Crazy & How To Get There...

Been thinking about my husband and my way of life lately. Lot's of "chatter" going on as we prepare to do another "odd" thing like Mongolia. Interesting and challenging to stop and reflect. We come from a long line of crazy. If you can think of a sin we can confirm that it's in our family line. Can we just pause here and say that there's a lot of freedom in that...knowing that there's nothing new under the sun and that you need a Savior. It's been a journey to see all of us fight for freedom. Mental illness on both sides of our families - and nobody thinks they're crazy. HA!!! And I guess when I stop to think about the life the Lawman and I live I can see how people think we're crazy. Really, we think we're crazy too. It just takes us a quiet moment to see it sometimes in the fray.

Wedding Day 1992

When we met we were 15 and 16 years old. Both of our families were in very hard places and I think we were both looking for "normal" - actually, "normal" was an idol for me. We were out to make Normal king and crazy a childhood memory.

We married four years later and we were both so excited to start our lives that we didn't stop to think that getting married so young would cause others to begin the cycles of gossip and speaking words over us that we now know are not *Words of Life*, but rather death. Things like "They'll never make it." "It's going to be so hard for them, marrying so young." "They don't even know how to use birth control." "I'd be surprised if he finishes college." "They've ruined their lives...so much potential." My husband is better at rolling with the punches and I'll exhaust myself fighting. But there's always been something in both of us that loves a challenge and over time these just felt like more challenges. As my husband says to these types of comments, "Come on!" Love that boy!

Crazy, crazy, craaaazy!

Down through the years we would believe that the American Dream was our salvation from this long line of crazy. Everyone seems to be okay with the you if you're pursing that dream. It's normal. We had a good plan to achieve it too. Neither one of us are the "The ship's coming in!" type folks - we both believe in hard work and taking risks to see goals attained. So here's what our Normal Dream looked like - not joking, word for word and we had pursued and attained the means to get this plan up and running -

*Three kids, a new half million dollar home on an acre in the burbs, law partner, kids all in private schools and me a part of one of the Junior Leagues. Everyone a part of a church - on Sundays. Amazing vacations. Lawman possibly dabbling in politics. And a life of ease because our ROI's were going to pay off.*

Tada!!!! Was going to be beautiful! And it would have been the death of our hearts. To really do what Jesus put us here to do - the Burrs - what He has asked US to do would require a recalibration to Jesus. And it would be a long row to hoe. Waiting on the elements. And seeing Him produce a harvest.

Crazy, crazy...craaaaaaaazy!

The story has too many details - too many ways that Jesus came and rescued us from ourselves, maybe another blog post. :)  However, there have been several people along the way that - because of their crazy ways :) - have encouraged us. And that's meant everything. Everything.

Head shaving...*cray*

Our latest CRAZY is Mongolia. I knew of four people who would hear about it and would be super excited and encouraging. Beth, Aunt Pam and my parents. And they all come from this broken line called my family...the family line with all the "crazy". ;) That's what I love about people who are self aware - when you know you're *different* you just get happy when someone steps into their crazy too! All the normal people look at you like you've just told them the "President of the United States isn't Jesus and cannot change this country."

So the other day when I told my dad we were taking a 25% pay cut, losing a chunk of our bonus, selling our car, etc. to go to Mongolia he said "Well, I say GO FOR IT!!! God is going to take care of you, Dobber (my nick name:) and He will do His work in Mongolia." My mom was super encouraging too! Those are Words of Life. And they come from a man who knows what it means to be called "crazy" by people who really are themselves and from a woman mocked over decades because of the way she loves Jesus ~ if people only knew her story. Jesus means everything to her. Everything. When I told Beth about Mongolia she couldn't stop laughing because she was so excited for us and my Aunt Pam sent me her words of Life and encouragement about stepping into destiny.

Crazy, crazy...craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy!!

Over time you get used to be being weird and folks saying one thing to you and another when they're with people who thrive on comparison. When you compare yourself with others what you're really saying is "Am I normal? I'm normal, right? I'm really above average. Ok, good." At least that's what I do when I compare myself with others. But it's just so stinkin' empty! And who wants to be like everyone else??!!! I've never been good at being above average anyway - never could figure out the formula - and honestly, I'm prone to narcissism...'taint healthy to think about yourself so much!

I thought it was interesting what our Crazy Dream looks like as we've been married for 20+ years and fight to keep Jesus at the Center of everything. Everything.

*We live in the heart of the city in an old house with the rich and poor. We have six children. My husband has favor at the place he's worked for six years as a lawyer, but we call it his "fund raising" to do the things on our hearts instead of his identity. Our children are educated at home, one in private school - even a couple in college. I'm not a part of any clubs. Vacations are infrequent. No political agenda outside of the Kingdom. And the Bride is where we live our lives, not just on Sundays and they're crazy like us. :)

And more than any of that - we are living in the skin Jesus made the Burr Clan to live in in this generation:

• We are risk takers
• We thrive in hard
• What we lack in wisdom the Holy Spirit makes up for in Guidance
• A bit TOO comfortable with chaos
• Love people
• Believe that we can partner with Jesus to see the impossible happen
• Restoration and Potential are dangerous words for us - love them
• Believe that EVERYONE has a story to write, a best seller
• Have been stared at in public for so long we don't even notice it anymore
• We love Jesus more than anything

As we put a sign in our car to sell I'm not sure what the rest of this year will hold, but what I do know is that it only takes one or two or four people to cheer you and on and you will hear their voices above all the others who think "normal" will change the world. What. EVER!!!!!!

So get on with your *CRAZY* and ask Jesus to show you how He's wired you and what He wants you to do with Him to bring the Kingdom here to Earth.