NEARLY BRILLIANT

Can J. K. Rowling Top Harry Potter?

2012-03-07T04:44:00.001-08:00

J. K. Rowling, author of the highly successful Harry Potter book series just struck a deal with Little, Brown for a new novel for adults. Personally, I would hate to be in her shoes. It's a bit like the Sports Illustrated phenomenon. Nine times out of ten, those successful athletes featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated at the peak of their success, plummet, never to reach that level of success again. Also known as "regression toward the mean," it is based on the hypothesis that if a variable is extreme when it is first measured, it is more likely to be closer to average upon its second measurement.

Rowling is fighting an uphill battle. Can you imagine J.R.R. Tolkien writing another series that rivaled or surpassed his Lord of the Rings Trilogy? or Margaret Mitchell topping Gone with the Wind?

Rowling's new book is thought to be a mystery novel for adults though this has not yet been officially confirmed. The specifics have yet to be announced. J. K. Here's wishing you the best. Having made your fortune on Harry Potter series, you have the option of sitting back and taking it easy for the rest of your life. Instead, you've decided to forge ahead and "explore new territories." I count Harry Potter among my favorite literary works and anticipate your next release. I, and the rest of your loyal followers hope you don't disappoint us. No pressure.

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Teena Stewart is author of the Treasure Seeker and other books.

Lessons from The Rifleman and Bonanza

2012-03-02T07:26:00.002-08:00

I just celebrated another birthday. They say with age comes wisdom. But it seems the older the get the more I realize how little I know, especially when I hold up my knowledge to the old time TV characters. Since we've had to financially cut back, our upstairs older TV which is the one we watch the most has more limited channels. While the downstairs TV has many more options including a program recording feature. The problem is we are renting out our downstairs to a tenant so we don't get to enjoy the benefits and many many channel choices except on occasion when our renter is gone.

I rarely watch TV unless it is to enjoy a movie or on a rare occasion a recorded TV show. But sometimes I do sit down at dinner if my husband is gone and flip on the television in our den. I try the news, but it covers the Charlotte area and we are in Hickory. So much of what they discuss has little bearing on our great metropolis here. I end up flipping channels. Sometimes I watch old shows just for fun. The Rifleman and Bonanza are "old friends" I've come back to (and re-runs of Project Runway). I'm astounded at how fast the plots move. Especially the Rifleman. I mean, just how deep can you go in a half hour? Even with those time constraints, there's always some earth-trembling crisis to be solved by Lucas McCain or Ben Cartwright. Sometimes they have to wrap up the end so quickly it's laughable. Everything comes to a screeching halt. But they always make it through and they always learn something. They even get shot but there's little blood to show for it. Those were the good old days.

I wish I had just a fraction of their smarts to figure out the hard stuff. I mean really, right now I am facing cleaning out my mom's house, trying to find tax records--did they ever have to find tax records? Or deciding how we should liquidate everything when no one is buying houses these days. I'm also piecing together jobs to make ends meet and trying to figure which direction to go in for the future. If Lucas or Ben ever had these concerns, they never dealt with them on TV. They handle big stuff--all neatly wrapped up at the end of the day.

If age comes with wisdom then shouldn't I be able to handle small matters a tidily as these guys handled the big ones? Instead I go through a groping and searching process. Yeah. I pray for direction, but it's not always so clear. I guess Lucas and Ben are operating from a fictional script. I, on the other hand, am dealing with real life, an unscripted part. I can't see what's happening next so I can plan out how what to do or how to react. The most God expects me to do is hold tight, keep the faith, and seek to do the right thing based on what what he has revealed. He'll honor my response. Of course, being a crack shot might not hurt in the least.

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Teena Stewart is author of the Treasure Seeker and other books.

Review-Gone with the Wind, Book

2012-02-27T04:58:00.002-08:00

For Christmas Jeff gave me a copy of the book Gone with the Wind. I've seen the movie probably three or four times. Even so, once I started reading the book it was hard to put it down. There is something about a book that gives you more of an inside look at the characters. You get inside their thoughts and understand what truly motivates them and makes them who they are.

It's no wonder this book is a classic. Margaret Mitchell does a superb job with characterization and of telling the tragic story of the fall of the old south. Scarlett O'Hara is incredibly spoiled, self-focused and strong-willed. She has no qualms about marrying a young man she doesn't love in order to make the man she thinks she truly loves, Ashley Wilkes, jealous. But this proves to be a poor plan and the marriage only lasts a month before Charles, her first husband dies.

