SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

Author: J Brad Mitchell

  • The Dream Job?

    Can you imagine this job posting?  You begin your search online looking for just the right position.  You know your qualifications…you know your education level…you have a good feel for your abilities.  You search like you have done so many times.  Only this time is different…there is a very different position that causes you to stop and ponder…your eyes can’t leave the screen…you can’t even move on.  There it is…Executive Assistant.  It’s not that this is a unique position.  It’s not that this is something you have never considered before.  It is the boss that catches your eye…the ‘executive’ you would be assisting.  You would be the right hand to this person who is famous…and well known… People read all about him.  When he speaks, people listen.  It’s not that they always do what he says…but they at least listen, they can’t help it.  He has that spark.  He captivates when he gives speeches.  His stories are riveting.  You can’t believe that this is actually an option…so you apply…and you hold on…if you get this position, you know your life is about to change forever…

    Driving to work a couple of days ago, I was listening to a podcast as I often do.  This particular segment was focused on what people think would make them happy…dream jobs and such.  There was a survey conducted that asked respondents if they would rather be the president of Harvard or an executive assistant to someone famous.  A large majority chose executive assistant.  When they were asked who they would like to be an executive assistant to…the first person was Je-Lo (Jennifer Lopez).  The second was Jesus.  That caught my attention.  I was not surprised that people would want to be Je-Lo’s assistant.  She’s famous and seems to have a lot of redeeming qualities of someone you would like to be around.  But then to hear…Jesus.

    What might it look like to be Jesus’ assistant?  To be an executive assistant is one who plans trips, takes care of speaking engagements, makes sure the logistics from one place to the other are taken care of.  A really good assistant would know what the person needs and wants before they even speak.  They would be right there for it all…at their beckoned call…to assist in any way possible.

    I’m not sure if the respondents considered what it might be like to assist Jesus.  He wouldn’t want to be booked at a large speaking venue.  He wouldn’t want to have his face plastered in Times Square.  I can’t imagine that he would want to be interviewed by the Today Show.  It seems to me that he might have his assistant book him a flight to the poorest parts of the world…the forgotten places…the places where no one would go.  I think he would want to go meet people who are out fishing or in the middle of the field…people in prison or in the middle of a board room.  You might have to spend time in places where there was no bathroom or houses or even quality food.  This is where I am sure we would see Jesus.

    But, isn’t the Executive Assistant Position really what we should have as Christians anyway? Isn’t that already our position? Following Jesus…watching him work…going where he tells us to go…reaching people he wants to reach…feeding people who are hungry…going to the places that no one else would go…doing the dirty work…loving the unlovable…going out into the world to show his love to all you meet.  That sounds like the call to be a Christian to me.  So maybe we already have the call to be an Executive Assistant and we don’t even know it.  Maybe we have that dream job and we just haven’t accepted it.  Maybe it is time we actually started following Jesus and reaching…the least of these…

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  • Surprising strength…

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    In the picture…do you see it?  It is just to the left of the large tomato plant.  It is small, almost not recognizable, but it is there.  It is a smaller tomato plant that is growing.  It all started with trimming.  The larger plant to the right of it had a section that needed some attention.  This part of the plant ended up breaking off.  The instant, logical answer would have been to throw it away.  It is, after all, nothing more than a mistake…an error…something that came off in the care of the plant.  The tomato plant itself would continue to grow without it.  It would go on to produce tomatoes and would not even notice that this part had been disconnected.  But…it wasn’t thrown away.

    As my mom held it in her hand, she saw potential.  She saw a possibility in this.  So she simply stuck it in the garden next to the other plant.  There was nothing special done…just stuck it in the dirt so that it would get the same water and nutrients as everything else in the garden.  At first, it struggled.  It was in a new environment…on its own…not connected to the life source it had always known.  It shriveled and looked as if it would die.  It looked like nothing more than a weed.  We didn’t pull it.  We just let it adapt.  We just watched and watered.  And then we watched it start to grow.  I have been amazed to see this little stem…this little bit of seemingly insignificance start to grow and get stronger.  It is beginning to flourish.  Will it produce actual tomatoes?  I guess that is to be seen.  But it definitely is holding its own…well, with a little water and love like everything else in the garden needs.

