A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

When despondency creeps in and you feel like there is no way out of the dismal state that you’re in, it’s time to stop and look about you. Take in the sights and sounds of nature and be reminded Who made the earth and all that is within it. Remind yourself that every creature, both great and small, has meaning and is genuinely loved and cared for by his Creator. That means you, too!

Many times we fall into a state of feeling hopeless because our hearts hurt so much that we cannot ever imagine life without pain. Take time to reflect on past joys and remind yourself often of the rainbow. It is a promise of hope from our heavenly Father. Think of the butterfly that emerges out of the dark cocoon at exactly the right moment. Remind yourself that hope is stronger than your fear.

I, like you, have gone through times of despair and darkness in my own life. To help me remember that I have a loving Father who watches over me, I began planting and caring for flowers. I also photograph those flowers and scenes from nature and as I look at those pictures, I am reminded that hope is alive! Place visual reminders of hope all around you, and when you do you will feel your heart replenished and filled with new hope! --Clara Hinton

“A picture is worth a thousand words, so choose your pictures wisely.” --Clara Hinton

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” --John 14:27

Your Father is Always Watching Over You!

Has life let you down? Are you feeling alone in your pain? Do the clouds seem to remain hovering above your head like a constant threat of another impending storm? If so, then you are walking this path we call grief. It can be a long, hard walk, but……….the good news is that for every step you take, you are one step closer to finding a place of peace and rest and comfort in this “new normal” that you now must live.

Nature has beautiful displays of hope and inspiration that have been placed on this earth for us to use for comfort, shelter, and inspiration. There are trees that have been weather-beaten, yet they remain standing tall. There are flowers that have been stepped on, yet they bounce back. There are seeds that have been dropped and forgotten about, but they take root and bloom.

Remember that you, unlike the forgotten seed, have a Father watching over you who will never leave you alone. You have a special strength planted deep within your soul known as “hope” that will never leave you. Take time today to reflect on nature and feel the peace that overrides your sadness. Take a moment every day to allow your heart, mind, and eyes to soak up some of nature’s beauty and be encouraged. There is joy beyond this day of loss. There is peace to be found. There is a very special gift waiting for you. There is hope. –Clara Hinton

“A day with nature is a day of hope.” --Clara Hinton

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” --Isaiah 30:15b

The Winter of Loss Will Not Last Forever!

Part of the beauty of nature is found in the changing seasons. We know without a doubt that spring always follows winter, and with spring comes the indescribable beauty and joy of the plush green grass, springtime flowers in bloom, and the humming of birds. During the winter months, we anxiously await the coming of spring because we know with absolute assurance that spring will arrive.

And, so it is when we go through the winters in our lives. Following the cold, dark loneliness of winter that we experience when we go through loss, we can look with full assurance to the months ahead knowing that at just the right moment and in just the right way springtime will arrive. And, with spring will come new meaning, new peace, and a new sense of the beauty of life.

Can we extend the same trust in our loss that we extend to the knowledge of the arrival of spring? Can we watch the flowers blooming in spring and wait for the flowers to bloom in the garden of our heart once again? Can we trust saying an earthly good-bye to our loved ones knowing that they will still continue to be present with us and continue to love us? Can we rest in the knowledge that our love will continue to grow because we are grounded in faith and hope?

The winter of loss will not last forever. Hold on to the hope that your season of spring is soon to come! -Clara Hinton

“In the changing of the seasons, I find new hope.” -- Clara Hinton

“ There is an appointed time for everything. And, there is a time for every event under the heaven……….a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Jer. 3:1, 4

With Hope, There is a New Tomorrow!

Nobody knows exactly what you’re going through when grief hits your heart. They may say they know, but that’s impossible. But, I know with full assurance that we have examples of others who have traveled this lonely, difficult path we call grief, and they have come through the tunnel and they do see light again. And, you can do it, too!

I don’t have all of the answers; in fact, nobody does. Loss is far too difficult to understand, and the depth of pain we feel can’t be explained by words alone.
We “feel” pain, and that can’t be found in the dictionary. But, there are signs of healing that we can see that are visible and real.

