God and Mr. Potato head

So, when you were a kid did you have a Mr./Mrs. Potato Head? I did (it was a Mr. for what it's worth). It was not my favorite childhood toy by any stretch of the imagination. In fact the two things that I found redeeming about the plastic spud was 1) you could hide his parts in his bottom and what young boy doesn't find that funny, and 2) that you could put the pieces in the most bizarre combinations. My siblings and I would put his lips where his ears went, his mouth on top of his head, or his try and place his hat where the eyes belonged. Yes, I know, we needed help. Or more time away from the television. Or both.
Why do I bring this up? Well, sometimes when I think about my own image of God it reminds me of Mr. Potato Head. Over the years I have picked up all sorts of bits and pieces about who and what God is. Through songs, images, films, writings and just talking to other people I have collected these various "God-parts" and then tried to assemble them on this thing I call "God" (who, for the record, is not plastic, shaped like a potato, or has a hinged bottom). I don't try to make God into some bizarre freak, but honestly, some days, God just looks like Mr. Potato Head. Even though the pieces fit, nothing looks right.
Yet, how do I know what God is supposed to look like? With Mr. Potato Head it was easy. He was designed to look like a plastic potato dressed up as a human (and you think I need help. What about the people who came up with this toy in the first place!) God? Well that is a bit more complicated.
This is why I am convinced that we need each other, why faith is not something we were destined to do by ourselves. Community is a place where I can bring my insights and share them with you and you share your what you have learned about God with me. The bigger the community the more "parts" we have to "play" with. Then we work together to put all these "God-pieces" in place. Do faith communities always get the parts in the right place? No. Sometimes our God looks like one really interesting Mr. Potato Head. When that happens we try again. That is why community is such an incredible gift. There is always another opportunity to listen and learn, to figure out who God is and what God looks like.