| BUSINESS BREAKFAST By Helen De Bruin The Lord has been showing me how flexible a momma can be! Just when I *thought* I had returned to the coveted comfort zone of our simple, humble domestic lives, after the turmoil of extra family members, He showed me that there was more to be learned. Andre has needed my help more and more in our small business. He has leaned on me more than before. Just recently, I attended a business breakfast meeting - the first for this year. I had answered a voluntary questionnaire for a local business enterprise service and, surprisingly won a year's worth of *free*business breakfasts. This is where local businesses meet, have breakfast and 'network'. It goes without saying that Andre couldn't attend, and so - I had to leave the children at the workshop with their dad and head off to the conference room of a local hotel, feeling totally out of place and extremely nervous. It was the first time I had been in a business environment since the Lord called me home for my family, and to be with our children. I asked for the His help, His guidance, for Him to guard my heart and thoughts. Breathing deeply, walking from the car park to the foyer, I had a chuckle to myself, as I passed numerous, shiny, regal looking executive cars, and compared them to our family four wheel drive. You see, I pictured our car in my mind's eye - full of country dust, bird droppings, children's books and clothes and lo and behold - a lawnmower in the back! (Sam had mowed Granny and Grandpa's lawn the previous day, and, having arrived home late and then leaving home early the next day, there was no time to remove the bulky, grass-splattered, monster!). Some people scoff at others who laugh at their own jokes. Not I, for I know and have experienced the joy of seeing the humour in all things - even if it is my own 'joke'. And I know the Lord loves a merry heart. On entering the huge room, filled with tables and chairs and business-dressed men and women and glass and cutlery and crockery and food, I took a deep breath, just as the 'doorman' asked me for our business card for the lucky door prize. I hadn't been there long, when a lady came and sat next to me, at the head of the table. For most of the presentation, she had her back to me, facing the overhead screen, which the guest speaker was using for his presentation. Then, when the talk was all over, she turned, greeted me, looked at my name badge and asked "....so tell me, Helen, what does your business actually do....?" Sisters, it was so easy! The Lord paved a way for me, helped me through my inconfidence. He put me right next to our first 'network' partner. You see, Jenny is an Occupational Health and Safety inspector, who prepares reports, and coordinates these into a company's work practice. Andre, on the other hand, designs and manufactures commercial laundry and health care trolleys and equipment. Her main problem, when proposing OHS systems to her clients, was finding a company to design and manufacture the very health aids and equipment recommended in her reports. Her business and ours has the opportunity to work hand in hand! Jenny is as excited as I, at the prospect of forming a business relationship with us and told me that I was her first "....concrete contact in over a year of attending the breakfasts...." Praise the Lord! She has since visited our workshop and has spoken at length with Andre. And so, dear sisters, I have learned and am trying to uphold flexibility.... in the Lord. He took me out of my home, my prime place of work, my comfort zone and set me in a room of over 200 people, next to the 'just right' person for us! He knew exactly. I suspect that the Lord has more changes in store for me. I believe that this example of flexibility, from my role as a stay at home mom to a business director and representative may be the first of many. Yes, it is challenging and oftentimes a scary prospect to wonder what the Lord has in store for all of us. But, if that is His will for me, to His glory, so be it. |