Heat

So, on Tuesday, I made a delivery, then went to Cash-Saver on New Boston Road and sat in the parking lot for nearly two hours waiting for customers I could approach with an Avon book. I collected two phone numbers, then went to Wal-mart on Summerhill Road and walked the parking lot with my books. Finally, after about 30 minutes and only four books gone, I decided to canvass on Hazel Street.

It was so hot that I only walked three blocks. I started feeling heat sick, so I returned to my car and decided to drive home. I was able to give out about five more books and take one more phone number.

I've decided that tomorrow I am sticking close to home and I'll try to canvass some more on streets I haven't been on.

Back in Business!

This afternoon, my friend fixed my brakes for me. I was so grateful!

I did give away a few books today. I have 75 more books to give away in the next four days.

I also went to bank and finally deposited my money.

It feels so good to be able to drive my car again without that noise every time I push the brakes...
It feels safer, too. LOL

And, God was good to me on the price today. I celebrated by buying much needed tea and sugar...and dog food.

Tomorrow, it's back to work big time, making up for lost time!

Fear is a Liar

I am fearless

Well, not really. More often than not, I leave the house afraid each day.

I'm afraid I will run out of gas.

I'm afraid I won't make enough in sales to pay my bills.

I'm afraid of each person I approach every day -- afraid they won't like me, or afraid they will reject me, or afraid they will order and not pay, or that they will order something they don't like, or that they will take a book and not call or turn me down during my call back.

I'm afraid my house will burn down while I am gone, or my dogs will find a way to run off.

I'm afraid of meeting someone who only wants me for my body or my money.

I'm afraid of not having enough money -- running out of tea, sugar, food, and not having clean clothes.

But...

Each day I face those fears head on. I leave the house determined that a hundred "No" is worth one single "Yes!"

One smile from a stranger is worth ten scowls.

One friendship is worth wondering if my friend will be fearless when I say "No", and stick around anyway.

One stranger who becomes a friend, as well as a lifetime customer is worth a thousand gallons of gas bought on credit.

Joyce Meyer said it best in her sermon today:

"Do it afraid!"

Brakes

Yesterday morning I got up early to deliver the last of the Avon I had to deliver, except what was already pre-scheduled for other days in the next week.

I had to drive 10 miles to deliver it.

During the past couple of weeks my brakes have made this sound like sandpaper on wood when I stop the car, or slow down. This has had me anxious, since I depend on my car to do my selling and deliveries a LOT.

Without my car I have no business. And, paying off all these people who keep calling me and bugging me would be impossible.

One bill collector called me before I left yesterday asking how I would like to pay the bill, check, credit or debit? I told him none of the above, as I currently was not getting a paycheck. I didn't have a regular job. He defiantly asked me, "Then how do you pay your bills, then?" I wanted to hang up on him right then. Instead, I said, "Credit cards and Avon. And, since my credit cards are maxed out nearly, I'm probably going to be homeless soon." THEN I hung up on him because of his rudeness.

I came home after the delivery and got online to beg for help. I had no money to spare for brake pads, but I'd have even less if I didn't get them fixed. So, I was looking for the best price possible.

A friend of mine I've known for years said he would come by and help me out.

So, today, he showed up and drove my car for about 5 minutes to assess the damage. Then he took a look under the car.

"Your rear brake pads are bare. Definitely in need of change. I think your front ones are okay, but I will need to check it out in my shop to make sure. I'll get your parts and you can meet me tomorrow at my shop."

Sounds like a plan. I'm not looking forward to spending the money I don't have, but I am excited about being able to drive my car so I can go back to work again!

In the meantime, I've been working on finishing the labels on all my books. I have 260 books to distribute (80 for this campaign alone, so I NEED to get to work!)

I have them all done now, and today is my day of rest and relaxation and prayer.

And, I have a LOT to pray for today, not to mention thanking God for great friends who are there when I need them!

Using GPS for Directions

Today, I actually woke up early this morning and was out of the house by 10 AM to start making deliveries. I delivered in Texarkana first.

