“Why me?”

You’ve been there … you plan your day, stay on track, don’t get side-lined by distractions like the morning news or Facebook and Twitter or phone chit-chat. And then you pat yourself on the back as you climb in the car and head to your appointment with plenty of time to arrive, not just on time, but early! Then you pull out onto the highway and come to a standstill … there are “parked” vehicles as far as you can see. Whether it’s an accident, or construction, or some other annoying occurrence, your best-laid plans for an early arrival are now dashed! And the natural response? “Why me?” You did everything you were supposed to do, and yet here you sit waiting, and waiting, and waiting … and fuming!

How about the time you sat in the doctor’s office and heard those life-changing words: “It’s malignant!” You’d lived a relatively healthy life-style – you avoided smoking and drinking alcohol, you ate fairly healthy, you even exercised occasionally, and basically you avoided all the obvious pitfalls of wild living. So “Why me?”

You drive defensively, but you still get side-swiped by that kid in his daddy’s car. “Why me?”

You work your butt off on projects at work, and somebody else gets the promotion. “Why me?”

You put in your 20 years and look forward to retirement, and the economy bottoms out, so it’s back to the rat race. “Why me?”

Years ago, I heard my parents talking about a friend whose son had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The father’s reaction, and understandable so, was “Why me? Why do I have to lose my son? Why does my son have to go through this?” The response of his wife, the mother of the terminally ill young man, was “Why NOT us? Who would you choose to take our place?” Every time I’m tempted to say “Why me?” whether I’m sitting in stalled traffic or in the doctor’s office with a stalled heart, I remember this wise mother’s words. It puts my own circumstances in proper perspective. I don’t deserve to avoid pain and suffering any more than someone else deserves to be hit by pain and suffering.

So what does “Why me?” have to do with HOPE anyway? If we’re all going to face life’s hard times and frustrations and annoyances, then where’s the HOPE? What’s the point of being hopeful?

A recent Facebook video reminded me of another way of asking the question “Why me?” (Please excuse the ads. I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of ’em!) Check out this old song by Kris Kristofferson:

Why Me

Why me Lord what have I ever done
To deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known?
Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth lovin’ You or the kindness You’ve shown?

Lord help me, Jesus, I’ve wasted it so,
Help me, Jesus, I know what I am.
But now that I know that I’ve needed You so,
Help me, Jesus, my soul’s in Your hand.

Try me, Lord, if You think there’s a way
I can try to repay all I’ve taken from You.
Maybe Lord, I can show someone else
What I go through myself, on my way back to You.

Lord help me, Jesus, I’ve wasted it so,
Help me, Jesus, I know what I am.
But now that I know that I’ve needed You so,
Help me, Jesus, my soul’s in Your hand.
Jesus, my soul’s in your hand.

The bottom line is this: If we’re going to ask “Why me?” when we’re faced with tough times, then we need to be ready to answer the other “Why me?” and acknowledge the grace, mercy, love, and HOPE that Jesus has showered on us. And that will help us answer “Why me?” with humble gratitude … and HOPE!

What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Living Bible (TLB)

What about you? What’s your response to “Why me?”

September 23, 1967

It’s been 48 years since this shy, sheltered teenage girl became a wife to that handsome boy-next-door! It seems like only yesterday … but the mirror tells me the truth. The mirror, the scales, the aches and pains … the reality of married life is more than evident.

But it’s been a wonderful life together. We’ve known the blessing of beautiful children and grandchildren, shared the curse of cancer, experienced the heartache of losing parents — each of us supporting the other through all that life together brought our way.

And it’s a comfortable life. We’ve had our share of discomfort through our cancer journeys and our care-giving and our losses. But those tough times showed us that we have what we need in each other to survive … and not just survive, but thrive! We’ve discovered that it’s the hard times that bring us together. The rough spots in the journey remind us that we don’t have forever, so we better spend the time we have enjoying our blessings. We’ve learned to slow down and relax and be comfortable together.

