HOPE AND CHANGE

Hope and change are political platforms. I've seen  elections won on hope and change. Those tools are powerful and when powerfully harnessed.. they carry people towards a future.

Not sure what you believe.. but there is no doubt we are wired that way. The brain is powerful. There's so much that hinges on our thoughts and I know we can agree because so much research backs it up. It's just a fact. In fact I think we can also agree that it's the overflow of what's within us, what we've been thinking about that comes out our mouth. And what's more- that our actions stem from our thoughts. The writer of those words penned truth that I think we can agree on no matter where we come from in faith.

So what do we do with days where there's no hope for change and no change for hope going on?

I've been mulling that over. I've been thinking about times I've been stuck and times I've seen my friends stuck. Stuck because the sharp edges of this world can wound, or stuck because the broken bits of fragmented life just lead you to a place you can't see out of or past.

And while there I've been also thinking of those I love in my life who say they don't want hope and don't want change. 

But I have to tell you something else.. it may seem random but I promise it will relate.  

I had one of my wisdom teeth out this week and it wasn't a party at all. The roots were so deep and wide they worked for like 1/2 hour without it budging and then decided to slit the gum and drill into it to get some wiggle and pull. It wasn't pretty. There was a lot of blood flying around.

BUT I felt pretty tough to manage staying awake with my mouth wide open and all that business going on in there. Or well mostly awake because after the worst of it I somehow  suddenly realized they were stitching and it was out and I didn't remember how we got there. Between you and me though here's the simple truth.. my right knee was literally shaking... involuntarily and uncontrollably... and I think I may have zoned out somewhere near the end. But I kept a straight face and even made some jokes after. 

I then carried that tooth home like a trophy and if you're lucky enough to be one of my friends or family you got to see that #deepandwide #seriousroots tooth either up close and real or on the photo I posted for science and educational purposes. That got me some sympathy and some amazement and some grossed out friends. Sorry.. but not sorry.

The thing is though.. after my pride and amazement wore down... that gaping hole wouldn't stop bleeding. So I just kept biting on the gauze. For hours. All night. Though I had gotten my family roast chicken nonetheless for dinner and it smelt incredible I kept a positive attitude and I made broth from the bones for a later stage when I just might be able to put stuff in my mouth again. I sipped a little water to drink between gauze applications, even tried a little broth and then hunkered down to sleep and hoped the blood draining into my throat wouldn't turn me into a vampire. LOL.

But the weirdest part happened around 2:00 am. I woke up and knew something was wrong. I couldn't pee! I was clammy, freezing, shaking and started to drop to the ground. My husband got me and despite my protests got me to drink some apple juice. I guess I was both low blood sugar and dehydrated. It was actually pretty scary. AND DUMB.

I somehow kept thinking I should wait till the bleeding stopped to drink more. That the little sips would be enough.

And that's not true. You and I know it. We were made thirsty and without water our body gets into big trouble.

But here's the other thing. We're made to drink on hope too. It's important lifeblood in our veins. Without hope, without vision- people perish. That's famous. And it's famous because it also is truth.

So friend.. we can't wait till the bleeding stops to start putting in some hope. We can't.

Take a walk, go to a movie, get out of that house. Call someone up. Reach out to someone else hurting.  Try something you've never done yet. MAKE A CHANGE.

Don't keep doing what you're doing.  There's hope in that change. And there's change in that hope.

It's just little sips at a time. Just little steps at a time. BUT don't stop. You can't wait to take a big drink of hope till after that bleeding stops. 

Just take a step today ok? You are loved. 

And if you want to walk with someone I'm here.

And I also know someone else who really wants to take you by the hand and help you know that there's power in His name and that there's victory ahead and that he's going to turn it around for good.  But you've got to take some sips of the water and don't stop ok?

Love you!

Be blessed. Reach out and take some sips of hope. And then offer a cup of hope for someone else today. You matter. And they matter.