he love shared in the following post will not be sarcastic. And yet, sarcasm will abound as it seems to be the love language used by this recipient.
“***This is crazy, a person a day for the whole year of 2016 to show love and appreciation to on social media. It may be someone in my everyday life or someone I may not have spoken to for years. You can feel free to jump into this craziness with all of us and start today. It’s never to late this year to start the love and appreciation. Check out the rest of the crazies participating with: #thisiscrazylove2016 - Tyler Merritt”
I met Randall Morgan back in the spring of 2006. He, a Faith Promise Missionary with my church, was putting together a team of artists (musical and otherwise) for a trip to Baja, Hungary for the umpteenth year to put on a music festival. I didn't end up going on that trip that year. And he's NEVER let me forget it!!!!
Many people from all over Europe (And now parts of Africa and Asia) would gather for this event to spend time together, encourage one another and hone their respective crafts in workshops and seminars. All of this would then be celebrated with a big musical event as a worship event and send off for all involved to return to their homes with the new tools they'd received.
At a certain age it just got too difficult for Randall to get up so I'd just have to look down at the man I looked up to.
I love Randall. And not in the ah shucks sort of way. Also not in the sense that he'd someday replace Beckie. Don't get me wrong- he's a good looking man. I love him deeply as a man who has been a trusted confidant and friend to me over the years.
Sure, he's probably shared all my dirty laundry with others at some point or another but hey, at least he'd always preface it with, "Don't tell anyone I told you this..."
Randall has a strong heart beat for people from all over the world.
Well, strong-ish. He had some heart troubles a few years back and he is getting up there in his age so, maybe his heart isn't all that it once was. But hey, aren't we all just walking to our graves with every step?
Randall worked in Music Publishing for a great many years but after having a strong encounter with the Divine he made a switch and decided to take another path.
He gives tirelessly to see people from other communities and countries come together to learn from each other and join their creative forces to express their collective faith in as pure and honest a way as they can.
This is surprising as Randall himself is one of the most dishonest people I've ever met. He'd steal a donut off an elderly woman without so much as a twinge of guilt. And let's be honest, with that heart thing he shouldn't be doing anything of the sort.
Randall, that fruit filling is actually just a jelly like substance. You can't justify the donut that way!!!!!
In all seriousness, Randall has been more than a friend to me all these years. He has been like an older... Much older brother who has walked with me through my own faith as I question things and wonder how they work in the midst of organized religion.
Over the years when he was living abroad (for the record that means living outside of the U.S. NOT living as a woman... What he does in his own home is strictly his business) any way, while he was living oversees we'd spend countless hours on Skype as his free apple tech support or my counselor while I was wrestling through ideas of church politics and how this faith expression could be better fashioned in an honest way.
I find in Randall a willingness to look at situations and ask, "How could this be made better as an expression of our belief" rather than the typical response of, "Well, we've always done it this way so let's just keep doing it that way."
Randall Morgan is what you see is what you get. He's a fun loving, sarcastic, deeply compassionate, hard working man with a passion to see people grow in their faith and talent. I love him like a father because let's be honest, he's a little too old to be my brother.