One of the takeaways for me from the Echo Conference was the Pick Two of Fast, Good, or Cheap concept. I've heard this dozens of times before, mapped out in dozens of different ways, but never really worked hard to make it happen. Or, in my head it was happening as a freelancer, but I wasn't communicating it to my clients the way I perhaps should have. Lesson 1 of freelancing: over-communicate to your clients.

I made this to remind me that everything has restrictions. Especially design.
It hangs above my desk.

When you're employed full-time, the Pick-two concept works even less. Regardless of how quickly I make it or how good it is, it always costs my employers the same. The variables play an important role in this, of course, if I made a lot of bad design slowly, I'd get fired fast. Even if I made a lot of bad design quickly or good design slowly, I'd get fired sooner or later. But if I make fast and good design, I get paid the same. There's not a lot of loss to anyone or thing (except my creativity which suffers under the speed and nature of the work).

I'm explaining that because I'm realizing that the Christian life is like that too.

Sometimes you have to pick two.

And sometimes you feel a bit cornered by the options.

When I left New York almost a year ago, I was climbing out the corners. I was pushing away the boundaries and busyness and I was asking the question "What will I do?" instead of "What could I do someday maybe?"

I was in search of greener pastures, yes. I know that. I knew it then and I know it now. But I wasn't deluded by the fact that those greener pastures wouldn't be fenced in just as much as the other ones were.

We are comforted by boundaries and smaller options. We are built for paradise within gates and being of one house and in one accord. They are pleasant, yes, but boundaries just the same.

The thing is: we often don't know we're fenced in until we bump up against them.

And it usually hurts.

I'm entering a season of busyness again. Meeting girls for coffee, getting involved in connecting people at church, leading small groups,working for a busy and growing ministry, making sure that I'm home and that it is a priority to me. But I hit the boundary this week and I felt it deep in my soul.

Hey, hey you, Soul? Slow it down. Yeah, some things are going to fail and yeah, some pieces will fall apart and yeah, you'll probably disappoint some people. But the treasure, the real reward--listen to me, Soul, the real reward is Jesus and that's not going to change, okay? No matter, how fast or how good you make it, the return is the same. So pace yourself, soul. Run the race well, but run the course, stay in-bounds.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup,
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places,
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psalm 16:5&6

(Also, I think I'm allergic to watermelon. Watermelon? Really? I'm devastated by this possibility.)