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Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Solid Start, a podcast designed to get your week off to a solid start by focusing on life from God's perspective.
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I'm Greg Greed, life coach with Merrill Bros, up in the tropical paradise of Cocon, Indiana, joined by my ever popular and amazing Brian Herzog.
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Brian, good morning.
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Good morning.
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So what's the good word today?
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I had a great weekend and uh had a celebration party for my son.
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Yeah, tell us about that.
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It was great.
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Uh the honey to-do list was long.
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Shocking show in our backyard.
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Okay, well then great.
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It was beautiful.
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So they'd gotten married a month or so ago, right?
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And then this was kind of their um inviting people over to say thanks because it was a small small wedding, but uh this was their opportunity to kind of go public.
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It was so good.
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It was we had a a lot of people come over and they had a great time, and it was just great to have them home.
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What's it feel like to have a daughter-in-law?
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This is your first first go-around.
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Yeah, she's mine now.
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She's a keeper and she she is a sweetheart.
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She really is.
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Yeah, that's the first thing I told her is like, you're mine now.
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Yeah.
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You're you're my daughter.
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So yeah.
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It was so fun to be able to be a part of their wedding and to be able to celebrate with them.
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So I'm sure it was a great uh great weekend uh with them.
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And they're doing really well.
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They are really well.
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Good.
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Well, hey, we have a uh special guest.
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I don't know if people know this guy or not, but I'll have you make the uh introduction.
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Look at my notes here.
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It's Ted Merrill.
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Is it Morel or Merrill?
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Yeah, how do you say that's that right?
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Welcome.
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Yeah, I want to congratulate you as well, uh Brian, on on the word small wedding.
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I mean, that's uh that in itself uh kind of quantifies a lot of things.
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It was all them.
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They they wanted a small wedding and it was great and cheap.
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Yeah, good for you.
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I hear people talk about you know, they have to do all these other things first because they can't afford a wedding.
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I'm thinking it's just it's what you want to spend.
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I mean, if you're gonna you know feed a thousand people and and have a uh wedding venue that costs you know twenty thousand, then yeah, it is gonna be expensive, but your kids uh chose not to do that.
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And so that was uh that was great.
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Well, Ted, thanks for uh you've been uh doing this for a while, right?
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Since uh 1982, possibly.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Um the the the group meetings at that time were pretty small, but that's kind of when it started.
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Probably didn't have a podcast back then either, did you?
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Terry and myself and a few thousand pigs.
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And that's how you guys started.
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You you and your brother both had a pig, right?
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You that your dad uh because he raised pigs, so you were obviously in the hog business.
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Yeah, dad dad taught us real early how to uh become great livestock judgers.
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Um he he didn't pay us to work on the farm, but he allowed us to pick uh a sow.
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And whenever uh ever every time he had a fairing, which was every 18 days, uh we get to pick one sow.
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And however many pigs that sow would would have would be our payment.
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And so we had to get really good at judging whether we were going to get six pigs or twelve pigs.
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And then what do you do then what'd you do with those?
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Yeah, then we would feed them out.
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We so we would we would weigh every bucket of feed and we would buy the feed from dad and stuff.
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So if she had six pigs uh versus twelve, you you got your wage was cut in half.
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Right.
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Right there.
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So that was our first lesson in livestock judging.
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Then you sold then you sold those.
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That's how you got your money, then is that you and Terry sold sold your pigs once they got to the right weight and all of that.
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Yeah, we would fatten them up and then uh sell the pig and pay the feed bill.
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And he gave us some space in a barn where we could raise them and that's how Merrill Brothers started was uh a a conjoined effort to to try to accomplish and finally get paid for the work that we did.
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So that's great.
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Well thanks so much for uh being with us.
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I know you're on the road a lot and uh hanging out uh in Kennewick, Washington.
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Finished up a great project out there.
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Force say a word about Kennewick and uh kind of what you did out there.
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Yeah, we couldn't ask for a better, better partner in the city.
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Uh they've uh uh been great to work with, and so we've kind of been through this commissioning phase where we've been training their operators because this particular one, uh we were the design builders, but we we are not the operators that they're going to operate it.
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So we're kind of in the handoff mode now of uh kind of weaning ourselves away from that so that they can uh uh uh take it on full full steam.
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And so really really been a great project.
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It's worked out extremely well.
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Okay.
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Then we got some things, uh uh opportunities brewing down in Florida next, right?
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So we hope that that may be our next um place of uh of employment.
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Yeah, we we actually hosted our seventh uh summit in Florida last week um in the Pensacola area.
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So that was uh that was great to be able to do that.
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And it's just uh it's just an awesome time to get together with other leaders in the industry and and just talk things through, you know, kind of what what's going on, what are what do we see coming, and and so super educational uh for everybody, and uh we were blessed to have uh you know good turnout, even though they'd just been through a hurricane not too much.
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Right.
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Right, yeah.
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Yeah, that's uh that's a big deal.
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Well, tell us you uh shared the devotional this morning.
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So tell us a little bit about what God's been saying to you and uh what you were able to share this morning with those people that are listening to our podcast.
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I know they'll want to hear from you and and hear what God's been saying to you.
