Raising Hope

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started this blog…

The subject of today’s blog was chosen by my wife. It is now nearly two years since the initial cancer diagnosis and the subject is Hope.

What is hope?

Funny, I think of a “dude” thing when I think of hope. As a kid, I remember hearing all kinds of war stories about how POWs who had hope could survive anything. When they lost hope; when they gave up hope of rescue; when they no longer had anything to hang on to…they died.

This of course (for any of you other, especially OLDER dudes out there) brings to mind the movie, BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI. If you don’t know what that movie was, rent it, NetFlix it, Hulu it, or whatever. The most important scene is the last one. After defying their Japanese jailers, the men whistle this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83bmsluWHZc

THAT is my definition of HOPE. At least, that’s one of them.

I also happen to be a Christian person, so I include the Bible’s definition of hope, too. It’s sort of spread out, so I’ll take the pertinent bits and pieces:

“Is not…the integrity of your ways your hope?” Job 4:6

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

“[The] Lord, the hope of Israel…” Jeremiah 17:13

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to give you…hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

“I have hope: the Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassion never fails.” Lamentations 3:21-22

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“…through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace…” 2 Thessalonians 2: 16

“…His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” I Peter 1:3

That bit from the letter from the apostle Paul to the little church in Rome has a great deal of meaning to those who have suffered under the pain and horror of breast cancer. It seems to imply that hope comes through suffering.

It also seems to say that hope and love are connected. The love comes through God to give us HOPE in the same God. And THERE’S something to ponder…

And the picture today? I know it’s a comedy TV show with a rather absurd premise, but the implications of what this family is doing with this little girl, Hope, is actually, factually tightly related to that letter to Rome, which ties in unusually well with the movie BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI...

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