May 26, 2004

Happy Birthday, Azure Seas Jewelry

Yes my "baby" is one year old today. It was on this day May 25,2003 that our first sale occured. It was a piece made on Kibbutz Revadim, of Sterling Silver and 2000 year old Roman Glass, a line that has been our best seller....The trouble in the region and trouble with our supplier may end this relationship. Its my hope to find another intermediary or import the peices myself. We shall see how things go. Its important to me not just becasue we sell a lot of the peices from this line, or even the fact that we, in buying a product made in Israel, support Gods People.... Its the look of reverence on a young mans face as he holds this tiny relic of history in the palm of his hand and says "this is going with me when I go back to Iraq next week, to remind me of the long struggle in this region and to pray as well as shoot my gun..." Having this antiquity changes people...and I have been changed for having it...

It has been a struggle financially but also emotionally. the growing pains have been hugely apparent this week when we realized that we have had our first thefts of jewelry. We had that set of keys stolen earlier this year, but at least two rings were taken by a woman and her son last week. I was out when they were let in and came back throught the back door and peeked through the curtains...I saw this group in the store creating such a disterbance that its little wonder Woody got distracted as left cases open to try to deal with an out of control distructive 10 year old. They all cleared out quick when they saw me. Id have slapped the little brat, and frankly Id have never let them in, they were not right and like gypsies... how you just know not to have them around cause theyd steal you blind... As far as I know they got two things replacable and we are installing security cameras next week.

I never raised my voice at Woody. He knew better, admitted that and knew something was up but did the wrong thing. He is way too trusting and learned the hard way.

There is more work than I can handle alone and we do need two people there to aviod such comotion as that day last week. I also turned down over 1000.00 worth of work last week that had I been a benching jeweler, I could have had. The cash stream from that makes it vital that I pursue learning that skill soon. Its going to take about 10000.00 to do what I need to do we shall see how things go.

We are slowly digging ourselves out of the hole... The house is no longer in danger of foreclosure and we still have the lights on...Praise God.

We went out to dinner to celebrate. A new restaurant opened last month called Island Cantina. Two guys from our part of the world moved over here last year and live not too far from us. This is their little dream and I wish them well. I think they will do well as the food was great and they had great live music in the middle of the week.... Hilo is growing and there are opportunities if you can stay the course...The odds or very much against you...100 to one that you will survive the first five years.

one down four to go...

I am determined to, with the help of God we will.... Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. It has ment a lot...

And most especially to the birthing coach and god mother of this "child" Kathy Hammes of the Small Business Development Network. It wouldnt have happened without you either... Take a bow...We beat the odds.