Update Bonanza

We got the message and are pleased to know that folks are actually keeping up with this. We DO encourage you to sign up for updates in the box to the left of the latest blog entry (this one until the next one comes) or at the website http://www.javajourney.org/ top right.

We will follow this with our current progress on a space (different than the one mentioned before), a loan, our equipment and new coffee supplier - plus other stuff.

Thanks for your patience and above all your interest.

PS: I think Ben was 15 when Adam was born. ;-D

Innocent, But "Savvy"

In 2 places, Jesus makes reference to a special type of wisdom. It's what translators do with the Geek word - er I mean Greek word "phronimos." Sometimes the word is translated as "wise" - but that's confusing since "wise" is also rendered when the Greek "sophos" is used.

There are 2 places where the word "shrewd" is used. One is Matthew 10:16, where Jesus says:

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

The other place is in a parable about a fired worker who lies to former accounts to win their favor. It's found in Luke 16. Jesus' very perplexing conclusion is:

"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light."

Here we go - like I love to do when I teach - - (I'm having serious withdrawals not having the opportunities now) I tear into both words. Sophos means "expert knowledge" - Phronimos means "practical knowledge." Anyone who knows me is acquainted on how I jump all over the opportunity to shuffle function high above form. Here's another chance.

Let's call the unnecessarily highly-paid engineer the sophos-user. He draws out and designs something that is supposed to fit or work effectively out in the field. Let's call the contractor or more appropriately his highly underpaid day-to-day seasoned foreman the phronimos-user. He takes his Saws-all, drill and screws left over from another project and ("There's your problem right there") gets the thing working correctly.

I like the phronimos version better.

I think the translators did only "OK" with using "shrewd." There's a much better word in our current vernacular that is more functional. It's the word "savvy." Let's try it:

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as savvy as snakes and as innocent as doves."

That's better. A snake is savvy. That's how it survives. It knows where to go or be in order to stay alive.

"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted savvy. For the people of this world are more savvy in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light."

Teena and Jeff are learning how to be more savvy. We wrote up a business plan in order to apply for a loan from a bank. Our small business consultant knows that we want to do ministry and that we want the coffee shop to be a major hook. But when he saw all the references to how we are going to go about ministry - blah, blah blah, he realized that the bankers probably won't get it. They think like snakes - survival, where to go and be.

So we've now revised our business plan since the people of this world are more savvy in dealing with their own kind day to day than are the people of the light. But we're maintaining a pure and innocent approach.

Sinai Road Atlas

We're still making progress and finding timely streams of water and morsels of manna along the way. We're in good company as Israel did not have the crow-flight ability in their adventures. We still have our butts perpendicular with the ground as one foot is being placed in front of the other. And from time to time we catch ourselves bellyaching - only to wind up with providence running out of our nostrils.

Pictured with this post is the space we're currently looking at. It is less than a mile north of Starbucks and another individual coffee shop, but on the busiest road in the area. We're confident that there's enough traffic to share and that the coffee shop presence is still a ways off from a saturation point. Besides, both the aforementioned have their own limitations and we believe we have something unique to offer the culture around here. This place is about 1450 sq. ft. upstairs and has an equally sized basement. If we figure in the entire sq footage by potential, the price comes to be a little less than $7 per. But we're only going to start out with the main level. Still - under $14 is not bad. We've visited there now about 6 times. The last 2 were with contractors. Seems consistent from both of them that we've skipped a step (Gee, how could that happen being the novices we are?). We will have to contact a few of referred architects.

All this looms. That's the word. It's bigger than we are and what we have. But we really, REALLY believe that God is much bigger than this and much more. All we need is the strength, persistence, faith, patience and the intercessory power that comes from prayer. We're certainly in much more conversation that we have been our entire lives. And we depend on your help.

Thank you for all of your support.

We wish that we could...

Staples is very clever with the "easy button" hook. But we've discovered that there is no such button that can be conveniently pushed when pursuing a dream that has business and ministry intergrated with limited resources.

We looked at the newly available property on "127 Hwy" (as we heart of America folks would say). It has great potential, but needs plenty of elbow grease to get it in shape. No build-out and perhaps a month free of setting up.

Yikes! Could we afford to not "work" and live off of some of the reserve intended to fund this while we sweat it out cleaning and setting up? Will we be able to put forth a convincing business plan to secure a substantial loan? Will others help us?

Since we cannot push the four white letters on red background to streamline the whole process, I guess we'll just have to resort to - ah - that thing called prayer which necessitates faith.

Join us, will you? - with prayer and help. We need both big time.

Thanks!

The Consultant, The Conti One Group & Coffee Shop Storefronts

We spent Monday with John Bunn a consultant from Elizabethton, TN. John owns and manages The Coffee Company and also does his own roasting. He's in his 12th year of business and has helped launch several other coffee shops. He understands coffee and ministry (until recently was also serving as the minister of music at First Bapt Church in Elizabethton.)