Yeah, the moonlight and roses may have turned to daylight and dishes, but I’d do it all again … as long as I can share the daylight and dishes with the boy next door!

I’m a creature of habit … I have a certain routine I follow every morning in order to insure that I get on track (although I seldom STAY on track!) and begin the day with the right perspective and attitude! Without this routine I’ll find myself well into the day and suddenly realize that I haven’t spent time with God and His Word, which helps to insulate me from the cynicism and negativity that seem to swirl all around, clouding my outlook and bringing me down.

So to help me face the day with HOPE and positivity, here’s what I do:

I wake without an alarm, almost always by 5:30am … I love watching the sun come up, shedding His light on my world!

The very first thing I do is make my bed. Now this is something that gets a few smirks and giggles from my family. “Why make the bed, you’re just going to mess it up again tonight?” Well, the made-up bed brings a sense of peace and order into my life, setting the tone of the day ahead.

Next I brew a cup of coffee and head back to my room where my quiet corner awaits. It’s there that I settle down with 3 books — my Bible, my Kindle, and whatever other “real” book I’m reading at the time.

I begin by reading a little devotional for the day that includes a passage of scripture and a commentator’s take on the passage. It’s amazing to me how often that short reading hits me right where I am, giving me a new insight into a situation, circumstance, or problem that I’m facing. Often those few words, expounding on God’s Word, will shine a light right were I need it. The reading ushers in a few breaths of prayer as I speak to God about what I’ve read and listen for His response, which may be nothing more than a sense of peace, joy, and comfort — but what more is there!

Then I pick up my Kindle which holds my “Through the Bible in a Year” … I’ve read the Bible through in a year a couple of times before, but this year, using the Kindle, has been much easier to stay on schedule. I don’t know why, but it works and I’m sticking with it. Reading the Bible through on a plan like this ensures that I don’t miss anything. It would be easy to skip the “begets” and unpronounceable names if I weren’t using a plan, and although I don’t know why they’re there, I believe the Bible is God’s Word and for some reason He wants me to read it ALL!

Also on my Kindle is a new little book called “Savor: Living abundantly where you are, as you are” by Shauna Niequist. This little book is a refreshingly real look at life with all it’s flaws and warts, but with a message of love and HOPE. Short, one-page devotions are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but they always point me back to how God uses friends and family, and even food (lots of recipes interspersed throughout!), to give me HOPE for the day ahead.

After I close my Kindle, I pick up a “real” book and read a chapter or two! I’ll share a little from the book I’m currently reading in a bit.

My quiet reading time usually takes around an hour, and by 7am Mollie and I head out for a brisk walk around the field. That morning walk is my praise and worship time. I’ve tried listening to praise music, but I’ve found that the music of the wind in the trees and the birds singing brings me much closer to the Creator than anything pulsing through my ear buds! So I walk and talk to the Lord … I praise Him and thank Him, but I also vent and cry and beg for wisdom while I’m striding around that big, old field. I come back in the house, feed the dog, head to the shower, and start the rest of by day, primed with HOPE, and ready to face whatever life tosses my way.

Now don’t get the wrong idea here … I’m not a happy-go-lucky Pollyanna through my day … most days I fuss and fume and grip and complain, too! But I shudder to think what a mess I’d be if I didn’t get started on the HOPE track in the morning … But, wait, I do know what I mess I’d be, because when I miss my morning routine, it is abundantly clear to me and everyone around me that I didn’t get my daily dose of HOPE!

Two more things before I close.

First – this routine works for me NOW … it wouldn’t have been possible when I was raising kids or working a 9 to 5 job. So don’t hear me say that this is what YOU should do … this is what works for me, and you should find a routine that works for you so your day gets started with HOPE, too!

Second – just a quick note about my current “real” book. I’m reading a little book called “First Thing Every Morning” (What a coincidence, right?) that my BFF gave me a few weeks ago. Today there was a quote that really struck me as I thought about prayer. See what you think of this quote by Carl Bates:

“There came a time in my life when I earnestly prayed, ‘God, I want Your power!’ Time wore on and the power did not come. One day the burden was more than I could bear. ‘God, why haven’t You answered the prayer?’ God seemed to whisper back His simple reply, ‘With plans no bigger than yours, you don’t need My power.'”

