Monday, September 7, 2009

Hope

Sometimes I think there are a lot of things to be hopeful about, sometimes not. For the past week I have been Hoping that I would go into labor and have a baby. Needless to say that particular hope has been dashed over and over in the last few days. I'm sure that has a great deal to do with my impatience. This child's birth is inevitable. Whether I hope for it or not, it will happen at some point. However there are other things outside the realm of my personal sphere that do not carry such an assurance.

The more I have learned recently about the state of our country and our government, the more disappointed I have become. I have largely ignored all things political out of a feeling that there is little I can do about any of it. I am still struggling with the belief.

In reading the 5000 year leap, I have seen how far we have come in a bad way from the original inspired government set up by the Founding Fathers. When I got to Principle 15 today and discovered that the breakdown of our inspired government began in the 1920s, I began to feel more discouraged than before. If things have been headed down the wrong path for the last 90 years or so, is there really any hope for our future?

Add to that my belief in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and knowing that that event will bring great and possibly terrible changes to this land, I start to wonder is there even any reason to keep trying to make changes for the better? What's the point? It seems as though the country is going to 'hell in a hand basket', so why bother trying to make it a better place when it is already so messed up?

Now, you can clearly see my emotional negativity flashing about as I deal with disappointment of still being pregnant when I really, really don't want to be. But you will also just laugh when I tell you why I decided that it is worth fighting for.

I recently read the Vampire Diaries, by L.J. Smith. Not at all related to Twilight, except for the rather similar character traits. For those of you not into silly teenage fluffy books, here is the breakdown. There is a girl, and a vampire, and his brother and a human guy who all like this one girl. Why? I have no idea, she is not that great. Anyway! Once all are inundated in the fantastical world of the supernatural, previously mentioned human guy gets rather depressed realizing how much bad is out there in the world. (Note similarity) He discusses with vampire with whom he has developed a friendship despite freaky nature of vampire guy's dietary needs. Human guy expresses his new found pessimism with the world. Vampire guy helps out by telling him that basically, yes the world is full of evil and lots of bad things happen, however just because bad things happen doesn't mean we should stop fighting for the good team. If we stop fighting for what is right we are giving in to what is wrong. Of course for them that is not an option:)

So, I guess what it all boils down to is this:
The country is broken.
The government is broken.
There are innumerable tragedies and wrongs being committed everyday.

In spite of that, or maybe because of that we who know the truth must keep fighting to make things right. Not to help ourselves, or even to help our children, simply because it is the right thing to do. Fight against evil forces in whatever form they come and stand up for the right.

Hopeless or hopeful, I'm going to keep trying to find ways to make this country better than it is.

4 comments:

Mom said...

Good for you!!!
"Hope" that baby comes soon.

Laurel said...

always reason to hope.
i have to hope that's true...

xoxo

David said...

Yes...I laughed as soon as I read the word "vampires!" :)

Good points...and good reason to continue to stand for truth. I like it.

Wood Gang said...

you've got me to thinking - imagine that! Perhaps we can find strength to continue with the knowledge we have of knowing that the Second Coming will bring with it much more false teachings, evil and destruction. Knowing that government leaders will continue to be corrupt and children of God will continue to be led astray may seem to be knowledge to discourage us, but remembering that it is what must occur to bring about the presence of our Savior again can bring peace in our hearts.

Why the fight for truth and righteousness? Yes, because it is the right thing to do. But is it not for our own salvation? For our children's salvation? Their Children's salvation? And perhaps, by choosing the right, by fighting for what we believe and know to be true we will soften the hearts of they who are hardened. Perhaps we can make a difference, as small as it might be, and bring one spark of light into the life of another. Perhaps this one spark of light might spark another, and that another and bring some peace...some righteousness into one small corner of the lives of man as we know it today. Then, perhaps we will find the answer to our age old question: Why Fight?