Hello Again!

Summer came and went, as did autumn; and now we are in the middle of winter. How did this time seem to pass so quickly?

I have had a few questions as to why I have not posted on my blog for so long. Have I been busy, some wondered? Yes. Have I been unwell? Flu season certainly hit my family hard for two months. Am I still joyful? Absolutely! Inner joy is not based on circumstances.

The thing about writing (for me, at least), is that I like to feel compelled to write something meaningful; something thought provoking; inspiring. And when it's Spirit led (which it often is)…even better!

I’ve also been writing a book/memoir of sorts, about a traumatic event that happened to me nine years ago, at the hands of a trusted professional in a position of power, and how those that were in the position to help, did not. My prayer is that God will use my experience, or “story” as we may call it, to bring hope to others; for it is only by the grace of God, and His merciful love, that I am alive and able to share it; shining His light where there may be darkness.

Like many people, my seasons have been full of ups and downs; each of which has had an impact on my writing, as well. I’ve had many blog postings drafted, but later decided against posting them, feeling as though the timing was not right.

I lost a very close and dear friend to cancer this summer. A friend who was more of a sister than a friend, as we had been close since birth, and spent many summers and holidays together under the same roof. We laughed together and cried together; and shared secrets like only sisters do. If I feel such loss, I can only imagine the depth of loss her biological siblings feel. May we all find hope, peace and comfort in knowing that she is now with God, and suffers no more.

  

On the positive side, my husband and I took a trip to Canada’s majestic Rocky Mountains this summer. This was a celebration of our landmark wedding anniversary, a celebration of Canada’s 150^th birthday, and a celebration of improved health following surgery (due to the traumatic event previously mentioned), that I had never expected to be so blessed with. It was an amazing week of sharing our love of nature, each other, and experiencing God’s love and replenishing. The unimaginable splendor and majesty, power and glory of God, just made me want to praise Him more. 

While in Alberta, we had the absolute joy and pleasure to visit with many family members at a get-together hosted by my cousin. We shared a delicious meal and had great conversations. I got to visit cousins I hadn’t seen for over 40 years, and many second and third cousins that I had never met! It is so great how God orchestrated all of this!

God said it was time for the matriarch of this family to leave this world in November. She was the last of my father’s siblings, and much loved by all. She left her legacy with her children; who like her, show love and acceptance to all, and live life to the fullest. I am blessed by God, to have been given her as my aunt: A beautiful woman, with a beautiful heart.

On Canada’s east coast, we had the joy of experiencing some of the beautiful coastline of Nova Scotia’s south shore, while in Halifax celebrating the Tall Ships Regatta in the summer. There are few words that adequately describe our visit to Peggy’s Cove. Let’s just say, God was very much there. He was there along the large rocks which held the famous lighthouse. He was there in the depths of the ocean water. He was there in the crashing waves, in the wind, and in the smell of salt water and seaweed. He was so present with us.  

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

   let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

   and extol him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God,

   the great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth,

   and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,

   and his hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95:1-5 (NIV)

I have included a few photos I took of this great country of mine. Experiencing so much of it, from east to west, and from the ocean to the mountain tops, caused me to love and praise the Creator like never before. May you look at them in awe, marvelling at God’s majesty. May you get a sense of His awesome presence wherever you are. May you know that the Creator of the heavens and earth sees you, hears you, and loves you deeply.

View of Banff, Alberta, from high above on Sulphur Mountain

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Waterfowl Lakes, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Bow Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Athabasca Glacier, Columbia Icefield, Alberta, Canada

Lighthouse at a distance at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Coastline at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

God Bless!

Joyful Hope

(Matthew 5:16)

© 2018 JOYFUL HOPE

hopecultivated.blogspot.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Emotions

Have you ever had one of those weeks? I'm sure you have. You know, the kind of week that leaves you feeling exhausted emotionally; trampled. We may have felt physically exhausted from time to time, but emotional exhaustion is quite different; and it can also affect us physically. 

