I had an early introduction to the entrepreneurial world.  Growing up in my mother’s beauty shop taught me a lot about working with people.  I learned the art of “woo” there, and it has helped me even today.  When it came time to enter school, I did not want mom to schedule appointments until I could be there to see my people.  I was promptly kicked out of the shop; however, as I was getting more tips than my mom, and certainly, she was probably glad to see me head off to school.

I have had the chance to reflect on my life, and as I do, I am writing these stories to carry forward history for others to laugh about while I create a pathway to learning about myself.  One particular story, in general, involves how I became an entrepreneur in first grade.

Because my birthday fell at a time when school was not in session, a day was provided for our class to celebrate.  My mom sent me to school with several delicious chocolate chip cookies.  I honestly forget the number of them, but there were at least twice as many cookies as kids.  I thought nothing of bringing back the extras since I really wanted them at my house and not to give away.  Selfish six-year-old, I know!

Fast-forwarding to that night at home, my mom notices my pockets have an extraordinary amount of coins.  I had several dollars worth, in fact.  Thinking I had taken it from her drawer or coin box, she asked how I had money.  That is when I surprised her with this.

Well, Mom, you know those cookies I had? I sold them! “You, what?” Well, I sold them on the bus.  Now, when I was in first grade, we rode the bus with the kids in highschool.  There was no separation of the ages we all rode together in our small rural community.  So the ages were anywhere from six to sixteen.  She asked me, “how did the big kids not steal from you?” I explained that I found the two biggest kids on the bus and said, “Hey, I’ll give you each two cookies if you can help me sell these for fifty cents each.”  Those Lormen boys helped me out, and I made over five bucks and had kids asking for more, haha. I could tell from the look on my mom’s face that she was shocked or may be surprised.  She was definitely not happy as she expressed “you were supposed to give them all to your class” to which I replied “but, you said if I wanted matchbox cars, I would have to buy them.  I just found a way to do that.”

My moral of the story is where there is a will, there is a way to find it when you are determined.  At age six, I had some selfish ambition, much like all six-year-olds.  It is what we do with that selfish ambition and how we handle it that shapes us down the road. The Apostle Paul tells us “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NLT)

Chasing selfish ambition as an adult is exhausting and never-ending.  Realizing I was a child of God and there is a pleasing and perfect will designed just for me, has brought me peace.  This is the same peace you can have if you just give him room to work in your heart.