Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Faith and Business - Shannon's Story


My wife is a small business success story…and her faith is integral to that success. 

In 2001 Shannon started a little hobby of selling toy soldiers on the internet.  She bought from manufacturers and sold to customers…a simple retail outlet.  From those humble beginnings in our basement (shehad to teach our toddler son to be quiet when the phone rang!), Shannon’s Treefrog Treasures has become known throughout the world as a major retailer in the industry.  Shannon’s two full time staff work from her warehouse, shipping daily to places like Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, and Canada.  While few people in the Eyota area know this hobby at all, Treefrog Treasures is known all over the toy soldier world. 

This past weekend I took off my ‘pastor’ hat for a few days and got to be a part of this business.  Military miniature collectors and manufacturers from all over the world gathered in Chicago for a weekend of buying, selling, building relationships, schmoozing, and planning for the future of the hobby.   Shannon met with manufacturers…major and minor.  She interacted with customers.  She hung out with other dealers.  I got to see Shannon in action, using these basic tenets of her Christian faith.

Luke 10:27b Love your neighbor as yourself

This simple maxim is fundamental to business.  Shannon works hard to treat people well.  She works to take God’s love and mirror it towards those around her. As she says, "I may be the only Jesus this person ever sees.”  It plays out with four groups:

·         Customers: Shannon and her staff are prompt and courteous in dealing with people.  They are not afraid to be honest if they make a mistake…and they do what it takes to make things right.   When customers are treated well…they return!

·         Staff: Shannon provides a positive working environment and pays her staff a fair wage.  This encourages good employees to stick around!

·         Manufacturers: Shannon goes out of her way to work jointly with manufacturers, viewing them as part of a ‘team.’  Due to her relationship building, I had two major manufacturers helping me to haul boxes of soldiers to and from our room!

·         Competitors:  Shannon and I had dinner with one of her biggest competitors one night.  They are good people!  If Shannon is short on an inventory item she can call them up to bail her out…and vice versa.


Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Some businesses are all about making money.  Wages get cut to the bone.  Manufacturers are squeezed.  Customers pay a premium whenever possible.  Shannon doesn’t play that game.  She believes that when she builds strong relationships and treats people well her business will succeed (see Luke 10:27!).  Ironically, businesses that put people first tend to make more money in the long run than those focused on getting every dollar possible in the short run.  Staff members tend to stay longer, providing stability.  Manufacturers go out of their way to be helpful, providing whatever resources necessary to help her.  Customers know that they are not getting ripped off…and they come back again and again.  For Shannon, the benefit of making money is that it allows her to be generous in giving, from clean water for people in Africa to working behind the scenes to help local people in need.

Exodus 20:16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘catty’ rumor mill that surrounds any industry, but that burns bridges and cuts off the possibility of future relationships.  People know that Shannon will not be caught in the midst of all that mess.  She has the ability to work closely with people that are considered pariahs of the industry.  A little compassion and empathy go a long way…and you never know when a relationship may lead to an exciting opportunity.  It opens doors for her to talk about the reason that she has compassion: Jesus!

Faith and business need not be opposed to each other.  Shannon has found that the two mingle quite nicely!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Recharging the Battery!


The Energizer Bunny…it keeps going…and going…and going.  It has batteries that never need to be recharged or replaced.

I am not the Energizer Bunny! 

Last week was amazingly fun…and amazingly busy!  I got to be a part of some awesome planning meetings here at Peace (we have great leaders with wonderfully creative ideas!).  I got to look ahead to the fall to begin finding leaders for our many activities…with much success!  I had the opportunity to do some great work for the bishop, updating both the New Ministry Table and the whole Synod Council on the exciting movement of the Holy Spirit through our synod’s African ministries.   I had the honor of presiding over the very unique wedding of Joanie Mix and Jason Lande.  I got to see my son Ben run in a cross country meet in La Crescent.  Amazing activity after amazing activity!  I loved it all!  Bring it on!  It was a week worthy of the Energizer Bunny!