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Yeah, so it it kind of piggyback on uh on a lot of what Greg has shared before, and it's kind of the definition of excellence, and it's doing the best you have, um the best you can with what you have.
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And unfortunately, in the in the workplace and in life, a lot of times there's lots of things that if we if we just had this or just had that, I could do a better job, or I could do it.
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But sometimes it really comes down to doing the best you can with what you have, and and so it was kind of influencing that based on our talents, our time, and our treasures.
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And we uh apply biblical principles uh to those three metrics.
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Okay.
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So was there something say a little bit about each one of those and maybe flesh that out a little bit for us so that we can have something practical to kind of grab onto today.
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Yeah, the the scripture that we related to talents was uh Colossians 3, uh 23 and 24.
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It says, Whatever you do, work heartily uh for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
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You are serving the Lord Christ.
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And and that uh that really spoke true that uh a lot of times we we feel like we've got to impress uh a supervisor or we've got to impress uh the client, but ultimately uh when we do work, we do it as if we're doing it for the Lord, and that gives us the the priority to do it well.
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Um and that's that was the focus of of talents.
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So Merrill Brothers signs the check, but it's really the our our ultimate employer is Jesus Christ, right?
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He's the one that we want to impress.
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We want to do a great job here uh for this company, but we really have a boss that's even above you and Terry and the rest of the executive team, and that's uh that's Jesus.
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So thanks for that reminder.
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Yeah, the second part then related to our time, and uh scripture for that was Matthew 25, 40, and the king will answer them.
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Truly I say unto you, as you did it uh to the one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me.
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And that is reflecting where uh Jesus was talking about um you know, when I was hungry you fed me, and when I needed clothes, you gave me clothes, and and uh the disciples of that time were confused to what that meant.
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And he said, When did we see you hungry?
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When did we see you need of clothes?
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And and what he's saying is that uh regards to your time, uh give your time uh as if you're giving it to the Lord.
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And that's that was the importance to that one.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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Brian, how long uh have you been here and how long have you been giving your time to uh to this company?
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And what's that look like for you?
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Uh over three years.
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Three years.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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Yeah, it's been um it's been a fast three years though.
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It's going to be so uh high highlighter two is there of something you think, hey, that was a project that I got to do, or that was something that I got to invest my time in that I feel like that was the best use of my gifts and abilities.
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Oh goodness.
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Wow, yeah.
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That one's one sentence.
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Okay, I know you can do it.
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Uh I honestly I love the employee appreciation weeks.
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Yeah, okay.
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Um a lot of those weeks on my team, we we do a lot of work for those and we just get to watch people enjoy what we've created.
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And um, so yeah, those are fun.
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And then our all the trade shows and stuff that we put out.
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And then this podcast, Greg, like that's what I was gonna say.
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That would have to be at least number one or above number if there's something above number one.
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It's the only time I get to see you during the week.
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So yeah, and what a joy that has to be.
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That's I love it.
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Every morning, every Monday morning.
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That's it.
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That's it.
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And I'll put a plug in for for Brian on that.
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Uh used to uh for employee appreciation, it was hey guys, here's a Snickers bar.
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Thanks a lot.
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You did a great job.
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It's a great slow bite.
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It's not gonna last long.
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Yeah.
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But uh he's he's really uh changed the whole culture related to that.
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And then he mentioned the trade show thing, and um it's it's really fun uh to see a lot of the new things that we do at those shows um because it kind of becomes a little bit of a trendsetter for a lot of other uh vendors that see some of the some of the the best and the latest and the greatest, and then they realize, man, I gotta step up my game to keep up with these guys.
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So Brian has done a fantastic job, and his whole team, you know, they they really put a lot of effort into all of that.
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So been a huge uh huge addition for for our Ted, you had a third, you so you had time and talent and then treasure.
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Yeah, and treasure uh the scripture were there was uh Proverbs 3, 9 and 10.
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It says, Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first fruits of all that you produce.
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Um then your barns will be filled um with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.
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And I think that's one of the things that uh we're seeing that culture increase uh just with the number of people within our company that are gonna do just that by going to Jamaica.
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Yes.
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You know, we're we're basically filling every bed um at the mission house in Jamaica this year with uh people that are going on from our team, and and that's a that's a prime example.
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You know, they're not they're not doing it for glory, they're not doing it for praise, they're doing it because they see people in need, and so they're giving up their treasure and their time and their talent.
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That's right.
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All all three of those get to be a part of uh that.
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And those experiences, I uh two out of my three kids uh got to be a part of mission experiences and and it changed their hearts.
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They just have different hearts for the rest of the world.
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Life changed.
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And uh so that's when I started doing that.
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I think it was in 1993, uh, and then every couple of years I thought I've got to get out of this country just to be reminded that and allow God to break my heart for the things that break his heart.
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Yeah.
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And it's been just life-changing uh every time.
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Uh yeah, I don't I mean, I give something to them, training pastors, whatever it might be, but but I bring back a lot more than I than I than I give out, I think.
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So one of the things that's been uh really fun for me uh when I go on those trips with uh uh first-time people that haven't been before.
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Yeah.
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And um, I can still remember about two years ago we had a a father and a son from our Florida group that uh that went and we have a chance to share you know some devotional things and just you know, just to share with one another.
