Thursday, November 11, 2010

I Want Realness

I do this a lot. You probably do, too.

Preach. In my head. To myself - my singular audience.

After I finished one of sermons yesterday, I got off on a tangent. About what I really want for our family. Realness.

I don't want perfection. Perfect parents. Perfect kids. Perfect order. Perfect house. Perfect clothes. The "perfect look." I don't want to look like we have it all together because we don't. Besides, that is just a look anyway. The perfect family does not exist. Plus, the more you try to look like you have it all together, the more people pity you. Because everybody knows it is just an illusion. Not real.

Not for me. Give me what is real.

Real parents. Real children. Real freedom. Real mistakes. Real forgiveness. A real family in a real home where the real Jesus dwells. And we relish in real grace.

It doesn't help anyone when you are too busy trying to maintain that look of having it all together. People are too busy hurting. The only way to serve is to share of yourself, your mess. Then, healing will come and arise from the heap of ashes. Out of messy communion. And that is what I want.