Listening & Observing the Mystery

"Listening is a primary gesture of love." That's how James Olthuis puts it in his wonderful book, The Beautiful Risk. He goes on to say, "Listening gives space. Listening says, "I am available, open, ready to hear your call, eager to meet you and travel with you. Listening with the ears of the heart is to take in the other, not as a problem to solve, but as a mystery to meet." (page 153)

Listening to take in the other person as a mystery and not a problem.

What a great idea!

We all love a mystery. Listen to yours today. And don't complain, be amazed!

Love is Being With

James Othuis calls it "with-ing." "With-ing is a healing dance in the wild spaces of love, a meeting-in-the-middle to mark out space together...With-ing is a two-way movement of connection, a matrix for healing." (page 130, The Beautiful Risk) His term, "with-ing", seems to be describing love. Love is being with someone. Nothing more, nothing less. Be with someone today in a meaningful way.

Eyes of Love

James H. Olthuis calls us to live a life that is "listening from the heart...(and) seeing with the eyes of love." (page 110, The Beautiful Risk)

What do you see with your eyes?

Are you seeing with love, or with resentment, or a critical spirit?

What you see effects how you act and who you are.

Use your eyes not only to radiate love, but to look for love.

Love as a Currency

"Loving is the currency of authentic human life: trading in anything less is counterfeiting." (page 101, The Beautiful Risk, James H. Olthuis)

What currency are you trading in? Guilt, manipulation, pride, or even self-gratification?

What we exchange life with each other is our trading currency.

Make sure your exchange rate is love.

Love as Your Pulse & Rhythm

"To live is to let love well up and stream through us as the beat, pulse, and rhythm of our lives..." (James Olthuis, The Beautiful Risk, p. 44)

What is the undercurrent of your life?

What drummer do you march to?

What is the meter of your life?

If it were a song, what would the rhythm be?

Today left love well up in you and carry you in ways you never dreamed. Let it be the rhythm of your life.

Loving & Thinking

James Olthuis in his great book, The Beautiful Risk, challenges us:

"Instead of 'I think, therefore, I am' - Descarte's classic starting point - it is 'I was loved, therefore I am,' and 'I love, therefore, I am.'" At this point Olthius says thinking then defines humanity. "When by contrast, 'I love' becomes the mark of authentic humanity, relationships with others, with God, and with the creation" then takes it proper place at the top of our crown. (page 69 and 70)

Asking the Right Question

"The fundamental human question is not - as we have become accustomed to think - Hamlet's "To be or not to be." The cardinal question that marks and measures our humanity is "To love or not to love." We love in order to be and become who we are." (page 69, The Beautiful Risk, James H. Olthuis)

As Robert Fraley used to say, "If you're not getting the right answers, you might not be asking the right questions." Make sure you are asking the right question. It's not so much about what you do, or even who you are, but if you love.