Kenneth Hampton

Here is a story about a man named Kenneth Hampton.

A man of few wants and simple pleasures. He drank coffee and the Montana mornings. Although that sounds too poetic. He did love Montana though. In the morning he ate a hearty breakfast. He went to work, played the guitar. Told too many jokes to count. He loved a good burger. Hardy's Burgers just about hit the spot.
His emails were short but not sweet. Instead they were savory like his favorite burgers. Simple but they hit the spot.

"How are you?"

"How's Elisa the Actress?"

"How's my favorite grandaughter?"
Okay, he didn't say that last one. Because he actually had a lot of grandaughters. Too many to have one favorite. And he had lots of grandsons. And he had three fantastic children.

They each took up his arts.

All three took up music. And all three took up his sense of humor in a way. Especially the last one, he's got it to the core.

Was he stubborn? Stubborn as heck. And so was his wife, my grandma. Both so stubborn but I do believe they loved each other. Despite their fights, despite their differences, despite everything they ever said- they loved each other. That makes me wonder what he's going to say when he sees her in heaven.

Boy, I'd love to be there for that.

So there's been talk about him kicking the bucket for awhile. But like I said, he's stubborn (as heck). He held out through a lot. But I'm not going to talk about that, because it's done. He's through the worst of it and come out the other side. He did good.

Here's to Hope!

Here's to Hope!
Vibrant, persistent, unflagging, nagging, unquenchable, untamable hope.

Here's to LIFE!

The life God has given me! The life God has given you!

The pain, the hurt, the anguish, the doubts, the fears, the healing, the growth, the joy, the faith, the courage we find.

Here's to God's Promises!

Which your doubts can't change. Which lies can't change. Which your fear can't change. Which anything and everything that could ever be can never change.

Here's to a FRESH start!

Take a deep breath. Does it feel good? Do you feel unworthy? I do. But hey God knows what he's doing, just hold on tight.

Here's to LOVE!

God's love. Which builds and heals and mends and cures and saves and cleanses, redeems, remakes, and causes us to live.

Here's to PURPOSE!

God's Kingdom. This is not the end. This is not what will be. The world is under construction, being remade into God's Kingdom.

And dang. Isn't that an amazing reason to hope, to live, to dream?

Here's to this moment!

Awful or Great. Mundane or a Revelation. It is what it is. So see what God can do.

Watch and see what God WILL do.