Another song

This song stirs something inside of me.

Let's shout it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV5lJNK4D2Y

The Love Of God.

I wish if could explain it. I wish I could summarize it nicely. I wish that we truly meditated on the vast love of God everyday and didn't stop there, but soaked up his love in our day to day lives. Well we can do it. I guess it's not a wish. I pray that God's love becomes more and more of a reality to us each day.

God is the source of love. To try to love on our own is not love. We get our own personal priorities and selfish nature in the way of love and that is not love. Love is looking to the others' needs before ours. Love is making them our priority. I have been trying to realize this more. My dear friend told me that she used to not understand how some couples whose marriage was focused on Christ could hold the other person in such high regard that they would really would do anything for them. She could see their love for one another, but when you live by the philosophies of the world, you think it's absurd. You'd think that you can not put someone else before yourself because we all learn that you have to look out for #1 (yo

urself!). But that's not it at all. Have we bought into this world's system and definition of love (selfishness)? hmm... this particular friend shared with me the truth that we can only love to a certain extent on our own. In other words, we can only love to a certain level; our love can only go so deep. But!!! Here's the exciting part!!!! whe

n we receive love from God we are able to love deeper to levels we never thought imaginable. The truth is that God is the supply of love and the more we bask in that love the more we are filled with love. In turn, we are able to give away more love. It's like a circle really. Are you able to love deeply? Are you holding yourself back (out of selfishness?) in your ability to love? If so, perhaps just receive from the Father. Receive his deep de

ep Love. It's vast, unmeasured, boundless and free. You will begin to view people around you with new light and with a new depth because knowing that you are loved enables you to love other people more fully. Wow, the love of God! Please remind me of this at my wedding. Remind me to daily receive God's love so I can be filled. We will run out of love if it is only coming from within ourselves. But if we receive love from God is is limitless. If you need some reading Material about LOVE check out 1 John. It's loaded! Enjoy!

Rise Again

I hear them say "Love is the way"

You may all be familiar with the re-mixed song by Ka'naan "Waving Flag" as a dedication to Haiti, but let me just share the words with you.

When I get older I will be stronger

They'll call me freedom just like a wavin' flag

Born from a throne, older than Rome

But Violent prone, Poor People zone

But it's my home, all I have known,

Where I got grown, but now it's gone

Out of the darkness, in came the carnage

Threatening my very survival

Fractured my streets and broke all my dreams

Feels like defeat to wretched retreat

So we strugglin' fighting to eat

and we're wonderin' if we'll be free

We cannot wait for some faithful day

It's too far away, so right now I'll say

Chorus

So many wars, settling scores

All that we've been through and now there is more

I hear them say Love is the way

Love is the answer that's what they say

But we're not just dreamers of broken down grievers

A hand will reach us and will not forsake us

This can't control us, no it can't hold us down

We gonna pick it up even though we still struggling

In the name of survival

For our lives

We patiently wait for some other day

That's too far away so right now we say

Chorus

How come when the media stops covering

And there's little help from the government

We forget about the people still struggling

And assume that it's really all love again? NAHH

See we don't have to wait for things to break apart

If you weren't involved before it's never too late to start

You probably think that it's too far to even care

Well take a look around, what if it happened there?

You have to know the urge to make a change lies within

And we can be the reason that they see their flag rise again

I think the rap part (the bold words) are so powerful. How come when crises first happen, media pays so much attention but after a while it all stops? The news coverage is not as prominent and we can so easily forget that the after math of the devestation is still going on. We forget that peopole are still grieving for loved ones, living in make-shift homes and getting food and medical supplies from humanitarian aid networks. It's not an overnight process to reconstruct villages, towns and cities that have been destroyed because of natural disasters. The process may take years. We know that life must continue on for those affected after the devestation, but think of the everyday struggles. Wow, I have no words. The next lyrics grip me. "If you weren't involved before it's never too late to start." It reminds me that giving money to provide aid to those affected one time can only go so far. Like I said, the ongoing aid will be needed for a while. There might have been factors that stopped us from contributing before, but now, if we have the means, can we give? Do we even want to give? Or do we feel proud of the part we've already played? Are we satisfied with just a one-time gift? hmm... "You probably feel it's too far to even care." a society of apathy. I've talked about this word before. A meh attitude that so reduces the value of human life. You are valuable. Your daughter is valuable. Your neighbor is valuable. The baby in Romania is valuable. Children are precious. Seniors are lovely. Life is beautiful because of the people in it. Each life is so valuable. It's not too far to care. Distance is not an excuse for not caring. I do wonder what would happen if an earthquake happened here. In such a developed, consumer-friendly society, how would our lives change if we were faced with a natural disaster? Would we value each other less or more? Would anyone help us? Can any country help reconstruct such a developed country after being hit by a natural disaster or will there be a meh attitude because of the dollar amount associated with it? The words about the flag rising again may not be totally clear in your mind. But what about a sense of hope? That's sort of what I get out of it. I remember David telling me that during all the years he did relief work he made a very interesting observation. He said that when he went into a camp and tried to assess the situation and noticed flowers growing it was a good sign. He said that a garden of some sort or flowers growing showed hope for the future. It showed an investment in aesthetics, the beautiful, and a consderation of the future and that people were still able to work towards a brighter tomorrow. It was in those garden-growing communties that they saw so much potential and invested into the lives of those who still had hope. When all is lost, some were able to plant for tomorrow and they were the ones with the most receptive and teachable heart who wanted to create something for the children of tomorrow. This blog is a reminder to myself.

To care. To invest. To hope.

Check out some of my favorite organizations here if you're interested in how they are caring, investing, and hoping:

http://www.hearttohearthaiti.com/

http://www.fhcanada.org/Projects/Cachiman-Haiti-Projects

http://globalaid.net/project-pages/be-part-of-rebuilding-haiti/give-to-a-family-in-haiti/

To care. To invest. To hope.