    In my small, limited view, I couldn’t help but think this might just be how God sees us sometimes.  The world may see us as small and insignificant, but God sees potential for fruit bearing in us.  We struggle to find out who we are.  We struggle to adapt to a new environment.  We can feel like nothing more than a little sprig in a great big garden.  It may seem as though we aren’t going to do what we were created to do.  And then we get it…we hear his voice…we feel his presence…we are overwhelmed by his love…and we begin to flourish.  We flourish because we are made by him and cared for by him.  We flourish in the hopes that we will too bear fruit as we are created.  We flourish to show others that what the world calls insignificant, God calls strong…loved…filled with purpose…valuable…his beloved.  In your struggles, keep growing and keep watching…God can do mighty things with just a little willingness.  Stand tall…for you have a purpose.

  • The hidden enemy within…

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    One of the joys for me over the last couple of months has been watching the garden grow.  What started as just a few little plants has blossomed into a beautiful garden that has already produced several dishes on a hot summer-like afternoon.  There is something unique and special about being able to cut up a vegetable that you planted and then watched grow.  I can’t quite describe the feeling of eating from my own garden – it is as if I was a partner with God in the growth of this crop.  I planted and watered – he took care of the rest.  It gives a new perspective on creation and the importance of being a good steward of the world God has given us.

    Today, I had the opportunity for my morning visit and tending of the garden (something I really look forward to as the sun comes up).  Some of the garden is beginning to show signs of fatigue…we have been fighting pests that want to eat the collards and cabbage…and now the squash leaves are being attacked.  It is still a joy to tend the garden, but a little disheartening to see the slow destruction by little enemies I do not even see.  They eat away at the beauty of the garden when I don’t even know they are there.  Don’t get me wrong…I am grateful for the crop I have already been able to get from the garden.  I am grateful for the okra that are starting to appear, the tomatoes that are green but show delicious potential.  The zucchini continue to come along slowly with their massive overwhelming leaves.  It is not that I have missed the joy and the beauty.  It is more that I am amazed at the things that eat away at the creation that aren’t even seen.  Often they are there before you know it and you spend the rest of your time trying to combat what you didn’t even know was there in the first place.

    Isn’t that often what happens to us?  We are going along great…feeling joyful…enjoying life.  We are being productive, feeling good about our small but significant contribution to the world.  But if we are not careful…if we are not alert…if we are not paying attention…little things can be destroying us and we not recognize it.  For me, I am most alert to this when I am still and silent.  I am most aware of those little things that are going on when I am listening…when I stop the hectic pace of the day.  I am awakened to my disease when I read God’s Word.  I realize that I have a life that is wonderful and I am grateful.  I have a life that needs to be tended to and watched carefully so that I can grow and develop into what God has created.  I have to be aware that there is an enemy that wants to destroy but I have a God that is bigger than the enemy.  If I want to flourish and produce and be all that I am created, I have to be aware of the things that may be trying to take me away from my purpose.  What may be distracting you today?  What is it that may be eating away at you this morning that you haven’t considered?

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  • I saw you…

    To my Dad…

    I saw you the other day at a funeral.  It was just a glimpse, barely caught your image as you walked by.  It took my breath for just a moment.  I wondered if I could continue with what I was saying…would the words continue to come without being able to take the next breath?  Your presence was felt, known, experienced.  It was as I feel the hot summer breeze…not really seeing but feeling the presence.  It is the first time in the last 3 years I have caught that glimpse.  It was not scary…but comforting.  It was right where I would expect to find you…at a graveside service.  Not because it happens to be the same cemetery that your body was laid to rest…but because it is a place you spent many hours providing words of comfort…stories of joy…love for a hurting family.  It was the place you have stood so many times and proclaimed the good news of God even as your time was drawing shorter.  It was the place you found yourself at home…doing what you loved…giving of yourself for others.  I am thankful for your passion that you lived out on those plots of land where so many loved ones find their final resting place.  I am grateful that you taught me that this is not a place of despair, but a place of hope.  It is a place where tears are shed but peace abounds…a place where families say “goodbye” and God says “welcome home.”  I do not step on those grounds without thinking of you and all you meant to so many when you walked those very same steps.  We carry on…but your presence is missed.  So today, I am thankful for just a glimpse of you.  I’m so glad I saw you at a funeral the other day.

