Hope Deferred

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12

Hot sun, cool breeze and beautiful flowers. Among the flowers, lush beautiful weeds ripe for removal. Guests excited, anticipating their arrival, coming to see friends in town and see their new baby for the first time. Magic in the air.

Beds are made, the Cottage scrubbed clean, the watering can filled and drained a dozen times delivering nutrients to the flowers that will cause them to flourish bright and beautiful.

The Innkeepers chew on thoughts as they meditate on what matters while breathing in the cut grass and rich, damp soil and watch the birds splash in the waterfall. This Innkeeper pondering the question asked her in college, "we'd like you to give us your thoughts on what motivates young people". Hmmm, that's such an important question. If we knew that, we'd all be a step ahead. "Hope", was the thought. Hope motivates. Believing that what you dream of is possible, getting the scent of success. Knowing someone is on your side and won't leave. Hope motivates.

For many years, Annie's Cottage rested, a piece here, and a piece there, a little bit of a dream, a bunch of fragments of dream, seemingly with no hope of fulfillment and it surely made the hearts of both Innkeepers (who were living separate lives and were not yet joined) sick. Faint even. Now in our fourth year, the Cottage is like a tree of life, bringing hope and joy to those who rest here and are refreshed and to the Innkeepers who labor in the sweet sunshine with purpose and filled with hope.

The fruit of blind and stubborn faith, abandoned hearts, surrendered to God, filled with the hope of salvation and a gentle and loving God who knew our dreams before we dreamed them.

Now we pray for the safe keeping of Milo and Boston Blackie who have gone missing. We hope for their return and watch daily for them in the Redneck Kitty playground. Our hearts, a little sick, looking for that tree of life to flourish in the days to come.