One of the most riveting parts of the story is the struggle for survival after the war. The Yankees have destroyed and taken everything. The once idealistic life of the plantation owners is leveled. Survivors have no food, and no resources to live on. In a time when women didn't hold jobs and their only recourse was to marry, Scarlett, whose mother has died from typhoid and whose father has been mentally incapacitated due to grief over her death, finds herself shouldering the burden of trying to feed her family and Ashley's family as well. Mitchell makes Scarlett's character very sympathetic and she instills in her the drive to never be hungry again. It is this factor that makes the reader sympathetic and forgiving--to a point of Scarlett.

This pivital time becomes her driving force. All of the morals and social mores taught to her by her mother, Ellen, eventually dissipate. She becomes a conniving, hardhearted and amoral person. Scarlett turns out to actually have a head for business, unfortunately its during a time when any sign of independence and superior intelligence in a woman was socially unacceptable. Scarlett, like Rhett, ignores what proper society thinks and does what she feels is necessary to reach her goal--to be financially wealthy so she will never have to face hunger again. Fear of hunger drives her more than anything else. Any man who Scarlett sees as an asset is pulled into her schemes and used, often with disastrous results. Even Rhett, who bears some parallel's to Ashley and Scarlett isn't immune. By the end of the book we are left with two people, Scarlett and Rhett, who might have been incredibly happy with one another had they ever been able to truly set aside their cynicism and maliciousness--a self-protective device--long enough to see what lay beneath the surface.

Mitchell's epic romance doesn't end with a happy ending--unheard of. Had she written it today the book probably would not have been published for that reason. She's left the door open enough that we hope Scarlett--who we know has the capacity to get whatever she sets her sight on--will go after brokenhearted Rhett. She finally recognizes that Rhett, not Ashely--is her fiery, kindred spirit. Should they ever be able to drop their protective facades they may be able to repair their deep wounds and find the deep passion that will unite them for all time.

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Teena Stewart is a published author. Her most recent book is The Treasure Seeker: Finding Love and Value in the Arms of Your Loving Heavenly Father. Visit http://www.teenastewart.com.

One Inch Blizzard

2012-02-20T04:14:00.003-08:00

"It's supposed to snow tonight but only about an inch," said Jeff, my husband. Immediately red flags went up. Get off the road and cancel evening church, I thought. It's not that I have a problem with driving in snow, we've lived in snow country. First in Erie, PA where some winters navigating roads and sidewalks was like traversing bob sled runs. We've also lived in Colorado and Virginia. But North Carolina--brother. No one knows how to drive in this stuff.

We stupidly decided we would still have our evening gathering so we headed out Grace Chapel road. Keep in mind there was absolutely no snow on the roads. The first thing we encountered were flashing lights and a blocked off road. The fire department guys were directing traffic. Someone had already landed in the trees, facing backwards of course. Jeff and I looked at each other. Southerners! They just don't know how to drive in this stuff. At the sign of the first flake, they panic. "Ack. Snow! Quick, slam on the brakes." Careening vehicles follow. Or. "Yikes, snow. Shut down the office and schools for a week. Call in the National Guard. Load up on food and gas! It's the end of the world!"

As we drove on to the coffee shop, we passed two kids outside trying to make a snow something or other. Do you know how hard this is when there isn't any on the ground? But I give them credit. They were trying.

So, we get to our gathering and wait and wait and wait. And, guess what. No one showed up. Groan. I should have known. Next time, if we see a flake, we are NOT moving to get off the couch.

Church Ladies -- Gag Me

2012-02-15T13:58:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when we are short on volunteers I fill in behind the counter at Java Journey our Christian coffee shop here in Hickory. We get all kinds of folks through our doors. Some could care less about spiritual matters. They are just there to use the wi-fi or drink the coffee. Some really "get" what we are doing and want to partner in ministry, bringing more folks through the doors in hopes of helping them on their spiritual journey.