  • There is another way…

    Why do we say hurtful things to other people?  Why do we use words that demean, belittle, and discourage?  What is it that saying things negatively does for us?  What are we trying to accomplish?  What are we hoping will be the outcome?

    Sometimes, we just want to hurt people.  We are in pain and we want to see others in pain.  Sometimes, we feel bad about ourselves and we think that in order to feel better, we tear someone else down…supposedly lower than ourselves.  When we are threatened by someone else, it is easier if we can find a fault or an open wound and beat into those wounds.

    It also sounds so harsh…so evil…so vindictive.  You may be thinking that this doesn’t happen.  But take a moment and observe.  Watch a person that doesn’t get what he or she want at a restaurant…when it is wanted…how it is wanted.  Watch what happens when one person pulls into a parking space that someone else was trying to get.  Watch what happens when there is a long line to check out at the grocery store.  Watch what happens when two people are sitting together and someone else’s name is mentioned and the gossip begins.  Just watch…just keep your eyes open.

    It doesn’t have to be this way.  Bad doesn’t win.  Evil doesn’t prevail.  Gossip isn’t just a part of life.  Anger doesn’t control us.  Words don’t just slip out.  Being hateful doesn’t just happen.  There is another way.  There is another option.  And that is love and kindness.

    To have love and kindness doesn’t mean you won’t ever say anything wrong or you won’t get caught up in gossip or you won’t lose your temper.  What it does do is lessen the chances and opportunities.

    -Love and kindness don’t participate in gossip, rumors, lies.  They cannot go together.  They cannot show up in the same place.  If you gossip, you are not loving.

    -Love and kindness allows us to see others…really see them.  To “see” someone means that we don’t let what is happening in this moment define that person forever.  What the person may be saying in anger to you may be because of something completely different.  Your ability to offer love and kindness in these moments can completely change things.

    -Love and kindness gives you the opportunity to look around for ways to give and share.  So if you are waiting in line and someone behind you is struggling, you can help.  If someone takes your parking space, you move on (letting that ruin your day is just ridiculous).  If something is said harmful, respond in kindness.  It can diffuse a situation.  It won’t fix everything…but it can begin to change dynamics.  You might find that there are more opportunities to be kind and to show love…continue to reach down deep.

    What might it look like if you and I choose to go the other way…the way of love and kindness?  What kind of difference might that make?  Let’s try it and see…

  • Gift of Gratefulness

    I love the early mornings…when I sit in my living room, smell the fresh brewed coffee that calls out to me, listening only to the sound of the hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the clock.  I think about the day…what is ahead…what needs to be done… Some days, it all seems too much and I just want to go back to bed.  I don’t want to go to that meeting or take care of that task…I don’t want to talk to anyone today…I just want to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head and call it good.  My mom always said that if you are in bed when the sun comes up, you are missing out on your day…wasting precious time.  I thought that was a bunch of bologna when I was growing up.  I was fairly sure she was just saying that so I would get started on the chores she wanted done.  Now her words actually ring true.  There are things to do…people to see…tasks to accomplish while the sun is up.  We are given this day as a gift.  Many days don’t feel much like gifts…they feel more like gag gifts…joke is on me.  But I think that is because I don’t really appreciate what I have been given.  I am reminded that those are the days I approach with a sort of smugness…like I deserve better…like I am not getting what I think I should…and it ends up being a wasted day that could have been appreciated.  But then I think…can’t I just go back to bed and appreciate that?!

    Over the past couple of months, a constant theme has been running through my life…I hear it in conversations…I see it in the pages of the books I read…I feel it in my life when I really sit and listen and pay attention…It is in the sound of the rain and in brightness of the sun…in the smell of coffee and in the stress of everyday life…it is in the sounds of my children’s voices…and in the quiet of the morning run…it keeps following me and reminding me and bringing me back… it is GRATEFULNESS.

