The Red Light I’m a driving examiner for the state of Indiana and while I was giving a road test to a young man, he went through a red light without stopping. I told him he had automatically failed the test. We met up with his mother back at the …
Lowest Prices The shopkeeper was dismayed when a brand new business much like his own opened up next door and erected a huge sign which read BEST DEALS. He was horrified when another competitor opened up on his right, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading LOWEST …
I went to my favorite beauty shop to have my hair done and was able to witness three remarkable women fulfilling their vision of an ideal workplace. They had invited the seniors of a local senior housing complex to stop by their shop for free hair cuts and styling. I witnessed first hand the seniors giggling like teenagers preparing for a first date. When they had opened their shop, they felt strongly the need to minister to the seniors in the area. Many times they are forgotten. After all seniors had spent their lives giving to their community and families, now it was their turn to be ministered to. The three ladies spent hours fixing hair and listening to stories. While I was there, it was hard to decide which was enjoyed most, the haircut or having someone listen to them as they spoke without interrupting or pretending to listen.
I over-heard Mr. Joe pull a fast one on Rebecca, asking if she had cleaned the mirrorreally well for him to see himself. When the other seniors laughed, she looked up at her mirror puzzled. After all, hers was the cleanest mirror in the shop.
“Mr. Joe, you can’t see yourself in my mirror?” “No,”he replied, “It’s not very clear to me at all”. One of the ladies spoke up, “No matter how well you cleaned that mirror he couldn’t see himself. Mr. Joe is blind.” Even Rebecca had to laugh good-naturedly at his joke.
I had to know more. Why would these ladies take on extra work for no pay when they already had a busy schedule? I went back later and asked Rebecca how did all this come about. She took time out of her busy day to answer my questions. As she talked a story unfolded about Nicky and Kellee and herself being brought together by the same vision given to each one separately over a three year period. Three years ago, Kellee believed that God spoke to her heart that she would work in a Christian hair and nail care salon. Nicky believed God said He would bring people from afar to where she worked to be ministered to. Rebecca was given the name for the shop, A Total Image.
Each one is a Christian. Each believed they could serve the Lord with their hair care abilities. None of the three wanted just another job, they wanted more. They longed for a Spirit filled salon that offered not just hair care service that touched the outside of a person, but a ministry that also touched the heart of a person. A place where they could take time to be sensitive to the needs of the person sitting in the chair and offer prayer to a troubled soul. When they had opened their shop, they felt strongly the need to minister to the seniors in the area. Many times they are forgotten. After all seniors had spent their lives giving to their community and families, now it was their turn to be ministered to.
We all have had flat tires at one point or the other. It happens. Church was just letting out as I stood in the street and looked at my mother’s tire; it was flat. It was 90 degrees as the sun beamed down. A small cigarette lighter powered air pump …
In 1984, I
was a single father raising three children alone. Money was tight. We were on
our way home from our annual two-week camping trip in Vermont. I had an old Chevy, loaded with
camping gear: some tied to the roof, the trunk full to the top of the open lid.
We’d just crested a large hill when I felt the right rear tire go flat. I felt
clever for having the foresight to tie the spare tire to the top of the
trunk… until I removed the spare and remembered the jack was still at the
bottom of the trunk. I cursed my stupidity and prepared to unload the trunk.