“I
like to write stories,” silver-haired Gramps told his teen friends,
Ben and Sam. “Since we've been talking about creating this
imaginary business, and just starting to think about what we want to
make or do, I made you each a copy of one of my many stories I've
written over the years. Take it home and read it without any
interruptions... maybe even more than once. Boys, God has many tasks
that He needs done for people who are serving Him, and just maybe, we
might be a step ahead if we pretend our business was something to
help Him and those He loves.”
“Now,
most businesses are either selling a SERVICE or they're selling STUFF
– you know, parts or pictures, or other things that can have a part
number on them, and maybe even a picture in a catalog. Well, anyhow,
read the story, pray about what God wants our business to be about,
and we'll share our ideas next time.” The story Gramps gave the
boys, is as follows:
Thirteen-year-old
Alia quickly thought of all the things she might have said as she
followed the animal doctor back to her office. Seeing the worried
look on Alia’s face, Doc Neese invited her to sit down. “Now,
there is nothing wrong, so don’t look so worried,” she began.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the laptop computer you’ve
brought in with you. I noticed that in the waiting room you were
doing something on your laptop, but it didn’t seem to be a game.”
Alia
breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, for my initiation into my
neighborhood’s computer club, I have to come up with a good use for
a computer that doesn’t have anything to do with entertainment.
What I like to do most of all is to make special lists called
databases that you can do neat things with.”
Doc
saw the serious attitude with which Alia described some of the simple
things for which she had made lists, but she didn’t mention
anything that would help her pass her club initiation. Alia had
hardly finished sharing her problem with the initiation project, when
Doctor Neese rose to her feet from behind a desk that was piled high
with books and papers. She went over to a large closet, slid open
the doors, and said to Alia, “I’ve got a project for your
initiation that I think you would enjoy doing.” She pointed to
several large stacks of papers, all neatly tied up with strings.
Alia looked puzzled.
“Beg
your pardon, ma’am, but what does cleaning out this closet have to
do with my computer project?” The soft-spoken animal doctor
explained to Alia that the stacks of papers were actually records of
the medicine, that she had given to animals brought in for treatment
over the last two years. The problem was, the little animal clinic
had to make every bit of money count. The biggest waste was buying
too much of a certain kind of medicine, and then having to throw some
of it away because it was too old to be used any longer. “Alia, it
would be a big help and money saver if you would create a database
list of all the medicines that were actually used,” she said. Doc
added, “It will be very important for you to include when, and for
which kind of animal patient.”
After
getting permission from her parents, and praying about the project,
Alia began the following Saturday. Doctor Neese was impressed by her
mature approach in that she didn’t even bring her laptop computer.
Between patients, Alia told the doctor that good databases require
good planning, even before touching the keyboard.
By
the next Saturday, the office clerk had gone through every one of the
old closet records and had written a number on each one. Alia
wouldn’t even have to type in names and addresses. Doc made the
project even easier by giving Alia a numbered list of all the
medications she had used on her animal patients.
Alia
saw how pleased Doctor Neese was, as her chaotic medicine inventory
started to take shape. And she also noticed the growing satisfaction
within herself as she continued to work on such an important project,
which went well beyond the initiation requirements.
Alia
thought about the key ingredients she had used.
- Pray for God’s leading in the project
- Preparation even before she touched the computer.
- Permission from her parents.
- Praising the Lord for His goodness.
(End
of Noah's story he sent home with Ben and Sam.)
