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I figured I would work my way up through the corporate structure and maybe get a cushy job as a plant engineer or better yet a plant manager. But that was after I had already worked for my father and he lost that business. So I found myself with no job history to speak of other than working for my family.
I was an accomplished machinist, but hated it. I had taken to the electrical side of the machine business early on and gravitated toward that side of the manufacturing business we were in as a family. We made machines for a the garment industry and for converting goods into different forms for sale. But thanks to our leaders signing the agreement to destroy the manufacturing sector of this nation in the 80s; we lost our business and walked away from an entire equipped machine shop. We tried to give some of it away but the rigging was so expensive nobody wanted it. Besides, we owed our landlord, Trinity Church, a small fortune in back rent. So we abandoned everything but a few small hand items we could grab. I went to work for one of our customers directly. The man took advantage of my circumstance and used me to set up a small manufacturing shop for him and treated me like a slave. He wanted me to fix his machines on my own time and not to pay me for it. He felt I should do that as favor since he had given me a job after my father lost his company. So I left and tried my hand at whatever the Lord would allow me to.
Having two small children at home, I moved quickly and went to work in the trades as an electrician; though I never worked as an electrician in the field. I had worked on the side, but most of my experience was with machines and control wiring. I had to learn a lot without exposing myself to those around me so I bluffed my way until I gathered enough experience to move on. In about a month I was being given jobs to run for the owner, but he also was very abusive to his employees. I noticed this behavior many times while working for other people out there. I noticed how many people do not appreciate a hard worker anymore than a slouch. So I became disillusioned with the trades after trying a few small companies out. I did my side jobs and always fixed air conditioning as a hobby. And I learned that being a luxury; people will pay much more for air conditioning than for heat.
So here I was looking for that perfect job with a future and opportunity to advance, but there were far and few between as for those kind of jobs. For about a minute or a minute and half; I looked into a civil service job like roads or utility or even police officer. But the pay hadn't caught up yet.
At one point; I had a job opportunity with Sunshine Biscuits and it was the job I was looking for with a stack of benefits and perks that made my mouth water. I prayed for this job, and I claimed this job, and I basically told God that I needed this job and He had to give it to me. Well, I didn't get the job. That was a bummer, but they went out of business promptly several years later and I would have been out of a job or had to learn to speak Chinese.
So at this point I was not messing around. (That's not the vernacular I used, but you get the point). I made up a phony resume since I was only 27 and I wanted to show myself as older and more experienced so I could load the scale in my favor and bypass moving up the proverbial ladder. I wanted to be a boss now. So I lied about my age on my resume and I added some experience and embellished things so I could get a maintenance supervisory position. And that's exactly what happened. A company hired me and gave me anything I asked for. Benefits when I walked through the door. But the men were all using Cocaine and other things were going on there so I told my boss. And he fired me. Hmmm. I wonder what he was doing.
So after I balled my eyes out and kicked my own but pretty good. Beat myself up for a good long time. The phone rang from this man I had answered an ad for out of my scope of what I was looking for. I hadn't thought of working in the HVAC field it never even crossed my mind. So this man called on me to come and subcontract installing furnaces and air conditioners for him out of his overflow of work. I hadn't done this kind of work for anyone before other than myself, but i agreed to work for him. It went well and I learned quite a bit in a few weeks. so much so that I went around stapling up signs on the telephone polls at all the intersections and traffic lights where I knew people would be waiting and looking. It was June of 1988 and hot as can be outside. So I survived on the overflow of the people in the business I was now entering.
I hadn't considered going into my own business, it seemed unattainable for me. But God must have had a laugh because I am so simple minded, I never look top shelf, I always look right in front of me. I guess I am lazy or narrow visioned.
I just wanted to say that God had plans for me and took me where I never expected to be. I now work for myself and have flexibility and freedom that is non existent in most work environments. I am so thankful that He gave me this gift. I am a homeowner and I am able to give to the community as well. Thank you Jesus.
I was an accomplished machinist, but hated it. I had taken to the electrical side of the machine business early on and gravitated toward that side of the manufacturing business we were in as a family. We made machines for a the garment industry and for converting goods into different forms for sale. But thanks to our leaders signing the agreement to destroy the manufacturing sector of this nation in the 80s; we lost our business and walked away from an entire equipped machine shop. We tried to give some of it away but the rigging was so expensive nobody wanted it. Besides, we owed our landlord, Trinity Church, a small fortune in back rent. So we abandoned everything but a few small hand items we could grab. I went to work for one of our customers directly. The man took advantage of my circumstance and used me to set up a small manufacturing shop for him and treated me like a slave. He wanted me to fix his machines on my own time and not to pay me for it. He felt I should do that as favor since he had given me a job after my father lost his company. So I left and tried my hand at whatever the Lord would allow me to.
Having two small children at home, I moved quickly and went to work in the trades as an electrician; though I never worked as an electrician in the field. I had worked on the side, but most of my experience was with machines and control wiring. I had to learn a lot without exposing myself to those around me so I bluffed my way until I gathered enough experience to move on. In about a month I was being given jobs to run for the owner, but he also was very abusive to his employees. I noticed this behavior many times while working for other people out there. I noticed how many people do not appreciate a hard worker anymore than a slouch. So I became disillusioned with the trades after trying a few small companies out. I did my side jobs and always fixed air conditioning as a hobby. And I learned that being a luxury; people will pay much more for air conditioning than for heat.
So here I was looking for that perfect job with a future and opportunity to advance, but there were far and few between as for those kind of jobs. For about a minute or a minute and half; I looked into a civil service job like roads or utility or even police officer. But the pay hadn't caught up yet.
At one point; I had a job opportunity with Sunshine Biscuits and it was the job I was looking for with a stack of benefits and perks that made my mouth water. I prayed for this job, and I claimed this job, and I basically told God that I needed this job and He had to give it to me. Well, I didn't get the job. That was a bummer, but they went out of business promptly several years later and I would have been out of a job or had to learn to speak Chinese.
So at this point I was not messing around. (That's not the vernacular I used, but you get the point). I made up a phony resume since I was only 27 and I wanted to show myself as older and more experienced so I could load the scale in my favor and bypass moving up the proverbial ladder. I wanted to be a boss now. So I lied about my age on my resume and I added some experience and embellished things so I could get a maintenance supervisory position. And that's exactly what happened. A company hired me and gave me anything I asked for. Benefits when I walked through the door. But the men were all using Cocaine and other things were going on there so I told my boss. And he fired me. Hmmm. I wonder what he was doing.
So after I balled my eyes out and kicked my own but pretty good. Beat myself up for a good long time. The phone rang from this man I had answered an ad for out of my scope of what I was looking for. I hadn't thought of working in the HVAC field it never even crossed my mind. So this man called on me to come and subcontract installing furnaces and air conditioners for him out of his overflow of work. I hadn't done this kind of work for anyone before other than myself, but i agreed to work for him. It went well and I learned quite a bit in a few weeks. so much so that I went around stapling up signs on the telephone polls at all the intersections and traffic lights where I knew people would be waiting and looking. It was June of 1988 and hot as can be outside. So I survived on the overflow of the people in the business I was now entering.
I hadn't considered going into my own business, it seemed unattainable for me. But God must have had a laugh because I am so simple minded, I never look top shelf, I always look right in front of me. I guess I am lazy or narrow visioned.
I just wanted to say that God had plans for me and took me where I never expected to be. I now work for myself and have flexibility and freedom that is non existent in most work environments. I am so thankful that He gave me this gift. I am a homeowner and I am able to give to the community as well. Thank you Jesus.
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