I love to see people excited, especially when it’s kids. There are days in life that I’m not excited enough. In fact, there are days that I live more from a perspective of disappointment than I do excitement. I have high visions, dreams and expectations of myself. I have things I want to achieve and accomplish. I really do want to change the world…drastically. Someone says, ‘Mitch, it can’t be done!’ I simply smile and say, ‘Really? Who said? I was told different.’ This is the perspective I live from and frankly wish more people lived from. The only problem I have found with this perspective is that there are some days that simply getting out of bed to a new day is enough. Simply giving my kids a hug is more than enough. Little things are good to get excited over! I’ve found that when I allow these small things in life to excite me it actually motivates me to achieve the greater accomplishments in life! Isn’t this why you have pictures of your kids at your office? Isn’t this why you keep that cross hanging from your rear view mirror? So you can remember what really matters and be motivated to keep on keeping on? It’s the little reminders in life that keep us burning and passionate about living.
I was reminded of this last night at a baseball game. I’m coaching first base for our team and one of our players gets walked. He runs down the line to first, stops, looks at me with a big grin on his face and says, ‘Coach, out of both of these games I’ve only had one hit.’ I said, ‘Leo you’re right but out of both of these games you’ve been hit 5 times and been on base every time you’ve been up to bat.’ Leo grinned even bigger and said, ‘Yup!’ Yes you read that correctly. Out of two games Leo has been hit 5 TIMES! He didn’t care. He got a hit. He got walked. He got hit. Again. And again. And again. And every time he trots down to join me on first he is smiling like it was his birthday. Why? Leo doesn’t care how he makes it to first. He just wants to make it. His team needs him there. Leo being on first means Leo might score….which means we score. That’s all he wants.
Today, I’m going to get excited about making it to first regardless of how it happens. I might get another no to my next sales offer. That’s fine. It gets me closer to that yes. I might get turned down by another publisher. Great! One more I can check of the list and move on to the next! Each step I take is a swing. And with each chance I get it brings me closer to home. Someday’s I hit home runs. Someday’s I hit singles or doubles. Someday’s I watch the ball go right by. But I’m in the batter’s box, everyday, ready to go……and that’s something to be excited about because it’s being in the box that will change the world.
Put me in coach! I’m ready to play ball!
Mitch
Rhythm……. I was visiting with a buddy of mine a few days ago and he mentioned a song he has written called ‘Wait.’ I’m excited to check it out soon. He said the song talks about rhythm. I love rhythm. As a musician I love it because it drives the emotions. Fast rhythms get the heart pumping and the adrenaline flowing like a rushing river. Slower rhythms guide the emotions of romance or serenity. Beats from the islands can bring ease and relaxation to your day. Rhythm sets the tone. When I coach I always teach my players about rhythm. What is the rhythm of the game? What is the flow like. At a very young age I taught my son to find his rhythm in the batter’s box when playing baseball. It has paid off. Now he is able to stand in that box relaxed, knowing he is in control because he has rhythm. Have you ever heard music that is off rhythm? A drummer that can’t keep a beat is well…..useless when it comes to drumming. A bass player that can’t pound that bass line out on rhythm ruins the most beautiful of ballads. Rhythm is vital. Many times rhythm is up beat, fast. Yet often rhythm is steady yet easy going. There are different types of rhythm. If you listen to Tejano music you will find a totally different rhythm pattern than in country music. If you listen to hip-hop you will find a very different rhythm than in opera. Yet even through their differences they are all still rhythm.
Life is much like music. A few days after visiting with my buddy Franklin about life and about his new song I received a text from another friend that new nothing of Franklin and I’s conversation. Her text commented on how she was starting to understand that she needed to find her rhythm. She said she was focused not on what others thought her rhythm should be but on what she knew her rhythm should be. Yes, she used the word rhythm. This got me to thinking: What is your rhythm? Are you finding yourself stressed, tired, frustrated? You’re most likely out of rhythm. Do you go to work each day lacking passion and zeal? Is your marriage ho-hum and empty? You’re out of rhythm. Another buddy of mine has had some of these frustrations in his life the last few weeks. Frustrated with what he knows he needs to do yet dealing with the reality of where he is. He is out of rhythm. This friend of mine has gone on a little trip for a week or so. I bet he returns home in rhythm.
Life is about rhythm. Step back. Breathe. Re-write what doesn’t work. Re-work what isn’t fitting just right. Get back in rhythm. Life is meant to be lived with enjoyment…but the song doesn’t sound good when it’s out of rhythm. Get your groove back and enjoy the rhythm that life has to offer!
By the way: Check out my buddy Franklin’s music. It’s got pretty cool rhythm.http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/franklinJsmith
Cheers,
Mitch
I love roller coasters! One day my family and I are going to travel America in search of the coolest roller coasters to ride. We’ve been on many of them but I know there are many, many more to conquer! And conquer we will! I also love the water. I’m hoping for the day I can talk my wife in to moving closer to the ocean. I want to learn to surf. I love fishing and want to deep sea fish. Once when I was in Port Aransas, Tx I watched some guys fishing. Looked pretty awesome indeed. In the mean time I ride the surf and roller coasters everyday in my mind. Lots of fun. You should give it a shot.