Did you notice the sun come up this morning? Did you watch the leaves gently swaying in the breeze? Did you look at your food and know that it was going to taste good? Did you choose your clothes with care when you dressed today? Did you look at the sky and compliment the blue? These are all signs that hope is penetrating your heart and you are going to make it!

With hope, you will bear this difficult time, and you will rise to a new tomorrow! No, you’ll never be exactly the same, but you will be a “new you”, and that you will include joy and purpose! –Clara Hinton

“Every new day is a promise of a new beginning.” --C. Hinton

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” --Isaiah 30:15b

There is Light at the End of the Tunnel!

Even during the sunniest days, it can feel like the middle of winter when we are experiencing grief and loss. We don’t understand all of the emotional changes, but we know that we feel terrible. Nothing seems right because everything is so new and different. Loss brings about so many changes!

One of the most helpful things we can do when going through that period of adjusting to a new normal is to give permission to feel the pain. Allow the tears to fall knowing that the pain you’re feeling today won’t always be this intense.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. There is a rainbow following the storm. Summer always arrives after winter. A caterpillar emerges from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly. Hope will replace your sorrow, and when it does you will be able to smile again!

Tomorrow is a new day with new hope. Tomorrow brings the promise of a sunbeam. You will soon be able to hear the distant sound of the songbird chirping his happy melody. Hope cannot be snuffed out. It lives on forever, and hope will find you, too! --Clara Hinton

“Hope is the heart that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” --Clara Hinton

“Cease striving and know that I am God.” --Psalm 46:10

Winter Does Not Last Forever!

“The sun is shining, there are sounds of joy all around, yet I do not feel spring in my heart. Instead there is the lingering cold of winter and I don’t know what to do about it.” Any person going through grief and loss has expressed those very words. Grief is a lonely word and it puts you on a journey to a lonely land – for a while.

The good news is that this feeling of winter does not last forever! God, in His infinite wisdom, has provided HOPE for us when traveling this difficult path. Hope comes to us in ways too numerous to count, and comes in the most surprising ways to provide comfort and hope to our hurting hearts.

The butterfly that you saw was bringing you a message that there is a new life waiting for you. Give it time to emerge. The rainbow brings promises of blue skies and the truth that this storm will not last forever. The robin brings tidings of spring – assurance that winter will end and flowers will soon bloom!

Today if you feel afraid and lonely, take a step back and look at nature – God’s gift to us. Nature doesn’t worry, nor does it remain in a state of cold bleakness. Nature sprouts forth new life, new joy, and a promise of a glorious array of splendor for you to enjoy! Hope assures us of that!Your spring is coming, and when it does, it will be wonderful! --C. Hinton

“Hope helps me remember how to live.” --Clara Hinton

“But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” --Psalm 3:3

Robert Frost Said It Best

Robert Frost said it best when he penned, “The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day when the sun is out and the wind is still. You’re one month on in the middle of May. But, if you so much as dare to speak, a cloud comes over the sunlit arch, a wind comes off a frozen peak, and you’re two months back in the middle of March.”

So it is with grieving. One moment we are feeling good, being warmed by the sunshine of life. We are active and happy and humming a happy melody that’s coming from our heart. Then, without warning, the storm clouds roll in and suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of bad weather. We are seeking shelter from the storm, and we feel cold, afraid, and so alone.

These sudden steps back into grief will not always be so intense, and the spells of grief will grow farther and farther apart. We won’t linger as long on our grief, and we’ll feel more in control of what is happening.

We will probably never be totally free of the bad weather storm clouds of grief, but neither would we want to be because those periods of longing are really those times that keep us connected with the one we love.

As for those times when we leap into happy moments? I remember the joy I felt watching the vibrant colors of the rainbow following my storm! --Clara Hinton

“Hope is what we count on when the storm clouds hover nearby. Hope gives us the strength to hold on! –C. Hinton

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in Thee.” – Psalm 39:7