"GET 'ER DONE"
These words ring through my mind as we look ahead to the start of another semester here at school about ready to begin.I am working at the front desk today, answering phones, letting people in the front door, and greeting guests and new students that may arrive. Around me fellow staff members are in meetings, others are doing maintenance work, teachers are finalizing plans and students are learning the layout of the school.
Many things are all happening at once and there is no way that all this could be accomplished by just one person. Many hands are needed in the school to make it work. Sometimes when we work behind the scenes, we tend to feel like the job we do is not valued because many don't see the hours that you personally have put into something.
I read this article recently and wanted to share because like many, I personally struggle with these feelings and even though the article talks about a mother feeling invisible, it relates very well to the place I find myself in ministry at times. I am sure that many other people feel the same way as well.
The Invisible Mother
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be
taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be
taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping
the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see
me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of
hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see
me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of
hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock
to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is
the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is
the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's my phone?,
What's for dinner?'
What's for dinner?'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes
that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's
going, she's gone!
that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's
going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she
was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to
compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she
turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly
sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'With admiration
for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she
was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to
compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she
turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly
sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'With admiration
for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover
what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could
pattern my work:
what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could
pattern my work:
1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record
of their names.
of their names.
2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never
see finished.
see finished.
3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the
eyes of God saw everything.
eyes of God saw everything.
A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird
on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,
'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that
will be covered by
the roof. No one will ever see it'
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird
on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,
'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that
will be covered by
the roof. No one will ever see it'
And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost
as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you
make every day, even when no one around you does.
as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you
make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've
baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to
notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see
right now what it will become.
baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to
notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see
right now what it will become.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of
the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work
on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went
so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime
because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work
on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went
so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime
because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the
morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3
hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a
monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there
is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say,
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the
morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3
hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a
monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there
is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say,
'You're gonna love it there...'
Now you are probably wondering how in the world "GET 'ER DONE" fits into this article, Honestly I am as well, but they keep going through my mind.....
These words are something my dad would always say, and as I raised my boys and discipled many students over the past 20 yrs, I have said these words many times, usually in the context of needing to do things that we don't want to do at the moment or needing to do things to make something else work better..example: Cleaning out the drain, so the water has a place to go!
Much like the builders of the cathedrals, there were many things that were done before the beauty of the finished work was to be seen. Many times in ministry it is easy to get lost in the small things, and forget to step back and look at the bigger picture. So, as the new year starts my goal is to always take a step back, keep my eyes on the bigger picture, like Paul says in Hebrews:
"let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Our focus should always be on the JOY set before us in Jesus Christ, our work here should reflect HIM, not self. I want to say to the people I encounter and work with everyday...
'You're gonna love it there!'
"this article is dedicated to my loving mother, Jean Kostopoulos as she is my sounding board when I feel invisible and she gently turns my eyes to Jesus...and reminds me that it is NOT ABOUT ME.
Thank you mom for always being there and for helping me focus on The Author and Perfecter of my Faith!"
