Ah, ha!

"The word community comes from the word common. Community isn't really created -- it's discovered. We discover what we've had in common all along." - Rob Bell in a note in Sex. God.

I had an "ah, ha!" moment today. Why is it that they're all, those ah, ha! moments, ultimately, "of course!" moments? I don't think I've ever in my life had a real insight that didn't, in retrospect, feel so painfully obvious I was almost embarrassed to say it out loud. This instance is no different.

It happened when I read this: "I'm part of a community, a movement of people who have been living, exploring, discussing, sharing, and experiencing new understandings of the Christian faith" (Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis, p. 14).

Remember in the Peanuts comics, when Lucy was counseling Charlie Brown (Psychiatric Help - 5 cents - The Doctor is IN). She'd suddenly hit on something, and Charlie Brown would shout, "That's it!" and Lucy would go rolling over backward at the force of the exclamation. That was me today, bowled over backward. Only to get up and think, "Duh."

When I read that line, I felt deeply jealous. That's what I want. That's what I want. That's what I want.

Then I thought again about the lines about community and commonality. When I first read them earlier today, I though, "Huh. I never thought of that before. I need to think about that some more." Then the ah, ha! happened, and I did think about it some more.

There are people, in my life right now, with whom I have this in common -- the desire to live, explore, discuss, share, and experience new understandings of the Christian faith. If I knew who they were, we'd have community, and maybe, just maybe, I'd understand how God is calling me to be the church. If only I knew who they were...who you are...