Then, there are the "church ladies" (there are church guys too). These are the women who outwardly have it all together. Their nails, hair and makeup is perfect. They may participate in or lead a Bible study or women's group or several Bible studies or women's groups. They have lots and lots of Bible knowledge. Just not a lot of practical application for it outside the church walls. (Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking those who go to church.) When they learn we are a Christian coffee shop they get excited because they can use our space for their friends or church group...just don't ask them to open their group to any outsiders. It usually never crosses their minds.

They somehow miss the point that we are trying to be a market place ministry--neutral ground for those who are truly, spiritually hungry. We never intended to be a place for holy huddles. We want those who enter to feel safe and welcome to talk about spiritual matters without fear of judgment or Christian phoniness. Hmm. Probably not going to happen through any church ladies.

You see, church ladies speak Christianese, that foreign language that only the well-churched can understand. They have a shellacked presence that smacks of artificiality and insulated existence. They often think they are spiritual giants. They make sure you know how many Bible studies they lead or participate in. But they don't know how to break out of their churchy huddles. They are more wrapped up in their own church's function and existence and their Biblical standing than they are in the needs of the hurting world around them. In fact, I am not even sure they know there is a world outside their church. Though they are well immersed in what the Bible teaches, they somehow miss the real application of Jesus' words.

In my book the Treasure Seeker: Finding Love and Value in the Arms of Your Loving Heavenly Father, I talk specifically to women about living an authentic Christian lifestyle. I use Proverbs 31 as an example of the ideal spiritual woman. But I stress that the real person we are to model our lives after is Christ. Anything else is just a poor copy. Living the life of a Proverbs 31 woman doesn't mean we have to be perfect. We can drop the pretenses. In fact, we are more likely to connect with folks if we peel away the veneer. Church ladies somehow miss this. They are outwardly put together, but so inflexible and brittlethey'd break into tiny pieces to reveal a hollow core. God honors authenticity, even with flaws and inclusions over outward polish and perfection.

How Many Times Does a Book Change Hands?

2012-02-13T11:13:00.001-08:00

My new book the Treasure Seeker: Finding Love and Value in the Arms of Your Loving Heavenly Father is now available on Kindle and the Nook as well as in printed format. With the growing popularity of electronic reading devices, more and more books are being published in electronic format. It's cheaper to produce and for readers to buy. But the downside is that you can't pass the book on to someone. Though I believe Kindle may have some sort of lending feature. Does anyone know about this?

Think about it. A hard copy book gets multiple reads. You have the person who bought it new who either keeps it or sells it or gives it away. Then you have the used book reader who reads it and does the same thing. It may pass through multiple hands until it eventually gets too dated for anyone to want to read it or it falls apart and has to be destroyed. Think of how many people writers influence just through one book or article. Incredible, don't you think?

Lawsuit Paranoia. You Talkin' About Me?

2012-02-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago the editor from Beacon Hill contacted me regarding my book in process entitled Mothers & Daughters: Mending Strained Relationships and told me she was concerned that the book doesn't put my mom in a very positive light. The book, which is due out this spring, was written from my account of a strained mother daughter relationship. It was not intended to be a Mommy Dearest book, but rather a book of encouragement for other women who might struggle to have a good relationship with either a daughter or a mother. But like many editors, there are concerns these days over lawsuits by those who might recognize themselves. And this was at the bottom of the editor's motives in contacting me.She wanted to know if my mom would sign a release. But this isn't possible because my mother is in the early stages of Alzheimer's and we just moved her into assisted living. My youngest sister now has power of attorney. I told the editor I had written the book several years ago and had considered writing an addendum to the book talking about my relationship with my mother now. She felt that that might be a good direction to take. So, that is what I did, talking about how my mother's and my relationship has changed over the past year now that we are dealing with her aging. It has softened both of us toward each other.Will this be enough to satisfy the publishing house? I don't know. But it did bring up a problem many writers face. Often I want to write about someone or something but realize people may recognize themselves. I face this right now with a fiction work I am outlining. Though I've changed names, the location and some of the circumstances but my fear is it may be just too recognizable. I may have to disguise it even more. I recall a writer for the Saturday Evening Post sharing at a writer's conference about how she had written an article where she had interviewed a psychiatrist. I don't recall the exact topic now, but she had tried to maintain privacy of those discussed by changing the sex and certain circumstances. Despite that, one woman recognized herself and came back and sued the publication and won.It's no wonder publishers and writers are skittish. I only hope my reworking of this manuscript softens it to the proper level.

