The last week has been a mix of good and bad- bitter and sweet. That's probably an accurate reflection of a lot of life for a lot of us. I'm here to remind you that is normal. I'm here to remind you to keep battling through.
Sometimes not all our hopes pan out and thats okay.
Over the last few weeks I've really battled with hopes deferred.
I've spent many evenings crying and have struggled with lower emotions. I don't think I am the only one in the world who sometimes feels this way. I don't believe I am alone or unloved. I believe I am loved.
But sometimes life is just hard and the things you expected to happen in life don't.
I keep looking ahead hoping that eventually my feelings and life's disappointments will even out and I will be full of joy, thankfulness, and find contentedness in my reality. I keep looking forwards to the day when some memories will sting less. They will. Eventually.
Recently I've been facing some hard facts for my life and some hopes I had. Some dreams are just not reality.
Some of my hopes may seem cliche and cheap. I don't often talk openly about these types of hard disappointments. I usually like to keep these feelings on the inside because they are scary to share.
Still, lately they are very real to me. And I honestly think they are real to a lot of people.
All of us have dreams that just do not pan out the way we thought they might. And that is hard.
I've got ideas and I've got some thoughts mulling around in my brain about how I can change my hopes and be prepared for something else. I know that God may have something completely different in store for me than I dreamed up or imagined. This, somehow does cause me to look up and find a sort of relief. Life can still be good-just maybe different than expected.
I think I am starting to settle into that and rest in that.
Still because of that there are a lot of ideals and dreams I am presently struggling to let go of. Such is life.
As I reflected on this week there were some things that had me hopeful. When I think about these things I am able to see that my week was not only punctuated by bad moments, but good, hopeful moments as well.
Here are some practical steps for when life just doesn't seem to be panning out the way you expected:
1. Get Outside. It may provide perspective and a good playground to think.
This week I spent some evenings at my friends house sitting. I had to be outside to water plants and feed her horses and the sunsets were gorgeous. I love being outside. I always feel alive.
2. Read the Word of God. Even if your not into religion or Christianity, the Bible has some really good books with songs, wisdom sayings and poetry you are guaranteed to relate to. Try reading Ecclesiastes or Psalms.
This week I read this Verse in Psalms:
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
(Psalms 27:13-14)
This is hard work. It is hard to believe and yet it does settle into my soul as something concrete. I know that above all God is about the good things and is at work everyday.
3. Listen to a good sermon or podcast. It can help you process to have another perspective mingled with yours.
I watched a sermon on depression and felt that David (the psalmist in the Bible) understood the deep and woeful feelings I was feeling. Further, I believe God understands as well.
I watched a sermon on depression and felt that David (the psalmist in the Bible) understood the deep and woeful feelings I was feeling. Further, I believe God understands as well.
4. Think about the Bigger picture and brainstorm some other options that fit with your current dilemma. Maybe its getting a different job. Maybe it taking a risk you didn't want to take. It's worth thinking it over.
I looked up Adoption. Yep. It is something I am more seriously mulling over. It may not be today or tomorrow, but I am beginning to see it as an option for my life since I want kids and am uncertain about the path to that right now.
5. Take your mind off of it. Do something that you enjoy doing to relax and reset.
I looked up Adoption. Yep. It is something I am more seriously mulling over. It may not be today or tomorrow, but I am beginning to see it as an option for my life since I want kids and am uncertain about the path to that right now.
5. Take your mind off of it. Do something that you enjoy doing to relax and reset.
I listened to the q radio show by Tom Powell. He has different musical artists come in and do interviews. I find this highly fascinating. I love researching musicians so this is right up my nerdy musical ally. The band The Weather Station was interviewed, so I just drove around listening to the whole show.
6. Get Creative. If you are a person who processes by doing art, do art. If you are a person who writes, get writing.
I sat at home today and started writing a song. There's a different way I process things when I write a song. It helps me to let go of emotions I've kept pent up. It gives me a tangible way of processing an emotional feeling.
7. Love Someone.
I spent some time with roommates and that helped me to think of something other than myself. Really I need those hard, gut punching moments of being shaken out of my own skin sometimes.
I spent some time with roommates and that helped me to think of something other than myself. Really I need those hard, gut punching moments of being shaken out of my own skin sometimes.
...
My blog is about hope. But being hopeful also means that there are difficult times that cause me to reach for hope more at some times than at other times. There are times when it takes the extra effort to climb out of bed and face the day. There are times when I plain need to trust in God- that he still has a plan and it is good.
My blog is about hope. But being hopeful also means that there are difficult times that cause me to reach for hope more at some times than at other times. There are times when it takes the extra effort to climb out of bed and face the day. There are times when I plain need to trust in God- that he still has a plan and it is good.
This, for me is an honest post. I hope that it has you thinking about the good things in your week and reflecting on how there is light in the darkness. I hope that it makes me more real because I hurt and bleed too, and pick myself up and keep going.
I also hope some of these practical steps are helpful or insightful.
I also hope some of these practical steps are helpful or insightful.
With love,
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