That stopped me in my tracks! Am I powerless because my plans are too little? Hmmm … what do you think about this quote?

New Boots!

Every morning Mollie (my faithful Lhasa-Schanzo companion) and I take a walk around the fields behind our house. This morning as I started my walk my phone buzzed notifying me of a Facebook message. After checking the message, I starting scanning the latest posts as Mollie and I took a little breather in the shade. I came across a beautiful photo of the Colorado mountains posted by my all-time favorite author, Michele Cushatt. She posted that she was heading to the mountains for some writing and solitude time. My first thought (confession time!) was “I am so jealous! I need to get away. I want some beautiful scenery and solitude!” Don’t get me wrong, Michele needs and deserves her solitude and time away, too … I certainly don’t begrudge her some peace and quiet. But, oh how I long for some quiet time, too! Some rest and relaxation. Some down time to unwind, debrief, and not be “on call” for anyone! Some time to read and write and do what I want to do, not what others want me to do! There now you know I’m not the sweet, little old lady I appear to be! I can be selfish and whiny, too!

Then I looked up from my phone and looked around me … it was as if God was saying, “Look at what I’ve provided for you – beautiful scenery and a few precious moments of quiet and solitude.” As I looked across the fields and down the walking trail, I was reminded that I have a touch of heaven in my own backyard. I don’t have to be jealous of anyone! So I spent the remainder of my walk “counting my blessings” and recognizing what God does for me every morning during these solitary moments.

He restores my soul. In Psalm 23, the NIV says “He refreshes my soul” … Those morning walks help me shake off the debris of the past day, clear my mind of the clutter and chaos or life, and take on the refreshment of a new day with all its hopes and possibilities.

He restores my body. My little one-mile walk around the fields is no doubt a giggle-point for those who are die-hard joggers or runners. But for me, the consistent daily stride in my heavy rubber muck boots burns a few calories, increases my heart rate, and renews my energy level.

Mom’s Boots

Speaking of boots … my mom gave me her old muck boots a few years ago. I don’t know how many years she wore them cleaning out horse stalls and working in her flower gardens, but I put a few miles on them myself until they finally wore out this spring. I popped holes and cracks in them until a morning walk ended with soggy socks. So I got my very own, brand-new pair of heavy rubber muck boots! At this stage of life, it doesn’t take much to make an old lady excited! I have to laugh at the Instagram photos of spike heels and fancy shoes … they don’t hold a candle to my precious new blue boots! But I digress . . . .

He restores my hope. Sometimes life gets heavy. I drag around its burdens and baggage all day and lie awake worrying at night until I’m tempted to throw up my hands and quit! I just want to give up and sink into oblivion. But, instead, I escape into the solitude of my morning walks and meet the Master Hope-Restorer! He reminds me that I’m not alone … I see His Hand in the wildflowers sprinkled across the field. I hear His still small voice in the breeze in the trees. I sense His Presence beside me as I slowly release the burdens and baggage and give them to Him.

I just wish I could leave the junk with Him. But I’ve been known to snatch it back as the day comes crashing in again! Until the next walk . . . . I’m doing a better job of trusting Him with life’s stuff … I’m a self-professed control-freak … I want to fix everything and everybody … but, I’m learning that I can’t … and shouldn’t … I’m learning to leave it to Him … Haven’t perfected it yet, but those morning walks help me adjust my perspective and release my death-grip on my life … Those walks refresh my soul, revive my body, and restore my hope!

How do you refresh, revive, and restore? Enjoy a virtual walk with me today and let God renew your spirit!