I bring up roller coasters and rafts because they are great symbolisms for life. My favorite roller coasters are either the double and triple looped ones or the ones that go unbelievably fast then shoot you straight up and stop. I was riding this type of coaster once and decided I really wanted a thrill….so I took the very FRONT seat. Talk about a feeling of no control! That thing was doing at least 300 hundred miles an hour (it seemed like it) and shot us up toward the sky. You see the difference on this type of ride between the front seat and middle seats is simple: in the front seats, when they shoot you toward the sun, you just happen to notice that……THERE ISN’T ANY MORE TRACK FOR THE COASTER TO STAY ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then, on a half dime, you stop…….staring at the sun. Can somebody tell me what genius thought of that long, awkward, scary pause that crazy ride does at the top of that huge metal track!? You sit there and wait…..wait…..wait….. oh I forgot to mention that this particular ride does the whole thing…again……BACKWARDS! That’s what I’m talking about! 500 million miles an hour backwards! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO! Contrast that adrenaline pumping, head pounding, eye ball popping rush with this: Soft breeze blowing, soft sand all around, deep blue water as far as the eye can see. You hop on your lounge raft and drift into the ocean. Everybody now, “Sittin on the dock of the bay. Watching the tide…….” You got it. Martini in hand enjoying the sun and life. Are you there yet?
I love to talk about roller coasters and rafts because that’s what life is. One day it’s a rush of emergencies and headaches and the next is a gift of grand-baby’s and Christmas with the family. Life can be an upside down car wreck one minute and the very next offer you a dinner bill paid in full. Life can be a song of romance and evenings of candle light then turn on a dime and give you sudden experience of loss and pain. A friend the other day reminded me about life. The text read: Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we handle what happens to us. I actually want to take that a step further and make it simple. Life is 100% how we handle what we are given. Period. Like the old saying goes, I can take lemons and make a really good glass of sweet lemonade. The raft in the ocean is how everyday should be. Whether hardship or success we must learn how to rest in the rhythm of life regardless. This is why I love roller coasters. It teaches me to rest and relax even when my heart is pumping and my head feels like it’s going to explode. Funny thing is for those that don’t learn to rest, relax and enjoy life overwhelms them. Every emotion in their body and soul drastically shifts on any given moment. For those that have mastered the art of resting and relaxing regardless, well, they simply enjoy life. Nothing consumes them. Nothing overwhelms them. Life is what it is and all we can do is sit back, relax, enjoy the sun and drift with the tide. Oh a storm may come but we can weather it as long as we stay calm. Double loops and backwards thrills may attack but they’re nothing when we know what our life is about.
Friends, enjoy this ride. It’s a process that gets better everyday. It’s a ride that isn’t meant to be watched but to be lived! Even though the people and things around you may be swirling like a tornado don’t allow it to consume you. Be strong. Be courageous and soak up the sun.
Enjoy!
Mitch
Anyone need any neckties? I have a billion of them hanging in my closet. Ok…maybe not a billion but at one point I did have at least 150! Yes, I said it, 150! But you can’t blame me! Really you can’t! All my life I knew I would be a minister. I had it all planned. Start with youth ministry then go in to preaching…….when I was ‘old.’ So I had to start buying ties young! After all I would be wearing them the rest of my life. Then I get to preaching school, aka seminary. Wow was I glad I had all of those ties! We had to wear one everyday! Yes everyday. Which many of you may wear one to work, you know you professional types. But sitting in a classroom? Really? Evidently ties and dress shirts make for a better preacher. It’s been proven, so ‘they’ say, that the way you dress helps you write better outlines and understand the Bible much better. After all ties and dress pants do give a man more wisdom….I kid of course. So over the years I ended up with, yes, 150 neckties! I am giving them away. All but one and that’s only because I have a wedding ceremony to perform in May and they are forcing me to wear a tie. So let me know where to send them and they are yours!
About the time I started preaching school my family and I were attending a church in East Lubbock, Texas. Good people. Good memories. They offered me a part time position as Youth Minister and of course I accepted. Now, East Lubbock is mostly comprised of the Black American culture. I really enjoyed this culture and learned a lot of life lessons living and working with this culture of people. One thing I learned about was ‘gators.’ For those of you that have no idea what I’m talking about let me expound. Look down at your feet. Now back at your screen. Now down at your feet. Now back at your screen. Now down at your feet. Now jump in your car, head to the nearest suit shop and ask for the shiniest, orange or blue alligator skinned dress shoes they have in stock…….THOSE are gators. What I learned next in this culture is that to be a really on fire preachin in your face running all over the sanctuary type of amenin preacher you HAD to have a pair of these gators! The only problem was I didn’t see too many white preachers wearing these gators. But man oh man did I want to be a scripture spittin amen gettin runnin around screamin and yellin preacher. So I shopped for gators. And I bought neckties. And I tried on suits. Nice suits. Cufflinks. Fancy stuff. Funny thing was, none of that made me a better preacher. I was the same preacher in boxers and a tshirt as I was in suits, gators and cufflinks. Honestly? I was worse in suits, gators and cufflinks. Why? Because those things gave me a false sense of pride, security and hope. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t me.
The confession I have for you today is: I allowed the show to fool me. Religion has told us that everything has to look just right. Pastors feel this false need to put a persona out that people won’t question. I don’t want people preaching to me in the first place, much less when they’re wearing a suit and tie. Talk to me over lunch or at the bar. Don’t walk in with pride and haughtiness! If you’re a church going person I ask of you one thing: be real. You don’t need dresses and hats and Sunday go to church wearin clothes. Just be real. God loves you just the same on Friday in your shorts as He does on Sunday in the pew. So just be real. If you’re a pastor I give you the same challenge: Our society is quickly growing impatient with religion. Don’t add to the problem. Be real. And throw away the suits, gators and ties. Go to a store and buy some t-shirts and jeans. Don’t be surprise if you reach more people this way.
Oh, I really am giving away my ties, so let me know:)
Cheers,
Mitch
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