Reminder

Lately I have kept reminding myself, over and over again, a few things.

First, we can choose how to respond in hard times.  Next, don't let your hope and your joy be taken from you.

It's hard to find hope and joy in times like this, but it is there.  Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper to find it.  It's all around us if we allow ourselves to see it. 

In this rotten world there is still good, and it exists in the love we give and receive.  Life is SO hard, so much harder than I ever thought it could be.  That doesn't mean we should stop living, and give up.  There is an evil one who tries to destroy, and steal our hope and joy.  It's a battle that will always be against those of us who have hope, faith and love.  There is also a battle that's raging to fight against this, and those three things will conquer all the bad that comes our way.

This is a choice, and I for one choose to live and continue to fight for my family to keep our hope, grow our faith, and find the joy that brings laughter to our home once again.

I can allow my joy to be taken, and can allow myself to give up on hope, and I can decide that faith is not worth all this tough stuff.  My life, my childrens lives, my husband life, all of my family's lives are worth so much more than to give up on these things.

Praying for joy and hope to be easy to find today.