How do I love Thee

How do I love Thee? Let me count the ways. Not very well I must say. These past two weeks we have been studying love and wow how much I thought I loved to how much I really love and what I love. I love Saint Francis words in this song below.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love;
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord;
And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Refrain:
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light;
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
In giving to all men that we receive;
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Refrain

The chorus is his prayer(I think?) but all the words are wonderful. Lately I have felt (maybe it is a bit cynical) that while Japan does need our help (don't get me wrong) it is so easy to forget our neighbors and hide behind the worlds problems and never face our own or help those around us. While I do believe we should be helping Japan I also believe that we need to be more aware of those around us. I was always taught if we cannot reach out to those closest to us (whether emotionally or literal proximity) how can we reach out to the world. I am coming out of a hard time (at least I hope) but know so many more who are in one and wonder who will be there channels if not the body?

I encourage you to ask one person (whom you feel comfortable asking) how can I lift you up today or ask the Father to put someone on your heart for we are all in need of a friend sometimes whether in Laos, New Zealand, America, Africa,Japan or anywhere else scattered throughout the nations may you feel the Lord's presence and may your heart be touched with peace that passes understanding.