    I’m fairly hard headed…stubborn…determined… whatever you want to call it.  So it takes hearing things over and over before it begins to sink in.  This idea of gratefulness is powerful, though.  I find that when I am grateful, I see things around me completely different.  When I am grateful, I may still want to pull the covers over my head – but I realize that in being grateful for the gift of this day…I have to move forward and see what joys and challenges are ahead.  I realize that even though there will be stressful moments and encounters I would rather not have, gratefulness reminds me that God is shaping me, strengthening me, and guiding me to something better.  Gratefulness reminds me that even when life is really tough and I just don’t feel like it…the gifts that I have been given are held in this day…and I don’t get this day again.  If I eat in gratefulness, I really appreciate the access to food that I have…if I exercise in gratefulness, I am not suffering – but growing and getting stronger through it all…if I do my job in gratefulness, I begin to understand that this is a gift that allows me to use my talents and give back from what I have been given…if I am grateful in this moment, I treasure the good and the bad – for I am becoming a little bit closer to that for which I was created.  As Mother’s Day is approaching…I realize how grateful I am for my mom and all of the wonderful women who have been such a powerful, influential part of my life…helping to shape and mold me.  What are you grateful for today?img_0623

  • Stand up…speak up – for those who can’t

    Growing up, I was an easy target for being picked on.  I was a really skinny, quiet, short boy who would have preferred to disappear in the background.  I liked to do things my way which was different than most – which brought even more harassment.  I wasn’t just picked on by the kids at school…there were those adults who felt that harassing me and calling me names would make me a stronger person.  All it really did was make a promise to myself to never be like them.  As for the kids, they left a vivid imprint in my memory that shows back up every now and then.  I mostly hear their voices when things aren’t going so well.  It has taken me a while to quiet those voices and choose to hear voices that remind me that I am who God made me to be and that’s better than okay.  And I am thankful for those who were willing to stand up for me, defend me, be my voice and help me when I couldn’t do that for myself.  They kept me moving forward when I wasn’t sure I could.

    I did eventually grow up and begin to find my own voice.  It at first appeared as a harsh, snide sarcasm.  That was probably from years of saying nothing at all when I really wanted to punch someone – sorry I was a bit bitter.  The problem (as if it needs to be stated) is that I was a really small wimpy kid – and at the core of me, I don’t really believe violence solves anything.  I don’t believe it solves anything, not because I am a small guy – but because I haven’t seen it work well for the “stronger” folks either.  It just seems to be anger misdirected.  And, I am working to curb the sarcasm – that doesn’t always come off well either.

    I write this as an adult with many years separating my school days and now.  Yet, I hear and see this type of stuff all the time…as I look around, hear the news, or read social media…I still see people “picking on” others.  It seems that intimidation, name calling, pointing out weakness… is the name of the game.  The way to make it is to belittle someone else so that you can feel better.  I’m not even talking about kids…I’m talking about grown folks…people who SHOULD know better.  And I’m not talking about uneducated people…I’m talking about educated, intelligent people – some of them we have been elected to represent us in various places.  Some of them even claim to follow Jesus or feel they are representing him.

    The Jesus I read about and try to follow – he shook up a whole host of “established” institutions – and often shook up those who felt that they were following God but really looking out for themselves.  He reminded the religious that they were to be the voice of those who had no voice.  He reminded those in power to take care of the widows, the orphans, and those who were being treated unjustly.  He took the time to get to know those who were tossed out of the temples and weren’t allowed in the gates of worship.  He took the time to heal those who had been long forgotten and were thought to be useless.  I see and hear quite a bit of name calling…finger pointing…arguing…fighting…selfish greed (and I bet you see and hear it too).  And we wonder why we have trouble with kids picking on other kids?

    What I don’t see enough of is people working together…despite their differences.  I don’t see enough people loving others, encouraging, lifting up…caring for those who can’t care for themselves.  What might happen if some of this energy fighting were put to good use collaborating?  Are we so stuck in our own ways and our own ideas that we have lost sight of what is really important?

