Hope in Times of Need

Rules

Hope in times of need

The Lord is good, 

a strong refuge in times of trouble.

He cares for those who hope in him.

From Nahum 1:7

O Lord, open my eyes
that I may see the need of others,
open my ears that I may hear their cries,
open my heart so that they need not be without succour.

Let me not be afraid to defend the weak
because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor
because of the anger of the rich.

Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day,
be able to do some work of peace for thee.
©Alan Paton

Alan Paton probably is unknown to many of my generation, but we all should read and appreciate his work. 

"Perhaps the more known is Cry, My beloved Country, which has been recognized as "...American publisher Bennett Cerf remarked at that year's meeting of the American Booksellers Association that there had been "only three novels published since the first of the year that were worth reading… Cry, The Beloved Country, The Ides of March, and The Naked and the Dead."[2] "

Paton was from South Africa and fought apartheid in ways that are impossible to put here in words. But, this quote from Cry, My Beloved Country, might say more:

Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.

Alan Paton quotes

A brave man in a country that feared him, he carried a banner of hope for the people who desperately needed hope.

This version of Cry Freedom was mid-1980s, with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline. It is an excellent movie. If possible, watch it. 

WE are THEY.

Hope for the heart

The world-wide political and humanity situation has become untenable.

  

Iran---what is the next move? Who will make it? What then?

Syria—just saying that country’s name brings shivers throughout. Just because the name isn't on front page news anymore doesn't mean there are no atrocities. 

Benghazi—will the truth ever be known? An ambassador assassinated while propriety is discussed? Does anyone now even remember something that happened six years ago?

Pedophiles—how can a person who preys on children be allowed to mingle with an unknowing public? How can the Catholic Church know about the pedophile priests and simply relocate them??? Why did it take so long to force the Church to admit responsibility?

Racism and Anti-Semitism--how can any intelligent human being support such hate?  How can such hate be kept below the radar for so long? Does the slaughter of six million people mean nothing to current generations?

THEY should do something about these issues.  THEY cannot allow these issues to continue.

Who are THEY?

a reflection from a very old mirror

I just looked in a mirror, and I think I saw one of THEM in there.

   

Wednesday Words: Mrs. Esther

Source

Mrs. Esther assessed each student as they entered her classroom.  Being a rare insightful teacher, she knew the struggles every student possessed as a strong believer in understanding what each experienced at school and at home.

When she announced that it was time for Friday’s Spelling test, some retrieved papers from desks eagerly and some with resignation.

“Disperse…firefly...graduated…” were the words easy to remember and sound out.  Then “…either…beautiful…and finally testosterone…” Now that’s an odd one” she thought.

Papers were collected and the final bell rang.  Those students, ones that worried Mrs. Esther the most, were last to leave, with sluggish reluctant steps. Looking at their papers, she ascertained what handwriting said:

Anger, fear, depression, despair, anxiety...and much more

Those names always frightened her, for causes were from the home and almost beyond her reach.  Almost.


 Delores is a wonderful and creative writer.  She observes life with clarity.  With that in mind, Delores tosses six words for Wednesday Words writing, to challenge anyone who wants to stretch writing, create, and confound.  Please check the train tracks in the upper right sidebar.  And, please join the crew who wrestle with this words, sentence prompts, and sometimes photos to entertain and sometimes confound.

WE are THEY

Source: SisCel

The world-wide political situation has become untenable.

  

Iran---what is the next move? Who will make it?

Syria—just saying that country’s name brings shivers throughout. Just because the name isn't on front page news anymore doesn't mean there are no atrocities. 

Benghazi—will the truth ever be known? An ambassador assassinated while propriety is discussed?

Pedophiles—how can a person who preys on children be allowed to mingle with an unknowing public? How can the Catholic Church know about the pedophile priests and simply relocate them???

Racism and Anti-Semitism--how can any intelligent human being support such hate?  How can such hate be kept below the radar for so long?

THEY should do something about these issues.  THEY cannot allow these issues to continue.

Who are THEY? 

Source: xymonau

I just looked in a mirror, and I think I saw one of THEM in there.