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And um we were kind of going around around the table and and talking about what you know kind of what this weekend has meant or what that week had meant to them.
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And and he said um that this is probably the most time that I and my son have ever spent together, just the two of us, yeah, in his entire life.
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Yeah.
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And just to hear a father and a son be able to look at each other and that son to recognize the fact that dad saw value in that, yeah, you know, what a what a life changer.
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You go thinking you're gonna bless someone else, yeah.
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And then the next thing you know, you're you're being blessed by by recognizing what's important.
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Yeah.
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And then you end up investing your own son like you'd never had before.
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Yeah.
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So that's that's great.
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So how uh how did you wrap up uh the uh the story then uh of of the time, talent, and treasure?
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Yeah, we talked about that a little bit with uh you know the work that you do when nobody's watching matters far more in determining who you are as a person um than than what it does when the cameras are looking at you.
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And we see that all the time.
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And uh, you know, it's just the the little simple things that uh you're walking through an airport and you see a piece of trash on the floor and everybody else is walking around it and you bend over and pick it up and throw it in the trash can.
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And it's just all those things you you become more um aware of um the needs that are out there when you don't walk through life with blinders on.
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And and so uh we we talked about that as being being important and uh and so that's that's kind of the value that we try to put into um our people, and our people represent that well to our clients and customers.
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Right, right.
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Okay.
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Anything else that uh you wanted to share with our podcast audience in case you don't give back for a couple of weeks.
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Right.
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So we're obviously uh rapidly running into the holiday season coming up, and so everybody's lives get busier and busier, and so just uh you know, keeping focus on you know the main thing being the main thing and and uh we we try to do that here as a company, but it's more important to do it in your families.
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You know, don't don't forget uh in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays just to stop and reflect on what your family means to you and and uh don't miss those special moments together.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, we have a couple of really important uh you know, Thanksgiving obviously, and Christmas and Thanksgiving we're gonna focus a lot on just having a complaint free week.
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So that's gonna be our challenge that week is that we're just gonna say, hey, let's let's just not complain this week.
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Uh maybe for some people it's not complain for the next five seconds, yeah.
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Um, but uh we're gonna we're gonna work on that.
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Um so this morning you told a story.
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Would you tell that story again?
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Yeah.
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So um this was uh just this kind of a story to kind of sum up some of the uh the points and uh and it spoke about uh says one night four college students uh stayed up late and they were partying late into the night, even though they had a huge test the next day.
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Um that next morning they they came uh came up with a plan on how they were going to get out of having to take that test.
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So each student decided that uh what they'd do is they'd make up the story and they'd roll around in the dirt just to get as dirty as they possibly could.
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And then they would walk into the professor's uh office and and uh so they shared, they said, hey, we had a flat tire last night and we spent you know half the night just pushing the car home.
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And so the the professor, you know, reluctantly uh saw uh some pity, gave some pity on them, and and gave them some grace and said, uh, well that's fine.
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We'll just set up a test time for you uh uh three days from now.
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And so the the students just thought, wow, we we sure pulled one over, you know, we got three more days to study.
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Look at us, you know, we were really uh really smart in doing all that.
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So three days later they they go into the the professor's office to take their test and uh he said, Hey, um I'm just gonna separate you all and put you in four individual rooms, you know.
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So um, you know, the students didn't think much of that, that that that made sense, you know, instead of sitting down next to each other to take the test.
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And so he starts to hand out the test to them, and um the test uh they were kind of surprised it only had two questions on it.
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And the first question uh was worth one point, and the question was, what is your name?
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And so, okay, they they saw that.
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And then the next question was worth 99 points.
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And the question was, which tire was flat on the car that you pushed home the other night?
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:33.679
So the the moral to that one was, of course, is that you know, just do the best with your time, talents, and treasures, and don't try to pull one over on somebody to think that you're gonna get away with something by by shortcutting, and um and that was just a great analogy to to bring that to the service.
00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:34.559
That's great.
00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:51.759
Well, as we uh pray this morning, Ted, I think I'll have you pray for those that are listening uh that uh we might whatever you're doing today, that it might be with excellence and that you might recognize these three gifts of your time, talent, and treasure and say, how do I use those to make the most of this day?
00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:53.679
So I think we'll have you pray for that.
00:16:53.759 --> 00:17:02.639
And uh Brian, we have uh IDS, our facility down in Speedway, is having customer appreciation, and they just do a great job down there.
00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:11.599
And it's uh it's an interesting uh business down there, and they handle a lot of uh stuff that the rest of us don't necessarily want to handle day in and day out.
00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.039
And they treat their customers well.
00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.400
And they really do.
00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:18.079
They have a great customer base and uh it's a great operation.
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:30.400
So I think I'll have you uh have you pray for uh that and then uh I'll pray for we've got a lot of people out in the fields, I'm sure not just in in Kokomo, Indiana, but all around the country, and maybe some of you are listening to this.
00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:37.920
You have a farm or you're a part of a farming operation, and that uh this is uh this is hopefully payday.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.279
This is coming in, right, Ted?
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:39.680
That's right.
00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:43.599
This is uh this is what you harvest this is what you plant for is for the harvest.
