Watching "We bought a Zoo" today with my wife, children and sister was brilliant fun and got me to thinking about all the work-life paths that lay in front of me, in front of all of us. In my company we work tirelessly, 70+ hour weeks on regular basis, trying to infused enough of ourselves into something that it might take on a life of its own. For us it is a bit like those slow to light fires where you find yourself blowing on the embers to get them to take spark, adding more fuel, blowing more air.... You know that it will light and you have set your mind to being there when it does. I am constantly confronted with the reality of my situation, the financial short comings, the rising costs of.. everything... The aging of my Children as the cost of diapers is replace with the cost of roller-skating, is replaced with the costs of vehicles and eventually colleges... Then around every turn, especially on the days I feel the insurmountable weight of it all the most, I am bombarded with opportunity from local, surrounding and exotic places that already have raging fires and from casual onlooker to fire stoker in charge they offer me more money, less responsibility, fewer worries in trade for walking away. I often struggle with what it is I am in business for, who wins if the fire doesn't light, who loses if it does?

Days like today answer it all for me, the Sermon I had for breakfast, fighting my flesh the whole time to stay in bed, even to stop and just read a book in the parking lot. The movie, the time with family, the endless blue Florida Sky and January temperatures you can sun bathe in! I do what I do, and no less inspired dream of another will suffice that it is like the storyline in the movie, a life with purpose, a job that means everything but riches (though not a bad side-effect), an enterprise that God can use to solve your financial needs while enabling you to do work that can change the world for the cause of good. I do what I do to live a life filled with meaningful work, not easy work, not glorified work, not money work, I bring what I am and the skills I have to the table 120% of the time to be that difference in business, in technology, in the world that I wish to see.

I have renewed resolve today to pick up the cross and put 16+ years of skill on the line to better the lives of others, to improve the condition in which others live, to encourage and strengthen families starting with the Men that are and should be leading them. I am resolved that if in Mission work, working under the employment of my company, or working in the company of others, I will push hard and walk tall because there are 10 other Men of my caliber that aren't afforded the opportunity, aren't provided the skills, aren't put in this place, at this time. As for me and my house, and my business, we will serve the Lord and hold faithful to the calling on our lives.

It always surprises me how much Agile Lean and Scrum comes up with me and my thinking. In some way I see how jobs that might otherwise seem to be sucking the life away from its drone workforce can be transformed into a job with a clear and meaningful purpose if those that lead it would take a strong Servant Leadership position and empower the people to do amazing work.

Happy day!  -James