Happy Thanksgiving

So maybe I have a taste for dark humor. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Lars and the Real Girl: Community & Grace

For me, one of the obvious topics that came to mind when thinking about discussing "Lars and the Real Girl" was community. Throughout the film, I was continually surprised by the direction their community took to support and love Lars. Even in spite of a few initial reactions by some members of the community, they eventually all authentically love and support Lars despite of his problems. The awesome thing about the community found in "Lars and the Real Girl" is simply that they loved him and kept him close and did not just try to make him fit into their mold. They didn't try to change him because, in the end, that would accomplish nothing. They let his delusion play itself out, and they let it do what it needed to do.

I think about the community that surrounded Lars in the film and think about how we do church and community in our lives today. All I know is that in "Lars and the Real Girl" is a picture of what our community should be as Christians and a times it is just that - but, sadly often it is not. All too often the church community pushes away, for example, homosexuals from the Church or our Christian community because of their lifestyle. But I am telling you, there is a way to live with solid biblical convictions and still be in the world. Furthermore, we as Christians and a nation have all too often separated ourselves from those who have different political viewpoints than ourselves. I guess all I am really trying to say with all of this is that I have a desire to see diversity in our Christian communities that does not have lines drawn in the sand. I have a desire to see the walls that seem to protect us from the outside break down so that we can interact with the community around us, and I have a desire to actually interact and love with those who do not yet know the truth of the gospel.

This film made me want to try even harder to love those who are different than I am, those who have baggage that I don't have. Loving someone unconditionally is perhaps the most radical thing on earth. I can't really change anyone's behavior, no matter if I think it is wrong or right, but I can love them. Society, religion or otherwise, often tells us that this kinda love is crazy or that this is a "watered down gospel," but I don't believe it is. The gospel of Christ is the most radical thing I have ever heard in my life. People understand hell, people don't understand grace. It makes me really think about how, as Steve Brown puts it, scandalous the freedom found in grace is.

I am still trying to work this one out. But the following is audio is from a podcast entitled "The God Journey" hosted by some of the guys that were involved in writing "The Shack" - and while I cannot claim to agree with everything they say, the following audio brings up so many great points for conversation.

The God Journey Podcast - Pathway to Real Freedom

Agree or disagree, either way it is an interesting conversation. And honestly I am still sorting through this one myself as well.

Lars and the Real Girl: An Introduction

I just watched "Lars and the Real Girl" for the second time last night and it has really inspired me to write about a few topics that can be seen in the film - community and grace. It is taking me a little while to wrap my head around what I would like to see regarding these topics, so I thought I would start by posting an introduction to what is going to be a series of posts. If you haven't seen the film yet, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It is one of the best films I have seen in years. For me it is up there with Juno. If you have seen it I would love to hear about your first impressions and reactions to the film.

I have embedded the trailer of the film for anyone that wants to get a brief idea of what the film is about. Hopefully more posts will soon follow in the next few days.

Lars and the Real Girl - Official Trailer

Let the games begin...

I was first inspired to blog by my good friends Justin and Erin. They have two of my favorite blogs out there (Check them out by clicking on their names). Like I said, inspired by their abundant creativity I begin a music blog a couple of months ago called, "Music Matters." Since then I have gotten the bug. I really enjoy listening to music and writing about it there. However, I began to desire a forum were I could talk about other subjects. Enter this little blog entitled Searching for Authenticity. It is here that I wish to take myself as much as anyone else, on a journey of authenticity. While I'm sure that I will not always achieve the authenticity I am searching for, I am certainly going to try. Here I wish to talk about anything and everything and be real about it - unashamedly.

If I had to pick on word to define my deepest desires for my relationships, community, faith, words, life, love, and coffee - it would be authenticity. I look around me today and I see a culture that largely lacks such a adjective. Yet, at the same time I see a culture that deeply desires it. You can see it everywhere like in post-modern architectural trends like new-urbanism. You can even see it in some of the movies and books that have recently become popular. But it's the saccharine version of what is real, its authenticity-light® - and it's just not real.

The great irony that we exist in is this - we all desire authenticity, but few of us are willing to risk what it actually takes to get there. But it doesn't have to be this way. I believe we can all discover the God-given authenticity that we desire; however, I also know that it will be a radical journey that is sure to have a few bumps along the way.