ON LOVIN'

 I receive a daily e-mail from the Henri Nouwen Society.

This one came the day my dad died.

I thought it was appropriate, since he loved so well.

I saved it and thought I would share it here on Valentine's Day, but instead I was busy keeping Dad's Valentine company.

"Community is not possible without the willingness to forgive one another seventy times seven

(see Matthew 18:22).  Forgiveness is the cement of community life. Forgiveness holds us together through good and bad times and it allows us to grow in mutual love.

But what is there to forgive or to ask forgiveness for? As people who have hearts that long for perfect love, we have to forgive one another for not being able to give or receive that perfect love in our everyday lives. Our many needs constantly interfere with our desire to be there for the other unconditionally.  Our love is always limited by spoken or unspoken conditions.

What needs to be forgiven?  We need to forgive one another for not being God!"

Henri Nouwen
January 24, 2012



I've tried giving to others what only God can give.

And I've wanted and expected others to give to me what only He can give.

Neither worked.

One brought frustration and the feelings of failure, and the other brought disappointment.

To love well, we need to know each others' limits and our own.

And we need to remember The One whose love is perfect.

Mr. Nouwen said it best.

"We need to forgive each other for not being God." 

"Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

Psalm 63:3 NLT

*** And if you have a few extra minutes and you want to be reminded of His love, watch this.

I actually like to listen to it with my eyes closed!