Freedom

When considering the topic of freedom, my mind goes to an early January service at my church. It was unique in that each member of the congregation filed past the pastor who handed us each a star. My word was freedom. Immediately my star struck a chord in my heart, and I’d like to share my freedom with you.

My personal freedom is self-employment. My public work started at the age of sixteen. It was at a company warehouse that no longer exists. Every evening I’d punch the clock at 3:30 PM and punch out at 11:30 PM. There was a work release program at my high school that allowed me to leave at around 12:30 every day. To say I was sleepy most of the time was an understatement, but that’s how my journey started.

Upon finishing high school, I simply moved to first shift. I still remember my first check with overtime was $111! While making a check allowed me certain freedom, there were stipulations. A clock-in time, two ten-minute breaks, and a thirty-minute dinner break. Sadly, college was something I ignored. After all, I had a full-time job with benefits.

Marriage came, and a job switch, but self-employment was out of the question. There were kids to raise and a mortgage payment. In my late twenties, I took a job as a carpenter building storage buildings. Little did I know, the skills learned in this stage of my life would really be needed in later years. In my mid-thirties, I totally moved job fields and started at a body shop. I knew nothing about collision work, so I swept the floor and did small jobs and soon moved to the paint shop. It was here that I made a giant leap.

After about five years in the paint department, I began working on commission. Every car had an estimate and, on it, a set time to complete the job. Your job as a painter was to do the job faster. For example, a bumper paid 3.9 hours to prep and paint. I’d line up three in the paint booth and finish them in a couple of hours. Three point nine multiplied by three equals 11.7 hours. That gave me nearly ten hours that I’d piggyback onto the next job.

One drawback is no work meant zero money because there wasn’t a base guaranteed pay. Years went by and I switched shops but the challenge was always there. Push yourself and make the money.

Around two years ago I made a huge decision – a decision based on freedom. I prayed and started working for myself making custom furniture. For the first year, I made and sold at craft fairs all over North Carolina and Virginia. I’d make the craft all week and travel and sell on the weekends.

I learned so much about people. I’ve seen people I’d never expect to buy turn and buy the most expensive item I had. One of the highlights of selling at craft fairs was being told where my craft was going. Some went as far as California or Mexico.

More importantly I learned about myself. I learned that being self-employed doesn’t mean you work less. Actually, you work more. At the start of this year, I’ve focused on making custom furniture here at the shop. I’ve been blessed to build some beautiful pieces for some great customers. I’ve not made a ton of money but the personal freedom I’ve gained has made me rich beyond measure.

Maybe this journey wouldn’t be something that you’d want. It’s scary at times. There is an ebb and flow to orders. Sometimes I have multiple projects going at the same time. Other times it seems orders will dry up. But the takeaway I get, and hope you do too, is we are blessed to be in a country where we can take a risk. We can give new careers a try.

To close, I recall watching a show about the gold rush in the 1800s in the West. It was said that so many tried and failed but there wasn’t the usual shame involved with failure. They had come from the East, and nobody knew them. But there was always the hope of freedom!