Bonaire, GA – 59 degrees and clear this morning at my home. I’m quietly giving thanks for my family’s blessings.
Thank God there’s no hurricane blowing in this weekend.
Our friends and clients in the path of Ida continue to suffer. Jeff Roberts, a client of mine for 15 years, is in Hammond, Louisiana. He reports they will be without power for another two to three weeks in his area. The storm took the roof off their company workshop, but the building is still standing.
The amazing blessing is that Jeff and Liz moved into their beautiful new home in early 2021. Jeff had the foresight and adequate capital to install a back-up generator on his new home.
What a blessing it is to have created a landscape business that provides in an extraordinary way for his family!
This week I’ve learned of several contractors who have sent teams to the storm damaged areas to help with cleanup and capitalize on the business opportunities created. God bless their efforts while traveling.
Thank God we are not receiving news of an earthquake in Haiti this week.
My long-time friend and mentor Roger Braswell and his daughter Angela have been serving the people of Haiti through their missionary efforts at Give Hope Global. They traveled to Haiti this past week to support the recovery efforts and see first-hand how they can best serve the children and school they have built there.
Here’s an excerpt from Roger’s report from the ground near Camp Perrin, Haiti:
Home after home after home lay in shambles. Those who survived were trying to figure out the next steps for food and shelter. A lucky few already had tents and tarps, but most were not so fortunate. The road was warped and twisted, and one lane had collapsed entirely down the mountain in a few places. Suffice it to say that Camp Perrin was a wasteland.
At the clinic, our first case was a 14-year-old boy named Steven whose forearm had been ripped to the bone by a piece of tin hanging off a truck that had just passed by him. Our Haitian physician, Dr. Sony, sewed him up masterfully under a tarp in the pouring rain. Esaie, our 6th year Medical student, had the suture kit that we needed in his backpack. Watching them calmly treat this terrible wound on this brave young man in the middle of this devastation, as the rain poured off the tarp, was an experience that will likely never leave me. No matter the blow, whether a random accident that threatened Steven’s arm or an earthquake that took countless lives and continues to threaten thousands more, the Haitian people simply persevere.
Oh God, that you would make me more like them.
Tears roll down my cheek as I read these words from Roger and Angela’s message.
If you are able, consider a gift to Give Hope Global to help support their work in Haiti. Here’s the link.
SLT continues to be a supporter of Roger and Angela’s work.
What’s Your Favorite Season?
Even though there’s another month in the busy season of lawn maintenance, it’s crystal clear the season is changing. The cool temperature in Middle Georgia is just one indication.
Last week’s essay titled, The Toughest Month for Landscapers got this response from Wes Harper in North Carolina:
I would like to write a response to this email that made a load of sense and broadened the minds of all landscapers on the face of the Earth. But, I am too burnt out!
Even after 2 weeks of vacation this summer and several months of running the company from the house last winter. 10 Fridays at the race track this year! Working a 4 days schedule almost all of 2021. Having three days off almost every week in 2021. I find it difficult to process all of the variables I am experiencing.
The rules of business are changing. I will continue to move forward and use education as a tool to do better.
Only 31 more days of hell,
Wes
Hang in there Wes!
Yes, 2021 has been tough in a lot of ways.
- Employee challenges
- Covid illness
- Natural disasters
- Theft (SLT suffered our second round of catalytic converter theft this week – but in light of other’s problems, I’m not going to complain)
Now… we have a 3-day weekend. Your’s truly is very thankful for this!
It’s been eleven years since one of the most memorable conversation’s I’ve ever had with my family.
We were seated at a fine dining restaurant in Atlanta, GA. The hostess placed a postcard sized handout on the table for me and my wife Lynn. The card was titled, “Get to know your family better.”
We took a look at a series of short questions written on each card. I looked at Lynn and said, “This sounds like fun. Let me start.”
I looked over at my (then) seven year old son Maxx Bass and I read these questions:
What’s your favorite color? Maxx answered “Red”.
What’s your favorite book? Maxx answered “The Bible”.
What’s your favorite season? Maxx answered “Dove”.
That’s my boy!
Thank God dove season is here again!
Let’s go hunting!
Stay safe.
Give thanks!
Profit greatly,
Tony Bass, founder
PS – Just in case you’re not as excited as Maxx and I about the opening day of Dove season, you have the chance to tune in and cheer on those Georgia Bulldawgs (5) as they face the Clemson Tigers (3) tonight at 7:30 pm. Go DAWGS!
