Desiring Noise Again?

Sending a missionary couple (Apartment Community Advocates) into a new community is not an easy transition, especially if the community is in turmoil. With a number of evictions taking place over the past few months and other reasons - there is a lot of noise. Banging doors, yelling, police presence for a moment to check out the disturbances and other loud moments make for sleepless nights. It's noisy.

As I read too many books at once, The Shaping of Things to Come, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, Generous Justice and, oh yeah -- the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) I struggle. Maybe that's a little too much at once. Maybe it's exactly what I need. Am I that complacent? Do I need that much ignition to get me out of my comfort zone and into the neighborhood?

I feel a tug. Not really sure what it means right now, but there's definitely an uncomfortable-ness to life recently. I don't feel as comfortable in my home, my car or doing anything else I normally do. Is something about to change?

As I move people from our congregation into new neighborhoods to be Jesus to the people around them, I question if I'm being Jesus to my neighbors. Do my neighbors even know us? Do I know them? So that's where we're starting. Getting to know your neighbors is really hard in Texas. There are a lot of fences here and busy lives. Those two things coupled together make for a really quiet neighborhood.

Makes me long for a little noise again. Children in the yards, people out and about, and more talking. Are we in the wrong neighborhood now? Eek. I can't believe I asked that question. It's a great place. Nice streets, lights in all the right places, a community pool, community playgrounds, gazebos and even a community exercise area. Why would I feel uncomfortable here and long for the noise again?

We used to live in downtown Dallas, off Swiss Avenue, while we were going to seminary. It was a little noisy with the grocery carts rolling past, the roosters who obviously escaped their fighting ring, people fighting in the street, helicopters shining their lights through the streets and the normal ambulance picking up another dying person from the nursing home. I miss the realness of life. That noise.

I had someone look at me seriously and say, "be careful what you ask for." I know that. This isn't something I'm asking for, it seem to be asking of me. So here we are, our little family - a mama, daddy, spunky toddler and one on the way - ready for more noise.