Psalm 23 (NIV)
A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

I headed to the office dreading the meeting. I hate confrontation, and this meeting with a co-worker had all the signs of conflict. I hate conflict, too, and I usually avoid the big “C’s” at all costs – give ‘em what they want, no matter whether they deserve it or whether I can afford it; take the blame, pay the price, whatever it takes to make the conflict or confrontation go away. That’s my MO ….

But this co-worker was “calling us out.” We (the boss, the bookkeeper, and the co-worker) needed to discuss the miscommunication of the past week and deal with the resulting effects. So I drove to the meeting with a sense of foreboding that made me sick to my stomach. Did I mention that I hate conflict and confrontation?

As we waited for our co-worker to arrive, the sense of dread grew and so did my queasy stomach. At the sound of the opening door, I thought about throwing up in the trash can next to my desk, but didn’t have time to recover gracefully. So, instead, I stood up and walked to the door with what was probably a poor excuse of a smile plastered on my face.

I was taken aback when she greeted us with a genuine smile and hugs!! Warily, I sat down next to her waiting for the other shoe to drop, as we exchanged a couple of chit-chatty comments. Then, without further ado, she attacked the elephant in the room! She quickly and kindly pointed out that she asked to meet to discuss the issue so we could diffuse what could quickly and easily become bitterness between us unless we all understood each other’s motivations and feelings.

Her openness and honesty, tempered with grace and kindness, gave way to a discussion about the situation that allowed us to analyze, criticize, and correct the miscommunication before our imaginations led us to skew it into something more than it actually was. She stated her case, and then listened objectively as we explained our position. No accusations, no blame-tossing, no finger-pointing … just listening with an open attitude. It was obvious that she sincerely wanted to understand the situation from our perspective. And she wanted to do her part to insure our relationship was not marred by the miscommunication or the meeting.

The meeting that I had dreaded so intensely, had turned into a lesson in HOPE. Our co-worker, probably unbeknownst to her, taught me a beautiful lesson in conflict resolution, laced with HOPE that relationships can withstand conflict if approached with grace, mercy, and love.

Here are four lessons I learned from this co-worker about conflict resolution:

1. Confront the issue with courage. My usual tactic of avoiding conflict at all costs was cowardly. She showed me that facing the issue with courage and conviction resulted in a peaceful resolution and instilled hope and joy in the hearts of those involved.

2. Attack the issue (the elephant in the room) not the individual. She wasted no time beating around the bush or tip-toeing around the issue. She stated the obvious and then proceeded to dissect the issue to determine the cause of the conflict – miscommunication, not malice! We talked about WHAT caused the problem, not WHO caused it!

3. Address the issue with love and compassion. She greeted us with a genuine smile and sincere hugs. She had prepared herself for the meeting with prayer and confronted us with kindness. Her attitude of peace and obvious desire for reconciliation, and her willingness to offer a compromise while holding fast to her convictions, helped us to progress through the meeting with hope for a peaceful and mutually satisfactory resolution.

4. Resolve the rift to restore the relationship. We all tend to confront issues with selfish motives: to make sure we’re treated fairly, to preserve our rights, to insure we get our fair share. But real resolution should focus on restoring the relationship. And that’s what she showed us in the meeting. She stated from the beginning that she requested the meeting so bitterness over the miscommunication would not result in a broken relationship. There is no better reason to confront conflict than restoration of relationships!

We ended the meeting holding hands as we prayed together … her prayer that God would bless our friendship, our business, and our lives together, gave me HOPE that conflicts can be resolved, relationships restored, and we can enjoy a renewed and shared passion for our mutual endeavors in the days ahead.

I still hate conflict and confrontation! But these lessons learned will help me view future confrontations with courage, through the lens of HOPE!

How do you feel about conflict? Have you been blessed by a similar confrontation?

Another Fourth of July has come and gone, and with it the warm-fuzzies of patriotic parades and fireworks displays. Now we’re back to the political cynicism, the racial unrest, the moral decline that fill the pages of daily newspapers, and monopolize the commentaries of the talking-heads of CNN and FOX News. And along with all that, the question is raised: Is there HOPE for America?

