My Year with WELD

In the midst of preparing for our big move to Colorado this summer I wanted to take time to reflect on the past year of being part of what I'm claiming as the best thing to happen to Dallas in the last 25 years, WELD. From stumbling upon the space one day with a friend, to working alongside some of the most talented/caring people in the world, it has truly changed my perspective on what it means to work alongside others.

From the Beginning

Austin had sent me an email a week or two before I first stepped foot in the door and I didn't even have time to respond to him. But cut me some slack, I had just started working for myself and was super focused on my work. So on the day that I met Austin at WELD it may have been awkward had he been any other kind of person but awesome. Instantly I felt at home and knew that the space I was standing in was something really special. That was also the same day I was reunited with Trey Hill.

Within a week of meeting Austin and seeing WELD for the first time, we were already dreaming up a plan to paint this huge mural in the entryway. Austin has this certain fervor about him that's infectious. He's definitely a doer more than he is a talker. Personally, I'm more of a dreamer so it was awesome to meet somebody like Austin and begin to move forward with the mural right away. And then, just like that, in the matter of a single day I sketched, scanned and painted the mural while Austin filmed it. There was something magical in the air.

Fit like a glove

There really wasn't any sort of awkward "fitting in" period like you might find in some other co-working spaces. It all just felt really natural. Everyone that was there before me, and even the new people that started to show up, were all super awesome. Being at WELD just fit like a glove. The spirit of collaboration was definitely in the air. When you step foot inside WELD, even to this day, there isn't that competitiveness that's so prevalent in our society (especially Dallas). Instead, you're greeted with warm smiles and hot delicious coffee.

Now I could go on and on about all the wonderful perks of being a member, but I'm not a salesman. Instead, I just want to share the most important part about being at WELD, the relationships. It's not even really so much that everyone is a talented creative person, which they are, but more that everyone is down to earth and warm hearted. Before finding WELD, Dallas has left a bad taste in my mouth with how segregated it all seemed. But that taste was soon replaced by delicious friendships with people like Austin, Tiffany, Trey, Paul, Esther and Tyler. It's simple, learn to invest in people and the rest will work itself out.

Onward and Upward

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, my family and I will be moving to Colorado this summer. Without going in to too much detail, we feel this is the next step for us and believe whole-heartedly God calling us there. Hence, onward and upward. But I know in my heart this isn't the end for my relationship with WELD. I have great peace about things in the future with WELD and me and Colorado.

I am excited to be a part of bringing WELD to probably one of the more unassuming parts of Colorado. But that's the thing I love about it. For example, if you didn't live in Texas you would probably assume WELD should have been started in Austin, right? Well the proof is in the pudding over this past year that WELD doesn't exist because of what city it's in, but more because of the people it draws and the community it builds.

Call to Action

WELD has just launched a new campaign to GROW outside of Dallas. Check out the website, grow.weld.co, and help create WELD in your community. You can also check the hashtag #WeCreateWELD by following @WELD on twitter.

Friday - Food for Thought p2

It's another beautiful Friday. The past couple weeks have been both rewarding and challenging in new and different ways. I had the pleasure of spending a few days in Austin with my wife for my birthday. And we, at Over, continue the challenge of working across continents with each other. But in everything we experience in life there is wisdom to be gained and mistakes to learn from. These are a few of my own.

Things I'm learning

Don't believe the hype. The new car. The new gadget. The new (fill in the blank) all become outdated the moment we take them home. I remember as a child watching commercials and believing the emotions the advertising agencies were selling me. If I had "this product" then I would feel "that way" about myself. The "hype" of anything new, other than life in Christ, is overrated. So don't put your hope in the hype because it will only leave you empty when dust and scratches cover it.

Be the first to smile. When you're walking down the street or walk in to a restaurant always be the first one with a smile on your face. I'm convinced there's not a person on earth who won't respond to a warm, friendly smile. In my own experience I feel like I've always been the one responding to people's emotions with equal or lesser value. You never know what someone else is struggling with in that moment when you meet them (whether they're serving you drinks or passing you on the street)... so show them some teeth and smile.

Things I'm struggling with

Biting my tongue. It's hard to keep your thoughts to yourself in a day in age when we've all been given a platform to do just the opposite. Everywhere I turn it seems everyone has a comment. Negative or positive, we've all been given a voice. I have had a difficult time in the past keeping my tongue from slipping and saying something stupid, and it's something I'm still working on, but the more I see Jesus the more I see value in putting thought before my words.

