Hope.

Pej•o•ra•tion
–noun
1. Depreciation; a lessening in worth, quality, etc.
2. Historical Linguistics. Semantic change in a word to a lower, less approved, or less respectable meaning.

Around the year 1200, the word “silly” was spelled “sely” and it meant ‘happy, blissful, blessed, or fortunate’. As time went on, the word slowly progressed. The blessed are also innocent. Innocence can be perceived as being unaware of one’s social surroundings, sometimes choosing the moral path rather than the one the world deems choiceworthy, and suddenly you become foolish. This is what the word means today.

“Gaudy” is derived from the Latin word gaudium, or joy.

“Hierarchy” was originally referring to a host of angels and now is a term used to explain the roles in the corporate world, not focusing on all the important pieces, but only the top. The elite. The ones we envy.

“Dawning ‘gay’ apparel” meant being festive for a joyous occasion, but now it calls for snickers and smirks from the children who hear it.

Hope was something Biblical. Something we had in Christ, not in a president or a country. Hope is the word that prompted this blog today. I was reading some Patrick Henry speeches and I just had to chuckle at the irony of the words he spoke in 1775:

"Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it." (Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775)

Isn't it crazy how relative this is to the United States today? After dwelling on that bizarre fact for some time, I realized I was sad too. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is about "hope" and we've let, or maybe it is just me, I've let the word grow tainted!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5)

The sheer magnitude of this verse should make us tremble in this grace in which we stand. The power that is in that glory of God is something that our earthly minds cannot even fathom and we are being told to put our hope in it! What an awesome truth.

Our world today seems to have lost the true meaning of the word "hope." Even Patrick Henry, one of my favorites in American history, cheapened it by calling it an indulgence. I realize my interpretation of this word is hardly something to stand by. I am no etymologist, and I certainly don't claim that it has gone through the pejoration of the words mentioned above. Just some parallels that I saw and felt the need to share, if only for the opportunity to remind people of where our true hope must lie.

The Captain and the King

I only wish I could write as well as Peggy Noonan. A columnist at The Wall Street Journal, former TV producer, and one of President Reagan's top speechwriters, she writes intelligent pieces with poise and purpose. A co-worker passed this article on to me and I wanted to share. Click here to read: The Captain and the King

Disclaimer!

9 months of a picture a day and October-December ended the year with no posts! I was, however, still taking pictures, and even writing about some of them, so here are some that were saved and only now being posted!

Finally Fall

Day 322:

Day 321:

Day 320:

Day 319:

Day 318:

Day 317:

Day 315: Veteran's Day

Day 314: Georgetown

Halloween

Day 303: I chose to opt out of Halloween craziness in D.C. for better things...but still have to showcase Nathan in his excellent (homemade) Gremlin costume!

Indian Summer

Day 295: Hillsdale fall-break and Jenni came to visit! Another gorgeous summery fall day that we spent walking 6 miles around the monuments!


Day 276: What a lovely weekend we had! It hit 80 today and for the second day in a row, I spent 3 hours reading, sleeping, and enjoying the Potomac while watching planes take off :)

Day 275: This picture is from Sunday, but I’m only getting around to posting it now. I should have known it would be over for the Twins on Saturday, when this problem started, but I clung to hope. As I was cruising down the interstate for my unknown destination, I heard a noise and to my horror saw in my mirror, that my Twins sticker was coming off my window. I pulled over twice to fix it with a piece of tape I happened to have taping my condo parking pass to the windshield, and it held on. Just like my team. Barely. On the way to church the next morning, hope was lost, our season over, and I was very sad to see the bumper sticker clinging on by only a corner on my rear window. I was 15 minutes late to church as I slowed considerably on the highway, so as not to lose it to the angry traffic that was bound to tear it apart, and I made it to the parking lot in time to reverently take it off myself. Next year, boys.

Day 274: I baked a pie with my fresh picked apples from Monday…I’m ashamed to show you how much milk I drank, all alone, that evening…strong bones, right?

Day 273: Today was the first morning I have had to stand outside waiting for the bus in the rain since I moved to Arlington in June. Thank God for that! Somehow rain seems to slow this city down (not stop, that’s snow) in ways you wouldn’t dream of, but sometimes that’s almost refreshing. I didn’t rush down the escalator because I didn’t want to slip in my heels, I didn’t rush to the corner because I wanted to linger under the dryness the metro covering had to offer, and I didn’t rush my several block walk to my building, lest I step on the wrong end of a loose sidewalk square and have the other side slosh water all over me. Though the rain begs you to hurry through your day to avoid its cold and wet consequences, those same ramifications force you to succumb to a slower pace. I know this picture is blurry, but you can get the jist of it! These flowers were so bright on this dreary morning!

Until next season...

“TO SUNNY DAYS. TO DIVISION TITLES. TO SPEEDY SQIRRELS. AND TO OVER THREE MILLION FAITHFUL. 2010. It was quite the incredible year. From opening a new ballpark, to putting up 94 wins and capturing the Central Division title, it was a year that will be indelibly etched into our memory. True, the ending was not the one everyone hoped for. But as we reflect on the year, you can be certain this disappointment will only breed a deeper commitment.

It started with the opening of a new ballpark. Target Field. A glimmering 40,000-seat testament to the beauty of outdoor baseball. A seemingly magical ballpark that opened to the waiting eyes of the faithful from every corner of Twins Territory. With wonderful view and wide-open skies that were perfect for fireworks and flyovers. There were shimmering walls. Natural grass. Memorable statues. Sun-drenched outfield. Star-filled nights. And a 100% electrified atmosphere. And there was baseball. Baseball as only the Twins can play. Denard’s day of three-baggers. Justin’s amazing start. Frankie’s pitching. Carl’s ’stache and Gardy’s 800th win. Number 573 and 574 off the bat of the ageless Jim Thome. There was Danny Valencia’s beginning. There was Delmon Young and his extensive RBI collection. There was Cuddy doing whatever it took to win, while the local hero, Joe Mauer, ripped the cover off the ball during a second-half hitting tear.

And there was a new clubhouse, baptized with its first playoff champagne. Then there were those moments that can’t be scripted. A rainbow landing in right field. A falcon perched on a foul pole. A squirrel that wanted to play third base. And of course, there was a sunny, 65-degree day in April that cosmically welcomed baseball’s return to the great Minnesota outdoors. But mostly, most importantly, there was you. Over three million of you, clad with Twins red and blue, cheering with all the gusto you have, making Target Field the greatest place in the world to be. We are grateful. So here’s to you.

Thank you."

(http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/)