    I’m not a pessimist – all is not lost.  There are really good things going on around our world.  There are people who are banding together and making a difference.  There are people standing up for those who can’t stand.  There are those who are being the voice of those who have no voice.  But they seem to be too few – or at least not those with the loudest voice…or at least not yet.  That’s why I think it is the optimal time for Christians and those of faith to stand up – despite our differences – and be the example of what it means to love, lift up, encourage, stand with, and be the voice of those who have no voice.  What kind of example might we be for those who come after us?  What are we really showing with our actions, our words, and even our social media posts?  How might our voices be heard…the voices of kindness, love, peace…and even collaboration?  May our voices be heard loudly, clearly, and with unity.

  • Broken…but not beyond repair

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    Normally when something is broken, we evaluate whether or not it is worth it to be fixed. Should it just be replaced?  How much will it cost to repair versus buying a new one?  Can duct tape hold it together?  Can we make do for just another week or month…or to the next paycheck? Should we just trash it and forget it?

    But lives aren’t like that. We don’t get to evaluate worth.  And…in my opinion…Every life has worth.  We don’t get to decide if a broken life is worth repair. That isn’t our decision.   That is especially the case because we are all broken in some way. None of us are without some problems, pains or issues. Broken. We all are. Divorce, addiction, abuse, anger, selfishness. Broken.  Pain, fears, regrets, lies.  Broken.

    On the other hand, we aren’t responsible for fixing or repairing the brokenness in others either. Because we are all broken in some way, we may share our “duct tape” and we may talk about our own scars and wounds. But we can’t put anyone else back together. God can. We cannot.

    What we are called to do is love. And love is often the hardest choice of all. Because to love someone, sometimes you have to let them break. To love someone sometimes you have to let them go so they can realize their brokenness and begin to put their own pieces back together. Sometimes love looks like letting them find their own duct tape for life, even as painful as that is.  Sometimes love doesn’t look like picking up the pieces, but loving them in their broken state, praying fiercely for direction, and letting God handle the rest.

    I’m a fixer. I like to think that I can, in some small way, make a difference. And sometimes God allows me to do just that…be a part of something that does make a difference. But not always. I’m not called to fix anything or anyone really. I’m called to love. And love is often the most difficult yet beautiful thing of all.  May we, in our brokenness, learn to love as never before.  And may it begin with me.

  • What are you looking at?

    There are many things I do not understand.  I realize just how much I really don’t understand the older my children get.  I do not understand teenage girls…and I’m fairly sure teenage girls don’t understand teenage girls.  It’s one of those mysteries I am okay with remaining a mystery…I just pray for endurance to make it through…

    I also had a difficult time understanding verses that I think are actually quite important in the Bible.  Verses like…”forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”…and “so do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”  These bother me.  Okay…so a lot of the Bible bothers me – which is good.  But, these have been bothering me recently.  Why?

    Well, let’s take the first one.  Why would would I want to forget what lies behind?  I know…the past is the past – we can’t change it.  But, what about those valuable lessons learned.  I don’t know about you, but I learned some of my most important lessons through the big mistakes I made…and I have made more than my fair share.  I don’t really want to repeat them, so I need to remember.  And then I am leaning in towards what lies ahead.  I like that, but I would like to lean in with the lessons I learned so my leaning doesn’t become tripping and I just fall right into what lies ahead…it could be smelly crap ahead.  It would be better to lean than to dive head first into that.

    And then, there is the not worrying about tomorrow verse.  Yep, I get that too.  I know I’m not to worry about tomorrow because I can’t do anything about what hasn’t happened yet.  But, the part that bothers me is that it says tomorrow will have worries of its own…and that today has trouble.  Really?  Can’t it say that tomorrow might just be great and today might just be worry and trouble-free?  I know…I’m might be missing the point – but it doesn’t mean these don’t bother me.  It’s probably because I tend to be anxious about tomorrow and I end up face first in poop as I lean too far.

    This week, though, I had a revelation.  I won’t say it was divine…although I definitely think that God speaks so loudly if we will only listen.  I will just say that God made it a little more clear to my simple mind something about these lessons from the Bible.  I decided on Thursday to go run at the Cliffs of the Neuse.  It was a beautiful warm January day – so why not?  These are rare and I really enjoy the change in scenery.  The Cliffs are full of God’s handprint.