Things I'm inspired by

Reading The Hobbit. I don't know why anyone never told me to read this book earlier. I literally wake up thinking about it and go to bed reading it. My wife can attest to the fact that I'm not a very avid reader, but this book is so captivating. To me it feels more like a piece of poetry, at times, rather than a narrative. I would highly encourage you to pick up a tangible copy, feel the pages between your fingers, and read it this summer.

The truth. We live in a world where so much of what we hear and see on a daily basis is founded in deception and self-gratification. But when the truth comes and shines its light, you can't help but smile. That's why I love when my friend Doug Roberts writes about the Church. It is not self-seeking or deceiving, but it is the simple truth that Jesus himself proclaimed and spoke about. Or in simple terms, it's like a cool spring on a hot summer day. Read it for yourself in three parts: Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3

Planning for Papahood: Part One

As you may or may not know, my wife and I are expecting our first little Steedling.

I have heard it said that a woman becomes a mother the moment she finds out she is pregnant, and a man becomes a father the moment he holds his child for the first time. I feel inclined to believe that's true at this point in time. Everything seems so surreal right now. I don't think I can fully wrap my head and heart around what it will be like to see my child for the first time. Joy, Peace and Fear are a few of the emotions I feel right now.

Joy

Getting to watch them take their first bite of chocolate cake. Watching as they learn to take their first steps. The first time they ride a bike. Bath time. Story time. Doodle days with Dad. Walks in the park. Attempting to explain the mysteries of the world to a child who probably grasps them better than I do. Watching them as they sleep. Listening to them talk. Letting them know they are loved. Encouraging them to try again. Telling them about God... these are just a few of the things that bring my heart joy.

Peace

In the midst of all thing that could go wrong, I still have peace. Just as Jesus spoke to the storm on the sea of Galilee, so too he speaks to the storms that arise in my soul, "peace, be still." As I've been meditating on the fact that there is a miracle going on just beneath the skin of my wife's belly, I keep coming back to the words David wrote in Psalm 139:

"Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

This is where my peace comes from. While I sit here and wonder what sex our baby is, or what kind of things they will experience in their life, their Creator knows them full well.

Fear

I believe there are two kinds of fear in this world; the 5 o' clock news kind of fear and the reverent fear of the One who made everything. I'm not sure how the two relate to having a baby, but I do know I've already begun to experience a hint of fear when I think about the great responsibility it is to raise up a child in this world. I know it's not healthy to get ahead of myself, and I fully trust to learn by making mistakes and the wisdom and guidance of those around us, but I don't want to discredit any emotion through this process. I believe fear, just like joy or peace, can be a healthy part of planning for papahood.

The Psalms

I enjoy the Psalms probably more than any other book in the Bible. It holds both sentimental and practical value for me. It's so easy to flip through the pages and find yourself in common with someone thousands of years older than you. It says something about our humanity doesn't it? That even in the midst of all our technological advances, we are still only human. And along with our humanity comes the most basic of needs, to be loved. David, unapologetically, shares his doubts and fears, victories and shouts of joy all throughout the 150 chapters. At once it is both a book of encouragement and a book screaming out for mercy and salvation. So why is it in the midst of all this pain and darkness we experience on earth, we are quick to lose hope. And not the kind of hope that comes in a bottle, a message, or a Sunday morning service. But a living breathing person. Hope that never forgets us. Hope that can't be tarnished. Hope that lasts. I know because I've fought with my own doubts and come out the other side seeing hope for who He really is.

The following passage has been a continual source of strength and hope for me in dark times. I pray that it does the same for you today.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you." Psalm 139:7-12

Creative Direction Part Two

I guess it's been a couple weeks since I wrote my last post on the transition to working with Over. Well the good thing about writing your own blog is that you don't really have any specific deadlines to meet. I prefer to wait until I have something of value to share, before I sit down and attempt to arrange my thoughts in nice, neat little sentences. Enjoy!

Communication is key

If you work in a space where you sit across the room, the desk or the toilet from your co-workers, consider yourself lucky. The greatest challenge of working remote is also its greatest reward, learning how to communicate more effectively. When you work three states away from your other teammates it can be easy to lose sight of what's going on day-to-day. Even as good as the tools we use are (i.e. Basecamp, Skype, etc.) it doesn't replace the real magic of being face-to-face. It takes a certain caliber of person to be able to handle the responsibility of working remotely as well as continuing to communicate what you're working on.

Spare no feelings

You should know I am a big believer in grace. Grace, to me, is the ability to see your own flaws in those around you and then cutting them all some slack. But, I'm also a big believer in high standards, especially when it comes to doing work. I don't mind sparing your feelings to tell you how I feel for the betterment of the design. I prefer to challenge your design decisions and figure out how you arrived there, instead of just telling you it's not good enough and leaving you to figure it out on your own.

