tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9632072.post115133062553725395..comments2023-09-25T09:37:40.536-07:00Comments on kairos : kisses: Emptied | FilledAndrew Dowsetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05417088521258450446noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9632072.post-1151437903448938242006-06-27T12:51:00.000-07:002006-06-27T12:51:00.000-07:00Hi Ben.As I think about friends within the Order (...Hi Ben.<BR/><BR/>As I think about friends within the Order (not to mention friends outside of the Order), I am aware of so many losses over the past twelve months: two deaths, long-term illness the doctors can't seem to diagnose/treat, breast cancer, your+Helen's miscarriage...<BR/><BR/>And Jo and I see a lie of the enemy at work (both within and without the Order), that whispers to us that when we are going through bereavement we need to put our heads down and deal with it on our own, because everyone else seems to be dealing with bereavements of their own, and we don't want to burden them with ours, or to get together and indulge in a spiral of wallowing. Like all such lies, it comes to us sounding spiritual (especially the bit about not feeding each other's negativity). But it is a lie, because we are called to carry one another's burdens, and it is easier to be held to account and encouraged to forget what lies behind and press on towards the goal, rejoicing, when we do so together (i.e. just because people can feed each other's negativity does not mean they have to, or that they can't, in fact, feed each other's rejoicing).<BR/><BR/>To keep friends at arms length when we are greiving is to deny community. Let's continue to not do that!<BR/><BR/>We love you guys...Andrew Dowsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05417088521258450446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9632072.post-1151415529505354152006-06-27T06:38:00.000-07:002006-06-27T06:38:00.000-07:00Great summary of the teaching + more Andrew. I wa...Great summary of the teaching + more Andrew. I was thinking about you guys over the weekend for the same reasons you mention here. <BR/><BR/>I think you summarise the strange dynamic that loss presents really well. A lot of this year for us has been horrible too, lots of big and small losses. Yet in each one I think I've learnt a little bit more about myself and found a bit more space for God to fill.<BR/><BR/>Keep us tender Lord<BR/>Teach us to rejoice in loss.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05607297943524424057noreply@blogger.com