00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.039
And so we'll uh I'll take uh I'll take that one.
00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:51.039
Anything else, Brian, that we need to be praying about in particular today?
00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:55.839
Just uh want to give thanks for all the folks who were on vacation last week.
00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.720
Safe travels and uh full room this morning.
00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:04.880
So yeah, yeah, that was uh that was great to be able to have everybody back after uh having a chance.
00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:06.559
I don't even remember fall break.
00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.480
I think we had fall when I was a kid.
00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.880
It seemed like fall was still there.
00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:20.720
We had it, but I don't think we did have, but I think we maybe did not, even if we did, my dad was self-employed, so we didn't get away because if we if he got away, there was no money.
00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:27.759
Um so that uh that fall break for us was I think maybe we fell down a couple of times, but that was about that was about it.
00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:30.079
So well, let's go ahead and uh pray.
00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:31.599
And Ted will have you lead us off.
00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:42.559
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and and for your uh decision uh with along with your brother to start a company that uh now is impacting the lives of of hundreds and hundreds of people.
00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.839
So thank you so much.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.519
Heavenly Father, we just come to you at this time just to say thank you.
00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:55.839
Um thank you for those opportunities you give us every day to uh to invest our our time, our treasures, and our talents uh towards honoring you.
00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:09.119
Uh Father, we just ask that you uh you know uh bring an awareness to us through through the Holy Spirit to just uh open our eyes to see those opportunities, to uh go above and beyond, to uh to do the right thing when nobody's watching, Father.
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.640
Just uh continue to put those in front of us so that we recognize them.
00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:18.240
And more importantly, Father, help us to uh recognize those people that we're here to help serve.
00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:31.359
Um, not necessarily customers and clients, but our family, um, those around us, and even perfect strangers, Father, that as we uh we see a need, we feel a need, and and we do so not for the glory, Father, but uh just to honor you.
00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:32.559
It's in Jesus' name.
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:40.480
And Father, I want to pray for our Indy Disposal Solutions team as they prepare this week for customer appreciation days.
00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:46.319
Uh Rodney and Addison and those guys down there are uh they just work so hard.
00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:52.880
And uh they're gonna be working extra hard this week as they prep for the uh uh appreciation day.
00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.759
And just thank you for their hearts in doing that.
00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.039
Uh they go above and beyond, and I'm just so thankful for them.
00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.200
So I pray for their prep this week.
00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.799
Uh just thank you, God.
00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:16.079
I I just want to thank you for bringing them to our team, and they've been with us a long time and so uh thankful for each of their uh their talents and then the time that they give us here at Merrow Brothers.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:31.920
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are just amazed to think that uh a little seed can grow in the ground months ago, and then uh mysteriously it it grows and produces a crop.
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:41.119
And we certainly can do all the things with cultivating and putting fertilizer and doing everything we can on our part, but we can't make anything grow.
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.000
Only you can.
00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:55.200
And so we just pause to recognize that the harvest is a part of your faithfulness to bless us with uh with food and uh uh what we need to be able to do life and to take care of animals.
00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:06.319
And so we're just grateful for uh the work that's being done by so many people, uh thousands around the country that are working uh day and night in order to bring in a harvest.
00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:11.839
And so it's just a recognition that uh you're the God of the harvest, and we just give you thanks.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:16.799
We know that uh you even say that the fields are white to harvest and the labors are few.
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:28.240
And so we're grateful that we get to be a part of a spiritual harvest as well as a company, and that we get to send out workers like Jamaica and other places to make an incredible difference.
00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:35.039
So we just give you thanks for this week, and we pray that uh this might be a week that we serve you well and one another.
00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.720
It's in Jesus' name we pray.
00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.519
Amen.
00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.240
Amen.
00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.920
Well, let us know how we can pray for you.
00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:56.160
There may be some things going on in your life that uh we don't know about, but if you'll contact us, then we can get back with you, we can pray for you, and we can support you, uh, even though we might be separated by uh hundreds or thousands of miles.
00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:03.039
Brian, what uh what's a way that people can do that in order to be able to get in touch with us and let us know about how to pray for them?
00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:14.240
Yeah, just go to Merrillbrose.com, click on the prayer tab at the top of the page, and fill out that little contact form and we'll either get in touch with you or we will just pray for you in your situation.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:14.960
Okay, yeah.
00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:16.720
If you want us to respond, we will.
00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.839
And if you want to be anonymous, then uh that's fine too.
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:23.519
So uh thanks for joining us for another episode of Solid Start.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:28.640
Keep growing, keep encouraging, make someone feel safe with you this week.
00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.839
Take care.
00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:12.160
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Solid Start, a podcast designed to get your week off to a solid start by focusing on life from God's perspective.
00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:21.359
I'm Greg Greed, life coach with Merrill Bros, up in the tropical paradise of Cocon, Indiana, joined by my ever popular and amazing Brian Herzog.
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Brian, good morning.
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Good morning.
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So what's the good word today?
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I had a great weekend and uh had a celebration party for my son.
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Yeah, tell us about that.
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It was great.
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Uh the honey to-do list was long.
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Shocking show in our backyard.
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Okay, well then great.
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It was beautiful.
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So they'd gotten married a month or so ago, right?