Are You Doomed to Repeat Ground Hog Day?

2012-02-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

February 2nd I think of three things. First, I remember a little girl in our Erie, PA church named Carly Larson, who by now is probably in her early twenties. Carly was one of the few people I have ever met who had a birthday on Ground Hog dog. So, Carly, wherever you are, "Happy Birthday and Happy Ground Hog Day."

I also remember my daughter Gaby, when she was just a punk in grade school informing me and her father, "It's ground dog day today!"

And then I think of one of my favorite movies, "Ground Hog Day," starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. If you haven't seen it you are missing a treat. Murray plays an arrogant weatherman who is given the assignment of covering the Ground Hog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, PA. But when a snow storm thwarts their plans to leave town after they are done they extend their stay overnight. Murray wakes up in the bed an breakfast to the annoying Sonny and Cher song "I've got you Babe," on the clock radio and he soon learns that it's not February 3rd but February 2nd all over again. He remains stuck in Punxsutawney, and each day he awakens to the same exact scenario. Locked in this private hell, he begins to try different things to change the events of the day in hopes of breaking whatever charm holds him there. The results are hilarious but his character slowly undergoes a transformation. By the end, he is a changed man.

There is no middle ground on this movie. I've found people who count it among their favorites, while others hated it and just wanted it to be over.

I think we all live our own Ground Hog Days in a way, stuck in ruts trying to get out of unbearable circumstances. The more we try the more it seems we are doomed to repeat our own miserable existence. The takeaway from all this is attitude. We can either have a bad one and lash out and blame people, or make the best of it. It's this subtle change in attitude that can truly impact our lives the lives of those around us.

Trade Show Savvy

2012-01-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

In my previous posting, "Entrepreneur at Heart" I promised to talk more about the ins and outs of trade shows. I experienced my first trade show at AmericasMart in Atlanta just a week or so ago. We were there promoting our Pet Silhouette business My Pet Silhouette which has been seasonal thus far because it featured only one product, attractive pet silhouette ornaments. Our goal was to pick up some year round Christmas stores and to attract additional pet related businesses so that it would bring in year round cash. I had just expanded our line to include hand-stamped pet silhouette coasters which would also help us gain more year-round business. So, here are a few things I'd learned.

First, for this type of trade show, and remember, I said this is the best trade show in the U.S., you can expect to spend around $4,000. It was over $3,000 just for our registration fee. We stayed in an Extended Stay hotel and drove in from 20 minutes away to save money. Even so, between the printing and display costs and the hotel costs, and parking costs, you can tack on at least another $1,000. That included us eating in, buying our own groceries and bringing our lunches.

Location, location, location. You want to choose which building and floor you are on based on the type of product you are selling and who you think your target market is. AmericasMart has three tall buildings, 20 floors each, and each building focuses on different products. Our ornaments were seasonal, and though we had added coasters to our line, we decided that choosing the holiday section for our location was best. We registered for the trade show very late. In fact, there were only two spots left in Building 3 where we wanted to be. I asked the woman who supervised our area which of these two locations she felt was best. She suggested the second row slot and this proved to be a good choice because of all the traffic.

Create a professional, attractive, and well lit display. We bought a Christmas tree on sale after Christmas and loaded it with twinkle lights, then added artistic touches like a feather boa, gold "straw", gold bows and lots of our pet silhouette ornaments. Some vendors had adjustable spotlights. We used twinkle lights around the top frame of our booth.

Signage is also important. Your booth comes with a basic sign--black print on white card stock with you company name and your booth number. We had a large, laminated sign with our logo and name plus multiple laminated blow ups of a variety of pet breeds which we suspended. We also displayed our ornaments on two multi-tiered spinner racks. A subcontractor provided two long folding tables and skirts for them plus collapsing risers. We draped the risers with black fabric and leaned our coasters up against them. We also added gold table cloths on top of the white skirts. The booth had a rich and classy feel.

Hand outs. You want to have business cards and flyers with all your info on them. We also had order sheets. Ones with carbon work best so those who place orders have a copy to take home with them. (We didn't have these but learned quickly that we should have.)

Enticement to sign. Many vendors have a show special. If you sign with us at the show you get a ...... Our show special was a free spinner rack.

Resources. One huge plus of the show was all the valuable resources available to us. We were considering expanding our line to include pet silhouette cameo necklaces so we visited several booths to find the supplies we needed for making these.

