The summer after eighth grade a friend and I started a window washing business because we knew some people who needed theirs washed. We worked about 10 days over the first month of business. One day someone asked us if we could paint his house. Why not? So we said yes, officially ending “Homeboy’s Window Washing” and welcome “Homeboy’s Painting”.
I remember that first deal. The guy asked us “How much?” We took a minute to walk around, not so much to look at the house, but more like trying to put some perspective to money. We were only a few years past learning how to count money, much less knowing how to value it. So we decided we would each pick a number and split the difference. We had no idea. The spread was wide between my number and his, but we decided on a number which would have been a gold mine for two nearly ninth grade boys. I had the responsibility to tell the customer. When he said “When can you start?” we tried to hold back our laughter. To no avail. We must have looked silly. I am so thankful he hired us. But he must have also been elated to have someone do it for that amount.
I have always loved entrepreneurship. Seeing a need and finding a way to meet the need that is valuable to someone. The entire focus is on people. Their need. Valuable to them. We are made to derive satisfaction from serving others. Business should be built on that premise, and when so, it is typically successful.
I am sitting by Tara’s side in the hospital room. She already looks and feels better. The drain is in. The antibiotics are getting pumped in. I pray this is the course that will give her more energy and strength. We are hopeful. I feel the weight of entrepreneurial responsibility at home. My family has needs and I must serve them in a way that is valuable to them; in the way they need the help. But when I have spent all my energy doing that at work, i am tired and all I want to do is rest. I may try to meet their needs, but in a way that is convenient to me. And it doesn’t work.
The entrepreneur finds a way to stay focused to be successful. So I need to keep digging in my heels at home and save my best efforts for my family. They are the customers that matter most.
Perspectives From The Tree Tops 
Amen, Brother Jay! Our prayers are with you both. Love from Ames
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you guys out at home.
Jay-
When I think of the perfect “provider” your someone I think of almost immediately. You provide so many things to so many people. My wish for you is that The Lord provides you with everything you & Tara need during this very trying time. Always thinking of you all- Stacy
Really thankful to hear that modern medicine is doing its thing! You are only one person Jay with the same number of hours as everyone else. Seeing as Tara is a Proverbs 31 woman, you should just sit by a gate, right? Wouldn’t that be nice! I am praying for wisdom for you in where you should be at any given moment. I pray that you will know when it’s ok to allow others to be helping at home and work, and when it needs to be you. The only way to keep a sound mind is in Christ. As a wise person said to me, when we spend time with The Lord he multiplies our time. I believe He’s proven this to me time and time again. Don’t forget to pray. Listen. He keeps in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in The Lord forever, for The Lord is the Rock eternal. All that balanced life mumbo jumbo doesn’t work- the only balance comes from surrender. And being your honest, transparent self!
Do not be too hard on yourself. You are right in saying that your family is your most important customer, but you can also ask for help. We want to help, but sometimes don’t know what is the most helpful. Please ask. We are waiting to serve. We love you guys.
P.S. Customer service always has a manager who can help customers and clerks. God is the manager. Ask him where to let go and pick your battles. He will faithfully answer. Love you.
Jay and Tara,
My heart and prayers are with you and I have been struggling these past couple of days. I have been praying for God to move and He did, but the result was not what I expected at all.
Memorizing James 1, has not been by chance at all. As I been memorizing the first 7 verses, you can’t help but meditate and chew on them.
The verses 2-4,” Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and let the steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
It is easier to say, I got this, and a lot harder to go through it. It isn’t me personally, but I am experiencing it with a friend and sister in the Lord. I was reading Kay Arthur’s blog today and it was encouraging. Its about disappointment. I pasted it below:
Living Epistles
God may not let you see how at the moment, but He will use your trusting submissiveness to minister to others. Most of those around you don’t read the Bible. So what does God do? God shows the world pictures of Himself and of the sufficiency of His grace through your life. He gives the world a living epistle—you. Often He will place you, in the same kind of fire, the same kind of disappointments and trials that so many others experience. He’ll put you with them in the same hospital, or allow you to suffer rejection or allow you to live with a rebel or to experience a financial blow. In any of a variety of disappointments, He lets you hurt as others hurt, knowing that the way in which you handle this hurt will be an undeniable testimony that there something awesomely different about you.
Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,” Romans 8:36–38
The bottom line, God is using trials, to reproduce Himself in us! So the world can see God in us!!! That is encourageing!!! There is hope through Christ!!! He will see us through and bless us on the otherside of the trials that come our way!!!
This is what God is showing me,
Lori
Amen Lori! The Lord is our.shepherd and will guide to the still waters for refreshment, He alone will meet all of our needs, He will guide our paths in righteousness for His names sake. Just keep looking to the shepard, He will never leave us or forsake us and will always lead us in the perfect path of righteousness!
I struggle with much of the same thoughts. Then I am reminded that what I want is to “do” when they want me to “be.”