Army Surplus in our communities by: Randall Jacobsen

Just what is an Army Navy Surplus Shop? 

Many people come to our shop with many different self defined or media defined expectations; and then again many have no idea whatsoever what they will find.  We do get many calls asking if the public is “Allowed” to shop in an Army Navy Store, and if so can they buy things such as Ribbons, Medals and such.  Others think were armed to the teeth and will help them find bazookas or who knows what.

Of course the Name “Army Navy Surplus” conjures up many thoughts of finding every thing from boos to back packs and coats to caps and tents to t-shirts. It’s up to me, as the proprietor of the individual shop to define its niche and depth of stock or offerings, both within the Army Surplus theme and then within the Local Area for competition for filling the needs and desires of the local population.

Often this is externally dependant on demands by the public and at other time it is dependant on the background experience of the individual proprietor or partners in the operation, to build a market within the local economy.  I for instance was brought up in a Military Family; my earthly Father was a career Marine Corps NCO, I also spent most of my early adult life in the Army as a Senior NCO in the Supply and Transportation or Logistics field. 

I was taught how to order, receive and issue stock materials, maintain inventories’, do reports and use mechanical handling equipment, package, ship, clean, preserve, repair and prepare air drop or block and tackle rail operations, for delivery of supplies to the troops wherever initial individual or group supply or re-supply was required.  Taught what product was developed for what use and geographical climate zone; Asia, Europe, South or Central America or frozen wastelands. 

When you consider my background and training; it’s natural that an Old Supply Sgt should open an Army Surplus Shop.  In fact when I first started the shop, I didn’t understand the impact of what I called my shop or the natural tendencies of the public to identify what was already familiar or associated with the theme.  I called my shop The Surplus Supply Sgt; after all I was fresh out of the service and came to think of myself as surplus . . . . . to the Active Army that is. 

After a year or so I was told that people are looking for the “Army Surplus” in Muncie, and then I learned about the power of Advertising the hard way, not the easy way I am sorry to say. 

I learned that the Yellow Pages people who publish our local and regional phone directories already had “Categories”  for sale in directories that they publish, that my operations was suppose to already fit into, and if I didn’t fit quit right, that I would find it harder then you may imagine, marketing my services and wares to potential clients. 

Yep sure enough it is true. 

Just deciding what category to market under is a brain strain, and one not to be undertaken lightly as you will have to live with your decision for several years at a time, until you find the right category.  Even then it’s best to have several to cover all the bases in the infield (local) and outfield (surrounding counties).

After being in this community for some twenty plus years now, I am absolutely sure that a self directed artist and craftsman needs about twenty five hundred residents out of several hundred thousand residents to make a conscience decision to utilize such shops as ours, but need to have good reason(s) several times a year to do so.  That said we make several hundred different designs in the shop, do repairs to hundred more, and stock deep what is asked for often and offer special order on everything else that someone might possibly want.  We have a Match Price Policy on any source from internet to catalog sales on the same “exact/identical” make, model, color, size and quality of any thing you could hope to come to our shop for.  I have decades of research born out of service and experience in many different areas in this industry to know how to help our clients to decide to act on reasons to try us first, or instead of the big box or internet alternatives’ and keep coming back for the service and satisfaction of getting the right product to fit the right need.

Another thing I have learned is that we have to service what we offer; so we offer free hemming when our clients order their trousers through us, and modification of buckles and straps is done in house to existing products we bring in and up grades in quality to an otherwise good quality product to make it a better quality product.  We truly do outfit everyone from Missionaries to Mercenaries going somewhere in the world.

Another thing I learned this past several years is you can’t preach to the Choir only and ignore the rest of the congregation; for a while we stopped accepting “credit” cards, on moral grounds and chose to only accept cash and trade in kind or agreement, but that turned out not to be practical in real terms, in that most people just don’t get the trap that credit has built into our way of life, so we have reached a “compromise” in that we now accept cash, credit/ debit/ smart cards, and trade to accommodate all people from all strata of our economy and ECI communities.  I know that a time is coming that we will all be called upon to make serious decisions about what we can walk away from.