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And then this was kind of their um inviting people over to say thanks because it was a small small wedding, but uh this was their opportunity to kind of go public.
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It was so good.
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It was we had a a lot of people come over and they had a great time, and it was just great to have them home.
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What's it feel like to have a daughter-in-law?
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This is your first first go-around.
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Yeah, she's mine now.
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She's a keeper and she she is a sweetheart.
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She really is.
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Yeah, that's the first thing I told her is like, you're mine now.
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Yeah.
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You're you're my daughter.
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So yeah.
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It was so fun to be able to be a part of their wedding and to be able to celebrate with them.
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So I'm sure it was a great uh great weekend uh with them.
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And they're doing really well.
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They are really well.
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Good.
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Well, hey, we have a uh special guest.
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I don't know if people know this guy or not, but I'll have you make the uh introduction.
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Look at my notes here.
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It's Ted Merrill.
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Is it Morel or Merrill?
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Yeah, how do you say that's that right?
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Welcome.
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Yeah, I want to congratulate you as well, uh Brian, on on the word small wedding.
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I mean, that's uh that in itself uh kind of quantifies a lot of things.
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It was all them.
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They they wanted a small wedding and it was great and cheap.
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Yeah, good for you.
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I hear people talk about you know, they have to do all these other things first because they can't afford a wedding.
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I'm thinking it's just it's what you want to spend.
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I mean, if you're gonna you know feed a thousand people and and have a uh wedding venue that costs you know twenty thousand, then yeah, it is gonna be expensive, but your kids uh chose not to do that.
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And so that was uh that was great.
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Well, Ted, thanks for uh you've been uh doing this for a while, right?
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Since uh 1982, possibly.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Um the the the group meetings at that time were pretty small, but that's kind of when it started.
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Probably didn't have a podcast back then either, did you?
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Terry and myself and a few thousand pigs.
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And that's how you guys started.
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You you and your brother both had a pig, right?
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You that your dad uh because he raised pigs, so you were obviously in the hog business.
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Yeah, dad dad taught us real early how to uh become great livestock judgers.
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Um he he didn't pay us to work on the farm, but he allowed us to pick uh a sow.
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And whenever uh ever every time he had a fairing, which was every 18 days, uh we get to pick one sow.
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And however many pigs that sow would would have would be our payment.
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And so we had to get really good at judging whether we were going to get six pigs or twelve pigs.
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And then what do you do then what'd you do with those?
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Yeah, then we would feed them out.
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We so we would we would weigh every bucket of feed and we would buy the feed from dad and stuff.
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So if she had six pigs uh versus twelve, you you got your wage was cut in half.
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Right.
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Right there.
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So that was our first lesson in livestock judging.
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Then you sold then you sold those.
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That's how you got your money, then is that you and Terry sold sold your pigs once they got to the right weight and all of that.
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Yeah, we would fatten them up and then uh sell the pig and pay the feed bill.
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And he gave us some space in a barn where we could raise them and that's how Merrill Brothers started was uh a a conjoined effort to to try to accomplish and finally get paid for the work that we did.
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So that's great.
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Well thanks so much for uh being with us.
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I know you're on the road a lot and uh hanging out uh in Kennewick, Washington.
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Finished up a great project out there.
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Force say a word about Kennewick and uh kind of what you did out there.
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Yeah, we couldn't ask for a better, better partner in the city.
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Uh they've uh uh been great to work with, and so we've kind of been through this commissioning phase where we've been training their operators because this particular one, uh we were the design builders, but we we are not the operators that they're going to operate it.
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So we're kind of in the handoff mode now of uh kind of weaning ourselves away from that so that they can uh uh uh take it on full full steam.
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And so really really been a great project.
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It's worked out extremely well.
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Okay.
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Then we got some things, uh uh opportunities brewing down in Florida next, right?
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So we hope that that may be our next um place of uh of employment.
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Yeah, we we actually hosted our seventh uh summit in Florida last week um in the Pensacola area.
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So that was uh that was great to be able to do that.
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And it's just uh it's just an awesome time to get together with other leaders in the industry and and just talk things through, you know, kind of what what's going on, what are what do we see coming, and and so super educational uh for everybody, and uh we were blessed to have uh you know good turnout, even though they'd just been through a hurricane not too much.
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Right.
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Right, yeah.
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Yeah, that's uh that's a big deal.
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Well, tell us you uh shared the devotional this morning.
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So tell us a little bit about what God's been saying to you and uh what you were able to share this morning with those people that are listening to our podcast.
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I know they'll want to hear from you and and hear what God's been saying to you.
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Yeah, so it it kind of piggyback on uh on a lot of what Greg has shared before, and it's kind of the definition of excellence, and it's doing the best you have, um the best you can with what you have.
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And unfortunately, in the in the workplace and in life, a lot of times there's lots of things that if we if we just had this or just had that, I could do a better job, or I could do it.
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But sometimes it really comes down to doing the best you can with what you have, and and so it was kind of influencing that based on our talents, our time, and our treasures.
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And we uh apply biblical principles uh to those three metrics.
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Okay.
00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:20.959
So was there something say a little bit about each one of those and maybe flesh that out a little bit for us so that we can have something practical to kind of grab onto today.