Networking. The networking is invaluable. You get to know the vendors near you and share info. Those who visit your booth also often share valuable info. Make sure to write it down. It's also smart to ask those who visit for their business card. Jot down on the back what info you gave them, whether they ordered, and any other important info that will help you remember them. Follow these leads up when you get home.

Inspiration. I couldn't believe the innovative products people were selling. The second floor of the building I was in was devoted to handmade items. Many artists and crafts people displayed their wares and were taking orders. This is how many people get their lines started. Doing so moves you from a mere artist to a designer of sorts and you will land accounts and then need to find help making your products. Seeing their work also gets your creative juices going and by the end of the show we had lots more ideas for products we might want to create.

Prepare to grow. Many owners of million dollar businesses started by taking their small cottage industry ideas to a trade show. This is a great way to grow your business, but you also have to be prepared for those who want to order large quantities. It can quickly take you to the next level...Better have a game plan for dealing with mass quantities quickly if it happens. A top level exec from PetCo visited our booth, loved our ornaments and gave us permission and contact info to connect with a key buyer. If we land this account we will have serious expansion challenges but we are ready to give it a shot.

Though $4,000 is nothing to blink at, the investment can propel you to success. You just have to be willing to invest that type of money if you want to grow you company. It could be a life-changing experience.

Interview on Tiffany Colter's Writing Career Coach Site

2012-01-20T04:36:00.000-08:00

This is the official announcement that my new book, The Treasure Seeker: Finding Love and Value in the Arms of Your Loving Heavenly Father is now available.

This week writer, speaker and writing career coach Tiffany Colter features and interview with me regarding the book on her blog writingcareercoach.com

Entrepreneur at Heart

2012-01-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Since August of this year I have been juggling writing, art, ministry and entrepreneurship after stepping out of a full-time job for a non-profit that had more job responsibilities than a centipede has legs. I haven't missed the insanity of the job, but have missed the reliable pay check (even though it was lousy pay) and the friends I left behind. The non-profit's exponential growth coupled with unrealistic goals and expectations made for an increasingly stressful and miserable existence. I'm glad to have my life and emotional health back.

In the time following my departure, I've had no choice but to pursue entrepreneur- ship wholeheartedly in order to pay the mortgage and because finding a real job in Hickory, NC is like trying to find an iceberg in the Fiji islands. I have to admit that though we are as poor as church mice, I am happier now than I have been in a long time. I've found that I have good administrative abilities coupled with a strong creative streak and I thrive on "new and exciting." Developing new ideas is wildly appealing to me. Maintaining something for the long-term is not, because it becomes mundane and life-sucking.

So, when my friend Lena Bengston, a silhouette artist, asked me if I would consider taking over management of her Pet Silhouette business, an offspring of her people silhouette business (see www.silhouettesbylena.com ), I decided to give it a go. The business, which sells attractive pet silhouette ornaments, was seasonal,and was sadly neglected because Lena just didn't have time to manage it. We agreed I would work on straight commission but the problem was this would peak during November and December and dry up after Christmas. With 170 different pet silhouettes developed by Lena (mostly AKC dog breeds) I knew she was sitting on a potential gold mine. There were so many things she could do with these silhouettes besides just ornaments. My task, then was to make this fledgling business into something that could provide for us year round.

We needed to a) find stores that would carry these ornaments year round. (Lena knew that Christmas stores do), b) develop other products with the pet silhouettes on them, products that people would want year round and c) get our own website, which I worked on www.mypetsilhouette.net.

After mulling over these options, I started toying with the idea of coasters. Everybody needs coasters, right? And everybody loves their pet. What could be a better combination? So I researched how to do it in a manner that would cost minimum investment but produce maximum profit. Here's what I came up with --stamped coasters

The second option was to go to a trade show where retailers or Christmas stores would attend. Lena, who already has done several trade shows, knew the ins and outs and after talking with other retailers, learned that the very best trade show in the country was AmericasMart in Atlanta. In my next posting I will talk about the ins and outs of the trade show, the amazing creativity I saw there and the invaluable experience gained from it. If you've ever kicked around an idea for making a hobby a vocation, you might want to stay tuned...That's how many retailers and corporations get their start.

