Adding HOPE

Carter and I attended a children’s program this past Sunday at our daughter’s congregation in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Our grandchildren were part of the program. When children sing and speak it melts my heart. This day was no exception. Even in the beginning when all the children were coming up to get in their places, the tears started. The spirit is abundant with children at church. The songs they sang rang of Jesus Christ and how He lives and He loves them. They sang of Christ’s Atonement:

“How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have HOPE, live like his Son, help others on their way.”
I wondered as I heard that… do they really know how important Christ’s Atonement will be to them as they grow and progress on this earth? I’m sure they don’t. I didn’t when I was that young. They have no idea how they will need that love, support, comfort and HOPE that only the Savior can give as they experience the learning that comes with the schooling of this earthly life.

Our 4 year old granddaughter, Clara, had a part in the program. She said:  “Jesus loves me. He got owies for me. I put bandaids on His owies. But my mom said He is all better now. I love Jesus.”

 This is a picture my daughter took of Clara on April 6, 2015. It is a treasure.

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Candace says: “I found Clara in my room with my Christus statue down from my dresser, which I normally don’t let her play with. But as soon as I saw what she was doing… my heart melted! She had gotten out a box of bandaids and had carefully placed a bandaid over each of Jesus’ “owies” on the Christus. Clara, age 3 then, said, ‘Jesus got owies. I’m goina make Him feel better.’ She calls the marks on Jesus’ hands, feet and side “owies” because I have taught her about Jesus in a simple way by saying “He got owies for us because He loves us.” I told Clara that I thought Jesus felt very happy that she had put bandaids on his owies. I told her that Jesus is all better now; His owies are all better.”

Thinking of  the approaching holiday season and Clara’s sweet, childlike, HOPEFUL attempt to help Jesus feel better… I am reminded of my search for JOY last Christmas. I wrote about it HERE and HERE. Reading these posts again and the Joy reports in between, I can see that looking for the word JOY was just a needed distraction from the grief I was  feeling then. It really was a blessing to have so many helping me in my JOY finding. Thank you all for your contributions of JOY last Christmas. I loved and needed all of it.

I have started my search again as Christmas is coming into the shopping scene. I’ve started early. There’s already some new, beautiful JOY out there to take pictures of and add to my JOY collecting.

I would like to let you all know that because of some very inspiring things I’ve heard and read lately, I have felt strongly to add HOPE to my search this year. It just feels right. The addition of HOPE fits right along with JOY and feels very right.

This Thanksgiving and Christmas season I will be focusing on JOY and HOPE!!!

I haven’t noticed much HOPE out there yet, maybe it’s because I haven’t been looking for it. I am optimistic that it is out there, to be found in more than just the written word.

“… Because of a perfect Son and His sacrifice for me… Where there was darkness, there is now light. Where there was despair and pain, there is JOY and HOPE.”   Thomas S. Monson

Would you like to join me? Do you need to look for JOY and HOPE too? You are most welcome to tag along!! I HOPE you will. Let me know what you find.

Yes, Clara… and to all the children in that program on Sunday… I, too, know that Jesus lives and loves me. His scars are proof of that. I, too, want to follow Him faithfully. I will not stop and I am not giving up the HOPE I have in Him just because of the last twenty-one life-altering months we have experienced without Ashton. I don’t have to completely understand it to be immensely grateful for the HOPE Christ’s Atonement brings.

Written by Faye

 

 

 

 

 

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5 thoughts on “Adding HOPE”

  1. Faye this really touched me this morning. We had an amazing Primary program last Sunday also. I will join with you on that quest to be looking for Joy and Hope this holiday season.

  2. Pingback: My Broken Heart and the Atonement of Jesus Christ | Ashton's Legacy

  3. I have been recently pondering what is joy as mentioned in the scriptures. The definition I came up with was: God smiling upon us. May God continue to smile upon you and your family as you continue to testify of Him. I have found out that we can be sad, and grieving and still have joy in Christ.

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