Generally, I keep my political views and opinions to myself. I choose not to argue or debate issues of politics or religion or morality. I tend to take my stand and leave others to theirs, without passing judgment … at least not audibly! But I must admit that I’m distressed by the obvious way our nation has turned from God and His Word. And I wonder what kind of society my grandchildren will inherit.

It would be easy to assess the current situation as hopeless! However, having spent yesterday (July 4, 2015) thinking about our country, our freedom, our future, I believe there is HOPE for a return, a revival, a renewed allegiance to God … but, no doubt, at a high price.

It was Ruth Graham who said, “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”* As I read the headlines and listen to the nightly news, I wonder how long before God brings judgment on this nation that celebrates sin and denounces religion.

And yet … there is HOPE!

I’m reading through the Bible this year, and yesterday I finished the books of I & II Kings. Over, and over, and over, I read of kings who “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” who led God’s people to worship idols, sacrificing their own children to pagan gods, turning their backs on the God who rescued them and brought them into His Promised Land. (Please, don’t read anything into this with regard to my opinion of our current national leaders … let them speak for themselves! I’m only relating what I read in scripture!) Through the years and years of evil kings, every now and then there would be a king who repented and turned back to God and attempted to lead the people back from their sinful ways. Sadly, those revivals didn’t last, and in time, the people were conquered, captured, and carted off as slaves to a foreign land.

End of story? Not quite! There was HOPE!

In yesterday’s Our Daily Bread reading, Dave Branon wrote about the Cyrus Cylinder discovered in 1879 in modern day Iraq. On it was inscribed the account of King Cyrus allowing a group of people to return to their homeland to rebuild their “holy cities.” It’s the same story related in Ezra, and Daniel, and Nehemiah. “Together, the Cyrus Cylinder and God’s Word combine to show us that the king’s heart was changed and he allowed the exiled Hebrews to go home and worship.” HOPE!

Branon goes on to say: “This story has great implications for us today. In a world that seems out of control, we can rest assured that God can move the hearts of leaders. We read in Proverbs 21:1 that ‘the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.’ And Romans 13:1 says that ‘there is no authority except from God.’

“The Lord, who is able to change our own hearts as well as the hearts of our leaders, can be trusted for He is in control. Let’s ask Him to work.” (Our Daily Bread, July 4, 2015)

The reading concludes with this thought: “Rather than complain, pray.” And I was reminded of the scripture in 2 Chronicles 7:14. “if my people, (God’s people, not national leaders, world leaders, politicians, etc.) who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

So, is there HOPE for America today? I think the answer is “Yes!” but it may come at a high price if we don’t get off our high horses and get down on our knees!

And in the words of Forrest Gump, “That’s all I have to say about that!”

*This statement frequently attributed to Billy Graham, actually originated with his wife, Ruth, during a review of her husband’s manuscript for his book, World Aflame, published in 1965. He had just finished a chapter vividly describing the sinful conditions in America, and gave it to Ruth to read. She was very much sobered by the writing and returned the document to the study where he was writing and laid it on his desk, saying, “Billy, if God doesn’t come soon and bring judgment upon the United States, He’s going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

One day recently I read three different quotes that stated “Failure is not fatal” … I shared one of those posts and responded jokingly that I was getting paranoid reading all these posts about “failure.” One kind lady responded to my post by saying I needed to find some new Facebook friends who didn’t dwell so much on failure!

As I thought about those posts and responses, I wondered if there was a message for me … was God trying to get my attention to “warn” me about some impending failure. Maybe … maybe not. But it did get me to thinking about this concept of “failure is not fatal” and I decided to see if there might be some HOPE in failure. Being the eternal optimist, I was quite sure I would find a reason to hope in the midst of, and in spite of, failure.

