Roger Trimble came over to drop it off and we hung it up on the building next door. The building is owned by the same brothers that own our place. The corner of that building is visible to 2 busy intersections. That should give us a pretty large boost in the number of folks who realize that we are here

The store has been quiet today. Its 3:30 and we’ve only had $35 in sales. Days like this are hard on me. I don’t seem very good at clinging to God’s promises when things are this quiet. I forecast what will happen if every day becomes like this. I wonder if I’ve sold everything that is of value and have nothing left. Its just a matter of foot traffic i guess. I need more!!

I called 7 churches in our presbytery today in hopes of getting some financial support to hire someone to help at the shop for 2 days per week. I need to be able to leave the register and get out in the community to promote the thrift store and build relationships.

David Hayes (the 71yr old friend of mine who lives down the street) and Reggie (the 18yr old who volunteers for me at the shop) are coming over for dinner tonight!

I’ve invited David and Reggie, two guys from the neighborhood, over to my place for dinner tomorrow. I’m hoping that this will be the beginning of something regular. I’d love to get a Bible Study going.

My mom and a friend of hers are here from Raleigh. They are working in the back to get ready to handle the winter clothes we will put out soon.

2.5 hours left in the day. I hope we get some sales.

Sales ended up a bit above average for the week. Slow mornings were typically followed by busy afternoons. I’m hoping that this week will be busy since school is starting back and moms won’t have so many kids to deal with (I’m also hoping this will = less mess to clean up as well

I’m preaching at Southside Baptist this coming Sunday! This is a small congregation with a big facility and an even bigger heart for the hispanics in Waughtown. This 30 member congregation hosts weekly meals and Bible classes for children, a medical clinic and an emergency food bank. I’d love to partner with them somehow.

I’ve got a friend who is going to look at the numbers for me and come up with a spreadsheet to show me trends in the store’s sales. It’s only been 90 or so days, but it will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

It’s taking me hours and hours to keep the shop cleaned up and each day its trashed again. I didn’t know that was a normal part of retail!

Anyway, I talked to 2 guys from the presbytery about getting some help and I’m hopeful that some things are going to change and help alleviate the financial and time constraints that are pressing on me so heavily.

I’m hoping to raise some funds to help cover my bills and to hire someone to help run the store for me for a day or 2 each week. That would free me up to make connections in the community, keep up relationships with supporters and function in a more pastoral role in Waughtown.

I will be working on contacting the churches in the presbytery this week and I hope to broaden my church support network from there.

I hear that the police are getting involved and that he might be kicked out of his house. This is all very shocking to me because the young man is probably the most helpful person from the neighborhood who works with me. I’ve talked to him a couple times this afternoon. It seems he has a history of bad temper and letting it get the best of him. I’ve talked to his mom and let her know that I really like her son and that I’d be happy to get involved if she would like my help.

If we can somehow pull of an “average” day of sales today then we’ll have grossed in 3 days what it has usually taken the store 5 days to do! Sales for the first 2 days have been well above average. Hopefully traffic will pick up this afternoon. I’m buying Reggie lunch for his work at the road for me. “J” is here as well and he’s actually been working this morning. He straightened up the purses/bags and vacuumed the floor in some of the rooms

I talked with the mom of the boy who had been stealing so much from the store. She told him to stop, but that was about it. I didn’t see the boy today until late in the afternoon. He stuck his head in the door and told me that he was sorry for stealing from the store.

I’m hoping that sales stay up above what has been our average. Without a paycheck for 2 months I will be relying on the store to pay its bills and all my bills.