We took John on a whirlwind tour of our top remaining potential locations. And when all was said and done we narrowed it down to two before he left. The one on Grace Chapel road had already been ruled out on Friday. We'd discussed rezoning it with the local city planning person. He said it could possibly be approved for rezoning from residential to commercial but to increase the likelihood of that happening, we'd have to keep the natives happy by blocking off the current entryway on the residential street and get permission from the convenience store next door which faces Grace Chapel road to use their parking lot as an entrance to our lot. Well, the door slammed on that one when the owner of the convenience store said, "No..." leaving out the obvious "over my dead body" which he could have easily added.

The second of these four locations is a house on an acre and half of land that is stratigecally placed on N second street off of hwy 321. Prime piece of land on a busy street that crosses 321 and takes commuters into Hickory. Potential for a drive through, but it is the land that is the selling point and not the house. And after calculating cost of paving the front yard and adding pavement for drive through plus additional updates to very dated house with small rooms, it was just too much work and too expensive to sink money into.

So that left three standing. We looked at another nicely refurbished home zoned commercial in downtown area. Jeff had been very keen on this property but John broke the spell. He said he felt it would be too small for what we want to do with ministry. Then we jetted over to 127 to take one last gander at the one store front we had liked all along but hadn't put in the forefront of our options because of concerns about parking. It has about two spaces in front.

We had a nice surprise. That store front is still available but the one two doors down is now available. It has an upstairs and downstairs with a garage. It has the square footage we want AND it is easier to access and has additional parking. Both are very reasonable. So we shifted our focus from store A to store B on that one.

The final place that took us by surprise that John liked was on 321, a former Nature's Supermarket. Teena kept bringing this one up to Jeff but he said, "Woman, are you nuts? That doesn't inspire me at all." But on closer look with John he changed his mind. Who said women are fickle?

It has ample parking and one side inside is already walled in and is about the space we need. The rest is vacant.It also has the potential for a drive through which is a big plus. But after going inside with a realtor today and getting all excited because the price sounded right and the location looked good, he burst our bubble by telling us that he was sure that MDI, the owners would not sub-divide. We certainly don't need 7100 sq feet or to pay $4200 in rent per month. So, unless they change their mind or we find someone to go in on the space with us, that one looks like a pipe dream.

So, the last location standing is the surprise new availability on 127. It is a high traffic area and there are several coffee shops along that route. Seems like everyone gravitates to that location. John felt that an added plus was the fact that the shop sits between a caterer and a restaurant and they are both busy which will draw people in. We might benefit from this and may even be able to work out some collaborative work with them. Who knows?

Other news -- Just had a single group espresso machine, a Conti, shipped to us from CA so now we can practice making our specialty drinks.

Next big news. We meet with the Computel folks in Charlotte on Friday, a group that recycles computers and works with charitable organizations. We hope they will be able to help us with a computer recycling fundraiser to raise additional funds. It could be a substantial amount.

COFFEE SHOP NAMING CONTEST

In order to reach a broader scope of people other than just coffee drinkers we are rethinking the Java Journey name. (We'll carry tea, cold drinks, perhaps sandwiches and even some gifts.) We don't want to mislead people so that they think we only serve coffee.

We invite you to send us your name suggestions. You can send as many as you like. If your name is chosen, you will win a coffee mug and free bag of coffee. All you have to do is send us suggestions for a name for our shop. Though we are a Christian coffee shop, we don't plan to be blatantly Christian in name. Send your suggestions to teena@javajourney.org. Be sure to send you name and mailing address along with your suggestions.

Bits & Pieces -- Inching Slowly Forward

Moving forward on the business plan -- Last Friday we met with the Small Business Development Center here in Hickory. The meeting covered what we are doing. We talked about the many places we've checked on for location. They were impressed at our progress and research. (Guess we must be doing something right.) And the one place on 127 (next to Ace Hardware) remains a question mark. The price is right, size is right, location is great. But we've got concerns about limited parking in front. Will this be an issue? We believe that we can work around it since our heavy traffic in and out will be in the morning before the other stores next to ours open their doors. One of the guys at SBDC said he drove by that and another location we'd looked at nearly every day along the same routeand he'd scope it out as well and give us feedback.

The pros at SBDC took our copy of the business plan we've managed to come up with thus far, are going to look it over, and then meet again once they are ready.

Location, location, location -- In the mean time we continue to look at locations. There are quite a few. But there was another one that stood out to us yesterday. It is a charming refinished home in the downtown area on 4th Ave currently used as a real estate office. Beautifully refinished with hardwood floors, fireplaces large front rooms . Possible side area that can be converted to drive through. If we do this, then the traffic will have to come in the back way. Upstairs, partial attic, with some work might be reworked to be a usable room, but the stairs are very narrow. Stairs could be reworked, but could be expensive.

