March Update

It has actually stopped raining 9 days a week so I can finally get some work done.. I remember a good friend telling me "you'll love the Island but get used to the wet winters." Didn't sound too bad then but after 3 months I get it sky. Time for something new.

It's amazing how much our business has changed since its inception. I think about what we knew last fall and what we know today and there's simply no comparison. I think besides the financial struggle, having this winter "off" was the best thing as it allowed Angie and I to really think things through, plan, plot and learn. I took an extremely helpful Organic Turf Management course, had a coffee with the world's foremost organic turf guru, devoured every Seth Godin word, solidified my product line, made great connections, and Angie created our phenomenol website. You know you take pride in something when a visitor to your site elicits a bottle of wine and dance around your house (not that we did any of that)

With a spring of Lush growth ahead of us (hey, Lush, that's the name of your..) we are feeling confident, secure, assured for the first time in some time. In the last month we've gotten over 30 new customers and its grows every day. We are the only chemical free lawn company in the valley and the word is getting around. We hadn't plan to hire this year but we may have to re-examine things. In the meantime, I'm working from dawn to dark trying to get the treatments (seeding) in so the grass plants have time to establish themselves before the heat of summer hits. Yes, I am a farmer now. Never checked the weather so much in my life.

Next month I'm teaching 4 workshops on how to care for your lawn naturally. This is important as I've really missed the teaching part of my past life and this is a way to keep that alive.

Anyways, the sun's up so I'm off. Miss you, wherever you are.

John

Humus

Not the eating kind, although just as healthy, humus is literally the place where new life springs up. Humus is what's left when micro-organisms (bacteria) consume organic matter (vegetable waste, leaves, grass clippings etc). We call this finished product compost. Our composters or compost piles are host to this process. This black gold when used at the time of planting or to topdress tired lawns will inject health and vitality into otherwise barren places.

The interesting thing about humus, besides its ability to grow things well, is that it comes from the same etymological root as the world humility. I don't know about you but due to my "hold nothing back, live out loud, risk it all" personality, I have experienced my fair share of mud on my face. In fact, sometimes my whole self has been so mired in mud I've required the help of others just to get moving again. The unfortunate thing about these muddy times, is all I'm thinking about is getting out so I don't take the stuck time to think or notice. It's only when I'm out that I'm able to realize my growth.

The humus analogy is apt (and not my own). New life grows out of mud. So next time you're in it, don't waste your time trying to get unstuck. Let it grow you up.

John

I'm an Athiest?

Having always been a person of deep faith I was struck across the face this morning as my author of choice suggested otherwise. He claimed that many people of faith actually function as athiests believing that they alone are in control. The result of this unbelief is it leads a person to impose their will on others (control) the only real option if its all up to them. This of course puts enormous stress on all their relationships (who likes to be controlled?) and if left unchecked, will cause breakage. The end result is burnout, depression and despair as the person learns that they can't control others and the world will not bend to their will. As depressing as this all sounds, its much worse living like this. And explains a lot. If you're this person.

In other news, I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" yesterday's gold medal game. Most of the time involved me biting my nails and ignoring my stomach pain. Perhaps the stress came from the fact that I knew I couldn't control the outcome? Hmmm. That being said, I did predict at the onset of the game that Crosby would score the winner so maybe I did control things....

John

Let your life speak

It's rare when we read in a book descriptions that so closely resemble ourselves. When it occurs it can be un-nerving, off putting, or, if we're open, convicting. Let Your Life Speak has been one of those books for me. It was wisely recommended by a perceptive friend, years back when I was lost in the thick woods of life, career, vocation. The book's subtitle is "Listening for the Voice of Vocation" and its genius is how it resists the temptation to give 7 steps to Vocational Bliss, or How to Discover your True Self in 15 days - but instead asks the tough probing questions that lie at the heart of who we are. In my experience, it is difficult if not impossible to be at peace until we know why we are. This book has helped me know, time and time again.