Well, on Sunday morning at 5:00 my eyes popped awake.  I couldn’t sleep.  I knew my body desperately needed to rest (this was day #3 of early rising!)…but my brain wouldn’t agree.  It woke up and started whirring.  I finally gave up and got out of bed, knowing full well that this couldn’t continue.  If I didn’t get some rest I would crash. The Energizer Bunny can keep going on the same batteries.  Others of us need to recharge.

This summer I experienced some wonderful recharging of the batteries.  I got to go to the cabin for a couple weeks at a time.  I slept in…fished a lot…played games…puttered in the yard…and relaxed.  I needed this ‘deep recharge’ to reset the batteries for the year.

As I lay awake at 5 AM I knew that a trip to the lake wasn’t possible.  I needed a recharge, but a small one.  I had to find a way to unwind and allow myself to relax.  As a person who usually goes at 100 MPH I admit that I’m not very good at this. 

What I found early Sunday morning were two ‘battery chargers’ for my life…and my faith.  Both are very simple…and very profound.

The first comes from a ‘healthy living’ website for Lutheran pastors (using Mayo Clinic’s Embody Health program): Centering Prayer.  Centering Prayer is quite basic.  Find an image to focus on (or a phrase to repeat) and clear your mind.  Usually when I pray I’m full of words for God.  Centering Prayer is a time to “be still and know that I am God.”  It’s not about DOING something…it’s about BEING with God.  I’m giving it a try…a few minutes a day.

The other ‘battery charger’ comes from a pastor colleague of mine, Mary Frances.  She runs Divine Power Yoga in the Chicago area, and here’s the advice she gave: Spend 5 minutes with your legs up the wall. Lie on your back, butt up against the wall and feet straight up. Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your nose.  Again, the goal is to slow down and be calm before the Lord.  

I love action!  I love to see things happening!  I also need to recharge.  I’m not the Energizer Bunny.  I’m a rechargeable battery that needs to spend calm time with my God.  If I can plug in my cell phone every night for a charge...I can plug myself in with God! 

I know that I’m not very good at this ‘being calm’ thing.  Over the next month I’m committing myself to focus on Centering Prayer…and maybe even use some yoga positions (we'll see what other ideas Mary has for me!).  I’ll let you know how it goes!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Maybe I'm not in control


4+4=8

9*9=81

4+8*2-3*4=8 (Ah, that pesky order of operations!)

 
I love math.  In fact, I majored in statistics in college.  The great thing about math is its predictability.   I have a sense of control over the numbers.  If I use the right formulae I get the right answer every time.  It’s up to me to get it right.

Other parts of life can seem to fit this same mold.  If I work hard and manage my finances properly I will be financially secure.  If I go jogging several days a week and eat healthy foods then I will be rewarded with good health.  If I raise my son in the right way he will grow to be a responsible young man.  If I use the right formulae I get the right answer every time.  It’s up to me to get it right.   I have control over my life. 

It sounds so simple…until it all falls apart.

Last week I had a chance to get some fishing in with a good friend of mine.  We had the right lures at the right places at the right time of day.  We know our stuff!  We waited for the haul of fish but we caught next to nothing!  I went a day and a half without getting a fish in the boat.  We got excited about catching scrawny little 15” northern!   My sense of control faded.  Was I using the wrong colored lure…the wrong size…were the fish deeper…shallower?  I did what people often do when control fades: I appealed to a higher authority!  “God, I’m on vacation and I want to catch fish!”  I bargained with God…I pleaded with God…I still didn’t catch many fish. 

When I have things under control I know who I trust: me!  I know who should get the credit: me!  When the finances look good and I feel healthy and my son does well I pat myself on the back for a job well done.

When things get out of control I’m forced away from that fallacy.  Sometimes, despite my best efforts, finances get tough.  Sometimes people who care for their bodies diligently get cancer...that’s sure the case for Shannon!  Sometimes my ‘brilliant’ parenting seems to go south.  I can use the right formulae and get the wrong results.  Maybe I’m not as in control of life as I thought.  When this happens I do what people often do when control fades: I appeal to a higher authority!  I lean on the One who has power.

Why do I turn to God so much more quickly when I think I have lost control?  There seems to be some randomness to this world.  Things do not turn out as expected.  The formulae don’t always work.  It’s time to recognize that One that remains in control at ALL times, in good and bad days.