I am in a Great location for my business now, I’m in Rainbow Harbor in downtown Long Beach Marina, right outside of Gladstone’s Restaurant, next to the Pine Avenue Pier. I’m on Dock-5, and I share the dock with another company….Boat and Beds. I am on a side tie, the first position on the Port side facing the walkway, and Gladstone’s Restaurant. I have a large banner on the bridge that advertises Burials At Sea by Captain Johnnie Lee, I have a sign on a post at the entrance to the dock, and a Sandwich board on the walkway. So if you don’t bump your head on the sign, you’ll trip over the sandwich board, and then see the banner as you’re falling into the harbor….one way or the other, you can’t miss me.
This location isn’t great for privacy, you can’t really see details of what’s in the boat from the walkway, but you can see me if I’m standing up, which means taking a dash from the shower into the salon for whatever reason becomes trickier, and sometimes VERY revealing.
At least once per weekend, I try to go out on the walkway (in uniform) to pass out Trifolds to people passing by, and to answer any questions they may have about my business. At first people were ignoring me, as if acknowledging me standing there would somehow acknowledge my service, and very few people are comfortable talking about death, funerals or those types of topics. That seems to be changing, as people are getting a little use to seeing me out there. I’m meeting some really nice people as the weather is improving, and we kid and laugh about my services as they tell me they are not ready yet, and I reply….I can wait. The Trifolds are being taken, people are reading them and asking questions, I believe things are getting better.
I met a gentleman today named David, while standing out on the walkway. He was in a wheelchair, a retired Vet. We talked for awhile, and he said he would want to prepay for my services. I explained that Pre-payment was possible, and briefly how it would be handled. He became a little emotional and said he wasn’t ready to go, and I said it wasn’t his choice, it was Gods choice and decision when we would all leave here. I told him he needed to talk to God, and trust and have faith in God for all of his concerns. I shared a bible verse that always helped me during times of struggle….
Mark 11:23 “For verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he saith”.
I told David that Faith was the key, and was so very important. The name of my boat is Great Faith, which I hope says a lot about Gods character in me, and how I know that my business will succeed.
I await my next Jabez appointment, and pray that I will handle it better next time.
Captain John
