{"id":3774,"date":"2010-10-04T18:29:44","date_gmt":"2010-10-05T01:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thedudeabides\/?p=3774"},"modified":"2010-10-04T18:29:44","modified_gmt":"2010-10-05T01:29:44","slug":"a-little-happy-loving-the-hard-parts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thedudeabides\/2010\/10\/04\/a-little-happy-loving-the-hard-parts\/","title":{"rendered":"A Little Happy: Loving the hard part(s)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re hard. We have pointy bits and rough edges and sharp scary corners. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes we\u2019re hard on each other. Even the friends who are dearest to us. Even the people we love \u00a0(and who love us) the most and the best they (and we) can.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

We do it all the time. And people we love do it to us.<\/p>\n

Because we\u2019re all broken and wounded and capable of feeling and acting small when we\u2019re not.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re big and mighty and beautiful and wonderfully made and a we have a huge capacity to love. And we are<\/em> loved, even when we are feeling the most unlovable and the most unloved.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

And if Jesus can love my hard parts, I can too. And if Jesus loves your hard parts, so can I. And I do.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s true love. That is the stuff of true friendship. Whether we believe it or not.<\/p>\n

So show me the hard parts and I\u2019ll love you anyway. Even when you don\u2019t think I do.<\/p>\n

Because I do.<\/p>\n

I honestly do.<\/p>\n

See the good thing about that is that you don\u2019t need to believe it for it to be true. Just like Jesus does even if we don\u2019t believe it or feel it or think we\u2019re worthy of that kind of love. Cuz we are.<\/p>\n

All of us.<\/p>\n

Every maddening, disappointing, pointy, rough, sharp, hard-parted one of us.<\/p>\n

Even when we doubt it.<\/p>\n

Cherished.<\/p>\n

Valued.<\/p>\n

Loved.<\/p>\n

We are.<\/p>\n

[wpvideo hrcVTSSz]<\/p>\n

Hard Part<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

By David Wilcox<\/strong><\/p>\n

I see the look that\u2019s in your eyes<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>That says \u2018I must keep most of me inside<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Cause you\u2019d never love me if I didn\u2019t hide<\/p>\n

the secrets of my heart\u201d<\/p>\n

Well I\u2019m not here for the surface stuff<\/p>\n

I just get bored with all that fluff<\/p>\n

So show me the edges even if it\u2019s rough<\/p>\n

And let the real love start<\/p>\n

You think your shame and deep disgrace<\/p>\n

Are more than I can bear<\/p>\n

But you can go to your darkest place<\/p>\n

I will meet you there<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m strong enough to take it<\/p>\n

And I know what you\u2019ve been through<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got a whole heart<\/p>\n

Give me the hard part<\/p>\n

I can love that too<\/p>\n

You look at me with some surprise<\/p>\n

And I see the doubt that\u2019s in your eyes<\/p>\n

Like something deep inside you cries<\/p>\n

With a hunger to be known<\/p>\n

Like a tiger born in a city zoo<\/p>\n

There\u2019s been no place for what\u2019s inside of you<\/p>\n

You try to live like the others do<\/p>\n

And it leaves you so alone<\/p>\n

I know you think that the heat of your pain<\/p>\n

Is more than I can stand<\/p>\n

Burn it all in one big flame<\/p>\n

And I will hold it in my hand<\/p>\n

I\u2019m strong enough to take it<\/p>\n

And I know what you\u2019ve been through<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got a whole heart<\/p>\n

Give me the hard part<\/p>\n

I can love that too.<\/p>\n

Now your eyes well up with tears<\/p>\n

As desire mixes with you fears<\/p>\n

After so many wounded years<\/p>\n

Can you long for what you\u2019ve missed<\/p>\n

You want a cool breeze to dance with your flame<\/p>\n

A long lost lover who knows your true name<\/p>\n

A secret garden beyond this shame<\/p>\n

And it all comes down to this<\/p>\n

You think your drowning hope will die<\/p>\n

In a sea without a shore<\/p>\n

But I can drink that ocean dry<\/p>\n

And still come back for more<\/p>\n

I\u2019m strong enough to take it<\/p>\n

And I know what you\u2019ve been through<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got a whole heart<\/p>\n

Give me the hard part<\/p>\n

I can love that too<\/p>\n

I\u2019m strong enough to take it<\/p>\n

And I know what you\u2019ve been through<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got a whole heart<\/p>\n

Give me the hard part<\/p>\n

I can love that too<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got a whole heart<\/p>\n

Give me the hard part<\/p>\n

I can love that too<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re hard. We have pointy bits and rough edges and sharp scary corners. Sometimes we\u2019re hard on each other. Even the friends who are dearest to us. Even the people we love \u00a0(and who love us) the most and the best they (and we) can. We crab and fight and harbor hurt feelings and misunderstand […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2102,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[215,477,22,648,24,311,649],"class_list":["post-3774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-little-happy","tag-david-wilcox","tag-friendship","tag-grace","tag-hard-part","tag-jesus","tag-love","tag-the-hard-part"],"yoast_head":"\nA Little Happy: Loving the hard part(s)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We're hard. We have pointy bits and rough edges and sharp scary corners. Sometimes we're hard on each other. 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