There are so many emotions that can overwhelm us, if we let them. Maybe we feel angry because of the injustice and cruelty in the world; sadness because of suffering and loss; fear of the unknown; shame because of bad decisions or mistakes made; heartbreak because of dishonesty or deception. All of these emotions are part of what makes us real human beings that have feelings, living daily in an imperfect world; not emotionless robots, simply going through the motions of day to day activities. And, although difficult to experience, I believe these emotions God has equipped us with, serve a greater purpose in making us wiser, stronger and more courageous individuals who, like plants in a garden, continue to grow.

Gerbera Daisies

As Gandhi said, "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him...."  It starts, one person at a time.

If we prayerfully allow them, these negative emotions, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, can help us seek more of the things we would like to see in the world: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control".  (Galatians 5:22-23) These are the fruit of the Spirit; and I am thankful that God, in His loving faithfulness towards us, is always pursuing the cultivation and growth of this fruit within us. 

God Bless!

Joyful Hope

(Matthew 5:16)

© 2017 JOYFUL HOPE  

hopecultivated.blogspot.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spring Flowers

I love Spring, and I love flowers!

When I think of Spring, I think of rebirth. It is a time of hope. 

The daylight hours get longer, the birds return and sing joyfully, the air smells of fragrant blossoms and freshly cut grass, and the earth is bursting with life. My senses are working overtime, and I’m loving every minute of it (despite my itchy, watery eyes)! I am filled with joy, for all God has provided. Spring reminds me of new beginnings: a fresh start. I want to savour every second of it, because after our long Canadian winter, Spring is such a welcomed change. 

I think perhaps I love and appreciate Spring more, after going through a cold blustery Winter. Likewise, I enjoy Autumn more, after going through a hot humid Summer, and so on. I love the changing seasons!

Change is a good thing. Embrace it. Without it, imagine what we’d be missing. Think about all you’ve learned and experienced that would not have been possible, without change. True, not all change is pleasant, needed, nor easy. And yes, with change there are sometimes negative outcomes or consequences. But when we look back over our lives, would we really want to give up all the joy, just to avoid the potential (or inevitable) negatives.

I’ve shared a few of my favourite early blossoms from my garden with you in earlier posts, but I will share many more in this one. Enjoy the beauty of Spring in God’s creations. I pray it brings a smile to your face, and joy to your heart.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

The tulip is one of my favourite spring flowers; definitely my favourite coming from a bulb! It has long been considered a flower of love and charity, and is often used to symbolize such depth as the brevity of life, paradise on earth, heaven and eternal life.

Light Pink Tulip

Medium Pink Tulip

Deep Pink Tulip

Red tulips opening wide for the sunshine

White Tulip

The Bleeding Heart is a flower of love and compassion. I love it's heart-shaped blossoms: A reminder  perhaps, of what's most important. I shared my red, “Valentine”, bleeding heart in an earlier post, but I also have this white, “Alba”, which is just barely beginning to bloom, as well as an old-time favourite, pink variety.

White Bleeding Heart

Pink Bleeding Heart

The Purple Violet, often considered a weed, is the floral emblem of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is a welcomed sight to me in May. Their happy little "faces" and heart-shaped leaves, make me smile, and I have been the recipient of bouquets of these from little hands, with big hearts, more times than I can remember. They are apparently an edible plant, but I've never tried to eat them, as I prefer to look at them.

Purple Violets

This Serviceberry tree is covered in beauty; but only for a short time. As quickly as these small white blossoms appear, they disappear with the wind within a week. My feathered friends love this tree, and love it even more when it is covered in berries…A change that occurs a little later in the season.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) NLT

God Bless!

Joyful Hope

(Matthew 5:16)

© 2017 JOYFUL HOPE  

hopecultivated.blogspot.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Happy Mother's Day!

I have been blessed to have had many “mothers” in my life. Some have passed away, which creates a deep sense of sadness and loss within me. Yet, at the same time, I feel such thankfulness for having them in my life, and for the impact they had on me. I seriously do not know what I would have done without them. By their example, I strive to be like the honourable women that they were; thus having a positive impact on generations after me.  

At the same time, I am blessed to be a mother, and this brings me great joy. This is an honour and responsibility that I take very seriously. When I think about the gift of motherhood that God has entrusted upon me, I feel so overwhelmingly unworthy and loved.

