It’s Saturday morning, and I find myself wide awake at 5 a.m. Not because I had an alarm set or that I had somewhere to be. I woke to the sound of rain falling and the birds welcoming a new day. The sky was grey, and the birds had begun singing their cheerful "wake up" songs. I enjoy hearing them each day, especially in the morning. Their songs sound excited and joyful, and at times have me chuckling at how loud some of them can be, as if they are trying to outdo each other.

We often use the words happy and hope interchangeably, but they aren’t quite the same. Happiness can be a moment, a warm cup of coffee, a sunny afternoon, or a good laugh with a friend. Living in the present. Hope, though? Hope runs deeper; it is future-oriented. Hope steadies us and connects us to purpose. Happiness may flutter in and out daily, but hope roots us like a big ole tree, hundreds of years old that has stood the test of time. In my world, where dogs nap at my f

Finding Hope in the Everyday Joys of Summer- Have a happy and safe 4th of July! There’s something about July—the golden light, the scent...