an honest day's work...

I've got a friend who's hit it big.  

We started out pursuing our 'dreams' about the same time.  We've stayed friends throughout the journey.  He's now a millionaire.

I'm not.

Yet.

(maybe ever, who knows?)

But the point that struck me when thinking about him today was what he said the last time we got together.  He was talking about his journey and about how it's become a little hard for him to keep his life in perspective given that his bank account allows him to basically do whatever he wants whenever he wants.

We talked on that a bit (a pretty interesting problem to have) and he landed on this:

"Well, I remember when I started out, when things looked so impossible--like I'd never get anywhere.  The litmus test I used then was that I'd just go out and do an honest day's work. That's it.  I figured that if I did that--truly and honestly--then whatever came of it came of it and I wasn't going to stress about the rest.  These days I often go back to those days, reminding myself to just show up and do an honest day's work."

Inspiring stuff.  It's no wonder he's a success.

And his 'word' on that has helped me as I've devoted the last 14 days to doing my job as a producer/preacher while employing myself as a 'contractor' to get my backyard into somewhat decent shape in time for the summer.

Today the foundation and base for the shed (a huge one which will be great for our many kids and their various and sundry toys/bikes etc...) went in and when I was finishing up I looked at the light and my drill and thought, "Gee' I should grab a shot of that."

Hence the shot to start this post.

I called it "Day's End" in my iPhoto.  The end of a day of hard labor.  The end of a day of figuring things out and working carefully and slowly.  The end of a day of devoting myself to making a difference (in my backyard).  The end of an honest day's work.

What hit me is that if I (or you) take the above paragraph and apply it to my (or your) normal work in the coming weeks as I (we) work hard--to finish the current 104 TV shows we're producing/write a pilot for a new dramatic series we have in development/hustle my butt off to try and raise 80K for a graphic novel adaptation we're trying to put together/get ready to plant my second fully independent Church this fall/start a novelization I've been putting off for too long--I might find myself finding some of the success that my friend has found.

I'm not saying I'll replicate anything he's done--because (as Aslan says) this story is not my friend's story, it's my story and we're never told anyone else's story--but I'm hoping that some of the dignity, humility and workmanlike ethic he carries around on him and in him might find a home in me.

Here's hopin'.

T