Once upon a time,
there were 2 Peeps. The first Peep had grand Visions and high dreams, but also a bit of ego that was difficult to restrain. The second Peep had laser Focus and innovative plans, but also had the sense to execute balance.
The Poobah of the Land passed by the village, giving each the size plot that they requested. No restriction was given to the amount of land but the Peeps needed to find a way to manage the land on their own.
Vision decided to acquire 10 acres, after all - it would be necessary to fulfill the dream of feeding the village and becoming renowned among the Peeples.
Focus chose 1/2 acre. It was small, it was manageable, and in time could be extended.
"That little bit of land? Pshhhaw! Your plans aren't so innovative! Wait til you see how productive my land will be!" said Vision.
"I like plans too, but be certain it's balanced with action. Plans don't feed you, food does." Focus turned away to begin preparing the land while Vision went into the house to draft the most exquisite schemes.
After a week, Focus asked, "Have you sown your seed yet, Vision?"
"Don't be small-minded. I won't be sowing seed with my hands like you. I'll have a massive SeederSower as soon as I can finance the loan."
After 3 weeks, Focus mentioned, "Your land is being overgrown with weeds. Don't you need to address that?"
"Chemicals! I have found a place that sells chemicals to burn the weeds. Your back is bent from plucking them by hand, but I'll have my land weed-free faster than you can manage!"
Soon, the first signs of buds sprouted. Later, green fruit began to peek from behind luscious leaves on the land belonging to Focus. Envy was the only touch of green that had sprouted for Vision.
"Look at how few plants you have! When my 10 acres are filled, then you'll see real abundance!"
"What I have is enough," said Focus, and the care of the small plot of land continued without further disruption. When Vision continued to stand and glare at the land, Focus looked up. "It's not too late, you know. I would be more than happy to give you some of mine to transplant to yours. You can care for them and still have enough time to feed yourself through winter."
"You think I can't fill my land with enough to feed the surrounding villages? Wait until you see what arrives next week! It's a Super Mega Triple Speed Bioenhancified Crop Fulfiller. Don't distract me from my goals! Ten acres is nothing to this machine!"
Harvest time approached, and the fruits and vegetables and grains on Focus' land were plentiful. A shout from Vision's land drew Focus. Vision whipped around and glared, standing defiantly in front of barren soil.
"Don't judge my land! The plans were solid! The SeederSower broke on the second pass, and the loan was only enough for the machine, not the repairs. The chemicals would have worked, but they were delayed. I had no collateral for the..." Vision's voice trailed off as it all seemed very silly now. Excuses didn't matter. There would be no food for the winter for the village, let alone for the table of Vision alone.
Focus pulled up a large Chowdybloot fruit and placed it heavily into the grateful hands of Vision. "What I have is enough... for you too."
Ideally, Focus and Vision would be one person. I value both of their outlooks, but I value wisdom and balance most of all. You don't get the name "dreemsteem" without being able to enjoy some seriously lofty dreems. (yep, I spelled it with 2 ee's) However, without the balance of reality, that can be a dangerous stance to keep.
As I get approach the end of this marketing campaign for Spunkee Monkee- Beta, I'm reminded of the things that I do well, and quite frankly, I'm ready to return to that space. Resolution is important. Dictionary.com defines "Resolution" with several meanings but I like this one: "the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose".
The problem with being firm in your resolution is it can be firm and balanced, or firm and skewed. Being able to always take a moment to step back and evaluate the progress of your plan is crucial. It's fine to reconfigure your route as you compare your predicted plan to your perceived progress. As a matter of fact, it's crucial. When each day's journey is complete, it's important to re-align the trajectory with the destination.
Fools check the map once.
On this journey to our Beta test, I'm so thankful that my Spunkee Monkee team is constantly checking, rechecking and collaborating. Excitement is constantly weighed against reality, and our mission is clear.
We want to make a positive change in the lives of children and families. Though 10 acres of land would be awesome, we are happy to start with half an acre and be faithful with that. Manual labor and daily care can be "back-breaking work", but it is often a lot more rewarding as well. As we grow, we can find balance in taking on "more land" and being partnered with the right team to give us the tools to succeed with excellence!
We are happy to "Start with one, and grow - with hope."
Whether we raise every cent of our intended marketing goal or not, I am proud of running the race and I'm satisfied knowing we did all we could, while maintaining integrity. I'm excited that our plans to continue did not hinge desperately on benefactors, but on the passion of our God-given convictions and the strength of our God-given endurance. Having said that, we gratefully admit in the joyful and steady support of our "true believers".
Special Thanks to 
- your presence is steady and significant! Thank you to everyone who continues to support this mission! You're a part of this because we couldn't do it without you! Those aren't just kind words - those are the facts! We have great hope for the future and look forward to celebrating our successes with you along the way!
MONKEES, get ready for Feb 1, because we are so excited to celebrate and encourage you on your Treasure Hunt!
HAVE YOU DONATED YET? Join our mission!
HAVE YOU MISSED THE FUN? Check out these posts below!
What is Spunkee Monkee: a FANTASTIC explanation by @shadowspub
My Monkee can have BLING?? YEP! Come see!
Shop the Monkee Store? yahoo!
Monkee Trading? Let's make a deal!
SPECIAL thanks to the Steemit witness who have been supporting Spunkee Monkee: 
, 
(made up of 
and 
), 
(who is the other half of the 
witness team), 
, and 
All Spunkee Monkee images have been created for Spunkee Monkee by the amazing 