    As I was shuffling along through the trails, I realized first that I am not a really good trail runner…but, it’s still fun.  But most importantly, I learned that I had to keep my eyes  constantly right in front of me.  If I look ahead down the trail, I will definitely trip and end up face plant right on the trail.  Yes…I know from personal experience.  If I look behind me, I tend to veer whichever way I am looking.  Veering off a one way trail means you end up hitting a tree or worse yet, falling off the trail.  No…I haven’t yet had that experience…although I’ve had close calls with the tree (a new definition of a tree hugger). Anyway, I have to keep my eyes right where I am.  I can glance around.  I can stop and enjoy.  But ultimately, to keep moving forward, my eyes have to be right where I am.

    And, that is it!   I might forget where I have been, but that doesn’t mean the experiences from my past are gone.  The lessons continue with me, even when I forget exactly where my feet have stepped.  I can glance forward to see what is ahead, but I can’t stay fixated on it…I can’t worry about it.  If I do, I end up falling – and then I’ve made it even worse.  I have to keep my eyes right where I am…one step at a time…trusting that God is with me…knowing that I am God’s beloved…and understanding that no matter what, it will all be okay.

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    The trail was calling

  • Sacred Steps

    Ever hear or say – “I’m tired of walking…how much further?…do you have to park so far away from the door?…how many steps have you taken today?”   It is as if every step in our world seems to be measured.  I purposefully park far away from the entrance of where I am going…I want to save the closer spaces for those who don’t have those capabilities.  I wear a Garmin and the number of my steps are tracked every day.  My steps lead me to work and around my house…to church… But, rarely do I see my steps as sacred…at least not when I am taking them.  Sacred – connected to God, holy, hallowed, blessed…

    Looking back over the past, though, is a different story.  The sacred begins to appear as I consider where my footsteps have taken me.  I remember taking the sacred steps as I walked down the aisle almost 20 years ago with my beautiful bride arm in arm and we started our forever journey.  I remember walking the steps of the hospital as we made our way to experience the unbelievable birth of our babies.  I have experienced sacred steps in that same hospital of life and death…the long stark halls filled with tears of pain and of joy.  I have watched as God entered a life and as life left…all sacred steps (and a whole different picture all together when those steps are with you on the stretcher).  I have walked the journey with people that celebrated miracles and mourned loss.  I walked sacred steps to be baptized and ordained into the ministry and walked those same steps to baptize others.  I have walked sacred steps as I crossed the platform at Campbell Divinity School to receive the Master of Divinity Degree.  And I walk sacred steps as I begin a new journey in pursuit of another degree.

    Do steps become sacred simply because of that particular moment?  I don’t think so.  I think steps become sacred because God is in them…because we are walking a little closer to him…because he is guiding us.  When I consider sacred steps, I am reminded of some of the most sacred recorded in the Bible.  Adam and Eve walking with God…Imagine actually taking steps WITH God…that had to be sacred.  Moses had an experience with God and God told him to take off his shoes, he was on Holy Ground…sacred steps before a burning bush.  It is recorded in Romans that the feet of those who bring the good news are beautiful…I have to imagine that the steps they take are also sacred.  Jesus took the journey on the road to his own crucifixion and then on the road with friends after his resurrection to Emmaus…sacred steps.  Those who walk by faith, not by sight are walking a sacred journey.

    It is important to also understand that some sacred steps aren’t actual steps at all.  Some are traveled in a wheelchair or even on a hospital bed.  Some are traveled in the hearts of those who cannot move physically.  Sacred steps take us on a journey to and with God.  Know that they can be frightening….painful…tiring…sorrowful.  They are also peaceful…joyful…rejuvenating…enlightening.  These are steps taken with our Creator.  They carry you somewhere you have never been before or places you have visited many times, just in new ways.  Where might your sacred steps take you today? May we find our way on this journey…no matter the bumps, bruises, scrapes, hills, or valleys…just step forward…God is there.beautiful-feet

    image from Google Images