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Yeah, the the scripture that we related to talents was uh Colossians 3, uh 23 and 24.
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It says, Whatever you do, work heartily uh for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
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You are serving the Lord Christ.
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And and that uh that really spoke true that uh a lot of times we we feel like we've got to impress uh a supervisor or we've got to impress uh the client, but ultimately uh when we do work, we do it as if we're doing it for the Lord, and that gives us the the priority to do it well.
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Um and that's that was the focus of of talents.
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So Merrill Brothers signs the check, but it's really the our our ultimate employer is Jesus Christ, right?
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He's the one that we want to impress.
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We want to do a great job here uh for this company, but we really have a boss that's even above you and Terry and the rest of the executive team, and that's uh that's Jesus.
00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:17.360
So thanks for that reminder.
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Yeah, the second part then related to our time, and uh scripture for that was Matthew 25, 40, and the king will answer them.
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Truly I say unto you, as you did it uh to the one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me.
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And that is reflecting where uh Jesus was talking about um you know, when I was hungry you fed me, and when I needed clothes, you gave me clothes, and and uh the disciples of that time were confused to what that meant.
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And he said, When did we see you hungry?
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When did we see you need of clothes?
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And and what he's saying is that uh regards to your time, uh give your time uh as if you're giving it to the Lord.
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And that's that was the importance to that one.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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Brian, how long uh have you been here and how long have you been giving your time to uh to this company?
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And what's that look like for you?
00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:07.519
Uh over three years.
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Three years.
00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:08.959
Okay.
00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:09.519
Okay.
00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:14.639
Yeah, it's been um it's been a fast three years though.
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It's going to be so uh high highlighter two is there of something you think, hey, that was a project that I got to do, or that was something that I got to invest my time in that I feel like that was the best use of my gifts and abilities.
00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:29.040
Oh goodness.
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Wow, yeah.
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That one's one sentence.
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Okay, I know you can do it.
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Uh I honestly I love the employee appreciation weeks.
00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:43.600
Yeah, okay.
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Um a lot of those weeks on my team, we we do a lot of work for those and we just get to watch people enjoy what we've created.
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And um, so yeah, those are fun.
00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.759
And then our all the trade shows and stuff that we put out.
00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:04.559
And then this podcast, Greg, like that's what I was gonna say.
00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:09.039
That would have to be at least number one or above number if there's something above number one.
00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:12.559
It's the only time I get to see you during the week.
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So yeah, and what a joy that has to be.
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That's I love it.
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Every morning, every Monday morning.
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That's it.
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That's it.
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And I'll put a plug in for for Brian on that.
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Uh used to uh for employee appreciation, it was hey guys, here's a Snickers bar.
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Thanks a lot.
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You did a great job.
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It's a great slow bite.
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It's not gonna last long.
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Yeah.
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But uh he's he's really uh changed the whole culture related to that.
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And then he mentioned the trade show thing, and um it's it's really fun uh to see a lot of the new things that we do at those shows um because it kind of becomes a little bit of a trendsetter for a lot of other uh vendors that see some of the some of the the best and the latest and the greatest, and then they realize, man, I gotta step up my game to keep up with these guys.
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So Brian has done a fantastic job, and his whole team, you know, they they really put a lot of effort into all of that.
00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:10.720
So been a huge uh huge addition for for our Ted, you had a third, you so you had time and talent and then treasure.
00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:14.879
Yeah, and treasure uh the scripture were there was uh Proverbs 3, 9 and 10.
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:19.200
It says, Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first fruits of all that you produce.
00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:24.960
Um then your barns will be filled um with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.
00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:35.200
And I think that's one of the things that uh we're seeing that culture increase uh just with the number of people within our company that are gonna do just that by going to Jamaica.
00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:35.600
Yes.
00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:45.279
You know, we're we're basically filling every bed um at the mission house in Jamaica this year with uh people that are going on from our team, and and that's a that's a prime example.
00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:53.759
You know, they're not they're not doing it for glory, they're not doing it for praise, they're doing it because they see people in need, and so they're giving up their treasure and their time and their talent.
00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:54.399
That's right.
00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:57.200
All all three of those get to be a part of uh that.
00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:06.080
And those experiences, I uh two out of my three kids uh got to be a part of mission experiences and and it changed their hearts.
00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:08.080
They just have different hearts for the rest of the world.
00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:08.879
Life changed.
00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.840
And uh so that's when I started doing that.
00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:23.600
I think it was in 1993, uh, and then every couple of years I thought I've got to get out of this country just to be reminded that and allow God to break my heart for the things that break his heart.
00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:23.840
Yeah.
00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:27.519
And it's been just life-changing uh every time.
00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:36.399
Uh yeah, I don't I mean, I give something to them, training pastors, whatever it might be, but but I bring back a lot more than I than I than I give out, I think.
00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:44.639
So one of the things that's been uh really fun for me uh when I go on those trips with uh uh first-time people that haven't been before.
00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:45.039
Yeah.
00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:58.639
And um, I can still remember about two years ago we had a a father and a son from our Florida group that uh that went and we have a chance to share you know some devotional things and just you know, just to share with one another.