So what are you expecting from your neighborhood Army Navy Surplus?  Ask and Let me help you find what it is your looking for and I give my personal promise to do my best to help you, your group, and institution or organization to get he best product at the best price and the best service you and I can come to agreement on.

I am asking for your patronage, and asking if you know our Lord, Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior; sufficiently to know where you will spend eternity after the resurrections of the just and Un-Just when the books are opened and judgments pronounced.  If you’re not absolutely sure, of the answer to this eternally important question, please come hear the gospel of Jesus Christ explained in such a way as you have not ever heard before and if you have been seeking, hungering and thirsting for the fellowship of the body of Christ locally, and the individual freedom to practice responsible / accountable life changing faith in your family, work and ministry life; then please contact me.  Our ministry is like our Heavenly Father; who finds us were we are and loves us before we do anything to considered worthy of being loved and gives us grace, truth, salvation and eternal life through our Lord, Christ Jesus.  If you’re wondering if we consider ourselves to be a Christian Values run shop? Yes we conduct ourselves as Christ-In manner of life and living.

I am asking for your support; as often as you believe you can give offer it, when you clearly see we can be of service in meting your desires for quality products, at reasonable rates and outstanding service from people you can trust talk to about what products meet your particular needs then by all means come see me.  We want your support and you will not be disappointed in our services.

Randall L. Jacobsen Sr.

Proprietor

Sow N Sews Custom Sewing N Repairs and Army Navy Surplus of Muncie

Info Web Site:  http://armysurplusbyjacobsen.bravehost.com

Email:  ansom47305@yahoo.com

Ministry Phone 765-284-1213

Shop Phone:  765-281-8804

Merry Christmas Folks!  It is again time to contemplate the past year and count our blessings bestowed upon by our Loving God and Father of our Lord, Christ Jesus. 

I for one am very happy to be able to be here with my Wife of 38 Years now growing old together, as there is something about the familiar sound and routine of each other that comforts and help maintain a continuity of belonging.  As I rose this morning with expectation of the Kids coming up from down south and seeing the grand kiddies open packages and sharing a good home cooked meal prepared with love by my wife together; I just went around the room praying and giving thanks.

My Wife and I both have approaching birthdays in the next couple weeks.  We both have our share of aches and pains but are still thankful for our health and most of our teeth, so I can still chew meat and other crunchy goodies.  We are both over weight for our height and are not able to do the exercise the doctors want us to do.  But that aside we get out and about and enjoy what we enjoy.

Both of us have thinning hair and mine is receding a bit, s it turns ever more silver/gray/white as if in contrast to my beard and mustache.  My wife on the other hand has very little gray compared to me, and I think still looks trimmer then me; though she can wear my tops and sweats just fine.  We both are wearing bi-focal glasses and really need them to read the menus when we go out.  We both take Heart and blood pressure medicine and multi vitamins and something for nasal congestion and use a sleep apnea machine at night to control snoring and get decent nights sleep.

We only have the one car and it does what we need it to do; so when you get right down to it; we are sharing a lot of the same things more and more.

I suppose what I am trying to say is; that as we grow older together, the form and substance of our sharing and caring is more practical and yet loving in our consideration for each others needs, wants and desires.  Personal Tolerance on each of our behalves is a must.  You just don’t live this long together and like every little trait or nuance you discover in you mate after your married to them.  Yet you choose to overlook them and learnt to find the common ground that builds on an otherwise loving relationship.

I thank God for my Spouse and I hope you do too.  I thank God for the Children and Grand Children He has given us; and Pray you and yours are realizing God’s Peace, Joy and Gladness in all you undertake to do.

Feeling a little void of some direction and find you have time on you hands you would like to fill?  Consider getting involved as a mentor tutor with the many grade school age children of one parent families who can not afford paid tutors and still need and want the help you could offer.

Think back on you own grade school experience, in the days you swore you knew it all but still had failing grade sometimes . . . . could you have used some extra help with a particular subject; that mom or dad just couldn't help with, or weren’t there to help with.  But now you passed the class you understand the work and how to find the answers.

What I am rally talking about here is Growing the Community around you; to become a better community. 

