Longing...

A quick listen to what I am feeling, and you may think I am sad, depressed, dejected about my own singleness.  

Eh. Maybe.  

However, those who sit for a while with me and listen discover it is more than a personal concern.  Beyond and including my own needs, I am concerned with a subject that so many people call, and text, and email, and inbox me--loneliness and longing for relationship.  

It's deep.  And while some might be tempted to offer the usual quick pat phrases, I resist that urge.  Telling people that their longing and desire for relationship means they are not trusting God, or that their singleness is their own fault, is about shaming and blaming, and I don't deal in that kind of language. When people are hurting, it's a sad shame that they get blamed for their pain.  

Really, I think the prophets BeeGee told us.  Nobody gets too much love anymore.

I wonder all the time why I have so many gorgeous women friends who are single and desire to be in relationship.  They are dating, praying, waiting on the Lord, trying not to focus on relationship because they have been told a million times that love comes when we aren't looking.  They are journaling, getting advanced degrees, reading self help books from authors who need help themselves in their own relationships.  

And many days, I think about the many men and women I know who act "foolishly".  They are labeled a variety of not-so-nice things, when really they are simply lonely, and often act out of a longing to be accepted, appreciated, and loved.  Sure, there are other factors that affect unhealthy behaviors, but I really believe that the loss of authentic community and the promotion of individualism is destroying many of us.  It is destroying me.

However, there is hope.

If I am sad, am not sad for just myself. More rightly, I am sad because we are so close to the cure for that which ails us.  I believe we are but a few kisses away from the end to violent warfare; a few hugs away from transforming folks so desperate for love, their standards dissolve to nothing; a few hands held during hard times away from heaven.

Time is of the essence.  Let us admit that it is less about the way of the world, less about things are as they are meant to be, and more about the choices some of us habitually make to selfishly disregard the call to love.  

Every healthy relationship benefits all of us.  Really.  Choose love!

 Too Much Heaven


Nobody gets too much heaven no more
It's much harder to come by
I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as high as a mountain
And harder to climb
Oh you and me girl
Got a lot of love in store
And it flows through you
And it flows through me
And I love you so much more
Then my life..I can see beyond forever
Ev'rything we are will never die
Loving's such a beautiful thing
Oh you make my world a summer day
Are you just a dream to fade away
Nobody gets too much heaven no more
It's much harder to come by
I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as high as a mountain
And harder to climb
You and me girl got a highway to the sky
We can turn away from the night and day
And the tears you had to cry
You're my life..
I can see a new tomorrow
Ev'rything we are will never die
Loving's such a beautiful thing
When you are to me, the light above
Made for all to see our precious love
Nobody gets too much heaven no more
It's much harder to come by
I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as high as a mountain
And harder to climb
Love is such a beautiful thing
You make my world a summer day
Are you just a dream to fade away
Nobody gets too much heaven no more
It's much harder to come by
I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as high as a mountain
And harder to climb
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as wide as a river and harder to cross
Nobody gets too much heaven no more
It's much harder to come by
I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore
It's as high as a mountain
And harder to climb...
-The BeeGees