Kyle Mitchell

Less than 24!

I haven't wanted to see a movie on opening weekend in years.  I usually just wait till it comes out on DVD.  Mainly for economic reasons because Movie tickets are outrageous and I hate to support such a greedy industry and it costs an arm and a leg to get a sitter for four kids.  Just one "opening night" can set a guy back $60 bucks.

However, "The Dark Knight" has got me ready to drop the big bucks.  Maybe it's the re-living of my childhood heroes with 21st century special effects.  Maybe its all the hype and I'm a sucker for a great trailer.  Maybe a night out without four kids to do ANYTHING is well worth $60!  Regardless, I'm counting down and it's less than 24!

The Gift of Work

My life began in a family that embraced a strong work ethic and so I can remember work being a regular part of my life.  If you had asked me as a teenager, I would have said that I was being raised as "slave labor" for my parents so that they could goof off while my brother and I did all the work around the house and farm.  As early as I can remember, Saturday was a day of "weekly chores" in the AM and those must be all completed before any "fun" could be had by anybody.  My parents owned their own business and so I often worked for them growing up (which they did pay me for), but that was in addition to the work at the house that netted me the roof over my head and the meals in my stomach and all the other "perks" that came with being a "Mitchell". 

I can laugh about my years of "slave labor" and now with the gift of life perspective see that what I was being given was indeed the gift of work.  I learned that things aren't just handed to you in life, but that you can have great things by working for them.  I worked 2 jobs all through college and learned more than just what was required for my degree.  Valuable, usable information gleaned from a schedule packed with responsibility now gives me insight that I could never have been taught from a book or in a class.  I'm grateful for my years of "slave labor" and would not trade one day of work...well, maybe one or two. 

During the past year, I learned that work was much more than what you do for a living and what pays the bills.  Most know that I left my church in MI, in response to the prompting of God and willingness to obey even the unknown, and God lead me to stay at home (RV) with my 2 boys still not in school and though it's not the kind of work that draws a paycheck.  I believe that it has been one of my most rewarding and demanding jobs in my life.  Working, as a parent, never stops.  There is no "time off", "lunch breaks", "vacation", or "down time".  But there is also not amount of compensation for a son's trust, hugs, smiles, or laughter.    I was very excited when God opened up a new opportunity to "go back to work".  I'll admit I would get frustrated with people who genuinely expressed excitement for me being able to "go back to work", when I knew for a fact that I never stopped working.  I simply had shifted ministries and was returning to a ministry that paid money.  I was glad to have added cash flow, no doubt, and was glad to have a job that had a stopping point.  However, I still kept the job as dad.  I just don't get to be on the clock all day and it's still my favorite and most demanding work. 

One thing that I know is that the gift of Work is NEVER tied to money.  If money is the reward of working, then I believe that we have missed the value of the experience and traded our worth for a lesser commodity.   

The Gift of Love

In my on going series of blogs from the movie "The Ultimate Gift", I think its timely to blog about the gift of Love since Valentine's Day consumes our culture.  It's all over TV with ads and shows enticing us all to remember those we love and, of course, spend money on them.   We all know that money spent doesn't equal love.  Love isn't something that you can really quantify.  However you measure it, there is no doubt that it is always a gift. True love can never be bought, but must always be given. 

I also believe that love goes way beyond emotion.  Emotional love is a part of the driving force behind love, but love can't be driven by emotions alone.  Our emotions can come and go.  Love never fails.  Love lasts.  Love remains and stays, long after emotions pass.   Not that emotions don't return, because we "feel love" often, but we choose to act loving and be loving towards others with or without emotions when we love other people.  Our actions, more than our emotions, are the best indicators of our love. I believe love is something that you do and feel.

When measured by actions, I must admit I am deeply loved by so many people.  I have been the receiver of so much love from so many people, that I could never write enough thank you notes, or return enough favors.  I'm in debt up to my eyeballs from the love I've received.  First and foremost, God has set the standard and loved me beyond measure.  Then, others showing that love, have been "God with skin on" for me.  All I know is that I'm rich in the love of others.  There is no questioning the love that I've been given.

"To whom much is given, much is required" is what the Bible speaks, so therefore, I am required to pass it on and be a lover of others.  I don't think that the Gift of Love is something that you can stockpile or save for a rainy day.  It's something that only reveals its greatest worth when dispensed liberally to those around you.  Giving the gift of love is truly better than just receiving the gift of love.  I'm still learning how to give my love away and fight the selfishness within me, but the best way to learn is to practice, practice, practice.  So, get started today, and love others purposefully, liberally, and with actions.  Give love!

The Gift of Laughter

We give this gift daily in our home (or should I say RV).  I don't think very many moments pass in a day where we aren't laughing about something.  Face it, people do the funniest things and we have 6 comedians in the RV.  I'm smiling now just thinking about this mornings antics, children's facial expressions, morning hair, donut glaze crusted faces, and people bumping into one another and falling over while trying to put their legs in their pants.  My wife and I laugh daily.  At ourselves, mainly, but also at others on occasion because people are funny! 

Lisa and I started our first date with laughter (5 hours worth) and we've been making each other laugh for the last 10 years running.  That's not to mean that we haven't faced struggles, frustrations, anger, and a host of other strong emotions, but at the end of the experience, laughter always prevails.  I just don't think that we need to ever take ourselves to seriously.  Others, yes, take seriously, but laugh a lot at yourself.   

We bought the videos to America's Funniest Videos because it's our families favorite show and we wanted to watch it in the van while riding around.  However, sometimes the laughter gets so loud in the van that it's very hard to drive.  But with 4 kids in the mini, I'd much rather have loud laughter, than loud fighting any day of the week.   So...laugh today.  If you need something to laugh about...just picture the 6 of us in an RV for 10 months...that's some funny stuff right there.

The Ultimate Gift

Lisa and I sat down in last night after the kids were asleep and watched The Ultimate Gift together:  Amazing movie.  You know I love movies that don't just stir the emotions, but ones that stir the mind and create thought provoking discussion that can result in impacting your life.  My mind and my heart were stirred as I watched the characters unfold and develop and made applications to my own life instantly.

If you cry easily (Kim Varner), then have an entire box of tissues on hand.   The acting is a little forced, but the stories unfolding sink in deep and cause you to reflect on your own heart issues.  It stirs your soul on many levels and many occasions.  I think if you watch this movie and don't shed at least one tear...check for a pulse, or just know that you must be the most hardened heart on the planet.

At the end of the film, deep satisfaction with my life and gratitude for all that fills my life overwhelmed me.  There are 12 gifts that the film covers and if life is really measured by those 12 gifts, I am so wealthy.  I think that I'm going to create a blog series where I share my life on each gift. 

So here's another film that goes on my "must see" list for all my friends.  If you've already seen it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.  If you haven't...go rent it this weekend and blog about it next week...once you've got yourself together emotionally.  I should say that this is not a "chick flic" just because emotions are involved.  This is a "human flic".  You'll see yourself in it somewhere. 

I haven't stopped to check, but I'm sure there are already churches doing a 12 part series on this topic.  It's set up to have clips, application, and stories from the get go.  All one has to do is supply God's Word to each of the gifts, which should be NO problem.  They are all biblical gifts!

  "Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." James 1:17

P.S. I Love You!

Lisa and I saw another great movie last night: P.S. I Love You!  I have to admit I had heard NOTHING about this movie.  It's an obvious chick flick.  We were on our "date night" so I let Lisa pick.  It really was a great movie to see with your spouse. 

I won't share the plot.  It's definitely fiction...because no human being could be that thoughtful...LOL!  However, I loved reflecting on all that I love about my wife and my life with her.  We are a definite love story in our own time.  We have shared so much in our 10 years of life together: from deep pain to deep joy.  We've had our struggles and our triumphs and our love and the love of God has held us together through it all.  This film captured the elusive and complicated nature of love inspired my wife and I to really appreciate one another.  If you have to sit through a chick flick this holiday season, I'd really recommend this one.  We both loved it!

Go NOW!

