"Whoa! That's got like a lemony touch to it..."

That title is what I just heard E. say from the kitchen. He and S. are cracking and tasting a whole coconut left over from our luau party decorations... I think he just tasted the coconut milk. Perhaps there's a future in restaurant critiquing for this guy...

There's a girlie at the coffee shop I go to most often who has the most fabulous, long, dreadlocked hair. Some days she weaves shells into her hair. And sometimes beads. It doesn't hurt that she's about a size -2 and has a gorgeous face, but I pretty much want to marry her.

Yesterday, S. told me we should ask her name, so that we don't always have to call her "Dreadlock Girl."

So we did.

Her name is Brandy.

We all pretty much have a crush on Brandy.

She lives just around the corner from us. I haven't told her I know that, because that would seem stalker-ish. But I recognize her car and I see her walking her dog all the time. She burns incense in her flower beds.

I've always been intruiged by free spirits. I used to imagine myself one, but I know in my heart that there is too much stuffiness and ugly traces of legalism in me to truly have that 'I don't care what anyone thinks of me' attitude. It's admirable to be so true to yourself, I think.

My friend Corey has spent the last almost 20 years slowly letting her free spirit come out. It's a journey I have loved watching. She's more beautiful now than ever. Really.

I think being a Christian and a free spirit is a fabulous combination. I know a couple of these people, but they are few and far between. Organized religion has very little room for free spirits to move and stretch their wings. I think there are a lot more out there who have been boxed in and are just dying to know what it feels like to burst out... I think probably they're terribly afraid of the reaction they would get. And unfortunately, the reaction in a large percentage of churches would not be good.

(Just a little sidenote to acknowledge that I had no idea this is what I would write about today and that I'm not sure how I went from lemony coconut milk to repressed free-spirits... but I'm going with it...)

But think with me here. What if Brandy, (who obviously is not concerned with conventional appearances and is totally comfortable being different) were a believer? That ability to press on in her beliefs about who she is without fear of rejection or judgement could translate into an amazing ability to talk to people about Jesus. And to be a walking talking picture of how Jesus loves us - not for our outward appearance or social acceptability - but because he's GOD! And he is LOVE.

I don't know. I wish the church loved people completely, without expectation or uniforms or judgement.

I think my church does a decent job at this. But I know that the ex-church looks down it's nose at churches like mine...

I just think Brandy should have a church she could show up at and just be loved. Not 'looked at' or talked about... just loved. 'Cause I love her. And I'd love to have her by my side in heaven.

And heck, that's better than marrying her.