Open discussion about some pictures I observed.

Setting. This Orlando mall is at least 1/3 empty. No food court that I saw. The exterior had a make over but not overly convincing.  There is a lot of competition by other huge pretty malls. This is a dying mall looking for stores and customers.

Here were some learning lesions I thought of, what are your thoughts.

 

Casting vision: Maybe the owners were trying to cast a vision of what the mall could be one day.

Sustaining: Maybe the mall was trying to do the best with what they had left to deal with.

Deception: Were the owners just trying to fool shoppers with the perception of more stores then what really existed.

Church application: How many churches feel like they have nothing to offer compared to a mega church. They have facilities that don’t meet the use they once had.

Business plan: Maybe the property needs to be sold as office space.

 

Golf and faith

I was playing golf this week: it was my third time playing. The ironic part is that I don’t really think I care much for golf. It’s okay to play but horrible to watch on TV. That being said, I had the good fortune to play on a really nice course. It was not one of those with the windmill and water fall colored toilet blue, but this course was really nice. So nice that I had to wear a shirt with a collar. As we passed the second hole a woman from the resort approached us and offered cold towels. I wondered what I needed a cold towel for, it was free so I took it. As the day grew hot I realized just why the cold towel was going to be important.

            At Relevant we get a chance to go over the top to meet the needs of those who visit Relevant. Both physical and spiritual needs are met by our team. From the water at the front door to a warm hello that comforts the soul. Thanks for caring unexpectedly to those who need it the most.

I got it.

I got it.

 

11:46 Pm Sat. night. This week has been so busy that I just could not come up with one encouraging thought to put in my First Impressions e-mail: then tonight it hit me.

            Some of you know that I cook. I have worked with Mise en Place while at college and during catering season totaling 11 years. It’s great fun & hard work. I see a lot of the same people and there is a deep sense of community shared among people of the food industry. Tonight there was a wedding: little did I know that when they said they needed me that they really meant it. There were four chefs on the gig, two of which are clearly much better chefs than I. Without going into all the details our team was under a huge time crunch. We only had to pull together “passed appetizers”, “3 appetizer stations”, and seated salad and dinner course for 278 people. All in 3 hours.

            To put this into context I know I can cook, I know that I have a decent palette, but I know in reality I am small potatoes compared to the REAL CHEFS from Mise en Place. The night went on mostly without a hitch. As the DJ played the song “ This is the Last Dance”, the lead chef on the gig, Larry said to me; “Thanks for busting it out tonight.” I did my usual “ thanks for letting me be on the team”. Larry knew I brushed off his complement and he followed it up with “ What do you mean, we couldn’t have made it without you tonight.” I was underestimating what value I brought to the team. I don’t know if you’re like me; where you forget what value you bring to those people in your life. When I realized that Larry really appreciated my help tonight I felt great.

            Some times on a Sunday morning I will give a compliment or two that seem so over the top that I must not really mean it. I tell someone on my Relevant Team that what they do matters, and because of the way I say it or because they might view their job as insignificant they don’t believe my compliment. Rest assured I DON’T GIVE vain compliments.

            See for Larry the restaurant is his only life. When you guys walk into Relevant to serve you are walking into my life. You bring what you have to offer not only to me but more importantly to God. I want you to know from my perspective that I can’t do it without you. From God’s perspective, He created the Heavens and Earth and still includes you in accomplishing His will.

Thank you for moving tables, counting money, greeting and tearing down. Thanks to all of you; Amanda, Andrea, Anthony, Ben, Erin, Bill, Tina, Camille, Kristin, Shannon, Chenelle, Angela, Chris, Chris, Clay, Darren, Julie, Katie, David, Dave, Derrell, Edwin, Krissi, Elysia, Dory, Eric, Greg, Carly, Jason, Jenna, Jennifer, Jenny, Jerry, Janet, Allison, Jim, John, Jonathan, Michelle, Jonathan, Katrina, Ken, Kiani, Kimberly, Donna, Kyle, Lauren, Katy, Matt, Melissa, Sharon, Mike, Philip, Nicole, Rebecca. There is more but I don't have emails, It's staggering to think 68 of you make Relevant happen, In my team alone. I am truly humbled.

