I once heard that outer space is like a screen door. The holes are framed by celestial objects that follow organized orbits. Amongst this perfect order, chaotic bodies move to their own rhythm. Their disorderly conduct threatens to disrupt our safety. Despite this chaos, we rarely suffer the potential consequences. Instead, these threats harmlessly pass through the portals guarded by the order of our universe.

Consequently, we rarely worry about doomsday possibilities. Most of us don’t even realize they exist.

Life is like a screen door too. There are threats all around, but rarely do they affect us in a personal way. Bad things usually happen to other people, people we don’t know. Most of us wander through life without worrying about these threats, we may not even know they exist.

One of these meteorites recently passed through our family’s atmosphere. From out of nowhere, our 16-year-old daughter experienced a seizure. She is the youngest of seven, but in 34 years of parenting, we had never seen anything like this before.

I was there and it scared me. I didn’t know what to do but was calm enough to invoke the powers of heaven on her behalf.

After an ambulance ride to the hospital and a few hours in the ER, we learned that something like this is not that unusual. Gratefully, all test results were normal. After five stiches to close a wound on her left eye, we were released in the wee morning hours.

This experience caused me to love more deeply, care more dearly, and watch more longingly for my beloved daughter. It also opened my eyes to the needs of my other children and their children.

Our tribe now numbers 23, and it is growing. When I think of the mathematical possibilities for something like this to happen, I am stunned. In fact, the combinations and calculations almost paralyze me with fear. The odds are exponentially greater now than they have ever been that some unfavorable event will disrupt our happiness, yet we normally wander through life with little awareness of this danger.

I am grateful for this type of self-deception. I need it to survive, but I realize that survival is not enough. To truly live in this world, we need hope. Not the passive hope, but the kind of hope that is divinely instilled in each of us.

Hope is an abiding trust in God. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something positive will occur. When we have hope, we work through our trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for our good. Hope helps us conquer fear and discouragement.

Questions to Ponder:

What random events are threatening you, or those you love?

What source is lightening your load?

How is hope manifesting itself in your life?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew