Transparency

I don't have a catchy title for this one.

Just...

TRANSPARENCY.

Nope. Not this kind of transparency. 

Is that a Christian "buzzword" now? I'm not sure. I'm not a very trendy Christian. Sad for me.

I am thinking today about the need for transparency... and how I'm just not sure there is a way to get it without radically altering our "normal" Christianity.

See, in order to be truly transparent--- truly honest, see-through, truly REAL--- other people have to see things beyond what we choose to share with them.

Although getting together with a group of friends or standing up at church and confessing our sins is a good step... that's not really REAL. That's what we choose to share. And it's not a window into our lives. It's maybe a home movie that we choose whether or not to edit.

But it's not life. Its not day in, day out, beautiful messy ugly hateful comedic hopeless loving disgusting lazy chaotic faithful confusing inspiring every second every minute every hour every day LIFE.

I don't want it... I don't want anyone to see my ugly (No. I never lose my temper and scream raise my voice at my children). Or my gross (did you really just EAT that Cheeto that was on the floor and most likely licked by at least one toddler and a DOG?!? No. No I did not.). Or my lazy (I maintain the sniff test is a vaild way to determine which pile is the "clean" one.) I would like people to see my beautiful messy ugly hateful comedic hopeless loving disgusting lazy chaotic faithful confusing inspiring every second every minute every hour every day certain times of certain days LIFE.

And I certainly don't want someone... anyone... let's be honest, I don't even want my HUSBAND (most days) to be a participant in this life. I don't want someone OUTSIDE of me having a say, an opinion, a role in holding me accountable. I don't want an observer to my sin. I don't want someone who can step in and say "The way you're acting is NOT OK." (Please do not eat any more floor snacks and for heaven's sake, woman, change your sweatpants!)

But, let's also be honest. I need it. We all NEED it. It is why God created us to be together. It is why we are drawn towards things like Facebook and Instagram... our inner NEED to be connected and in community with each other. Somewhere we have a desire to get our junk out... I think somewhere we even have a desire for other people to call us out and tell us to stop.

And I don't think once (or twice, or *GASP* even 3 times) a week is going to cut it.

Iron sharpens iron, right? Gold is refined in the fire? Would that iron be sharp, or that Gold be anywhere near pure, if it was only going through that *FUN* process for a few hours a week?

No. No it would not.

You know what the beautiful thing is, though? God promises us that if we BOAST about our weaknesses He is made strong through them. Can you imagine how the power of God could move through a group of people that don't just GET together, but EXIST together, are open about their sin, and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work in them and through them?

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  -- 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Dream with me, friends.

Until next time!

Hey, I just met you. And this is CRAZY.

Here is my first blog post on what I hope is many concerning the NEWEST crazy idea to hit our family (you can see my other blog about curveballs The Holy Spirit has thrown at us in the past few years!). We must be standing in the middle of the highway to crazytown, because these ideas hit us A LOT. 

Living in community. 

Let me just show my ignorance here and say that, when God first hinted at this idea to me, I thought it was original. Ok, maybe not "original," because I knew that what the Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart was to live in the way the Acts church lived. But original in the way that I thought "Hey, no one is doing this now-a-days." 

(If you've seen Scrubs, you know that is a blatant and proud Perry Cox reference and I appreciate you for understanding it). 

Anyway--- what happened is that Nik and I were driving the "long" (INW long, not California long) trek to a Foo Fighters Concert (Sinners!) at the Gorge and talking about all kinds of deep theological things that we can't talk about with 5 screaming children in the car. And as we were fluctuating between deep conversation and enjoying the HEAVENLY silence, the thought hits me--- what if God wants us to actually DO these things? What if he actually wants us to LIVE in community and *try* to model the Acts church in our daily lives?

Nutso, I know. 

I mentioned to Nik that maybe God was leading us toward living with another family, and, to my surprise, he basically said "Let's do it." 

So there's THAT. 

We started praying about it ("it," at the time, being basically doing life with one other family--- basically house-sharing), and when I casually mentioned living together to my friend Nik and I thought would be a good "fit", she said she and her husband had been thinking about EXACTLY THE SAME THING- that living "in community" was the way God was leading them as well. 

~~Lightbulb!~

Through various boring circumstances, I started researching HOW one would do this and--- 

OH MY GLORY

--- people actually LIVE like this. All across the country. Some are called Neo-Monastic, some are called Intentional Christian Communities, some probably don't have a label. 

If you know me (or if you don't)- I tend to get interested obsessive about things. So I started (am) obsessing over this idea. It doesn't just have to be about sharing a home. It can be about sharing a LIFE with many people, creating a community of believers who are totally exposed and totally accountable and totally REAL with each other, who live together and share together for the purpose of loving each other and other people. It can be about pooling resources and cutting expenses IN ORDER TO GIVE MORE TO JESUS- More time to serve that isn't spent in 40 hour/week jobs, more money to bless that isn't spent on space we don't occupy and things we don't use, more of life being transparent and honest instead of behind locked doors, more effort spent bearing each others burdens instead of keeping up with the Jones'. 

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together andbreaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

-Acts 2:42-47 (ESV, if you care about that type of thing)

Welcome to our adventure. 

I'm glad to have you along for the ride.