Blogging

I realize I am a late starter when it comes to blogging, I have a whopping two months under my belt. But I get the draw and even addiction of posting about the inconsequential and substantial happenings in your life that warrant a 'comment' from friends and the occassional 'anonymous'. Blogging is fun and impersonally personable, which is why I like it.

But, as much as I like the medium, I can't help think that all this blogging is really pointing to something else we could be potentially lacking...a place (or people) we can share the intricate details of our life with. I don't know if is is just me but I find I am more likely to share life's experiences on a computer than when I am looking someone in the face, eyeball to eyeball. It's easier to emote something and throw it out there on the world wide web indiscriminately, than to have that same life-sharing exchange with another person. Or maybe the difficult thing is finding someone (or a group of people) who you can be you around and they love you inspite of your idiosyncrasies, and you, them.

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I think blogging can be a form of community for the intimacy-challenged. I hate to say it but I have had more insight into others thoughts, feelings, and struggles in their lives by reading their blogs, than by living nearby them for years. How does that happen?? Has that been your experience? We have to find a way to actually live together in community and carry one another's burdens.

My wife has a belief that desserts taste better when shared with loved ones, a foreign concept to me who believes the pie tastes better when I get to eat all of it myself. Though we may differ on our philosophy of desserts, I think she is on to something when it comes to relationships. Life is so much richer when shared.

I've been thinking a lot about community. Here's some of my thoughts; how I see it looking: a small group of (families) Believers, offering and sharing their lives as they live out life's challenges together. They switch weekly whose house they will meet at (so at least every house gets a good cleaning once a month). Every week it is someone else's trun to bring their version of the best chocolate chip cookies, tea, and Starbucks' latest overpriced coffee.

Everyone shares life's true challenges, 'Should the kids be home-schooled or public school?' 'This job opportunity opened up, but not sure I take it...' 'We're having trouble with our 2-yr old, Help!' 'What's the recipe for this chicken? It's amazing!' 'We're going through a tough phase in our marriage, can you pray for us?' This is the good stuff life is made of that we need to share. The all important and not important at all.

Over the course of the evening, the activities include: a time of prayer and sharing, some eating, maybe more prayer, playing with the kids, all of these and maybe more but in no particular order. Some good jokes and stories, hugs and handshakes round out the evening. "Talk to you tomorrow" "We'll set a playdate for the kids" "Thank you for sharing your heart with us tonight" and "Can't wait to do it again" are the comments as everyone returns to their own house having just been edified, encouraged, and genuinely loved by one another. That's what I want.

Do you have anything like this in your life? Do you have a group of friends you are living life with? How has that impacted your life? Are you still looking for that community? Have you found it at church? Or does the busyness of life relegate your relational interactions to only fb and blogging?