Thursday, January 08, 2009

Henri Again - hit me hard

A few more thoughts from Henri Nouwen... these ones hit pretty hard the last two days.

The Gift of Friendship

Friendship is one of the greatest gifts a human being can receive. It is a bond beyond common goals, common interests, or common histories. It is a bond stronger than sexual union can create, deeper than a shared fate can solidify, and even more intimate than the bonds of marriage or community. Friendship is being with the other in joy and sorrow, even when we cannot increase the joy or decrease the sorrow. It is a unity of souls that gives nobility and sincerity to love. Friendship makes all of life shine brightly. Blessed are those who lay down their lives for their friends.

Enough Light for the Next Step

Often we want to be able to see into the future. We say, "How will next year be for me? Where will I be five or ten years from now?" There are no answers to these questions. Mostly we have just enough light to see the next step: what we have to do in the coming hour or the following day. The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go. Let's rejoice in the little light we carry and not ask for the great beam that would take all shadows away.

Mennonite Tonight

A friend of a friend recorded this "song" recently. As someone who works for a Mennonite Insurance Company, in the same building as a provincial branch of the Mennonite Central Committee, I laughed hard when I watched this, and promptly circulated it to a few select individuals within the office.

Change Coming

There's change coming. I'm pretty sure there is. At least I hope there is. Can you believe that I just said that? I, Lisa, the one who hates change with a passion? I need some change. Some positive change.

A friend asked me a question last night that's niggling. "Do you still think it's a good idea for you to be friends with so and so? Everytime I've seen you there's been something going on with them that's making you unhappy." Is friendship really always about me being happy? Because, to be fair, there are a lot of my friendships that are in tough places right now, but I don't think I'm ready to write them off. But does there come a point when it really is more healthy, even if you still love the person, to let the friendship come to an end? Or at least to a pause?

My friend Karla Adolphe (of Jacob and Lily fame!) wrote the following lyrics on her first album:

I cannot stop the bleeding
the lie, the lie is becoming convincing
I'm tired, I'm tired of the nights with no sunrise
Oh inside, that's how I'm feeling

I sent them to a friend last night, commenting that they'd struck me deeply as I was driving home last night.

Yesterday was a rough day. A really rough day. I need to not have days like that quite so regularly.

I think my heart is in a good space. I know the nearness of Jesus in deep ways, and I feel him shifting things, making more and more room for himself. But it hurts an awful lot right now. I told another friend last night that I'm glad that God is working, but I'd be thrilled if things would even out for a little while to let me catch up on some rest.

I'm tired. And I'm ready for a change. (Preferably not a stressful one.)