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Day 40 Home Providence in business, brought a new relationship out of a broken attempt to change software. My new friend had and has a troubled soul. Condemnation rooted in failure has become a prison. Hopelessness is his continuous portion, like feeding a fire. In two weeks, he’ll be evicted from h...

Day 39 Being There I sit down early at the conference table, and leave the chair open to my right. I started writing “The Big Five” from memory on my legal pad before each staff meeting. “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Proverbs 10:19 “He who answers bef...

Day 38 Adaptability and Decision Making Last week I drove shotgun in Tim’s truck as we headed to office. I glanced and read a text I hadn’t seen earlier. “Can you stop by my office first when you come in, before we start the staff meeting?” I phoned and said, “what’s up?” When he insisted we meet in...

Day 37 Authority and Abuse A dear relation of mine sped off after being directed back to vendor by his tenured peers. The staff roared in laughter at the thought of the humiliating interchange waiting at the end of his ride. It reminded of the first and only time I went searching for snipes, only to...

Day 36 Hiring the Right People I dipped the poopy diaper into the toilet and flushed the worst of it. Without gloves, I worked to rinse the cloth diaper and wring it out so it could be placed into the diaper pale without stinking too bad before the next load of diapers was placed into the washing ma...

Day 35 Think Flock I removed my backpack and stood on a very large dead tree laying 10 feet above and across Red Creek. My flock consisted of my little brother Steve and my brother’s father-in-law, Grandpa Bob. I intended to make a trial run across the log in an attempt to locate a campsite down str...

Day 34 Reproduction A few weeks ago, Brooke announced she was with child. The conversation led into a discussion of long term career goals. She stated, unless you get rid of me, I intend to work here until I retire. Statements like that cause me to scratch my head and ask; “How do we deserve this ki...

Day 33 Productivity I ran backwards to the rear of the court, watching the back line. As the tennis ball bounced inside of the back line, it was obvious I was out of position and unprepared to make a return hit. Once again, I had taken my I off the ball, forgetting to rely on my partner to watch if ...

Day 32 Indigenous Leadership Tim Birdseye was now on his own. Becky and I had pulled out in late December to embark on a decades old goal of a month long sabbatical in the south. With only one year functioning as Vice President of Hope, Tim was responsible for all aspects of the business in my absen...

Day 31 Working Together I walked through the front door and greeted the family. There my friend and coworker Butch laid, the hospital bed in place of the living room sofa. Butch refused to miss out on a minute of life, and was now days away from death. His journey into faith over the previous six mo...

Day 30 Righteous Ruts “Hey boys, everyone gather around the map” barked Mr Kanen, Brigade Troop Leader. “Look at the terrain. See how the trail winds around the mountain? Today we bushwhack through the woods and learn how to stay on track and be off the trail.” At fourteen years old, I relished the ...

Day 29 Following the Leader I dribble to the left once again. The successes following the previous checks have drawn multiple defenders. My choice of an underdog team has left an unskilled participant, my teammate, uncovered again and open underneath the basket. The ball is dished off, received and ...

Day 28 GUIDANCE My vision was shattered to pieces as I left a meeting that brought clarity to my dream of leading or helping to lead a mission driven company. I’d have to start over, but this time as a brand new entity. A wife and two young children at home were a sobering reality. My thought was; “...

Day 27 My Sleepless Shepherd I drove through the parking lot on my way home after retrieving a rapid test in the office. The family gathering in our home on Christmas Eve necessitated a negative covid test for our son in law. His sickness the previous week had seeded tension in the family. As I past...

Day 26 Guard Yourselves The table was clear. All was set for our next weekly breakfast time together as husband and wife. Following the lead of others, I paused my early morning work schedule to spend time with my bride, the mother of our children. But, the more we communicated, the more the tension...