true selves

My head's been in another place these past few weeks, so much so that I forgot to meet with my Lighthouse prayer partner three separate times this week. Very embarrassing. I think part of it is that I've had very little time to process all the different things that have happened lately, and my head's kind of just full.  I was telling someone earlier that I feel like God is getting ready to do something big, but I have no idea what it is and maybe its because my head's just too full.

I've realized that I'm very sensitive to ideas or attitudes that lie behind actions and words.  I'm not very good at it quite yet, and I'm learning lately to ask good questions and really lead a conversation to where it ought to go.  But some part of me really wants to understand why people work they way they do.  Humans are truly fascinating creations, aren't we?  We say one thing, the next day do something else.  The human mind is incredibly complex, so much so that I wonder if I will ever truly know someone in their entirety.  That's kind of intimidating upon first glance, but in reality, it makes life very exciting.  If I knew someone so well that I could predict their actions time after time, that would be such a boring relationship! We may be creatures of habit, but that doesn't mean that habits are all we are.  

I think I've forgotten that lately in my interactions with others.  I have a tendency to put people in boxes (thanks Larry Crabb - you some good) that are defined solely by one or two things.  I don't want to limit my interactions with others to be solely based upon one or two elements in their lives.  I want to continue to learn to ask good questions that I may uncover more of their life and more of how Christ has brought His new life into theirs. 

In turn, I want to be known in the same way.  I don't want to limit myself in my interactions with others.  I want to continue to uncover more parts of myself so that others can see my true self more clearly and take the opportunity to know me.  I think too often we limit ourselves in our relationships by always behaving a certain way around certain individuals because we feel the need to keep up appearances, or because "that's just the way we work together."  All too often do we allow our habits to define us passively, so that when we are known, all we are known as is "the guy who plays Halo too much " or "the guy that loves Lost a little too much" or "the girl who only says "like" in a sentence" or so many other things.  

I want to make the distinction that I am not saying we should be untrue to ourselves for the sake of being "different" around others.  Rather, I am saying that we need to allow our true selves to shine forth more than our false selves.  Let people know you for what goes on in your head, not what your hands do.  But remember that your hands need to match up with your head (James 2:17-18).

In the words of Steve Bays (lead singer of Hot Hot Heat), "unpredictability is my responsibility, baby."  

Hopefully that makes sense. Like I said, my head's kind of full as of now. Personally, I think I had a concussion, but some people don't think so. To that I say "whatever, dawg". I love Ireland.

Also, if you haven't listen to these songs/bands:

- Somewhere only we know by keane

- THE NEW COLDPLAY CD THAT COMES OUT TUESDAY!! 

- The Arcade Fire's cd "Neon Bible"