Taking in a Renter and Other Money Saving Tips

2012-01-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

In between all the other plates I spin from, art, entreprenuership, ministry and writing I sometimes find the time to write up short articles. I've discovered the wonders of Dollar Stretcher magazine which has both a print and online version. The magazine has all kinds of money saving tips, and since my husband is in the ministry and we run a non-profit coffee shop for no salary at present, we are always on the lookout for money saving ideas.

My article "Taking in a Renter" appears in the print version of Dollar Stretcher, Volume 15, Issue 1. The January 2012 edition. We have just accepted our third renter for the downstairs portion of our house. And she seems like she's going to be a good one. But it's been a learning process as we haven't always been this fortunate. I touch on this in my article.

You might want to check out dollar stretcher at stretcher.com. You'll find tips on just about every aspect of saving money...from decorating to car maintenance and more. And of courses, there's always my article on "Taking in a Renter."

The Shell Seekers

2012-01-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

I've read Rosamund Pilcher's books for years. Recently I completed what I think is her best work The Shell Seekers. Pilcher is a secular British author who writes women's fiction and she is a master at capturing provential British life and building a story that involves romance, although romance is not the most prominent element.

Her use of words does not strike you like a lightening bolt with incredible prose or exceptional wording. However, Pilcher excels at taking what would be mundane and making it interesting. Her characters are very believable and you quickly learn to like or dislike them.

The Shell Seekers centers around an elderly mother, Penelope Stern, who lives independently and has just returned from the hospital after having a mild heart attack. We get to know her three adult children who are all wrapped up in their own existences. Now they are faced with the realization that their mother is failing and must decide what to do about it.

Pilcher paints realistic family dynamics, warts and all as family members clash. Two of her children are shallow, materialist social climbers which builds tension between them and their free-spirited, non-materialistic mother. As the story unfolds we come to know Penelope and her past. She's the daughter of famous impressionist artist, Lawrence Stern and has led an interesting, if not difficult life that has taken her through several romantic heartaches and financial hardships during World War II. After his death, Lawrence Stern, her father has left her little materially except for a valuable painting, the Shell Seekers, depicting figures on a beach and two unfinished panels. These works come into play as the story progresses.

I don't want to ruin the story for by revealing all of the plot but if you appreciate a good women's fiction story, will definitely want to add this one to your "must read" list. If there is anything I would change it would be Pilcher's indifference to spirituality. At best she seems to only skirt spiritual matters and most of the time she treats religion as more of an institution that, on occasion, may serve a purpose. Pilcher also has no qualm about having characters in extramarital affairs although these are treated with taste, it is still something I personally hate and wish to avoid in a story. Apparently Pilcher's convictions are shared by many others. I guess I remain a woman of old-fashioned convictions.

Words of Hope from a Disillusioned Leader

2012-01-03T05:57:00.000-08:00

Everyone has times in their lives where things look bleak. If you aren't presently in a valley you may be coming up on one. If you are in a valley, you may be going through marital troubles, job loss, financial strain, difficulties with your siblings or children, depression or just disillusionment with life. I admit that currently things are tough financially for us. We started our coffee ship ministry Java Journey two years ago after much soul searching and seeking God. He seemed to be with us...providing miraculous jobs, the right location and even sending people to give us advice along the way. All seemed to be sign posts affirming that we were taking the right direction. When we finally found the right location for the coffee ship, we couldn't get the remaining amount for a loan we needed to pay salary. The American economy was in the midst of tumbling, houses were being foreclosed left and right and no one could get loans, espcially a pastor and his wife who had never run a coffee business.

We sought God and felt he told us go ahead and use volunteers behind the counter. Only God could have had such a crazy idea. And, you know what? Much to our amazement, it worked. It has been an amazing ride. But for the past six months it has been a particular difficult and trying journey. I lost my full time job at the end of June and I was our main financial support (another one of God's miracles that he provided just when we needed it). Jeff mans Java Journey with the aid of volunteers and he receives no salary. I help out when I can. He does sports officiating on the side. I've turned my hand to what I do best, art, writing and entreprenuership. The problem is none of our financial endeavors provides steady income. It's a scary roller coaster ride.

