both feet on the ground with a straddle

A friend we visited with at a community event this week explained how he has decided that his high school freshman (and according to our friend, a wormy little guy--"just like I was", he says) son is growing. Apparently, his son rode up on his dirt bike and when he stopped he had both feet on the ground and this much space (he held his fingers apart a couple inches) between his straddle and the dirt bike seat. Last year, he continued, his son had to lean over with one foot on the ground when he stopped his dirt bike. It's hard, he confided, to tell if someone is growing when you see them everyday.

So: no numbers, no measurement, no program, no data mining. But he knew his son was growing.

How do we keep up with such things? Did the day of outreach grow this year from last? How can you tell? 14 more people participated or 20 people less participated, but 10 more people from the drug recovery center participated (more receivers became givers).

The retreat where numbers were a bit down from last year: the participants spent time in small groups and talked about "real stuff"- my wife says I care more about what goes on at work than what goes on at the house. Yeah, me too. I tell her: if we want this stuff, I have to put in the hours.

The youth, who last year laughed when introducing the offertory during worship, this year takes it seriously and explains what it's all about and calls down a buddy who snickers about it.

The ministry team chair takes a personal interest in a coordinator of the event and makes sure to show up for all the planning meetings and has her over for dinner and cups of coffee and is with her every step of the way.

Instead of carrying out the recommendation of the subcommittee for them, you work closely with them to make sure that, working together, the vision, mission, and strategy is carried out.

You and the subcommittee understand its vision, mission, and strategy.

There is a subcommittee.

It really isn't that important where you are right now.

It is important to understand where you are right now compared to last year though, isn't it?

So, who's straddling the dirt bike this year and who still has to lean over when they come to a stop?