The Ouk-rra-i-nah Story by Warren Metzler Table of Contents
8. I'm done!
I then told Mr. Gertz I wanted to order a combination of Presidential Standard, the pepper vodka, and Lagidna and Elitna buds vodka. And to my amazement another problem arose. Mr. Gertz spoke for some time, then Igor translated and told me Mr. Gertz claimed Ukrainian law required the birch buds vodkas have an expiration date of six months after manufacture. Again I was stunned. I had never heard of an alcoholic beverage having an expiration date.
My immediate thoughts were that it would be impossible to import the buds. I assumed, from my past exposure to US government regulations regarding expiration dates, that once the US government were informed of this expiration date, they would require extensive testing to accept the buds, which I would never be able to afford. So once again I was sensing the entire project had collapsed. Although I had come to the Ukraine intending to import vodka, only knowing the pepper vodka was available; and I now knew Presidential vodka was available, which was really good; the fact that I had the day before decided to also import the buds vodkas, meant they were now an integral part of the project. It was the identical situation as when I was earlier told exclusive import rights were not available.
I then felt as if too many complications were occurring. And an inner voice told me "You're done." So I told Mr. Gertz I would not be able to continue, thanked him for his time, shook hands and said goodbye. Then Igor and I left his office, said goodbye to Liliya, and made our way out of the factory.
(I’m not sure why no series of thoughts then appeared, which would have processed the situation so I could continue; because, as you will discover, my eventual first shipment was of only Presidential Standard and the pepper vodka. But you need to understand I have no control over which thoughts appear in my mind, nor what final conclusion I choose in each situation. I recognize most people assume they create all their thoughts in their minds, and they formulate all their conclusions in their minds. But I’m clear I do not think in that manner.
Here is how I always think. As each activity progresses I notice a variety of thoughts. Then after each activity is completed I review all those thoughts, looking for a concept that rationally factors in all those thoughts. And I accept the first rational concept that appears. Life has taught me that God sends me all my thoughts, and all the concepts I consider; except when Satan sends me some. I originate none.
Because no thoughts occurred, I didn’t need to sit there and wait until some did. Further, I have another principle I follow which was relevant to that situation: once a sense of completion occurs, or “I’m done” appears, and one or the other appears in every activity I do, I know that activity is over. And I promptly finish up and actively look for what’s next. So when “you’re done” appeared I was fine with moving on.)
However, as Igor and I left the factory I was mystified. Everything had worked out so well, why in the world had this dead end appeared? But consistent with my longtime life philosophy, I accepted it was God’s way, and I proceeded to continue on with the rest of that trip; which involved going to Poltava, a city east of Kiev, to visit some friends.