The Invisible Humanitarian: Love Moves Me

"When you begin to think outside the box, you often become some other "leaders" lousy follower. That usually costs something" (Andy Rayner)

"Our guardian angels are bored." (Mike Foster)

It's where I feel I'm at these days. “In the second half of life, it is good just to be a part of the general dance. We do not have to stand out, make defining moves, or be better than anyone else on the dance floor. Life is more participatory than assertive, and there is no need for strong or further self-definition” (Falling Upward. Richard Rohr.120).

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Love Moves Me - And Love Moves Me

Let's do a Sunday Confession.

We have separated "Love" from "Affection" in religious systems. Even taught it so. This has been one of MY gravest errors as a theologian, and human being, in the past. This is what permitted me to be too heartless, gave me licence to be a lesser kind of person in how I associate with people... particularly people I do not like, or understand.

I am not really loving anyone well apart from genuine affection, nor am I really loved without affection. Without affection, love becomes mere obligation, performance, rote, an empty duty that is not recognizing the humanity and value of the person in front of us. We have all felt the emptiness of acts of service done out of obligation, or duty, but not desire. Dehumanizing to give, and receive. Duty happens, but it is very incomplete. Duty hurts.

Love, separated from affection, is a bar set too low, is a selling out of my call to love as God loves. (I know what we have all been taught about the four loves, and Agape)

God's love is not separated from affection. Agape is not devoid of affection.. rather is brimming with it. Think of it..... God likes you, has a fondness for you.

As Brennan Manning Meditated on...

I AM MY BELOVED’S, AND HIS DESIRE IS FOR ME. (7:10 NASB)

"Over the past thirty years, I have prayed that passage (Song of Solomon 7:10ff.) in soaring 747s, monasteries, caves, retreat centers, and deserted places. I believe His desire for you and me can best be described as a furious longing." (Brennan Manning)

We are loved by God "AFFECTIONATELY".

I agree that Agape calls for love as a verb, love as acts of service. But they are "AFFECTIONATE" acts of service, NOT MERE DUTY.

Affectionless duty,
Affectionless fatherhood,
Affectionless motherhood,
Affectionless marriage,
Affectionless sex,
Affectionless service,
Affectionless meetings and gatherings.
Affectionless conversation and dialogue,
Affectionless relationships,
Affectionless time spent with,

Is not love.

You can quote me... "Love moves me, and love moves me." (Andy Rayner)

Get it?

My Sunday confession... I was wrong, I've called myself, and others I have taught to an error. I have been trying to move on, and I suggest you should also.

When i cannot find a fondness in me towards you, the problem is not what you have done, or not done, it is a failure within me. I've failed to see your worth, and respond according to you worth.

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J. R.R. Tolkien - Peace is Never Free

"………….. and there in that pleasant corner of the world they plied their well-ordered business of living, and they heeded less and less the world outside where dark things moved, until they came to think that peace and plenty were the rule in Middle-earth and the right of all sensible folk. They forgot or ignored what little they had ever known of the Guardians, and of the labours of those that made possible the long peace of the Shire. They were, in fact, sheltered, but they had ceased to remember it."

J. R.R. Tolkien "The Fellowship of the Ring" , 1985, George & Allen & Urwin Pub LTD(Page 22-23 prologue)

Who Is This Dude?

West African humanitarian NGO - Canadian commercial fishing Captain (Yep with his own boat -SCARY). Who writes too much, too poorly, over analyzes human religious behavior (NOT ACCEPTABLE), probably loves Africa WAY too much, outgrew the church container and is finally living free from the busy western paradigm of "program driven" attractional institutional church management (You've got to be bitter, angry or hurt! NOPE!), But is still a Christian, active in service, and is part of a "church" family- just not one that looks like yours with an address, parking lot and shingle out front, is all (That's a bit crazy and REALLY Suspicious). Who keeps pointing to Jesus (Come on, there's got to be more to it than that), as no one needs to see me, just him. LOVES being lost in a conversation, a book, at sea, in the bush of West Africa, and especially on a motorcycle (I knew it - you're a freaking HIPPIE). Is happy knee deep in fish and friendship. Have an AMAZING WOMAN walking with me. "Every foreign land is to them as their native country and every country of their birth as a land of strangers." Diognetus

Challenging Life's Platitudes and Seeking Perspective!

"I have walked that long road to freedom. .....I have taken a moment here to rest........But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended." Nelson Mandela. “Long Walk to Freedom”, p625, 1994, Little, Brown & company.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime." - Mark Twain

"What is the point of all of this? To destroy a man who seeks the truth or to destroy the truth so no man can seek it. Either way, you loose"
Agent Rheas, X Files , "The Truth" Season 9, Episode 19, 20, 2003, Time 53.25

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice when He could do something about it. But I'm afraid God might ask me the same question." Amy Campbell

"One meets his destiny often on the road he takes to avoid it." French Proverb

"When you pray, move your feet." African Proverb

"Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home." Jesus Luke 16:9

“Be afraid to die until you have won some small victory for humanity.” --Horace Mann

After the Genocide of 800.000 in Rwanda “………following my return from Rwanda, a Canadian Forces padre asked me how, after all I had seen and experienced, I could still believe in God. I answered that I know there is a God because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil. I have seen him, I have smelled him and I have touched him. I know the devil exists, and therefore I know there is a God."...... (LGen Romeo Dallaire “Shake hands with the Devil” pg xviii, 2003, Randon House Canada.)

Be Change Agents!

“Be afraid to die until you have won some small victory for humanity.” Horace Mann

"Privilege is being born on third base and thinking you hit a triple.” Ann Richards

“Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not?” Robert F. Kennedy

“The opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference.” Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Crisis is opportunity riding a dangerous wind.” Chinese proverb

“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Mother Theresa

“To do good, you actually have to DO something.” Yvon Chouinard

“Every day is a new chance to choose.” Ishita Gupta

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one.” Mother Theresa

“I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing, than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance” e.e. cummings

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

The Invisible Humanitarian

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Love Moves Me - And Love Moves Me

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