However, we humans are susceptible to finding our identity in our work. That can lead to some really heated conversations when you start challenging the very core of someones design. But that's exactly where I wish to get to, the very heart of the matter. I would much rather help someone see that their identity isn't found in their work, than just simply pat them on the back and say nice job. Our souls don't really need anymore of an ego boost, in fact just the opposite is true. We would all do ourselves a favor if we learned how to better rule our souls and not be lead by emotion.

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

I've been stuck on this post by Regina Brett for the past two weeks it seems: 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on. Most of the one-liners she gives sounds like something I would say. But this one in particular, "Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful" really speaks truth on multiple levels. It isn't about the things you have in your design/life so much as it is the things you decided to leave out. That's what separates the good from the great. It isn't enough to just call your design/life "minimal" anymore. You really have to sweat and struggle with the details. You have to be willing to be wrong. You have to be willing to be honest. You have to dare to be great.

Part of my struggle recently has been waking up every morning with the notion that the greatest way I can lead my family is to serve. Doesn't matter if I feel like I'm winning or losing, because in marriage it's never a competition. This simple truth has really begun to ooze its way in to the way I work. One of my favorite passages of scripture says it best:

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty." Zechariah 4:6

This is great news. It takes the pressure off. It frees us up to seek first the Kingdom. When the eyes and ears of our spirit understand the truth here, we our free to bring all of who we are in to whatever we do without fear of being rejected. We know who we are and where we are going. So whether we're designing apps, or taking out the trash, we can have total peace about where we are.

Do it Again

This morning as I braved the cold morning air on a dog walk my thoughts went back to this beautiful G.K. Chesterton quote I read yesterday:

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

Specifically my attention was turned to the way the clouds were drawn in the sky. And the way the sun rises every morning and we take it for granted. But I take great comfort in believing that God doesn't take these things for granted. I have to believe He loves waking us up every day with the same thing, but in a completely new way. It's almost as if He is trying to teach us something.

Then I thought about my own work. What I do day in and day out. What I get tired of doing over and over again. What I wish I could be doing instead. Focusing on the future instead of the here and now. But the truth is that there is joy in the monotony of the everyday life. In my own experience, God has been found more times in the mundane rather than the extraordinary. Not saying He isn't there in the magical things, because He is, but I think He loves to hide himself in the ordinary in hopes that we may go searching for Him.

So what things are you growing tired of doing over and over again? How do you think God might be speaking to you through the mundane tasks of life? Hopefully this helps stir up some questions and thoughts and dreams in your own journey. I know it sure did for me.

The C Word

It is a very common word in our culture. One that is filled with great hope, but never fulfills its promise. A word with great purpose, and even beautiful expression, but still doesn't quite sum it up. A popular catchphrase that gets thrown around in many different circles, but never completes what we are searching for. I'm talking about community.

The problem with community

Here is a definition of community:

a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals:

Did you catch that? A "feeling" of fellowship. Dang! And what do feelings do? They come and go, just like the wind.

But let me back up a second. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with community. There is a lot of done good in this world via communities coming together. But I fear that we, the church, have come to place our trust in it over Jesus. The word, the idea, of community has become such a catch phrase lately that it makes our ears perk up, and our hearts gravitate towards its warm glowing light. We hold it up on a pedestal and seek it out in our lives. We're told things like "you need to plug in" or "you need to find your community". But that all sounds like a marketing jargon to me.

What's better than community then?

What if there was a better way of living? What if there was a more natural expression of people living together and sharing life? What if it were as easy as giving up trying to find where you fit in and just rest in who you are?

Here is a definition of family:

a person or people related to one another and so to be treated with a special loyalty or intimacy

God has only ever called us in to family. Through the Holy Spirit we have now been adopted in to His family. There no longer exists a "feeling" of fellowship, but now we have true fellowship; both with the maker of Heaven and Earth and with each other. Wow! Is this sinking in? I'm so excited just sitting here punching the keys on my keyboard. It's in this simple revelation of family, that we can move past our feelings and settle in to our sonship. It is in family that we find true purpose for our lives. It is in family that we can rest in who we are and just be ourselves. And it is in family that we see how God loves us.

Compare and Contrast

Community wants to tell us we can all trust each other, but family knows that you have a specific order to the relationships and authority in your life.

Community wants to make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but family knows that feelings don't rule our position as sons and daughters.

Community wants to teach us to build bigger and grow larger, but family is all about building each other up because we have great affection one for another