Are you feeling hope-full or hope-less or somewhere in between?

I’ve got to admit I’m struggling a bit at the moment.

Partly because I’m looking back at lockdown and seeing all the things I didn’t do – no new language or spring clean or anything like that happened .

But also I’m wondering if we are really out of danger from the virus at all. And concerned about the financial crisis that is looming as well as being worried about the effects of the last few months on children and young people’s education and mental health.

Currently, I’m not a glass half full or empty kind of person, more not sure where I put the glass to start with.

I wonder why? I think it might be because so much of this is out of my control.

Well, the still cluttered cupboards are to do with laziness but everything else is beyond me. And that sometimes overwhelms me so much I can’t think or do much at all.

So what can I do about it?

Firstly I cling to God and know I can have hope in him. There is a fabulous verse in the Bible that says this ‘We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul’.

The ‘hope’ referred to is that God will always keep his promise to bless us. I love the idea that I can be anchored to this promise from God.

Secondly, I remember the mantra from Al-anon the group for families of alcoholics. ‘We didn’t cause it; we cannot control it; and we cannot cure it.’.

So many of these issues that overwhelm me I can’t change. But I can do small things.

I can wear a mask when shopping and make sensible choices about where I go; I can be a listening ear for others who are struggling.

And maybe I can clean a cupboard as well. Let’s hope so.