Thanks again,

Jamie

            

A non-political statement.

The season is upon us. A time when a nation interviews candidates for the future position of President. Relevant does not take political sides, but we are excited that Relevant does reach people who are all over the political map. Disclaimers are done, on with the story.

Americans usually look for what the next president will do for them. I guess that’s why he is being elected; to do something right. Unfortunately, most elections in America are based on issues that the voters are unwilling to personally get involved in.

 

• We vote about education- yet most don’t teach.
• We vote about underprivileged children- yet most won’t find time to mentor.
• We vote about health care – yet most don’t go to the gym.

 

I have found myself noticing in many of you a strong desire to take matters into your own hands. Kind of like vigilantly servants. You decided at some point, “I am not going to stand by and watch other people serve in causes I care about.” You made a choice to “be about change”. Every time you serve you are voting for what you say you believe in. Not the kind of vote that creates a hanging chad, lost in the Electoral College. Rather, this vote directly impacts real people. I say you guys will have a greater influence on more of your neighbors than the next occupant of the large white house on Pennsylvania Ave.

 

Thank you for “Asking not what the God can do for you, rather what you can do for your God.”

 

Jamie 

This week’s schedule. 

FI and Freaking Sweet Surgery!

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to a long time goal. I have been wanted to observe a surgery. An orthopedic surgery would offer the best of “wood shop” and “home ec”. Less than 1% of the world’s population has seen the inside of an operating room. I got to sit in on five cases. I literally was only feet away from the action. None of this watching TV or youtube stuff, the real deal. I will spare you the details but just know that there was a lot of drills, screws, and nails.

Here is an interesting observation I had before getting to operating room. The doc’s assistant told me I needed scrubs on. She pointed to the Dr. dressing rooms, “change there”. She knows I know nothing about medicine, or even how to look like I know about medicine. I wondered, did I need to take off my clothes or did the scrubs go over my clothes? Lucky for me, I passed a few docs on the way in and it looked like they were naked under those scrubs. When in Rome do as the Romans do right.

On my way out I grab a hat and a Home Depot hazard mask. I quickly found out that real doctors don’t wear those types of masks. As I cross the red line into the operating ward a nurse tells me, “Hey, put your hat on”. Glad she told me.  Then we entered the room with all the washtubs, “Hey, now put on your mask”. Glad she told me. As I entered the room the doc warmly greeted me.

My plan was to fold my arms, touch nothing, and observe everything. They were using all these fancy terms; distal, proximal, medial, and flux capacitor. I located myself just over the doc’s shoulder but really close to the instrument table. A nurse tech reminded me, “If you bump the tool table, everything would have to be resterilized”. Bad day! I’m glad someone told me. Doctors and nurses went out of their way to include me in as much as I could handle.

I have never felt more like a fish out of water. Yet, this was one the greatest moments in my life; I had way to express it. Many people wondered why I would find surgery so interesting. But hasn’t that been said regarding religion?

Non-religious people come to Relevant with folded arms, touching nothing, and observing everything. We can’t tell if they love it or are completely lost. Here is the great part; Relevant gets a chance to welcome observers weekly. The result of our work is not mended bones, but mending hearts. Thanks for your commitment to telling a broken world that they matter to God.

 

Jamie

 

Here is the schedule for the week.

 

FI and Freaking Sweet Surgery!

A fish meets a clam

A fish and a clam meet in an aquarium. Cute fish is the top of the food chain. 34 cent clam as food is the bottom of the food chain. Fish snaps at clam.  Clam bites back. Yes the clam caught the fish by the snout. Fish struggle for life. Clam forced open to save the $120 dollar fish.  

Moral of the story: Know what your worth, but you might want to watch where you stick you nose.