The way eyes see

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55.8

I have a friend named Kate* whose eyes see the world differently than mine. It is baffling and beautiful, the way her eyes see. Kate's husband thinks our faith is like a fairy tale, and he works in advertising.

When I started to look for a new job, I used a lot of words to say that I craved meaning in my work. But then, I applied to work for an ad agency. Kate told me not to do it and she sent me links to websites for companies who go to third world countries and change the futures of the people there. But I was more interested in changing the future of my bank account, so I let myself get excited by the time I finished my 2nd round of interviews with the ad agency, and I filed the links away and didn't look at them again for awhile.

But when the earthquake in Haiti happened, I remembered about wanting the meaning, about how I want my life to tell a better story and about how Don Miller might be my soul mate*. I still thought I was getting the agency job and I was still excited, but I thought I might give some money to people who were in Haiti, so I perused some websites, eventually landing on Samaritan's Purse. I saw they were doing some great work in Haiti, and then I noticed "Employment Listings." There were jobs all over the world, but there was one up in the mountains of North Carolina that was listed as "Writer."

So, I applied. And then I kind of forgot. After all, I was going to work in advertising as soon as they called me back. About a month later, after another round of agency interviews but still no word, I got a phone call from some pretty excited people who wanted me to drive up those mountains to see if maybe I'd like to work with them at Samaritan's Purse. I agreed to come up the following week.

Two hours later, an email popped up on my Blackberry informing me that I had not gotten the ad agency job.

*I don't actually believe in soul mates, but we can talk about that later.

*I changed her name-- you know, just in case.