where control ends, connection begins
(on stickers, spreadsheets, and something sacred underneath it all)
Today was… a lot of little things.
Coffee bag proofs.
Shipping labels.
Sermon prep.
Balancing invoices that are overdue with events that are already confirmed.
Somewhere in the middle of it, I remembered what I wrote last week:
Trust is stronger than control.
Grief is a doorway, not a dead end.
Unity is formed in friction, not agreement.
That stuff still hits.
And it keeps showing up—in the most boring, logistical places.
☕ like, for example: coffee bags
We finalized designs for a new origin:
Colombia Supremo → Rainier Cherry, Turbinado Sugar, Grape Jelly
Cool, right?
They’ll look great. But they’re not just design projects.
They’re an exercise in restraint. In patience. In letting people experience something rather than just be sold something.
This isn’t just about packaging—it’s about posture.
🧾 systems ≠ control
Yes, we need systems.
Invoices should be paid. Events should be coordinated.
The sticker proofs need to be approved by May 2 or everything falls behind.
But systems don’t guarantee connection.
Control doesn’t guarantee clarity.
And if I’m not careful, I’ll lose the thread that actually holds this all together:
People matter. Grace doesn’t add up. And trust is still worth giving.
Even when it’s inefficient.
Even when the emails go unanswered.
Even when the margin (financial or emotional) feels thin.
💥 risk comes in different flavors
Financial risk?
Sure. It’s measurable. I can spreadsheet it. I can hedge it. I can tell you my break-even on a $MSTY buy.
But relational risk?
That’s harder.
Opening your hand to collaboration.
Letting people in.
Letting something fail that you can’t fix with a refund or a new draft.
Lately, that feels like the bigger ask.
🌀 presence over polish
I’ve been prepping content for the Baltics trip—teaching workshops on presence, perspective, participation.
The irony isn’t lost on me.
I keep circling this idea:
This work isn’t about agreement.
It’s about seeing each other.
Showing up. Not disappearing when things get uncomfortable.
Which, to be honest, feels harder than designing stickers.
🛠 reminders (for me, and maybe for you too)
You can build systems without suffocating relationship.
You can organize a calendar without over-functioning your way into disconnection.
You can lead something meaningful without pretending to have it all figured out.
Still walking that thin but holy line.
Still learning to choose presence over perfection.
Still wondering if spreadsheets can be sacred.
But I’m here.
And I’m trying.
And maybe that’s enough for today.
—
what part of your life are you gripping a little too tightly right now?
what would it look like to loosen your hold—just a bit?