You may be a mother to your own biological children, adoptive children, or step-children. You may be a “mother” to others who have lost their mother, do not have a close relationship with their mother, or you simply possess those mothering qualities that makes everyone around you feel loved and cared for. You may be a pet mother, and love your pets or those you care for, with the deep loving characteristics only a mother could have. You may even be a Dad, who is also the “mother”, in the absence of one.

I know Mother’s Day can be a very depressing day for some people. You may have lost your mother or you are unable to have children. Perhaps you have lost a child, or maybe you have a mother, but she’s never been like a “mother” to you. Perhaps you feel rejected or unloved by your child.

Friends, I know Mother’s Day can be a sad time; but it is just a day, that by itself, does not define who you are. You are loved and accepted by the Lord; the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Take time if you’re able, to celebrate the “mothers” you love, appreciate, and look up to. And if there is no one that fits this description in your life, perhaps YOU could be that “mother” in someone else’s life who needs to feel loved and accepted, as we all want to feel.

So I say, “Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! This is a day we celebrate YOU; for who you are, and for all that you do!”

Red Bleeding Heart, currently blooming in my garden.

God Bless!

Joyful Hope

(Matthew 5:16) 

© 2017 JOYFUL HOPE  

hopecultivated.blogspot.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my blog! It has taken me quite awhile to get it started, but with prayer, and the help and encouragement of friends and family, it is finally a reality. I'm sure I'll need some "how to" tips from a few of my blogger friends along the way and of course, we all need some encouragement from time to time.

Let me introduce myself, and the reason for this blog. My name is Peggy, but because this blog is all about spreading joy to cultivate hope, I thought it would be much more pleasant to receive a reply to an email from "Joyful Hope" (which is what I will go by on this blog). Having "Joyful Hope" in your inbox is just so cheerful, don't you think? Who wouldn't want a dose of Joyful Hope in their inbox?

Why this blog?

Well, unless we live in a protected bubble with little contact with the world around us, as we look around it seems much easier to see, hear and read about evil and badness everywhere, than it is to see the love and joy that is also around us everywhere. Somehow we've allowed the darkness to cover the light. Discouragement and hopelessness seems more common than it should be. We've all been a victim to it to some degree, and we can even begin to reflect the negativity that surrounds us.

I believe that spreading a little joy can help cultivate hope...Not just in others, but in ourselves as well.

Why me? Sure, I could list credentials; but the truth is, I'm no expert; and really, who is a true expert at life? None of us. We learn as we go. I personally feel most interested and inspired by those who have first-hand experience in particular situations. After going through a season which involved much physical and emotional pain, multiple losses and an endless supply of discouragement, it became even more apparent to me than before, that God never wastes a bad experience. We learn from them, grow from them, and praise God, He draws closer to us during these times when our faith is tested most. When we trust in Him, He will provide hope when things appear hopeless. He is the light in the darkness. "...in Him there is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)

Here are a few areas He provides opportunities for me to feel joy (placed in no particular order):

1. Music (both lyrics & melodies). It can lift me up and encourage me. I will share some of my favourites in later posts. 
2. Motivational and inspirational words, phrases, poems and stories can resonate within me, instilling hope and courage. Every time I read the Bible for example, something new is revealed to me. I have many favourite authors.
3. People. God has placed people in my life for both a season and a reason. I am so thankful for some whom I feel have been my personal angels, sent from above. Others, some of whom I've never met personally, have inspired me through the sharing of their first-hand experiences of overcoming adversity, showing courage and perseverance; while remaining hopeful and faithful. Others have touched my heart through their expression of love, generosity, courage and integrity.
4. I happen to be an avid gardener and lover of nature. I get giddy when opportunities to capture the perfect wildlife photo or breath-taking, awe-inspiring scenery, presents itself. I feel great joy in these experiences, so expect photos.

So through my posts and interactions on this blog, my prayer is that God will bless this venue, that He will be glorified, that His light will shine wherever there is darkness, and by spreading joy, hope will be cultivated.

God Bless!

Joyful Hope

(Matthew 5:16)

© 2017 JOYFUL HOPE  

hopecultivated.blogspot.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED