Jesus is ironic

Jesus and I have been having lots of conversations lately about finding quality boys in Ohio, and the difficult job that is. I think he just listens, shakes his head and laughs at me. I didn’t really hear anything definitive from him until this last Friday. I went to an event at church, all of the usual people were there.

So half way through the service I notice someone new. He was just my type – tall, dark hair, football-player build. I saw that he was there with a friend and the requisite single-girl scan revealed that he didn’t have a ring on, great. But I quickly chastised myself for noticing a boy in the midst of a praise and worship service, and I resumed my intended task of focusing on God. Of course, everytime time you try and avoid something its all you can think about. Soon my eye has wandered back to where he was sitting, maybe this is why Jesus tells us to chop off the offending parts of our body. But anyway, I notice that he’s totally into the service – he raises his hands, he closes his eyes, oooh this boy loves Jesus, sweet.

After the service I see that he knows several people I know. But I’m not going to be obvious. Yet there is something about a new boy that makes you revert to high school. I’m all aflush and intrigued. But I try to dismiss it, if I meet him, I meet him. No big deal. So I’m walking around talking to people and then his friend brings him over to introduce him to my dad, who then calls me over to meet him – yea! My inner 16 year-old was very excited.

It was a short-lived elation. He’s a Spanish teacher – who loves Mexico. That’s the worst news for me, my years in Mexico were the worst of my life. I don’t like to speak in Spanish. I know I have issues around the subject, that’s no secret to anyone who knows me.

So imagine my dismay when my dad informs him that we lived there and that’s all he wants to talk about with me. When I told him that I don’t remember much Spanish, he actually offers to help me revive my dormant language skills. I pass.

Yea, Jesus is ironic like that. A cute, single boy who only wants to speak to me in Spanish about Mexico.

Not funny Jesus, so not funny.

Filed under: Single Serving , boy, church, single

Better Days

I think business meetings, bad news or anything negative should be banned on Mondays. After the horrible beginning to my week I have just been exhausted. I’ve not been sleeping well, but Wednesday was a better day. We had a great client meeting and have also picked up several new customers this week, so that’s all good news.

We’ve also gotten a lot of great feed back on our product and its always nice to hear good things. So we are starting to get some momentum.

There is so much work to do some days I don’t even know where to start. I’m struggling to find vendors, time, energy and sanity somedays. So crazy.

Tomorrow we’re going to visit another customer to see how we can help them with marketing, so that should be fun. I like problem-solving for other people.

Filed under: Working

Hard Day

Today sucked.

It’s 4:59 a.m. and after three hours of sleep I’m back up still thinking about it.

I knew it was going to be hard, we had a meeting set with one of our core accounts that has decided not to purchase from us anymore. We didn’t really know why but we were hoping that we could work it out. I mean they have been purchasing from this company since the 60s, surely its a history worth preserving.

But once we got there it was clear we couldn’t save it. He is the one who requested the meeting, but we sat down and he stared at us, his silence asking, “What do you want?” It was awkward. It was uncomfortable. I had nothing to say. My dad jumped in and said we were there to meet him, talk about what happened, to see what we could do.

He just said he was done. He’d had enough for various reasons and he told this to the previous owner the last time they met. We never had a chance with him. But the previous owner knew he was losing his biggest account, it makes sense now why he wanted to sell.

It felt like a giant waste of time. We were caught off guard. We had no words. No explanation. No recourse.

We left after 30 minutes, in silence. There still wasn’t anything to say.

Now my mind is spinning. How does our small business recover? What do we have to do? Where do we go? What’s next? God, did we make a mistake? Are we going to make it? Will this fail? Every insecurity I had about this thing is now at the forefront of my mind.

I am learning how to take these setbacks to drive me forward. In the past, I would have stopped and assumed failure. That isn’t an option this time. We have to make this work. I can’t check out. I can’t give up.

My dad never falters. He never fears. He doesn’t worry. He says, “we’ll recover I promise.”

Thank God tomorrow is a new day. Thank God for new ideas, new business, new contacts, new mercies and new strength.

Oh it will be work, but there has to be a new plan and a new way.

Filed under: Working , business loss, new mercy, resilient