Sunday Lab: Living with Hope
Some quotes and bible verses from my notes for last night. Feel free to reflect on them and comment.
J.
Hope is always available to us. When we feel defeated, we need only take a deep breath and say, “Yes,” and hope will reappear. - Monroe Forester
Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them. - Louisa May Alcott
“Hope” is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops – at all
- Emily Dickenson
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
- Colossians 3:1-4
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
- John 12:44-46
Your hopes, dreams and aspirations are legitimate. They are trying to take you airborne, above the clouds, above the storms, if you only let them. - William James.
And just for kicks…
GeeTee said:
Did anyone come up with a definitive difference between hopes and dreams???
Here is what dictionary.com say:
DREAM:
- noun
1. a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.
2. the sleeping state in which this occurs.
3. an object seen in a dream.
4. an involuntary vision occurring to a person when awake.
5. a vision voluntarily indulged in while awake; daydream; reverie.
6. an aspiration; goal; aim: A trip to Europe is his dream.
7. a wild or vain fancy.
8. something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence.
–verb (used without object)
9. to have a dream.
10. to indulge in daydreams or reveries: He dreamed about vacation plans when he should have been working.
11. to think or conceive of something in a very remote way (usually fol. by of): I wouldn’t dream of asking them.
–verb (used with object)
12. to see or imagine in sleep or in a vision.
13. to imagine as if in a dream; fancy; suppose.
14. to pass or spend (time) in dreaming (often fol. by away): to dream away the afternoon.
–adjective
15. most desirable; ideal: a dream vacation.
—Verb phrase
16. dream up, to form in the imagination; devise: They dreamed up the most impossible plan.
HOPE:
–noun
1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.
2. a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.
3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.
4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered: The medicine was her last hope.
5. something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constant hope.
–verb (used with object)
6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
7. to believe, desire, or trust: I hope that my work will be satisfactory.
–verb (used without object)
8. to feel that something desired may happen: We hope for an early spring.
9. Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually fol. by in).
—Idiom
10. hope against hope, to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it: We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.
I like that DESIRE AND REASONABLE CONFIDENCE one on the Hope, makes it a little more special that the vision, aims and aspirations of a dream. But dreaming is important too: Genesis 37!!
James said:
“9. Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually fol. by in).”
I like the idea that the vintage definition is all about trust. How can you have real hope without faith or trust in the object of your hope? I guess that’s where my “future tense of faith” idea came from.
In Hebrew I think there’s like 18-19 different words for hope… to go with their 5 words for sand or whatever it is.
J.