About Help From Above
Help from Above has its roots in 1962 when our father, Fred Owens, turned his hobby into a profession. He possessed a dominant artist gene that runs sporadically rampant in the family and an ardent affection for animals. The two endowments resulted in a very talented “dog barber”, as he called himself.
His decision to switch career paths
Help from Above has its roots in 1962 when our father, Fred Owens, turned his hobby into a profession. He possessed a dominant artist gene that runs sporadically rampant in the family and an ardent affection for animals. The two endowments resulted in a very talented “dog barber”, as he called himself.
His decision to switch career paths was greeted with dubious response because pet grooming, as an industry, was only beginning to bud. It appeared to be a good way to starve.
With humble beginnings, a commitment to great service and beautiful work brought steady growth. Father inculcated in us, Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men…” We were to give our customers no less than our best. As the fledgling business grew wings and began to soar, people would
With humble beginnings, a commitment to great service and beautiful work brought steady growth. Father inculcated in us, Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men…” We were to give our customers no less than our best. As the fledgling business grew wings and began to soar, people would frequently say, “You could build this into something big.” Father would reply that he didn’t want something big. He was content to make it a family occupation. With the benefit of child labor, because anyone big enough to help was put to work, we enjoyed many benefits of a family working together.
Those were good days, filled with work we enjoyed; well most of the time. I still remember the cranky, unaltered Afghan Hound I made lie on the floor while I spent that day brushing out his matted-to-the-hide coat. Dematting was tedious kid’s work.
Father had many great parenting qualities, but patient instruction was not on the list. We w
Those were good days, filled with work we enjoyed; well most of the time. I still remember the cranky, unaltered Afghan Hound I made lie on the floor while I spent that day brushing out his matted-to-the-hide coat. Dematting was tedious kid’s work.
Father had many great parenting qualities, but patient instruction was not on the list. We were born with our eyes and ears open; hence most things should be rather obvious.
He also expected us to use our thinking abilities. The human family is at the top of the ladder among living things with brains. Surely we could out-think a dog. One never said, “I can’t.” That was not acceptable. As Gestle, the youngest in our family, said, “It was easier to face the dog than Dad.”