Prisoner of Hopes

Prisoner of Hopes: a blog about Hopeful Living and Finding Adventure in the Everyday Things of Life

Life is hard. God is good.

The last few weeks have been difficult; not because there is anything wrong in my life, only because I feel unsettled. Call it a physiological response or existential angst. Maybe it is the summer blahs. Perhaps it is living in what I like to call “the age of anxiety.“ It doesn’t really matter what it…

July 26, 2023
Headed Home

I am driving home after a lengthy stay with my son. Leaving his house, I have very mixed emotions. I am feeling that (I am dropping you off for college, I don’t know when I will see you again, you are smart and capable but my life’s mission is to make sure you are okay)…

July 11, 2023
Travel Goals: Wildlife Adventures

It started out as a simple hiking trip, just a few days with a friend to explore a highly rated woodland trail. Nature had other plans. Reviewing the forecast as we packed, we decided that two days on the the at temperatures well over 100 with high humidity was probably not smart. So we decided…

July 1, 2023
Summer Struggles

I have a love/hate relationship with my yard. It is spacious with wonderful trees. I have small garden spaces and patios. I even have a large freestanding octagonal swing structure surrounding a fire pit. We also have delightful wildlife that, four months out of the year, turn into creatures of mass destruction. I love to…

June 17, 2023
You Called

Last night, just as I was getting ready for bed, you called. I was tired and I had to get up really early this morning. I didn’t mention any of that, because you called. Since you have grown and flown, these moments of insight into your life are rarified. Yes, I could call you and…

June 1, 2023
Christmas Magic

As long as I can remember, in the few days before Christmas I am consumed by an unbearable desire to have everyone I love under one roof as soon as possible. I know that the family togetherness is imminent. But can’t come fast enough. I love the rituals of Christmas. I love the trees and…

May 25, 2023
There is not a “right way” to camp

There is no right way to enjoy the outdoors. I could walk forever with a pack on my back listening to the sounds of wildlife. It is nice to have our RV parked nearby to provide a dry place to sleep and storage for clothes and food. Backpacking, tent camping, rv life, a cabin or…

May 25, 2023
Serenity

Up at dawn, I sip my coffee in solitude and say a prayer of gratitude. It is peaceful. The birds are making the small chirping sounds that accompany a new day. My family thinks I’m a little crazy for getting up with the sun each day. But to me, it is serene. A time when…

May 19, 2023
Making Do

There is a game I play on a regular basis. Perhaps challenge is the better word. I look in the pantry and refrigerator to figure out how random and abandoned items can be turned into a meal. This purging of the remnants is cathartic. This Easter we took our first camping trip of the season.…

May 8, 2023
In Search of the Order of Christ: Travel Goals

Templar knights…the very words evoke images of adventure and piety. The warrior priests who vow to take back and defend the holy land against the infidels are the stuff of legends. With my head full of images from books and film, we took the train to Tomar. Tomar was a city built as a Templar…

May 6, 2023