The Wisdom of Accountability: Guiding Others Toward Responsibility

In our most recent Plain City Writing Group meeting, we were given a writing prompt to write a relationship scene.  I hope you enjoy this scene with Wanda, the WAF project manager.

Wanda has worked very hard over the last three years as the project manager for the Web Application Firewall (WAF) initiative.  Unfortunately, her coworkers don't share the same work ethic and aren't very supportive.

The WAF team sees it as Wanda's responsibility to manage end user tickets from "cradle to grave" which often includes opening tickets although her coworkers have the ability to open tickets as well.  The WAF admin is particularly finicky and wants her to "spoon feed" reports to him, convey his work notes to the customer instead of using "additional comments" to interact directly with the end user, and perform all follow-up to confirm any actions taken to remediate the WAF block fixed the customer issue. There are also times when he'll request emergency meetings or bring up concerns that require Wanda to write business justification reports to present before the WAF committee for review and ruling.

At the urging of her department director, Wanda worked with the team who manages the ticketing system to build a specific request form that end users, or WAF team members, can use to submit WAF issues.  The ticketing team coded in directions for the WAF admin as a reminder to "use additional comments if you need further information from the end user."  This request form recently went into production.  Wanda updated documentation previously written for the WAF team on how to open a WAF ticket to reflect how to use this new request form.  Wanda wrote a document that was reviewed by the communications team and began working on how to get it distributed to the consortia members.  It was decided to shorten the communication so that it can be included in the next edition of the consortia newsletter.  

Wanda's director asked her to work with the WAF Admin to have the error messages that customers receive if their activity is blocked updated to include the link to the new request form.  Since access to WAF is locked down, Wanda cannot make these updates herself.  The WAF admin has ghosted her. Wow, even him throwing a hissy fit that changing the blocking message requires a vote by the WAF committee would have been better than ghosting. 

Honestly, Wanda expected resistance and pushback from the WAF Admin and WAF team at some point. in this journey.  While the WAF request form is meant to provide a better user experience for the customer, it also makes opening WAF issues easier for WAF team members as well.  All members of the WAF team should be held accountable, not just Wanda. She is also pushing the envelope with the coded instructions reminding the WAF Admin how to communicate directly with the end user.  After three years of transcribing the WAF Admin's work notes for the customer, scheduling emergency meetings, writing business justifications when he threw a hissy fit and being belittled in front of the WAF team, she's had enough. Supporting WAF should not be entirely on her shoulders!

Wanda has the wisdom to know she cannot change people but will stand her ground by holding her coworkers accountable.  She will not continue to spoon feed team members who have access to the same resources as her.  The customers (end users) have access to this new request form; hopefully, the consortia newsletter blurb serves to educate them about this improved user experience. 

Will the WAF Admin change the blocking message as requested?  Will he throw a fit and require that it a vote by the WAF team?  We will see what the week ahead has in store.

Resources:

Writing Prompt Courtesy of Anja, leader of the Plain City Writing Group

Scripture Image from YouVersion Bible App

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When Life Is Hard: Choosing Gratitude Through Faith and Challenges

There are seasons in life when gratitude doesn’t come easily.

When we feel worn down physically, stretched emotionally, or uncertain spiritually, the idea of being thankful can feel distant—almost out of reach. In those moments, we’re not thinking about blessings… we’re simply trying to get through the day.

And that’s okay.

Over the past several weeks, I found myself in one of those seasons. Work stress was high. Sleep was inconsistent. My body felt run down—and eventually, that caught up with me in the form of illness.

Even as I began to feel better, it seemed like one challenge led right into another. A warning light in my vehicle. An unexpected repair. A series of small but draining moments that made everything feel just a little heavier.

It would have been easy to focus only on what was going wrong.

But somewhere in the middle of it all, a quiet truth began to rise to the surface:

Gratitude isn’t something we wait to feel.
It’s something we choose to practice.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
— Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

Difficult seasons have a way of narrowing our view.

When we’re overwhelmed or hurting, our focus naturally shifts toward what’s missing, what’s broken, or what feels uncertain. Even small setbacks can feel overwhelming when we’re already running on empty.

Gratitude doesn’t come naturally in those moments—and it’s not supposed to.

We’re human. We feel deeply. We carry stress, fear, frustration, and fatigue.

But being human also means we have a choice in how we respond.

Not a denial of what’s happening.
Not pretending everything is fine.
But a quiet shift in perspective.

Looking back, I can now see things I couldn’t fully appreciate in the moment:

• My illness, while frustrating, was short-lived
• I remained safe through my car issues and repair
• A kind stranger stepped in to help when I needed it
• My husband was there to support me without hesitation
• Friends offered encouragement and help along the way

None of these were dramatic, life-changing moments.

But they were real. And they mattered.

Gratitude in hard seasons isn’t about pretending everything is okay.

It’s about staying open—even when it would be easier to close yourself off.

It’s about recognizing that even in the middle of challenges, there are still moments of grace, provision, and care.

It’s about choosing not to let your heart harden.

Gratitude becomes something deeper than a feeling in these moments.

It becomes:

• A practice when emotions feel unreliable
• A discipline when life feels uncertain
• An act of faith when answers aren’t clear

It’s the decision to look for light—even when darkness feels easier to see.

To notice the small blessings—even when the big ones haven’t arrived.

To remain open to hope—even when life feels heavy.

If you find yourself in a season like this right now, I want to remind you:

You don’t have to feel grateful to begin practicing gratitude.

Start small.

Notice one thing.
Then another.

Hold onto those moments—not to ignore your struggles, but to anchor yourself in truth.

Because even in difficult seasons…

There is still something to be thankful for.

Resources:

Quoted Scripture Psalm 46:1

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Quicker to Praise, Quicker to Thank: Cultivating Gratitude and Encouragement Every Day

It’s so easy to notice what’s wrong.  One of my work teams absolutely makes me crazy with their constant criticism, nit-picking, lack of accountability....I could go on but I'll stop.

But lately, I’ve been thinking about a simple challenge after seeing a recent quote.

"Let us be quicker to praise than to find fault. Let us be quicker to thank others than to complain.  -- Desmond Tutu"

That one shift can change the atmosphere in a room, the tone of a conversation, and even the condition of our hearts.

Sometimes fault-finding doesn’t look harsh. It can sound like:

• “Why didn’t they…?”

• “They never…”

• “This always happens…”

• “I’m so tired of…”

And while those words may feel harmless in the moment, they can slowly drain our joy. Aside from draining joy, it can also feel like life is being sucked out of you.  They can also discourage the people around us—especially the ones who are trying.  

Praise doesn’t mean ignoring problems or pretending everything is perfect. It simply means we choose to notice what’s good first.

A little praise can go a long way:

• “Thank you for helping.”

• “I appreciate you.”

• “You did a great job.”

• “That meant a lot to me.”

Encouragement is powerful. It builds connection. It brings warmth where criticism might bring distance.

Complaining makes us feel heavier. Gratitude makes us feel lighter.

When we thank others, we remind ourselves that we’re not alone—and that there is still goodness around us, even on hard days.

And gratitude is also a form of humility. It says, “I see what you did,” and “I don’t take you for granted.”

In full disclosure, especially with the one work team, this will be easier said than done but I'm going to make an effort not just for the betterment of the team and our work but for myself. 

Resources:

Quote from grateful.org

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