John

Shortcuts

Shortcuts like McDonald's may seem like the best decision in the moment but almost always are fraught with disapointment (and diarrhea) afterwards. My own life has often been an exercise in one shortcut after another leading me further away from my intended destination. The times that my short cuts have seemed to "work" were because I had arrived but not at the place I intended. I could write a book (Close Cuts: Random House, 2012) on the shortcuts I have taken in my life and what I learned from them but for today I'll just leave it at acknowledgement along with this quote from The Dalai Lama:

"When we approach probelms with compassion, sincerity and good motivation our solututions will take longer but ultimately, they are better."

This principle should be applied to the hundreds of situations and scenarios both large and small that each of us experience and avoid each day. The point is, the quickest, easiest most pain free options we are all so fond of take longer, are more difficult and usually cause more pain than we can imagine.

Here's to long cuts, life change and healing our world. And here's to Team Canada taking the long cut to gold.... :)

John

Olympic Controversy

There is no doubt a lot of money goes into the Olympics. For instance, 25 million dollars was spent on the opening ceremony alone. You would have thought another $50,000 could have been spent to "inspire" Bryan Adams to actually sing or even convince Ms. Furtado to not wear that. Critics of these games claim - the money should be given to the poor instead. Although noble in nature, this re-occuring comment is eerily similar to one made by Judas right before he betrayed Jesus Christ. There is a difference between what's righteous and self righteous.

Besides advertising, money has very little to do with the Olympics and certainly is not its point. The point is what it represents and even more, what it means. And after watching our mogul hero Bilodeau win our country's first gold on Canadian soil and then later embrace his family in studio, its meaning is evident. We play these games because at their core exists the elements that make us truly human - passion, drive, determination, commitment, discipline, unity, success, love. And perhaps most importantly, belief in oneself.

Well done Athletes, you have set the bar high.

John

It's our business

You may have noticed we haven't blogged in awhile. My apologies. Believe it or not, spring is on it's way here so we've been hard at work on our spring programs, marketing campaign, etc. If you don't believe me, about the spring I mean, you'll have to come over and check out our herb garden, and blueberries/strawberries and lilacs and all the other nature we just planted last week. That's right Easterners, we've been planting. Score.

Nature. I work with it. This is my new life focus. For years I worked with people in church settings, now I work with plants in nature settings. Bill Hart laughed out loud when my parents told him "John started his own Organic Lawn Care Business. No seriously Bill, he did." Growing up in Dauphin, Bill had the greenest thumb I had ever seen. Entering his backyard was like being reborn. The way he arranged his plants and knew them by name, it was boring, to be honest. But now, I get it. I see. Nature is a civilization given to us by God to care for. That's a tall order, one that I resented for years as I pushed our old electric mower across our tree happy property. Bill reminded my parents of this "I remember driving by your house and seeing John out there on the lawn fighting the cord and scowling." I remember too. I suppose until you approach nature on your own terms, it'll feel like a sentence.

Last week I was sitting in my minister's office talking to him about the ebbs and flows of my life. He suggested I must miss the ministry. My answer was muddled as I said yes and no and well, hmm, I guess there are parts I miss. The truth is, there are things I miss like trips and events and causes and classes, and community. Especially the community. I miss our dear friends, like you the readers. I don't miss the boxes. Theological and Professional. Still, ministry was good to me and my family and I will cherish those years for the rest of my life.

In some ways, old ministry habits die hard. I still meet with people one on one to discuss things precious to them. The discussian now favors what's underfoot instead of what's inside yet its amazing how often the two come together. I've already officiated the wedding of one of my client's daughters for instance. I still give speeches. I joined the local BNI (Business Networking International) and each Thursday I meet with 40 other business owners to share. Included in the sharing time is a 60 second infomercial where we stand up and promote our business. It's good still being able to use my gifts. Later this Spring I will be facilitating 5 workshops on how to care for your lawn naturally, chemical free, and why it makes sense. That's the neat thing about owning your own business, you can structure it to support your strengths (and subcontract all your weaknesses :)

Yikes, its 7:35am and the house is still asleep. That's not good when kids are supposed to be in school. Better run.

See you sooner next time.

John