SLICK

By: Brian Phillips

It’s the icy period in January, and my drive to work takes a little longer as I navigate the slippery streets. It’s only been six months on the new IT job, and I’m still learning things every day.

How do I configure that YAML pipeline? Is BatchCruncher related to Cookie Monster? How many days in a row is Food Day? But at the moment, what does that flashing alert on my phone mean? There’s a problem with a report! But that’s strange because everything seems to be up and running. With the help of my team, we discovered that our metrics for smooth driving had gone beyond normal limits. This could indicate a bug in the system. But in this case, it simply reflected the extra caution of our safety-focused drivers on those icy roads. No bugs to fix after all. Slick!

We sometimes use words like “slick” and “smooth” when things are easy or trouble-free, and “friction” when things are hard. But just like those icy roads, slick and smooth can actually make things much harder. At least, if we ever need to make a turn or come to a stop. That’s when we remember – a little friction can be a good friend.

In Proverbs, the writer prays for just enough to satisfy him. Not so little that he steals, and not so much that he forgets his need for God. He’s looking for that middle ground between friction and frozen—the place where he has proper traction.

I often start the morning with a prayer that the Lord will order my day so I’m neither slipping nor tripping. As I pull into this amazing place each morning, I know that the day at Nussbaum will have challenges ahead to keep me on my toes and an awesome team to support me through them. That keeps me purpose-driven. And that’s pretty slick.