Fragrance.

They say that smell is the sense that is most tied to your memory.  We are entering into a season where there are many different things that jog our memories.  Trees, cookies, candles, smoke from the fireplace, foods, drink (go soy eggnog!), a crisp winter day...you name it.  For some, these fragrances and memories are wonderful and filled with joy.  For others, smells may bring feelings of sorrow or sadness.  The next month or so is filled with different kinds of emotions.

As some of you may know, I currently inhabit my parents' dining room.   In this room is a hutch, and there is a drawer that is filled with candles.  It's sort of like the go-to drawer when it comes to candles in our house.  Hence, it smells really really good when you are near it, like a magical box that leads to Narnia.  If one could fit in a drawer...??  And, when you open it - oh man.  It smells so good!  My mom has opened it several times to put candles around the house for Christmas, and every time I just sit there, close my eyes, and soak up the wonderful smell.  It sounds really dorky, but the fragrance of these candles is so beautiful.

While my parents were at a pot-luck tonight, I had to go to the bathroom.  This puts my sixteen-year-old sisters in charge of me going to the bathroom.  : )  They are so stinkin' cute, and they take such good care of me, but this happens to be their least favorite job.  So, one of them came in, and cheerfully helped me up onto the toilet.  Then she found out that I had to go poop.  All of a sudden, things changed.  She literally couldn't go any further without feeling like she had to throw up.  And she probably would have, so I just shooed her out.  Other fragrances started to inhabit my room until my amazing, wonderful, strong mother got home to rescue me.

I mean, maybe Christmas, candles, and poop aren't your thing.  Maybe it's the outdoors or the smell of a baby's head.  Maybe it's Dr. Pepper lip gloss or gasoline.  Maybe it's the smell of burning leaves or wood stain.  Your house, your grandma's house, your car, your garage.  Fragrance really impacts how we feel and function as human beings.  It can create a sense of calm, or it can create a sense of panic. Or, in my case disgust and vomiting brought on by bodily functions that I talk way too much about. 

I was watching a few video interviews today with Shane Claibourne in them, and got to thinking about this idea of fragrance.  Shane is a Christian (in the interview they called him a "new type of Christian", but I disagree.  I think a lot of people have been living their lifestyles like Jesus did for a long time - they are just not always well-known or documented people.)   He lives his life radically, purposefully, and Jesusfully.  To me, he is someone that has the fragrance of Christ just dripping from his heart and his body because he lives meekly, and walks humbly, but has confidence in his identity with Jesus.  He brings this marriage to light, the marriage of meeting the physical needs of the people around us, and sharing the hope found in Jesus.  The hope found in Jesus is found in both actions and words.  Shane called them, "two different sides of the same coin."  Sometimes in the church, I think we get caught up in one or the other, losing the balance found in the Holy Spirit

Before I moved back to Illinois, I lived in an intentional community with a family of three wonderful people.  Jen, Chad & HJ (we'll call her HJ in case there are any creepy people reading right now.  Like me...you'll see why in a sec.)  My housemate, Jen, has the most amazing perfume...I'm always making her uncomfortable by saying how much I like it.  She would let me wear it if I asked, but it doesn't smell the same on me.  I smell like a poser.  She doesn't know this (or maybe she does) but when she's not looking, sometimes I'll just stand by her creepily and sniff.  It's WEIRD, I know, but I'm drawn to her because she smells so good!  When it comes to being a Christian, this is how it should be.  Creepers like me should be coming up to us and sniffin' our hair, right?!  I think that each person has a fragrance.  Many people are turned off by Christians because there is a stench coming from their hearts; they do not have the fragrance of Christ covering them, and some people are drawn to Christians because they smell like Jesus.

The Bible even talks about fragrance.

 Song of Solomon 2:13 says, The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

This is the second time I've listed a verse about a fig tree.  You wanna know something?  I have no. clue. what the significance of a fig tree is.  None, whatsoever.  I think it's time for me to do a little research on fig trees.  

The book Song of Solomon in the Bible is a book that tells the story of a lover, and a beloved, and their friends - a bride and a groom.  It is a deeply intimate, and deeply descriptive picture of two people in love, and it's often rated PG-13.  Maybe even R for sexual content.  Sometimes I read things and I blush because it is so intimate.  (For those of you who have never read Song of Solomon, the sexual content is found between a married couple, thus making it Biblical and sacred - there are also verses for people like me, who are single: "Daughters [I would just say all single people] of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and does of the fields, do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." - 2:7...FYI)  There are many things to be found that can be applied to people who are in a relationship, and who are not in a relationship.  I've also heard of the book as an illustration of Christ's love for his church.  The church is often referred to as the Bride of Christ because of Jesus' love, sacrifice, and servant-heart towards it.

Being a part of the church, I can selfishly think of this image: me and Jesus are laying beneath a fig tree (which, obviously smells pretty good. Neither of us have farted yet.)  We look at each other, and all of sudden he says, "Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."  Talk about getting my heart racing - I mean following Jesus is exciting!  [For men, I don't know what you could picture him saying if you don't like being called beautiful...let's try something like, "Brother, come, you wilderness officianado, you're awesome, you rugged-looking young whippersnapper, come follow me, bro."    : )  

So when I read that verse, I realized that I am not a creeper!  I'm invited to follow him!  I can stop trying to sniff out what the deal is - I'm invited to the party!  I've really been challenged in the last couple of years to think about what Jesus is inviting me to come and do.  I think my ideas of what that looks like have been very self, comfort, and culture-based, but he invites us to do more than what we are able to even wrap our heads around.  He invites us to follow him.  Smells good to me.

Where do you think he will lead next?