Here's where Teena and Jeff disagree. There is ample parking in back and the property's driveway adjoins another business driveway nextdoor, making for a wider entrance and exit along the side. It is wide enough for coming and going. However, there is absolutely no parking in front. No street parking allowed and a small spot of grass in the front that could possibly (we need to look further) be paved for a couple of spaces. But people might have to back out onto a busy road.

Jeff says no problem. Teena disagrees. The house is for sale or lease so that's a nice option. We also don't know what type of traffic there would be after business hours.

Fundraising -- When we first started our Java Journey Teena set up Escrip a fundraising program that has not worked all that well. Though they claim to be nationwide, the bulk of the stores you can shop at is on the west coast, so we've not earned much from this program. To help us pay for start up costs and operations Teena has been researching alternate fundraising options. She saw potential in the volumes of used electronic items people have laying around and has managed to set up a recycle program for collecting used ink jet cartridges, cell phones, ipods, palm pilots, and more. We've just signed up with Kopec. This program is nationwide and people can collect anywhere. If you would like to help us out by collecting yourself or getting other groups and businesses involved, please email Teena at smartwords@embarqmail.com. It's as easy as putting a box out with flyers. She is also checking into recycling cars and computers. So keep us in mind for those. We'll update our website regarding this soon.

Are We "Anxious?"

...Biblically speaking? - - yes.

Fear (Hebrew - "yare' ") has its dichotomous encouragement/discouragement rendering in the scriptures. Doing a smidge' of research, I learned that the word can either mean dread or astonishment. The word implies what we would call a "quake."

I can see how that could come out with various meanings based on context.

A moment in my memory bank recalls the time Teena took me to board an Amtrak train in Erie, PA when I was traveling to Chicago for a conference. The boarding time was in the very early hours of the morning. My young children wanted to see the train so they got up to enjoy a 3 AM adventure. The most indelible part of my recollection was when the train was approaching the station. The sound of the engine and air horn grew louder and louder as the light grew brighter and brighter. I looked down at my young son (5 or 6 years old) watching his face beam with excitement - that was until the locomotive made its large and voluminous appearance yards in front of us. I was surprised at its size and power from our track-level viewpoint, but he was astonished! His jaw dropped open and he began to tremble quite noticeably. He was quaking with intermittent awe and dread.

When we say we are "anxious" it can mean we are eager, worried - or both.

We are both quaking right now as we consider the reality of the commitment and work required to realize this vision we have. We are doing our best to fight off the dread part, but frankly it can create inhibition.

Keep praying as we are looking at a few potential spaces, networking for a loan and looking at purchasing equipment and the like. It's a bit awesome for us right now creating mingled fright and fascination.

Preparation, Property & Patience

No one told us how much patience it would take to make a vision a reality. Though we know God remains in control, to us if feels that we are progressing at turtle pace--a real test of our patience. Right now we are in a bit of a holding pattern.

We continue to labor, and we mean labor, at creating a business plan. For this we use Nolo Business Plan software. Thank goodness for a software that is smarter than we are, but even so, sometimes we respond to its prompts with a big "huh?" To two creative people the process is YUCK. Teena has threatened to chain Jeff to a chair in front of the computer to make him finish the plan.

We are at both the breaking point and break even point. The break even point is the point where, because of all our previous investigative work figuring out the cost of start up, we must determine how much product we must sell in order to just break even.

We are waiting for a call back from the Shield Foundation, so that we can set an appointment with them to talk through this plan and hopefully work with them to get funding and financial counseling. But due to Rusty Shield's busy schedule, we again find ourselves in a waiting pattern. The good news is the delay allows us to finish up the plan, and investigate potential coffee shop locations.

Teena continues to call on a variety of locations. We are looking at one building for sale today--a house formerly used as offices--on busy 127. It include a vacant lot to the side which can be developed but cost is nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

We've lined up several other lease properties to view tomorrow. We find it similar to our house shopping experiences where we see something that will do but find no real twang of the heart strings that produces excitement that verifies that the location is, absolutely, without a doubt the right place. Rather than responding like the aging single woman who ops to marry because she's been asked and doesn't want to wind up an old maid, we're waiting for the twang of the heartstrings for both of us so that we that we know that this indeed is THE ONE.

The cost remains a challenge and God will definitely need to provide another miracle in order for the size space we have in mind to become a reality. But He is a big God and he continues to surprise and amaze us with His providence.

As for the Cup of Life Sunday Evening community which began several weeks ago, it is a bit of a challenge. We've met primarily with one other couple and due to their schedule for the next month or so, it looks to be primarily us for a while. We've posted info regarding the meetings online and in the paper, so the next move is to do face-to-face invites. We may just have to put the community on hold for a while until we can get the business plan and property search completed because juggling jobs and other duties is very exhasting.

If nothing else, we can see where God is building character, and most of all, patience.

As always, we appreciate your prayers. At times we feel like Noah and his wife, what was her name? Joan of Ark out in the desert building an ark. Is there any body out there? Anybody? Let us hear from you. We could use the encouragement.