Friday, January 6, 2023

Of Hope


 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. ~Romans 5:5


A blink, a wink of time

Caught by camera lens

No expectation attached

To momentary remembrance

Little do we know

The image calm contains

Memories persistent

Photos too precious

To be discarded, neglected

As past foretells future

Of hope, faith without end.

Amen!

47 comments:

  1. We hold those grandbabies, and we blink. And suddenly they're 12 years old.

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    1. So true, Glynn! We can't stop them from growing up, but we can learn to appreciate every moment.
      Love and blessings!

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    1. I just visited and left a comment, Rajani. I've tried to subscribe to your blog, but can't figure out how to make that happen.
      Love and blessings!

      Delete
  3. Dearest Martha Jane,
    Yes, Hope and with that comes TRUST!
    Be it for a kitty that finds pure trust or for a teenager that learns earning such Trust. Well captured!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Thank you, Mariette, for your kind words here today. Yes, trust goes hand-in-hand with hope.
      Love and blessings!

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  4. Let us look always to our source of true hope. Amen

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    1. Yes, J. D. God is our only true hope.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. I'm with Glynn. Only he is 16! It seems like yesterday I held him for the first time. I hold out hope for this new year.

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    1. They grow up way too fast, Bill. I, too, remember the day Virginia was born, and what a thrill that was!
      Love and blessings!
      (Can't believe he's 16!!!)

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  6. What a precious photo! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you, Barbara! Happy New Year to you, too.
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Oh, Martha! What a sweet picture! Those snapshots where the subject doesn't even realize they are being photographed are the best!

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    1. Thanks so much, Cheryl! Yes, I agree that those unsuspected shots can sometimes be the best.
      Love and blessings!

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  8. My comment appeared here - it was the first one. Now it has vanished. By I am still here ... waving at the monitor. Can you see me?

    God bless.

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear that, Victor. I will check my spam folder in a moment to see if it was incorrectly sent there.
      Love and blessings!

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  9. Martha: Without hope, we float around searching for the right thing to do. Our hope is in the LORD. Peace and blessings to you and yours

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    1. I know, Cecelia. Where would we be without hope? This world would not be a pleasant place in the least.
      Love and blessings!

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  10. Oh, this one's got a hold of my heartstrings!

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    1. Oh, Myra, I'm so thrilled that this touched your heart, my friend!
      Love and blessings!

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  11. A beautiful girl and lovely poem. Words to cherish!! xo

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    1. Thanks so much, Terri! Virginia is beautiful, I agree, and her heart is even more so. I can't believe she will be turning 13 this July. Where has the time gone?
      Love and blessings!

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  12. So beautiful, Martha. You have a gift. Sweet photo!

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  13. Over from Victor's site. The poem was so perfect.

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  14. Thank you so much for your kind words!
    Love and blessings!

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  15. A beautiful photo and focus verse too, Martha cherish the memories. But Gods HOPE is eternal and that is truly glorious.

    Thanks for sharing, and may God bless you and keep you and all whom you love safe and well.
    Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. X  

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz} {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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    1. God is, indeed, the source of eternal hope, Shaz. Yes, that's a wondrous thing!
      Love and blessings!

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  16. Bom dia, Martha
    Que linda imagem e versículo, o amor de Deus deixa uma bela esperança nos corações, um forte abraço.

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed both the verse and the photo, Lucinalva. Yes, God is the true source of all hope.
      Love and blessings!

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  17. Martha, nice photo!

    "Hope anchors the soul." - Hebrews 6:19
    "Hope is a shield against fear." - Psalm 33:20
    "Hope in God's faithfulness gives us strength." - Psalm 31:24
    "Hope in God's promises renews our courage." - Psalm 71:14
    "Hope in God's love fills us with joy." - Psalm 71:23
    "Hope in God's salvation gives us peace." - Psalm 119:81
    "Hope in God's grace gives us confidence." - Psalm 130:5

    Have a good second week of the year, dear sister.

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    1. Thanks so much, Aritha, for taking the time to search out and offer these beautiful verses from scripture. As I said to Lucinalva above, God is the only true source of hope.
      Love and blessings!

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  18. Endless repetitions of the phrase, "A picture's worth a thousand words" has managed to evolve it into the status of a cliche that most hardly notice. What I've found is that so often pictures don't replace words, they demand them. Pictures, like the ones you tend to share cry out for words. My mind searches for verbal accompaniment to explain them, to magnify their impact, to reinforce their message, and to absorb their meaning into my heart and life. So, thanks again, my friend, for evoking more than I was anticipating when I came.

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    1. Thank you so much, Ron, for your kind and thoughtful words here. Most of the time when I feel a poem in the offing, it's been inspired by a photo, so I'm in full agreement with you on that point. "Pictures don't replace words, they demand them." I agree with you 100%!
      Love and blessings!

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  19. That photo speaks of delightful peace, calm, and contentment to me. (It doesn't take much to satisfy our souls--when Christ is in residence!)

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    1. So true, Nancy! This photo does evoke a sense of peace and contentment in both Virginia and Henry, her beloved pal. Only God can make for such a bond as that because of His everlasting love.
      Love and blessings!

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  20. What a sweet photo, and what a beautiful poem to accompany it! I love these 2 lines "As past foretells future Of hope, faith without end" So very true... I love capturing special moments on film, to save them forever! Many blessings to you my friend!

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    1. I do know how much photography means to you, Marilyn, and you certainly do a stellar job in capturing images of God's creation with your camera. Thanks for complimenting the picture and the poem!
      Love and blessings!

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  21. "Christ Jesus our hope"; we await a Person rather than an event.

    I've put a book of verse together and could send you a copy if you would like.

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    1. I would love that, David, but won't it cost a fortune to send it overseas? If I can find it on Amazon, I'd be happy to purchase it there. Thank you for thinking of me!
      Love and blessings!

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  22. Love that precious photo and beautiful poem.
    Happy Wednesday, Martha!

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    1. Thank you so much, Veronica; I so appreciate your kind words!
      Love and blessings!

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  23. What a precious photo of your dear grandgirl Virginia and her kitty. And I love your sentiments expressed so well in that poem. Our children and grandchildren grow up way too quickly. I find myself wanting some more new ones to love! LOL. My only grandchild is already 23, and I miss holding him in my lap and playing with him. He's 6'4" now, so no holding him in my lap. LOL. Enjoy your beautiful granddaughters while you can. Life is precious.

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    1. Life is precious, Pamela, that's for sure, and I will take every opportunity given me to spend time with my granddaughters. Children aren't children long enough, so we need to cherish every moment.
      Love and blessings!

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. . . Good Tidings of Great Joy . . .

  . . . Good tidings of great joy . . . ~Luke 2:10 Pictured above are my daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and their three girls, Virginia,...