We ain’t the potter, we are the clay

I find it interesting to observe God at work in my life. It is exciting and rewarding and at times downright humorous. Unlike some that I know I can actually laugh at myself and not take myself all that seriously when God takes me to task for getting out of line and I do not get my way. Very soon I will be taking an entirely new direction in my life and will be stepping down as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of one of the greatest companies on this planet and retiring from that tremendous job.

Many of my friends scoff at the notion of me retiring and have looked at me with contemptuous knowing grins on their faces and assured me that I am not the retirement type and no doubt I will find myself busier than I have ever been in short order. This was my ninth business and I have in fact been labeled a “serial entrepreneur” by more than a few, and there are those lined up to place their wager on how quickly I will start the first new company. To be honest I thought the same thing, but then there is what “I” thought I might want to do, and then there is what “God” thinks I should do.

I have known for a long time that God wanted me to get serious about finishing writing the three books I have planned, as well as speaking at the numerous speaking engagement opportunities all over the country and working with those who have challenges in their lives and have a need to overcome them. Always the rebellious “bad seed”, I had other ideas, and even before I announced my impending retirement I was making moves to found four new companies as a warm-up to retirement. I had planned to start a software company and develop an ingenious new product, but shortly after I incorporated it, obstacles immediately arose of such a severe magnitude as to not make it feasible to pursue this business for the foreseeable future. Undeterred I moved on to incorporate a vacation rental home and charter boat fishing business in the beautiful Florida Keys. A few obstacles arose and the person who was going to manage those businesses for me got cold feet and that project was stopped dead in the water. Hmmm What is going on here? I also founded a timber company, but in reality I actually I am going to live on this place and it is not a very difficult business to run and will never require over two or three employees and is limited as to pretty much zero potential to grow beyond its current size with no need for salesmanship or marketing or being clever or astute. Sigh It appears that this may be all that I am allowed to pursue for now.

It is interesting to note that all three of those businesses were very appealing to me and seemed like very fun things to do. Writing the books is not very appealing to me, primarily because I will have to relive the darkest days of my life. I do not like to even think about those days and yet in order to write a book of where I was and how God enabled me to overcome the odds and deliver me from drugs, alcohol, living on the streets, hopeless despair, fighting, and being evil, it will take months of reliving those dark days over and over again, day in and day out. I will be stuck behind a computer every day writing about subjects that I do not even like to think about. I would much rather take what I have learned about business and apply it and watch a new business be born and grow up to be successful like one of my kids. It is great fun to me to start new businesses; did I say that already?

Rick Warren said in the very beginning of his book, “The Purpose Driven Life” that it is not about us, but instead is about God. We are put on this earth to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives, and if we desire any sense of peace, or joy in life we need to understand that simple concept. I can envision God stating, “Now Bob we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way, but either way I intend for you to write the books and you do not need any distractions and that is MY purpose for you”. Like a little kid that wants to test the water I rationalize, “Just a couple of ideas that I pursue simultaneously couldn’t hurt anything and will hardly delay my working on the book”, and then I feel the stern loving bite of the bit in my mouth as the reins are jerked hard a couple of times. “Ok Lord, I get it! I get it!” I stammer as I spit blood out of my mouth.

I am hopeful that when I finish the books that in-between speaking engagements that He will afford me the opportunity to maybe start a little tiny entity or two or three just to humor me. Don’t laugh, it might be in the stars, but for now I will concentrate on the tasks at hand like a good boy. Look for my book to be released in approximately six months, to be followed by two more in the next six months. And then, and then….

AhhhSweet retirement, I cannot wait!

Romans 9:21
Does not the potter have power over the clay?