Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Dude Abides

Home
Progressive Christian
A Little Happy: Loving the hard part(s)

A Little Happy: Loving the hard part(s)

Last updated on: October 4, 2010 at 6:29 pm by Cathleen Falsani

A Little Happy: Loving the hard part(s) 2010-10-04T18:29:44-07:00 Cathleen Falsani

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We’re hard. We have pointy bits and rough edges and sharp scary corners.

Sometimes we’re hard on each other. Even the friends who are dearest to us. Even the people we love (and who love us) the most and the best they (and we) can.

We crab and fight and harbor hurt feelings and misunderstand and misconstrue and think the worst rather than the best (of each other, of ourselves.) We tally the slights and sit with our pain and turn it over in our hands like a worry stone, doubting how much we are loved, how much we are valued.

We do it all the time. And people we love do it to us.

Because we’re all broken and wounded and capable of feeling and acting small when we’re not.

We’re big and mighty and beautiful and wonderfully made and a we have a huge capacity to love. And we are loved, even when we are feeling the most unlovable and the most unloved.

DJ Jeff dug the song below out of his grab-bag this evening and it hit me where I live. How true. How very very true.

I like to think that Jesus says this kind of thing to me about 1,000 times a day, every day, 365 days a year, for 40 years and counting.

And if Jesus can love my hard parts, I can too. And if Jesus loves your hard parts, so can I. And I do.

That’s true love. That is the stuff of true friendship. Whether we believe it or not.

So show me the hard parts and I’ll love you anyway. Even when you don’t think I do.

Because I do.

I honestly do.

See the good thing about that is that you don’t need to believe it for it to be true. Just like Jesus does even if we don’t believe it or feel it or think we’re worthy of that kind of love. Cuz we are.

All of us.

Every maddening, disappointing, pointy, rough, sharp, hard-parted one of us.

Even when we doubt it.

Cherished.

Valued.

Loved.

We are.

[wpvideo hrcVTSSz]

Hard Part

By David Wilcox

I see the look that’s in your eyes

That says ‘I must keep most of me inside

‘Cause you’d never love me if I didn’t hide

the secrets of my heart”

Well I’m not here for the surface stuff

I just get bored with all that fluff

So show me the edges even if it’s rough

And let the real love start

You think your shame and deep disgrace

Are more than I can bear

But you can go to your darkest place

I will meet you there

And I’m strong enough to take it

And I know what you’ve been through

You’ve got a whole heart

Give me the hard part

I can love that too

You look at me with some surprise

And I see the doubt that’s in your eyes

Like something deep inside you cries

With a hunger to be known

Like a tiger born in a city zoo

There’s been no place for what’s inside of you

You try to live like the others do

And it leaves you so alone

I know you think that the heat of your pain

Is more than I can stand

Burn it all in one big flame

And I will hold it in my hand

I’m strong enough to take it

And I know what you’ve been through

You’ve got a whole heart

Give me the hard part

I can love that too.

Now your eyes well up with tears

As desire mixes with you fears

After so many wounded years

Can you long for what you’ve missed

You want a cool breeze to dance with your flame

A long lost lover who knows your true name

A secret garden beyond this shame

And it all comes down to this

You think your drowning hope will die

In a sea without a shore

But I can drink that ocean dry

And still come back for more

I’m strong enough to take it

And I know what you’ve been through

You’ve got a whole heart

Give me the hard part

I can love that too

I’m strong enough to take it

And I know what you’ve been through

You’ve got a whole heart

Give me the hard part

I can love that too

You’ve got a whole heart

Give me the hard part

I can love that too

Previous Post

October 4, 2010

Friday 10/1 Swag Bag Grab: And the winners are ...

Next Post

October 5, 2010 The LOST Sin Boldly Interview (w/ thanks to DJ Jeff)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A little happy ARCHIVED COLUMNS BECOMING FAMILY BelieberNess BREAKING NEWS! Disquiet Time DJ JEFF'S SPINTASMS falsani FILM from OCRegister From Sojo.net God Nods GODSTUFF I Take Requests incubatespirit LURKING IN THE NARTHEX On My Nightstand ONEMOMS Polling the Room PONTIFEXCELLENT Thru My Eyes TWO CENTS Uncategorized Upcoming Events VASCO VASCO'S HEART

Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 May 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 October 2003 March 2003 December 2002 October 2002 January 2001

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Peter Paul James