Everybody's normal until you get to know them

I was in a meeting the other day with a guy from the human library. In case you've never heard of this lot, allow me to explain.

Some young people on an estate were given the challenge of coming up with an initiative that would help people overcome prejudice in their local community. I want to meet those kids. Their idea was to create a human library, where members of the public can go, take out a 'book', and ask that person any questions they like. 'Books' can have all sorts of titles, from the immediate (Refugee from Nazi Germany) to the mysterious (Blood in the water) - however the book wants to pitch it.

People have been using this concept all over the place - recently there were libraries all round Norfolk for Refugee week. It creates an amazing, fun opportunity to discover and explore worlds we maybe never even knew existed.

But hearing about this idea made me think a bit wider. If there's all these people out there with fascinating stories, why do I have to wait for someone to organise a gimmick event to talk to them? Why don't I just ask people I meet everyday their stories?

Example. I got tipped off about the cannily-named Canaries barbers down my road. Not only do they never haver a queue, but I end up discovering all sorts of stuff about my Algerian barber's love life, adventures across europe, and the Muslim scene in Norwich... all of which I know nothing about!

How many people do you live with, work with, hang out with, whose story you know nothing about? It's a scary thought. And if you're like me, there's probably many of them you struggle to hold an interesting conversation with, so they just become awkward to be around. It makes me think of a John Ortberg book: Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them.

What would happen to our homes/workplaces/social circles, if one day soon, in a lull in conversation, we just asked, 'so, what's your story?' 'What brought you here? Where are you going next?' I think these communities might end up looking more like we all wish they did. And it's dead easy - we don't even have to do any talking!

Why not try it out this week, and see what happens? Then if it inspires you, post up your experience on here. Let's go and make use of the great, free, world wide human library!

Hello hurricane

"Everything I have I count as lost
Everything I have is stripped away
Before I started building I counted up these costs
There's nothing left for you to take away."
cv
This one is basically the secret of living freedom. It's that thing about expectations - when you expect Indiana Jones IV to be good, you leave the cinema feeling personally cheated. When I went having heard every damning review, I had a great time. The film was the same. But it didn't get me down, because I had realistic expectations. Similarly, I enjoy watching England play at the world cup, because I know they're going to mess it all up.
er
When I said 'yes' to Jesus, I knew I was saying 'yes' to a lot of trouble. I didn't know how it would all feel, but like when I had my bags stolen on the way to Entebbe airport, I am able to say 'of course. I knew this was coming. And it's ok.' Because it also reminds me of the reason I made such a mental commitment - the living God called me; Jesus, gracious and compassionate, abounding in steadfast loving kindness, repaying injustice to the 4th generation, and forgiving to the thousandth. All trouble can do it take me away from my hollow comfort in this world and remind me how great he is.

This is your life

"This is your life. Are you who you want to be?
Is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger
And you had everything to lose?"

I'd forgotten. I'd forgotten - again - that I decide how my life goes. What I do, where I go, what I think about, how I feel. People constantly lean on you with their expectations, and I'm a sucker for it. Sometimes I even give in to expectations people don't even have or express! Or I just go with the flow of life, look back and wish I'd done those things I excitedly visualised but gave up on when it didn't happen like I'd expected. I felt a great surge of freedom to remember that I have the power to choose my destiny.

And as I talked to Dan on the way home, I was heartened to be able to say honestly, 'Yes, yes it is. I'm doing the things I thought heroic in 'high school'. I couldn't imagine then what it would feel like, but I still think I was spot on.' I feel like smirking whenever I tell someone 'what I do', thinking, 'I'm actually doing this!'

Switchfoot reflections

Me and Dan went to see Switchfoot the other week. I rarely go our of my way for live music, so this is quite significant. Jon Foreman has become one of my favourite writers; and one of my heroes. My favourite artists are always those who seem to express my deepest feeling about life. The experience of reading thir book, listening to their CD, whatever, is made sublime by it's resonance. 'Yes!' I cry (sometimes out loud, in public places), 'that's it! That's exactly how it is!'

ewioj

What was remarkable about the gig wasn't the family-like interplay between band and fans - Delirious top them there. Nor was it the contrasting moments of utter musical euphoria and raw humanity - yes U2. The power of this gig wasn't in the experience at all, but in the series of plot twist revelations about life - the sudden rememberances of truth that colour everything different to how it was before. I thought I'd share some with you. Keep reading...!