Hope in 2013: A Dayspring Review

It's 2013 and for some reason, I'm not sure that it feels any differently than yesterday morning.  Of course, I welcomed my girls with a cheery (well, with as much cheer as one can muster pre-coffee) "Happy New Year!" this morning.  I took a long look at the river and noticed it was raining.  My tree is still up and demanding attention.  It's cozy in our home this morning.

Maybe it was the events that happened in Connecticut a few weeks ago.  Maybe it was the hustle and bustle that wore my pregnant body down.  Maybe it's just being a little older--but Christmas changed it flavor this year in my mind.  I haven't lost my affinity for the season, and I certainly still became swoony when certain songs and movies were on--but this year, my joy resonated from some place deeper.  It came from the depths and I felt it mixed with pain as well as with something greater:

Hope. 

Hope gives us the strength to stand up and start a new year from scratch.  Hope reminds us that His love never fails--even when circumstances tell us otherwise.  Hope started with a Promise--on a night when Love came down to rescue all of us from ourselves.  

I may not have all of the answers to the many things we face each moment, but I do know that for my family, Hope must begin the moment we walk into the door of our home.  And we must carry Hope with us when we exit the front door to share with the rest of the world.   

Redeemed Collection Hope Begins Here Wreath

I want my girls to know that there is safety here in our home.  I want them to know that Hope is something that the world may not always teach them.  I want them to Hope for a better day and to know that one day He will return.  

I have loved using this DaySpring Redeemed Love advent calendar this season.  I have enjoyed the simple reminders that are were available each day as we prepared for the celebration on the 25th.  Christmas day's page was my favorite--that Jesus shines through us.  

And if Jesus is our Hope, then Hope must shine through us as well.  

DaySpring graciously sent me the wreath and advent calendar pictured in this post from their Redeemed Love collection for my review.  All opinions in this post are mine.