I think this might be one of my first entries in my "film" category, kinda sad, but with the price of movies and a family of 6 I don't get to see a lot...unless it's a cartoon of some sort.  This movie was exceptional!  I decided to check it out because in reading some of the press it was getting (positive press), I felt that it really seemed to resonate with all that I'm chewing on regarding the emerging church and post-modern thinking.  Even though it has deeply spiritual values, it was being recognized by many of the "world's" award venues and very liberal ones at that.  So I was VERY intrigued as to how it was put together.  I was in NO WAY disappointed.  My emotions were stirred, my thoughts challenged, my mind engaged and my heart stirred to love more deeply.  If you are a person that wants to grow in your capacity to love, go NOW to see this movie.  It's only on a limited release in limited theaters, so check the website and search the web for a theater near you. 

The film reflects biblical values at every turn and believers need to support this kind of film making.  Not very often does Hollywood put something in front of you that is done with such artistry and conviction about the values that Christians embrace.  The value of each person's life was central and I thanked God for my children, my marriage, and all the relationships that have created the mosaic of my life: a very rare response to a movie.  It's also a great movie to take friends to if you want to have discussions about life, love, and the value of friendships and relationships.  It will create the desire to talk and reflect on what you believe and feel about great issues that are central to Christ's life: the sanctity of life, grace, forgiveness, acceptance, family, love, pain, loss, rejection, hope and so many more.  Interested?  I'd love to hear what my reading think on this one!

Spider-man 3

Last Sunday afternoon, I went with Students from FBC to watch the latest in the Spider-man series:  EXCELLENT!  On the way their the students had heard mixed reviews from friends and so there was some skepticism on the ride there.  However, I thought it was great with everything that I was expecting.  There was action, suspense, drama, and special effects that all came together to keep the flick moving.  I loved it.

In addition to great entertainment, it was filled with story lines that beg to be used for biblical illustrations.  We went to see the movie because we were supposed to talk about the "Gospel according to Spider-man" last week at FOCUS, but the storms blew out the power right after worship, so we tabled the talk until tomorrow night.  So we got to see the movie before the discussion, but it really helped to set the tone and now everything will be fresh in our minds. 

I'm already thinking that a full month of discussions can be pulled from Spider-man 3.  So hopefully once it comes out on DVD we can pull it all together.  Should be great stuff.  I hope it does well at the box-office, so that when it comes time to discuss it, there will be a lot of people who have seen it!

Heroes

It's finally back on and just in time for me to watch it again.  I had almost missed the return last week, almost, but then at Whataburger, with some students, realized it was on...so I had them switch the TV channel and read the subtitles.  I had missed 20 minutes...but quickly caught up.  It looses some of the tension when you have to read everything and the suspenseful music is mute.

I've never actually viewed a TV program that captures my imagination and contains twists and turns that keeps me coming back and not wanting to miss an episode.  I love it.  Any other Hero fans out there?

End of the Spear

Our 20-something small group spent last night viewing "End of the Spear".  What a compelling portrayal of commitment to Christ and the call to take the message of Christ to the "Ends of the earth".  I've always had a love for missions and this film really stirred that passion.  Living in Michigan is certainly not the Amazon rain forest, however, the level of "lostness" in this state creates plenty of opportunities to impact a culture with the gospel.  When you factor in that this generation of teens is the largest in history and the most "unreached" in history the passion to make a difference really grows. 

I think one of the things that struck me most was the reality that most of us living in America have no clue what it means to live passionately for Christ.  We are saturated by a "man-centered" culture that often infects our churches and believers resulting in a watered down commitment to Christ instead of a passion for the glorification of God by the way we live and interact with others.  We end up with "self-help" Christianity that creates more "feel-good" benefits in our own lives instead of life transformation that makes God look Awesome and gives Him the credit and honor for all that we have and all that we have become.

The movie clearly magnifies the purpose of man and that the path of suffering for His name is one that we could clearly choose and the result can be culturally impacting.  We are called to impact the culture, but unfortunately most Americans are more impacted by the culture instead of vice versa.  It really begs the question "Am I willing to magnify God in my life, no matter what the personal cost to me or my family?"  and "Am I living in such a way that people understand my convictions and understand God more clearly in the process?" 

This movie needs to be seen by every believer and discussed and then lived out.