beautiful night, so that one day, we all might be forgiven and united with Him. I think our giving to each other should be a picture of what happened on that night, when God loved us so much that he gave us his only son, so that "whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)". That's the Christmas spirit. That's giving, people! And I hope you always remember to give more than you get, not for yourself, but for others.

 

Merry Christmas!  

 



I Hope You Always Find A Reason To Smile

Welcome back, all you fearless optimists and absolute romantics!

The other day, I drove my grandmother and my great-grandmother to my grandmother's dentist, who's office is about an hour from our house. I didn't really want to drive for an hour just to wait around for her to finish getting her tooth yanked from her mouth, and I didn't want to drag my great-grandmother all around New Hampshire because she was sure to get grumpy and stubborn before too long, but I did it anyway because I had to keep up my appearance as a faithful granddaughter. Yep, that's me. Miss Wonderful. Anyway, when we got there, we trudged up the stairs to the tiny waiting room and flipped open well-worn magazines about sports or famous people. I was fully expecting to be bored out of my mind.

But then the receptionist looked up at me and, smiling, said, "Just let us know if we can do anything for you!" And I was really impressed. As I sat through the hour I spent in that waiting room, I watched as she greeted every new patient by name, with a friendly smile and a twinkle in her eye.

I don't think a lot of people are really like that anymore. She could have just been having a really, really good day, but I think that she just was a pleasant person and had decided that she wasn't going to be the kind of secretary who stares at her screen, checks you in, adjusts her glasses, and stares back at her screen. Saying "hi!" and being friendly can have a big impact on people, and I'm pretty sure she realized that.

"Saying 'Hi!' and being friendly can have a big impact on people."

I went home that day thinking about her. A simple smile got me thinking all day. For the record, I was still bored, but at least I had something interesting to contemplate. I don't even know her name, but I was moved by something she'd done that she probably didn't even think about. How could this change the world, some skeptics may inquire. Well, of them I question: what would the world be like if everyone could find a reason to smile at each other?

"There's Some Good in this World...and it's Worth Fighting For."

 

In the world we live in today, hopelessness is around every corner. Multiple locks adorn every door. Disease and desperation are creeping up on us from every side. Every time you turn on the TV it seems like something tragic is being broadcasted on the news: medics assisting wounded from wrecked cars or burning buildings, or police apprehending some kind of gunman or bomber. Some people try to argue against injustices by taking the law into their own hands, rallying or mobbing or even sometimes shooting, but you can't fight fire with fire. You can't fight hopelessness with desperation. The only thing that will fight fire is water, and the only thing that will counter hopelessness is hope.




"It is the man who gives his coffee to the homeless."

Despite being a broken, sinful race, we humans are capable of goodness: acts of generosity or kindness that can touch hearts, and if enough hearts are touched, a single person can change the course of the world. Or at least the culture of humanity as we see it now. And it is this part of us, this goodness, that can be the healing water to Satan's fire. It isn't the Superman that will do the most against the wretchedness of the world. It is the man who gives his coffee to the homeless. It is the woman who pays for the car behind her at the drive-through. It's the teen who opens a door for the elderly, the child who puts a quarter in the church offering plate, and the boss who thanks the janitor. And it is these bits of good, these people whose actions touch us somehow, that we are fighting for. These people give us hope. They give us courage. And they give us the strength to imitate them and, in our way, to make a difference against the violent and turbulent world.

But how will we gain this courage and strength if we do not know about the steps that others take for good? How can we be inspired if we aren't aware of the generous child, the thoughtful woman, or the kind teenager? It is only the very rare occasion when the story like that makes the news. And that's why I have created this blog: to share the stories of the good people and to see if, by inspiring others, they can't make a dent in the problems of today.

"As for me, I will always have hope (Psalm 71:14)." I know that the planet we live on is a dark, dark place. I know that nothing we do, really, is ever going to change that. I don't believe in an earthly utopia. But the things we do for each other can show others, and ourselves, that there is hope. That, as Sam told Frodo, "There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for." I wholeheartedly believe that.