Soo Behind on This!

I haven’t been on the internet in over a week now I think so today I am going to try and update wit several different points! So I know all my blogs here have been unbelievably scattered and deeply lacking any true writing skills so for that I again apologize. I am going to try to overcome some of those tendencies in this one by not filling you all in on absolutely everything I can fit into my 30 minute time slot, but rater picking a few areas to concentrate on.
Every day at 1 o’clock all the L’Abri community divides up into tables of about 12 and we meet for the heartiest (sp?) of the day at various workers homes throughout the lot. After the meal is dispersed onto everyone’s plates and we’ve had a few moments of quiet, the workers ask: “So does anyone have a question?”. And sometimes quickly or other times after prolonged silence someone at the table will say “I have one”. It can range from truly anywhere on the spectrum: “What is beauty?” “When did sin enter the world?” “How do we overcome shame?” “Why pray?” and anything else. We then proceed to analyze, discuss, and listen to varying opinions on this topic for the next hour or so over tea and dessert.
There are several things I’ve learned from this set up that are very valuable. The most obvious is that we are all seated together, at a table (therefore actually facing one another), with no distractions such as TVs to inhibit conversation. This seems obvious but we SO rarely do it in American culture unless we are actually out at a restaurant rather tan in a home.
Secondly, by posing a question to the entire group rather tan just the person on your left or your best friend the essence of community grows increasingly because you are discussing it jointly as a whole rather than as divided segments.
And finally, truly meaningful conversation is developed and as a result authentic community is dug into. This is a reslt of talking about things that are at the core of humanity, the spirit, or a religious faith rather than discussing such mindless and sometime self revolving topics as what you did today, what awaits you tomorrow, or the score of the basketball game.
Is it often uncomfortable? Yes. Sometimes confrontational? Absolutely. Does it make me rely heavily on my listening, thinking, and patient skills? Most definitely. But aren’t all of these aspects of true growth?
True intimacy is made when we are in a home together, packed around a table, and talking bout matters that are deeply impacting one another’s worlds. Obviously conversation doesn’t need to always be this intense but I’ve seen that an hour a day of it can be beyond enriching.