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Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Rejoicing (11/22/04)
TITLE: The Extraordinary Ordinary
By Taylor Kent
11/28/04
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When I think of rejoicing, I think of a song by Daniel Amos titled Ordinary Extraordinary Day. I think this song comes to mind because it is about the extraordinary nature of the ordinary, and because I get so caught up in looking for the extraordinary that I miss the wonder and awe and joy that comes with observing the ordinary events the go on around us each day. So I end up missing things like the stars lighting up a cloudless night, the contented purr of a cat, or a simple bird song.


I was the first born son in my family. I was expected to do the extraordinary. And when I did achieve the extraordinary I was rewarded and there was rejoicing over my achievements. But if my achievements were simply ordinary, then they were glossed over or, often times, ignored.

Needless to say since archiving the extraordinary was not the norm in my life, there was not a lot of rejoicing in my life. And I became very focused on the archiving and looking for extraordinary. And because of that I have missed out on a lot of joy and awe and wonder in my life.


So what am I getting at with all this. God tells us that we must become like children in order to see and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I think this is so that we can see His awesome hand and power at work in all things both ordinary and extraordinary. So that we can rejoice in everything God has done, does, and will do.

The concept of becoming like a child is hard for me because I feel like my childhood was stolen by a heavy handed approach to achievement. But God has been good to me and He is working hard to open my eyes to everything He is doing. I still miss stuff, but I am trying and I notice more and more ordinary yet Extraordinary things everyday.

How about you? When was the last time you rejoiced in the extraordinary nature of the ordinary events going on around you?