When we interact and relate to each other in whatever area we can; we increase each other to do better, feel better about ourselves and each other, together we make our communities a better place to live and work.  There is no age limit to mentoring and tutoring; we are all ignorant of something in this fast paced world of ours we need each other to become the best we can become.

Community building is person by person, household by household, and neighborhood by neighborhood.  We can show God’s Love through our caring and sharing our time and talents with others in whatever capacity we have to share.  The Word says; as it is near to you to do; do good unto all people and especially the household of faith.  Find some like minded and believing person in need of your help and help if necessary reach beyond your comfort zone and go to a less like minded and less like believing one if that Is where God is sending you.  Be the Example of Christ-in stewardship and a servants heart; being obedient to the lead of the Holy Spirit in you life.

Make a difference in someone’s life today.  Volunteer to say Here am I send Me, Lord.

Chaplain Randall Jacobsen:  Is head chaplain of Ministers of Reconciliation & Education M.O.R.E. Ministries of Muncie, IN. 47305 and Elected Chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 651 Muncie, and Appointed Chaplain of American Legion Post 19 and the United Veterans Council of Delaware Co. both of Muncie Indiana.  As well as House Church coordinator and facilitator for the City Wide Church Network. http://more-bocjm.injesus.com

Chaplain Jacobsen also operates Old Sow N Sew’s Custom Sewing N Repair where He sows the word of God while doing sewing projects for individuals and groups.  765-281-8804 shop phone bring your bible we’ll have church while I sew!  He asks his customers/patrons. 

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Greetings in the Name of our Risen King, Savior and Lord; our heavenly Father’s only begotten and chosen Christ; Jesus of Nazareth; our Lord God Almighty !

I pray and continue to believe that the Lord and all those that obey Him are keeping you and yours steadfast in standing firm in your faith and believing oath; even unto the salvation that Jesus of Nazareth has purchased by His obedience by the shedding of His blood, His death His burial and His resurrection; as the only begotten Son of God, our Heavenly Father; and that God His father raised him up as foretold in the many witness of Holy scriptures of prophecy of old.

Further I pray that in your spirit, soul and body you are wholly knitted together agreeing with and established in the truth of God’s written and preserved Word.  Which God made flesh and that word dwelt among men to bring to pass all that was foretold of the savior.  To the end that you are keeping alive the blessed hope in the life to come and in this life the sharing of that blessed hope, which is our Lord, God Almighty, Christ Jesus and His return in glory.

We continue even unto this day, even as then; to live in a fallen world that has a future of judgments descending upon it soon; that in this day time and hour as then does not believe in, neither does it want to hear about the life to come and the resurrection unto judgments and places of eternal dwelling. 

Often, all too often; the world prefers to take its rewards in this life and disbelieve and reject our message of life, believing instead, there is no life after this one; or they hope silently for a type of purgatory and then pray to a god they know not for a release from it. 

But our message is all about that very life of the resurrection and the changing from this life, unto eternal life with the Lord, and of the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord’s Christ who obediently paid for it; so that all who believe in God the Father, that He is, and upon Him whom He sent, that they may call upon His Name whom He sent, that they who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord, shall be able to be saved.

Thank God above that we have this blessed hope among us, not being alone it, but having each other to build up and encourage one another being steadfast in our Faith and Believing even through the things that come upon the earth and the things that are common unto all mankind take hold upon our bodies of flesh. 

We indeed do serve and wait on our Risen Savior, and look forward to the return of our Lord, and King in Glory; and to the resurrection of the Just and to new glorified bodies even as Christ’s, being reunited again with loved ones, those who have gone before.  Indeed we have much to be thankful for, and the great and mighty words of hope given us to share with those who will hear us speak the gospel truth of the word.

I beseech you brethren not to grow weary of sharing the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the often engaging in the fellowship of the saints and communion of the body and blood.

Let us press on, keeping that narrow way and entering through that straight gate that leads to salvation by the only way, the truth, and light of God; that is found alone in Christ Jesus.

I pray our Father in Heaven for our strength to increase more and more in spiritual boldness.