Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 KJV

When you have the privilege of managing a corporation of individuals whose ages range from 9 months to eighteen, mess is a daily occurrence. And rather it’s your family, a place of business, or a farming operation, those who have experienced gains in productivity have more than likely seen their fair share of mess.

Anyone who knows me knows my family is my life. And whether it’s my tribe of thirteen, including Jen and me, or dear friends and loved ones serving various “family friendly” endeavors, I gravitate toward the dynamics that ensue from healthy operations.

And one of the healthiest elements in a well-functioning family unit is mess. It may appear in the form of dishes, diapers, or distress. They are all a part of job security, because without people and their people-ly ways, there is no productivity.

So I go overboard and encourage others wherever I can to do the same in what I call The Mess of Progress Fertilization. Basically it’s a fancy way to say make compost out of all the mess you can…especially the really stinky stuff. Don’t run from it…run to it with godly guidance from above and pile it, stir it, use it and keep on growing.

Remember, mess doesn’t come to make you messy. It comes to validate your message. And that message is what the world around you and after you reads…Caution! Construction Ahead!