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real light living

Sometimes We Will Say Crap

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I’m about to go rogue here… writing on the Allume blog out of order, but here goes.

One of our dear Allume contributors messaged me the other day and said she’d written the word “crap” in her post and wondered if she’d be allowed to post it.  Of course, she said she could change the word with no real ill effect to her post, but she asked about it nonetheless.  It set off a few comments and emails with thoughts to either side of use or avoidance, and I’ve been left thinking about it all for 4 days now.

And here’s what I have to say about it.  Take it as a thought, or maybe even I’ll be so bold as to use the word manifesto.  But here’s where I stand, and here’s the place I’m going to ask the Allume community to accept.

Sometimes we will just say “crap” here.  And sometimes we won’t.  And I won’t judge any single person for whichever route they feel is the one for them, and I’m going to be so bold as to ask you not to judge on either side of the coin as well.

As a community, we are a melting pot of personalities.  And that is the beauty of this space.  This is who we are…and we are real.  We do life in real life just as we do it for the world to see on the Allume blog…and there is grace, and we accept people as they are…as they come….crap and all.  I want there to be freedom here to have people express themselves, their stories, and God in their stories, and to know that this is a place the gives grace and love and doesn’t hold up any sort of “holier than thou” standard.  We all fall short…and not a one of us is deserving of the grace we’ve been given.

No don’t go freaking out that we’re going to start having spouts of profanity all over the place here, but do know that this is a place of grace and truth and sisterhood.  And if you happen to be the saint who’s never even muttered an ugly thought or word under your breath, please volunteer to guest post or something, because we all need to know your secret to success in perfection!

The truth is though that sometimes life doles us what may feel like crap.  Or some days you may feel like crap.  And that’s just real life.  But here’s the thing…and even Paul said it in Philippians 3:8-10 that …

All the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.

It’s all crap compared to the life and righteousness we have in Christ.  And the righteousness you have isn’t given to you because your speech is always flowery… or your life for that matter.  There is room in the Kingdom for people who say crap (or even worse)…and there’s room in the Kingdom for the people who’d never dare to even spell out the word on paper or in a blog post.  There was room at Jesus’ table for his disciples and tax collectors and prostitutes.  And there’s room at this Allume table for all of us too.  He is better than all of it.  He redeems all of it.  And He doesn’t exclude any of us, like it or not. Whatever it is that you’re coming here to get…know that it’s not changing.  But know that this place is a place for “Real Light Living”… and in order to be real, sometimes we just might say crap.

Comments

  1. Love this… just like there is no real piece unless there is a storm, there’s wouldn’t be grace if not for crap. Thanks for sharing!

  3. This is why I love writing in this space – I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not, someone who has it all together. And Lord help me if someone who reads my writing thinks “crap” is the worst I’ve ever said or thought. In the end, it’s not about the words we use or how we relay the message – for me it’s about letting someone else know they aren’t alone and that God loves them. And that there are people – like this community at Allume – who love them and show grace in all of the messy, beautiful, LIFE we’re all living.

    • Don’t ever pretend to be someone you’re not! God made you you for a reason and your voice is the one we love over here Crystal!

  4. I’ll join the Kris & Kimberly in saying I love this too. You have said it so very well and there IS room for all of us at the Allume table and at the cross.

  6. Thanks for leading this conversation so beautifully, Logan! I will always, always vote on the side of authenticity and grace. And I love that you– and the Allume community– do, too.

  7. oh goodness. i’m tired and caffeinated and this just made me giggle…thanks for the honesty and the acceptance and the LAUGH this morning!! 🙂

  9. And this is why I love reading the Allume blog. The ground is exceedingly level and the mesh of personalities/gifts/the ways God uses us all is just a beautiful tapestry of grace. REAL life. Thank you, Logan, for your example 🙂

    • Thank you Ashlie! Love what you said about level ground! Level indeed!

  10. Logan, I say the word crap in my speech and never apologize… Loved this post!

    • Me too! But it is important to recognize no one way is better than another! We are all righteous because of Jesus… Not because of what we say or don’t say!

  11. Oh Logan. This was great! I sometimes say crap (and other things) from time to time. I have been somewhat dreading the Allume conference (I am a newbie) because I felt I would be surrounded by these perfect women with halos and wings, neither of which I have. Or by women with a list of do’s and don’ts which I could never abide by. I really appreciate your broaching this subject with love, grace and honesty.

    • Not. Perfect. At. All! Not a one of us without Jesus! Come and be you at Allume and know you will find more authenticity than you even imagined!

    • I loved that Christina! Funny thing too… But I have those boots in brown!

  13. I do know..as I look around my real world, and real heart and while walking with my REAL Savior.. that crap still happens. If I was allowed to take some artistic liberty and use my holy imagination, I’m convinced that part of what Jesus might have said in the temple that day was “get all this CRAP out of here!!!” And he meant it. Sometimes, I do too. So glad God led me to this community.

  14. I love this!! The space to be real and honest is a gift! I’m so thankful for your leadership here, Logan. You offer this whole community the blessing of grace … to be who we are, where we are. All the while pointing us back to the One whose righteousness is all we have to cling to.

    • I’m not even sure how to respond to these kind words… Except to say thank you and grace isn’t even my gift to give… Just to remind us all that it has already been given!

  15. Love a no judgement zone. Love a place to be real and know that others are being real, too – real with the great and real with the crap.

    • Real living in the light of Jesus! I believe he shows up in it all too! The great, and the crap!

  16. Logan thank you for not sugar coating this place, this discussion, the words that flow from the heart of a contributor. I love the title of your response piece. You had me at crap.

  17. Oh my goodness, this cracks me up.
    Logan, you’re terrific. I don’t particularly like the word “crap,” and I don’t use it very often, but sometimes … there it is. 🙂 Thankful for grace of all types today!!!

  18. Oh this post made me laugh out loud. I’m not sure what kind of feedback you’ll be getting from it. We recently had to stop saying the word “crap” in our our house, because well, I know not to say the word crap in the church sanctuary but certain youth pastor’s children don’t really know when and when not to use the word 🙂 I’ve switched over to “good gravy” as my expletive of choice. Now senior ladies at church won’t pass out when they hear my precious children get frustrated.

  19. BLESSED to be a part of the Allume writing team. These sisters are REAL. And it is refreshing to say how we really feel, and to have that freedom with no condemnation!

  20. And the community said, “Amen to that!” Not a one deserving of the grace, not a one. This is what makes a limb such a beautiful and real community. Thank you, Logan.

  23. Funny, I have never given it much thought. I grew up in a home where profanity flew fast and furious- that I was not “allowed” to use. As I grew up there were some “all purpose” words that were my substitutes and that was one of them. It has served well in that sense. Sometimes it means stuff, or garbage, or you’re talking trash; or it becomes just a word that the using of it instantly reveals much more than the sum of its letters. It works really well in frustrating situations and I suppose that when it comes right down to its dictionary meaning it is a word that we should refrain from using in our everyday conversations- especially when there are “little pitchers with big ears” around! It was drilled into me not to use a profane word because it was a sign of laziness, a crutch that took the place of the effort of choosing the right word for the situation; but sometimes the frustration level gets so high, that we let it fly!
    as in “Oh, crap!!!” Thanks for the grace.

  24. Thank you for these words welcoming all to the Lord’s table! I grew up in a non-believing home and four letter words far worse than crap flew around the table on a daily basis…..from my parents, grandmother, and eventually us kids as well. Since coming to know the Lord, He has daily been retraining my mind in less profanity. You’re making this a safe place to seek His grace. Thank you again.

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