00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:06.399
And um we were kind of going around around the table and and talking about what you know kind of what this weekend has meant or what that week had meant to them.
00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:15.600
And and he said um that this is probably the most time that I and my son have ever spent together, just the two of us, yeah, in his entire life.
00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:16.080
Yeah.
00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:24.480
And just to hear a father and a son be able to look at each other and that son to recognize the fact that dad saw value in that, yeah, you know, what a what a life changer.
00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.639
You go thinking you're gonna bless someone else, yeah.
00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.120
And then the next thing you know, you're you're being blessed by by recognizing what's important.
00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:31.600
Yeah.
00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.960
And then you end up investing your own son like you'd never had before.
00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:35.200
Yeah.
00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:36.559
So that's that's great.
00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:44.080
So how uh how did you wrap up uh the uh the story then uh of of the time, talent, and treasure?
00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:56.559
Yeah, we talked about that a little bit with uh you know the work that you do when nobody's watching matters far more in determining who you are as a person um than than what it does when the cameras are looking at you.
00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.559
And we see that all the time.
00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:09.120
And uh, you know, it's just the the little simple things that uh you're walking through an airport and you see a piece of trash on the floor and everybody else is walking around it and you bend over and pick it up and throw it in the trash can.
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:18.240
And it's just all those things you you become more um aware of um the needs that are out there when you don't walk through life with blinders on.
00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:30.000
And and so uh we we talked about that as being being important and uh and so that's that's kind of the value that we try to put into um our people, and our people represent that well to our clients and customers.
00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.039
Right, right.
00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:31.679
Okay.
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:38.960
Anything else that uh you wanted to share with our podcast audience in case you don't give back for a couple of weeks.
00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:39.600
Right.
00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:56.720
So we're obviously uh rapidly running into the holiday season coming up, and so everybody's lives get busier and busier, and so just uh you know, keeping focus on you know the main thing being the main thing and and uh we we try to do that here as a company, but it's more important to do it in your families.
00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:07.120
You know, don't don't forget uh in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays just to stop and reflect on what your family means to you and and uh don't miss those special moments together.
00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:07.519
Yeah.
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:17.360
Yeah, we have a couple of really important uh you know, Thanksgiving obviously, and Christmas and Thanksgiving we're gonna focus a lot on just having a complaint free week.
00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:23.279
So that's gonna be our challenge that week is that we're just gonna say, hey, let's let's just not complain this week.
00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.120
Uh maybe for some people it's not complain for the next five seconds, yeah.
00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:29.919
Um, but uh we're gonna we're gonna work on that.
00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:32.320
Um so this morning you told a story.
00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:33.759
Would you tell that story again?
00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:34.320
Yeah.
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:50.159
So um this was uh just this kind of a story to kind of sum up some of the uh the points and uh and it spoke about uh says one night four college students uh stayed up late and they were partying late into the night, even though they had a huge test the next day.
00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:56.080
Um that next morning they they came uh came up with a plan on how they were going to get out of having to take that test.
00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:03.360
So each student decided that uh what they'd do is they'd make up the story and they'd roll around in the dirt just to get as dirty as they possibly could.
00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:13.679
And then they would walk into the professor's uh office and and uh so they shared, they said, hey, we had a flat tire last night and we spent you know half the night just pushing the car home.
00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:22.639
And so the the professor, you know, reluctantly uh saw uh some pity, gave some pity on them, and and gave them some grace and said, uh, well that's fine.
00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:26.639
We'll just set up a test time for you uh uh three days from now.
00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:32.399
And so the the students just thought, wow, we we sure pulled one over, you know, we got three more days to study.
00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:35.679
Look at us, you know, we were really uh really smart in doing all that.
00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:46.879
So three days later they they go into the the professor's office to take their test and uh he said, Hey, um I'm just gonna separate you all and put you in four individual rooms, you know.
00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:53.360
So um, you know, the students didn't think much of that, that that that made sense, you know, instead of sitting down next to each other to take the test.
00:15:53.440 --> 00:16:00.159
And so he starts to hand out the test to them, and um the test uh they were kind of surprised it only had two questions on it.
00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:05.440
And the first question uh was worth one point, and the question was, what is your name?
00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:07.840
And so, okay, they they saw that.
00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:11.039
And then the next question was worth 99 points.
00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:16.080
And the question was, which tire was flat on the car that you pushed home the other night?
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:33.679
So the the moral to that one was, of course, is that you know, just do the best with your time, talents, and treasures, and don't try to pull one over on somebody to think that you're gonna get away with something by by shortcutting, and um and that was just a great analogy to to bring that to the service.
00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:34.559
That's great.
00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:51.759
Well, as we uh pray this morning, Ted, I think I'll have you pray for those that are listening uh that uh we might whatever you're doing today, that it might be with excellence and that you might recognize these three gifts of your time, talent, and treasure and say, how do I use those to make the most of this day?
00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:53.679
So I think we'll have you pray for that.
00:16:53.759 --> 00:17:02.639
And uh Brian, we have uh IDS, our facility down in Speedway, is having customer appreciation, and they just do a great job down there.
00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:11.599
And it's uh it's an interesting uh business down there, and they handle a lot of uh stuff that the rest of us don't necessarily want to handle day in and day out.