I figured out how to use my GPS, and I used it liberally! I made record time on deliveries! I LOVE my GPS!

After I collected over $100, and took a $17 order, I drove to the bank and made a deposit. Then, I was able to deliver another $86 before I came back to New Boston.

When I came back to New Boston, I stopped at my house. It was around 2 PM at that time. I rested for about 30 minutes, fixed me a glass of tea and was out the door again.

After making all the deliveries I could make in New Boston, I headed toward my mother's to deliver her Avon. There was one lady I couldn't seem to get a hold of who I knew lived between my house and my Mom's.

Mom informed me that they were having a fish fry; so, naturally, I stayed awhile, at least an hour and a half.

Then, I finally was able to get in touch with the last delivery I could make today. She gave me round about directions with landmarks and road numbers. Didn't help I didn't know the road numbers or where they were. And, she didn't know how to give directions.

I drove for about 2 hours -- north, south, east and west. Finally, it was nearly dark. A crossing-guard was riding his bicycle down one of the roads I was on. I stopped and told him what landmarks I was looking for and associated it with a road number. My GPS would not log her address for some reason, so the GPS didn't help me.

Thankfully, he knew where I should go. It was pretty far away from where I was, but I found it, never-the-less, and when she met me at the door, I asked her if she was who I was looking for. She laughed and said, "Yes. I thought you done gave up. This place is hard enough to find during the daylight, much less at dark!"

I told her, "All I have to say is, you BETTER stay my customer! Because I know where you live now!" LOL

She laughed louder and said, "That's a good one!"

It was after 8 PM when I got home. I had over $200 in my pouch to be deposited after I make my deliveries tomorrow. I made a total of over $300 in deliveries today. I was proud of myself -- not to mention tired!

Calling for Avon

Today I received my Avon order. As I was in the middle of packaging all of the orders to be delivered and arranging them for delivery in boxes I could load in my car, several customers called to find out if their Avon had come in.

When I told them that yes, I had their Avon, they wanted it delivered right then.

"Whoah!" I said, laughing, "I am in the middle of putting all the orders I have in sacks to be delivered. It's gonna take me a few hours. Can I deliver it tomorrow?"

LOL...These people REALLY want their Avon! I am only one person with one body...and not enough money to hire a delivery service! LOL

Then, a customer who previously ordered called with another order, totaling over $60. That just made my day!

I now have two more boxes of books and flyers to label. I am contemplating "blanketing" neighborhoods if I find I have too many books to get me through the campaign.

Working it...

Today I spent the day travelling to different locations to distribute Avon Books in Texarkana. I went to Super 1, Sam's Club, Cash Savers and Wal-mart on Summerhill Road.

I talked to 88 people today.

Of those 88, I got:

65 "No I'm not interested."
5 "Yes, I'll call you!"
5 "Yes, you can call me! Here's my number!"
9 "No. I already have an Avon Lady"
2 "I haven't ordered in years" or "I've never ordered but..."
2 "I used to sell Avon. I'll take a book..."

In all I gave out 14 books, got 5 phone numbers and one lady said she wanted to go ahead and place an order.

Of course, when I found out the lady lives in a shelter in Little Rock, I was leary. Her order totalled over $100. I told her she could order online but she wanted to deal with me. She said she would come back and meet me at that store when It came in. She was a sweet lady, and I didn't want to be rude, so I took her order and told her I'd call her later with the total.

I have decided I am going to total her order and let her know that I cannot order unless she pays for it up front. Her order is too large for me to take a chance with.

When I Need Him Most

Sometimes I look for the memories of the times when God was there for me at the last moment, as my last resort, and when I didn't even think I needed Him and found out how much I did.

I look for those memories to remind me of how precious life is, and how short, and how quickly life can change.

I look for those memories because they tell a story of God's Grace and Mercy at times in my life when I am lost and, sometimes, when I don't even realize it.

Remembering reminds me that no matter how secure I am in my salvation, I always need God. I always need His Grace and Mercy. I need His intervention and protection and provision and hope.

