Another Kind of Radical.

Morning has come again … slow and long and delightful. Ang and I woke up late, made a sweet and savory breakfast (hurrah for no more cafeteria food…for now at least) and talked about our Jesus. When I say that, it sounds cliche coming off my lips. But seriously, we talked about our Jesus. We're wondering this morning if extreme living is the way of the Gospel.

Have you heard of Sabine Ball? I only learned of her a few years ago, but her story is a radical one.

Sabine (pronounced like "Sabrina" without the "r") was a Corrie Ten Boom for many in the seventies. The short story is that she was a millionaire who sold everything to open a commune in southern California as an evangelistic outreach to hippies, calling the property "The Land". Over time, everyone living in the commune responded to the Gospel message and moved to make the commune a Christian commune. They renamed the place "The Lord's Land". To the end of her life, she owned no more than 2 dresses; she wore one while washing the other, and gave every penny away. Radical, if you ask me.

And what Ang and I were pondering over our eggs is this: is that how we're to live? Somedays I wonder if it is. Do I resist admitting it because it would be difficult? Because it would mean no Seminary or new clothes or going out for coffee? Maybe… or maybe it's not the call of every life. Maybe we're called to find another means of being radical. Maybe there's another call, equally exquisite and daring, which takes a very different face?

I'm not sure…

But, Ang is off to an interview this morning, and I'm sitting in a lonesome house with a pot of coffee. And I'm going to ask my Abba about it. You know, there are many wonderful things about traveling and staying with great people, but, in doing so, you never really get to be alone. And my introvert is getting a bit weepy. So I'm going to sit on this orange couch with Bach on in the background and look out this window at all the little cottage-like homes and talk to our Lord about these things.

I'm going to ask, to think, to ponder, and wonder if maybe this is itself the other radical way.