exposed

Unmasking with Friends

September 15, 2020 — Leave a comment

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.
Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.
Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you — better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
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Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:1-10, 17

There is nothing like crisis or the stripping away of routines & busyness to examine the health of our lives. We examine by looking truthfully at our relationships. Our relationships reflect what we care about, how we handle community and how we grow, and don’t grow. Every relationship is a mirror of us. Why are you connected to this person? Why are you still connected to this person? How do you care for this person? How does this person care for you?

This time is hard not being able to meet up with friends with the same ease and convenience like we once experienced. Even in those few times I do get to see my friends, it either feels heavier or so precious that after separation I sit with a depression hangover. I pray that still we push through and fight for those precious moments, and be honest with each other. There is little room and energy to keep being armored and masked. The world has stripped us of that so can we do that in our relationships. Can we be vulnerable and kind and honest? Can we truly, truly desire the good of those we love by showing up fully and showing up fully for them? Iron sharpens iron. This moment feels like a deep sharpening and that is painful. May we in this process experience the deep intimate love of true relationships.

CBG: Exposed

April 27, 2020 — Leave a comment

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loinclothes. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:7-13

Do you remember those days when you ran and danced around not thinking about how others viewed or judged you? You skipped in innocence and a lack of self-consciousness. You didn’t think about hiding because you didn’t even know you were exposed. You didn’t think you were in danger because you had no issue with being you, full and present.

That was what we lost in the garden. That is what we lost when we shifted from being a child feeling completely enough to the planting of the lie that we are not fully worthy. This is what we experience every time we feel judged, we close up, we protect. Often there is a real fear and we need to survive. Not everyone should have access to our most precious parts.

When we choose to hide and protect, is it out of fear or is it out of wisdom? When we close up, are we afraid that someone will see the deepest parts of us because we think they don’t deserve it, they might hurt us or it’s our only form of “power?” Is your protection and hiding actually more work than showing up fully even if it risks vulnerability?

How can we be fully exposed before God? Dear child, God wants it. He wants it! That is the only thing he wants: your full self, uncovered and in acceptance. God is compassionate. God is patient. God is gentle and kind and will draw nearer and nearer. May we not run. May we not blame. May we not continue these cycles of escape and shame. May God remind us that we were made to be exposed fully. Cultivating this relationship and space, is the ultimate education and practice to do it in the presence of others. If God can endure all of us, what can a mere human being do? It’s usually their own projections and insecurities anyway.

Prayer: God where am I hiding and locking in? God where do I need room? Fear and shame have no power in your presence.

Creative: Look at yourself in the mirror for a few minutes. Really look. Who do you see?

Brave: To whom in your life are you hiding from? Why? What would it look like to feel safe in that person’s presence? How can you build that?

Generous: Support a small business or freelancer for Mother’s Day!