And, I need to remember that when I am let down, or fall down, or pushed down, or tripped up, God is always there reaching out to pull me back up.

Thank you, Jesus, for never leaving or forsaking me, and for being my strength and presence of mind when I need You most.

Chicken and Avon

Today I woke up, bathed, then took my house-mate, Gary, to Wal-Mart so he could cash in his SSI, pay me his rent for the month, and buy a few groceries.

While he was inside the store, I was outside waiting, walking the parking lot with books and asking ladies if they needed an Avon Lady. I gave out 5 books by the time he came out of the store, but no phone numbers.

Every month, at the first of the month when Gary gets his check, it's tradition that we have fried chicken from the store. This month, today, he decided to splurge and go to Church's Chicken rather than buy Wal-mart chicken.

He even bought treats for the baby-dogs. (No wonder they love him so much...LOL)

He paid me my rent; then we came home and unloaded the groceries and ate. I got so full!

Lack of money has caused my stomach to shrink. I am not complaining. So, it didn't take as much to fill me up.

After we ate, I grabbed my small ice chest and went to the car. It was time to make the last two deliveries from last campaign.

I went to one customer, collected the money and gave her new books, then went to the last customer, but she was not at home. I figured she was still babysitting at where I saw her the other day when I was canvassing, but I couldn't remember what house she was at. So, I went to Texarkana, after stopping at the trailer park office to pay my lot rent and give the landlord a book.

Gary gave me some money to pick up a few more items while I was out for the house. So, I went to my bank at the Wal-mart in Texarkana to deposit what I had left of my money.

On the way into the store, I asked everyone I came into contact with if they needed an Avon lady.

One of the ladies I asked said, "I LOVE Avon! BUT, now I'm a truck driver so I haven't been able to order any." I smiled and showed her my website address on the back of the sales flyer I gave her.

"Do you have access to a computer?" I asked her. She said, "Yes, I do!"

I explained how she could go to the website and order online. She didn't need to be home to do that.

"Will it get delivered to my address?"

"Yes, ma'am! right to your doorstep!"

"And, you still get credit?"

"Yes, ma'am! As long as you use THAT link!"

She was happy.

Another lady saw me talking with her, and was waiting patiently, smiling. "Can I have a book, too?" She said.

"Sure! Would you like me to call you?" I took down her name and number. A lady at the door was watching. As I walked to the door, I smiled at her and said, "Do YOU need an Avon Lady, too?"

"Yes. Yes, I certainly do!" she said, reaching out for the book. I took her name and number, too, then headed in to the bank.

After I left there, I went to a neighborhood nearby, where I had a few customers who hadn't ordered in a while who I figured needed new books. I delivered those, then headed back to New Boston, where I did the same thing.

Finally, I went back by my last delivery's home. I caught her just as she was fixing to leave. She asked me to follow her to her work address where she babysits, where I saw her the other day. I did. She got the money and paid me. She even insisted on tipping me for my trouble. She informed me she would be staying there for awhile. I told her I would make a note in my ledger for both addresses.

Then, I came home to log my new phone numbers in my computer, and relax the rest of the day.

Working on Labor Day

Today I drove to Redwater, the next town over, and hung out for an hour at their grocery store, "Spring Market", distributing Avon books to whoever wanted one.

After an hour of that, I went to the Wal-Mart in Wake Village.

When all was said and done and I decided to go home, I had talked to a total of 54 people. Of those 54 people, I got:

8 "Yes, I need a book, but I will call you!"
15 "No, thank you. I already have an Avon Lady!"
4 "Yes, Please! I don't have an Avon Lady and I need one!"
24 "No, thank you."
3 "I've never bought Avon before. Can I have a book?" or "I haven't ordered in years. Maybe..."

I ended up giving out 15 Avon books. So, it wasn't a bad day!

Tonight I will put in my order for Campaign 19.

Tomorrow, I have to take the guys to the grocery store and get my rent money so I can pay the lot rent and my loan payment. I also have two deliveries I need to make.

Then, later I'll go talk to some more customers!

Have a blessed day! Mine was!