Here are 4 reasons I believe there is HOPE in failure:

1. Failure is inevitable. Everyone experiences failure to some degree and at some point, if not at several points, in life. We’re not picked to play on the kickball team in elementary school; we fail an important exam in middle school; we don’t get asked to the prom in high school; we don’t get into the college we hoped to attend; and on it goes. Later in life we may encounter more heart-rending failures – loss of a job or a relationship, etc. The fact is, no one escapes failure – it’s a fact of life.
2. Failure is a sign of progress. It’s been said that Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the electric light bulb tried thousands of different ways to produce incandescent light before he hit upon the correct, enlightening, formula. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun!) How many of us would have given up after a few tries, or maybe a few hundred tries? But he kept experimenting, thousands of times, until he found a way that worked! I’ve read that he refused to acknowledge all those tries as failures, instead his response was, “I haven’t failed, but I’ve found 10,000 ways that don’t work,” loosely quoted.
3. Failure is necessary for success. Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success magazine, tells the childhood story of learning to ski. After days on the bunny slopes he proudly skied up to his dad and announced that he’d finally made it all the way without falling once. His dad’s unexpected response was, “If you didn’t fall, you weren’t learning.” You see, his theory was that failing is a sign that you’re pushing past your comfort zone into the realm of the unknown and uncharted areas of life. And that’s the only way you’ll advance beyond your current station. If you want to move ahead, you’ve got to expect failure. Learning from our failures will push us toward success.
4. Failure, viewed with the proper perspective, keeps us focused on our purpose. I read in a recent issue of Reader’s Digest (June 2015) that J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter author, in her 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University confessed that seven years after her own graduation, she had “failed on an epic scale.” As an unemployed single parent, she considered herself “the biggest failure.” However, her own failures taught her to strip away the inessential, to stop pretending to be something she wasn’t, and to direct all her energy “into finishing the only work that mattered” to her. Had she not failed and then turned her attention to her true calling she may never have found the determination to succeed. “The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive.” (from the book, Very Good Lives, by J. K. Rowling)

When we view failure through the lens of HOPE, we can rise above it, move beyond it, and progress forward with new wisdom and renewed focus.

Is there Hope in failure? Max Lucado sums it up beautifully: “God’s love never ceases. Never… God doesn’t love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God’s love never ceases.”

This is God’s Word on the subject: “…. I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

Got failures? Don’t despair, there’s HOPE in there … Turn those failures into successes with a dose of HOPE!

More thoughts on “Failure is Not Fatal” from Our Daily Bread.

P.S. It was Winston Churchill who first said “Failure is not fatal” in a speech to the British people during World War II.

In a recent podcast, Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success magazine, spoke about boarding a plane on a dark, cloudy, rainy morning. But as the plane gained altitude, it rose above the clouds to where “the sun was always shining.” His point, of course, was that when we find ourselves in the midst of dark and dreary life circumstances, we should rise above the circumstances and focus on the positive, on the place where the “sun is always shining.”

But as I listened to him, I heard the words “the SON is always shining.” You see, life has covered me with some dark and dreary clouds at times. And I’m sure, anyone reading this will agree that the circumstances of life can be overwhelming, making life “Undone” as Michele Cushatt shares in her recent memoir. But I’ve come to realize that above and beyond the clouds of life, the SON is always there for me.

In Matthew 28:20 Jesus gives us this promise: “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (TLB) If my focus is on me and my problems, then life is dark, dreary, cloudy, and painful. But if I raise my focus above my circumstances, and concentrate instead on the warmth and presence of the SON, then I experience hope, joy, peace, love, comfort – all that Jesus has provided to see me through those circumstances. Usually the circumstances don’t change, but my perspective from above the clouds, surrounded by the light and presence of the SON, helps me see those circumstances as the instruments that God is using to shape me into the likeness of his SON to become the person He has intended for me to be.

Nobody likes the dark clouds of life circumstances; and I guess Eddie Rabbitt is probably the only person loves a rainy night, but we all can learn to appreciate the clouds, knowing the SON is always shining beyond them!

When have you risen above the clouds of life’s circumstances and discovered that the SON is always shining? Your experience can encourage someone else to see HOPE beyond their clouds, too.