little pink houses for you and me

When I was little, I loved John Cougar Mellencamp. I remember MTV ran a contest around the time he had a hit with Pink Houses where they gave away a pink house in the middle of nowhere (this was back in the days where you actually filled out contest info on a postcard and mailed it in to the drawing). The contest promos showed all of these people driving out to this house in the middle of a field where they were treated to a live concert. Good times.

Some friends have been talking about the possibility of moving into a community house - finding something big enough that could accomodate several people, married or single. Faithful readers know that this idea is close to my heart. Disloyal readers can catch glimpses here, here and here. Sarcasm inevitably enters the picture, and we end up sending each other links to places like this:

Even if I could secure the $98,000 mortgage (and pray that this place would pass inspection), could you imagine the cost of remodeling? I would insist, of course, on maintaining the pink exterior (it would match my pink-and-green kitschy kitchen). The yard art could go. I might consider converting some of the 15 full baths into walk-in closets (seriously - even with 10 bedrooms, there can not possibly be a need for that many tubs!).

So the search continues (for something a bit more realistic... at least until I'm in a better position to dream). However, the spirit of community being sought remains the same if it is our current duplex, a slightly larger home, or a decrepit estate.

In October, I will be attending the CCDA annual conference in St Louis, Missouri. I've been familiar (and espoused, at least in theory) the principles of the Christian Community Development Association since I was in college, but this will be my first year to make it to a conference. It just so happened to fall the week after my cousin's wedding, which I was already planning to drive up for, so I couldn't resist.

I was particulary excited about the opportunity to attend the pre-conference institute class on the principle of Redistribution - taught by Craig Wong and none-other-than Shane Claiborne. I've told friends I want to have coffee with Shane and pick his brain about how the whole Intentional Community thing works in practice. I know, of course, the more established way to gain this knowledge would be to read Schools for Conversion, or to actually attend a "school", but I like coffee.

So imagine my elation when I discovered today that there is actually going to be a Schools for Conversion Workshop Track at the conference (Can I get an amen?)! Happenstance? I think not. Pressure? Absolutely. But God is greater than my heart, and He knows everything. Who knows what he has up his sleeve for the Leadnow Conference...