Two Hippies

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 NLT

It's nice to have a week off, or sort of, I have to work today but, thats fine. Sip some coffee, this verse hits in different ways, peace out. It reminds of a restaurant Susan and I frequent a lot, two hippies. Two Hippies pizza, then there's Two Hippies taco's and there's Two Hippies Hamburgers. Really good stuff and good prices. The other day I went over there and thought, if Susan and I were to dress up for Halloween we would be two hippies. I love the Hippie culture, namely the concept of being real. I also think of how long it takes me to have peace of mind about things. Am I ocd about things? yes, certain things, then there are other things that I should be, that I'm not. I'll never forget the angry church meetings I used to attend back in the late 90's. My old church was going through some major stuff, simply because they had a history of not being real. It was evident that God was pulling everyone from this fake lifestyle they had no idea they were living in, but were so comfortable with. Then I ask myself, am I real? What is real. I read and think, I'm reminded of Forrest Gump, he was simple, and everyone around him lived a complex life, he just ran, he just played ping pong and wrote Jenny. Everyone just pitied him, but He knew what love was. He kept to his word. I get so complicated in my life at times, yet I'm very simple.  Do I let the peace from Christ rule in my heart? not always. I tend to go with my training and how technically things should work. I choose to judge and not love. I was telling stories to my daughter last night before bed about my childhood and recognized how much love I didn't have for people back then, how I didn't want to share my things, because they were mine and I worked hard for them. I was watching "The Help" a while back and recognized how the Hippies generation started. The children of these women would not have this lifestyle, so they rebelled because they wanted to be real. Hits me, this didn't happen just back then, but it's exactly why Christ came when He did, because we weren't real, He was, and is still. He came in peace and harmony and we just couldn't handle it, it wasn't according to our books, He didn't have an access code, He didn't have a name tag, He looked funny and talked funny, yet he was the real deal and they hated it. My identity is in Him, not in my videos, in my family, my marriage, the holidays, my skills, dirty truck, possessions, how good of shape I'm in, how many celebrities I meet, how many movies I have. I don't let Christ rule my heart, maybe in some things but not in everything, although He try's and I try to surrender. Am I thankful for all this? In the long run I am, Christ doesn't give up on me, He never will, because He's God and He's after me, He wants the peace to rule in my heart. The church I've been attending the last 10 years, came from the Jesus movement (one of the great awakenings). My pastor is always working to encourage us to live as Christ wants us to live, and its a challenge, He does this my being real (in my opinion) by sharing his life stories and strengths and weaknesses. Hits me again, God is going to use people in my life, to challenge me be real and He is real, I'm a Hippie, what can I say, I have to be real and only then will the peace of Christ rule in my heart.