00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.039
And they treat their customers well.
00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.400
And they really do.
00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:18.079
They have a great customer base and uh it's a great operation.
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:30.400
So I think I'll have you uh have you pray for uh that and then uh I'll pray for we've got a lot of people out in the fields, I'm sure not just in in Kokomo, Indiana, but all around the country, and maybe some of you are listening to this.
00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:37.920
You have a farm or you're a part of a farming operation, and that uh this is uh this is hopefully payday.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.279
This is coming in, right, Ted?
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:39.680
That's right.
00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:43.599
This is uh this is what you harvest this is what you plant for is for the harvest.
00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.039
And so we'll uh I'll take uh I'll take that one.
00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:51.039
Anything else, Brian, that we need to be praying about in particular today?
00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:55.839
Just uh want to give thanks for all the folks who were on vacation last week.
00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.720
Safe travels and uh full room this morning.
00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:04.880
So yeah, yeah, that was uh that was great to be able to have everybody back after uh having a chance.
00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:06.559
I don't even remember fall break.
00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.480
I think we had fall when I was a kid.
00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.880
It seemed like fall was still there.
00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:20.720
We had it, but I don't think we did have, but I think we maybe did not, even if we did, my dad was self-employed, so we didn't get away because if we if he got away, there was no money.
00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:27.759
Um so that uh that fall break for us was I think maybe we fell down a couple of times, but that was about that was about it.
00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:30.079
So well, let's go ahead and uh pray.
00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:31.599
And Ted will have you lead us off.
00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:42.559
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and and for your uh decision uh with along with your brother to start a company that uh now is impacting the lives of of hundreds and hundreds of people.
00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.839
So thank you so much.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.519
Heavenly Father, we just come to you at this time just to say thank you.
00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:55.839
Um thank you for those opportunities you give us every day to uh to invest our our time, our treasures, and our talents uh towards honoring you.
00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:09.119
Uh Father, we just ask that you uh you know uh bring an awareness to us through through the Holy Spirit to just uh open our eyes to see those opportunities, to uh go above and beyond, to uh to do the right thing when nobody's watching, Father.
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.640
Just uh continue to put those in front of us so that we recognize them.
00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:18.240
And more importantly, Father, help us to uh recognize those people that we're here to help serve.
00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:31.359
Um, not necessarily customers and clients, but our family, um, those around us, and even perfect strangers, Father, that as we uh we see a need, we feel a need, and and we do so not for the glory, Father, but uh just to honor you.
00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:32.559
It's in Jesus' name.
00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:40.480
And Father, I want to pray for our Indy Disposal Solutions team as they prepare this week for customer appreciation days.
00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:46.319
Uh Rodney and Addison and those guys down there are uh they just work so hard.
00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:52.880
And uh they're gonna be working extra hard this week as they prep for the uh uh appreciation day.
00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.759
And just thank you for their hearts in doing that.
00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.039
Uh they go above and beyond, and I'm just so thankful for them.
00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.200
So I pray for their prep this week.
00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.799
Uh just thank you, God.
00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:16.079
I I just want to thank you for bringing them to our team, and they've been with us a long time and so uh thankful for each of their uh their talents and then the time that they give us here at Merrow Brothers.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:31.920
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are just amazed to think that uh a little seed can grow in the ground months ago, and then uh mysteriously it it grows and produces a crop.
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:41.119
And we certainly can do all the things with cultivating and putting fertilizer and doing everything we can on our part, but we can't make anything grow.
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.000
Only you can.
00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:55.200
And so we just pause to recognize that the harvest is a part of your faithfulness to bless us with uh with food and uh uh what we need to be able to do life and to take care of animals.
00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:06.319
And so we're just grateful for uh the work that's being done by so many people, uh thousands around the country that are working uh day and night in order to bring in a harvest.
00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:11.839
And so it's just a recognition that uh you're the God of the harvest, and we just give you thanks.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:16.799
We know that uh you even say that the fields are white to harvest and the labors are few.
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:28.240
And so we're grateful that we get to be a part of a spiritual harvest as well as a company, and that we get to send out workers like Jamaica and other places to make an incredible difference.
00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:35.039
So we just give you thanks for this week, and we pray that uh this might be a week that we serve you well and one another.
00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.720
It's in Jesus' name we pray.
00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.519
Amen.
00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.240
Amen.
00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.920
Well, let us know how we can pray for you.
00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:56.160
There may be some things going on in your life that uh we don't know about, but if you'll contact us, then we can get back with you, we can pray for you, and we can support you, uh, even though we might be separated by uh hundreds or thousands of miles.
00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:03.039
Brian, what uh what's a way that people can do that in order to be able to get in touch with us and let us know about how to pray for them?
00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:14.240
Yeah, just go to Merrillbrose.com, click on the prayer tab at the top of the page, and fill out that little contact form and we'll either get in touch with you or we will just pray for you in your situation.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:14.960
Okay, yeah.
00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:16.720
If you want us to respond, we will.
00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.839
And if you want to be anonymous, then uh that's fine too.
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:23.519
So uh thanks for joining us for another episode of Solid Start.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:28.640
Keep growing, keep encouraging, make someone feel safe with you this week.
00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.839
Take care.
