Well Amber and I are off on our weekend getaway to Tampa, FL.  When I pack for vacation I know I will not be around my normal group of people, both family and friends, so I tend to dress a little differently.  Maybe a little more like I wish I could on a normal basis but tend not to in case of ridicule or embarrassment.  I think that is the way most people approach vacation clothes.  Go a little bit further, try something new, wear something you wouldn't be caught dead in back home.
    Church retreats are very similar.  We get away, talk about things that are real to us, sharing things we wouldn't be caught dead sharing back home.  We open up in a real and raw way.  People begin to see why you are the way you are and then have a greater appreciation for the things you deal with on an everyday basis.  But come Sunday, it's back to our church personalities where everything is great and everything was wonderful this week.   What if church each Sunday was more like a church retreat: Real and Raw?  I just hope we don't have to wait until we are in heaven to be that transparent.