Happy Plastic People...

**DISCLAIMER: I am under NO circumstances trying to be harsh, preachy...I'm just simply writing down something that's been on my heart. If you don't agree, I'm ok with that! Really! And I'd love to hear everyone's opinions so feel free!**

"It's spooky when you're in church and the pastor is expounding thruths that describe you - and it would stun everybody else in the room to know that about you."

Words from Mark Hall in his book "Lifestories." Mark is the lead singer of Casting Crowns (my favorite group) and a man who talks about everyday life.

Mark is talking about his song "Stained Glass Masquerade." The first time I heard this song, I remember saying to my friend Staci, "I love this song! He says 'Happy Plastic People!'" It cracked me up! It was probably weeks...if not a month or so later...before I actually LISTENED (not just heard) to the words. And it was the second verse that hit me...

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

Well, thank you!!!!!!!!!!! Have you been there? Oh come on! You have! We've all done it. Someone asks you, "How are you?" "I'm fine." But you're really not. Your day stunk. You fought with your husband. You yelled at your children. You were mad at a co-worker. Not the same thing? OH YES IT IS! Wouldn't it amaze people if next time they said, "How are you?" we actually said, "Well, to be honest, not so good..."

But of course we're not going to do that! We're Christians! We've got God! And so we sit back and act as if life is good. Our marriage is good. Our fiances are good. Of course we get along with our children. And on top of all of that, we read our Bible like we should. We pray like we should. We reached out to others like we should...

HA HA HA! I'm not trying to sound harsh. I'm just trying to be truthful. And it is the truth isn't it? I think that sometimes as Christians, we come into church on the weekends saying, "This is a place of worship. We're supposed to lay our problems at the feet of Jesus and go on with our day." BUT WE'RE NOT! Yes, we are supposed to give our problems to God. Don't get me wrong there. But look at the body of people God has given us to share our lives with. These people aren't just in church with us to say hello, greet with every other month...or whatever else. These are just some of the people God has put into our lives to encourage us and pray with us...just as we are there for them.

And I know...we're always worried about what people are going to say. But the truth is, they've probably been there at one point or another. They may not have been through the same thing...but they've been there...they've been there when it feels like their world is falling apart or that they're not good enough...they've been there.

But don't we see other people the same way? When's the last time you took a look around your church? Don't we get the feeling that almost everyone is "ok." "Oh, look at them. They make a great couple." "Oh my goodness. That woman always looks so put together." Well, we want to be the "well put-together" Christian too!

Mark writes that he grew up in a church that didn't talk about personal sins and struggles and it made me think about how I grew up in church. And to be honest, the only time I remember hearing about personal sins was when someone was passing the "information" around. And I'm not saying all people were that way...I loved my church. I still do. These are people who helped raise me and loved me. But isn't that how we hear it? People get up and give their testimonies. And man, they've been through it! And they talk about God has brought them through. AND THAT IS AWESOME! But what about the rest of us...those of us struggling and don't know how to get out? No one is up there talking about that. And there are plenty of of us...

Isn't it funny how the world wants us to look one way...skinny, great skin, got it together...and sometimes how we feel we need to put on that same face for church? Really, when is the last time you heard someone get on the stage or pulpit on Sunday morning and say, "I'm angry at God!" Or "I can't seem to get myself out of this addiction." It's not often. And it's not because those people aren't there...

And some of you are saying, "No, those people I go to church with every week...they're not suffering with things like drug addiction...abuse..." BUT THEY ARE! People have struggles...all kinds! And if they can't come into the church and confess those and find a group of people that love them despite that, where can they go?

"It seems we're missing so much in the area of fellowship. If only we authentically knew each other, it would be so much easier to loosen up and accept and love each other."

Imagine your weekly worship...but different...you know each other. Almost like you know your best friend. All of your dirty laundry is out in the open. But no one cares cause there's is too. Wouldn't worship be a totally different experience? Wouldn't our fellowship with one another be totally different? Imagine feeling like it's ok to be you...because there are hundreds of others just like you...But God loves us all the same. We'd be completely open to what God has for us. How awesome would that be?

We've created this..."act." Like we've got it all together! And honestly, we don't!

"I don't think it bothers the world so much that we sin; I think it bothers the world that we act like we don't." (Mark Hall, "Lifestories")