Just weeks after I lost my job,our car's transmission went out so we had to put the little money we had saved into that. My brother, who suffers from schizophrenia, had a serious bout of instability and landed in the hospital. During that same week my mother, who was his financial manager, began showing serious signs of dementia. So my sisters and I were left dealing with two crises at once. Just last week we lost a crucial volunteer who opened Java at the crack of dawn so we had to cut back to later hours. Just before that the under counter fridge died, the espresso machine sprouted a leaky casket and the backed up toilet required $400 in Roto Router service only for us to be told that we needed to replace it. We also lost a major donor whose funds were helping us pay our mortgage. I won't go into a long list of everything that has gone wrong. There's plenty. But isn't that life anyway?

Even king Solomon, a man of renown wisdom and great wealth looked back on his life and noted the futile human struggle. Despite this rather bleak outlook, he left the door open for something better. Today's morning devotion from Ecclesiastes struck me. Solomon wrote "Anyone who is among the living has hope--even a live dog is better than a dead lion!"

So, here's to a new year for all the living dogs out there. Hold on and trust. Life is life--full of brokenness and struggles. But there is hope. Before long the cold winter will give way to spring and fresh life will force its way through the hardened earth. We have only to wait and hope to see what new surprises life brings and we have a greater hope that stretches far beyond this mortal existence. What better encouragement exists than that?

Cinderella Ate My Daughter

2011-12-30T10:34:00.001-08:00

While driving home yesterday I happened to tune into a radio interview with author Peggy Orenstein. Her most recent book is Cinderella Ate My Daughter. Orenstein believes that today, more than ever, girls are influenced from toddlerhood on to believe that the outer appearance is what matters most. She backs this up with examples of how much glitz and glamor is pushed on girls as soon as they are old enough to walk. This was present in the past but reached a crescendo when Disney released its Disney princess collection.

Children are dressing more mature at much younger ages wearing lip gloss, makeup, and clothing that glorifies sexuality. It's not so much about what's on the inside but what's on the outside that society is pushing, leading girls to believe that if they don't dress in the most trendy clothes, wear the right lipstick, attract men like a sex magnet, then they are valueless.

Having recently spent time with my three-year-old granddaughter Lucy,who I rarely get to see, I have to admit that I was also a bit bothered by all the glam that is being pushed at girls at such a young age. My daughter Rachel has sought to balance things out by encouraging Lucy to enjoy unisex toys, dress in colors that are not merely pink and to toughen up a bit. What I saw was a mix...a kid that enjoyed watching Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, and then Cars, who received a Barbie for Christmas and a Doctor's kit.

I hear and agree with what Orenstein is saying and am also concerned. Something has drastically changed. Adults are behaving more like children and children more like adults in some sort of bizarre role reversal. We have mothers pushing toddlers to become beauty queens wearing makeup and hair spray and competing to see who is most beautiful when they should be enjoying teddy bears and trikes. This carries over into an increased pressure on sexual allure as early as 8 or 9. You can see it in the fashions and in all of the play makeup which is no longer obviously play makeup but the real and sparkling deal. It's become more of the norm than the exception.

I think parents should be aware of what's going on and do what they can to balance things out to where less emphasis is placed on looks and attractiveness and more is placed on the child's gifts and interests. Doing so will build a healthier future for our children who need to enjoy childhood for as long as they can.

Serendipity

2011-12-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

There is no other word in the English language that holds the same meaning as Serendipity. Dictionary.com defines it as "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident or good fortune; luck." Today, the day after Christmas, a day I would normally never venture out on, I went to the mall with my daughter, Rachel, her husband Noah and our two grandchildren. I'm not all that into shopping and am definitely not a coupon clipper but usually when shopping around the holidays, I do try to remember to grab the more valuable coupons if I know I will be venturing into those stores.

This time, I was distracted and forgot. When I got to Khols to spend a gift card I had been given I arrived without coupons in tow. After sifting through the few choices remaining in athletic shoes in my size and price range, and listening to an extremely annoying 5 year old whine and growl (yes, growl) at her mother for making her stay in the shopping cart because she would not stop wandering, and then standing in line and being bumped not once but twice by some woman who was oblivious to the sharp pain she caused in my heel, another lady slipped behind me into to what looked like it might be a slow moving line. We both groaned when we saw the line's lenght of the line....and then struck up a friendly, although, short conversation.
Serendipity...the line moved rather quickly.

This same woman asked me if I had a coupon. When I said I hadn't thought of grabbing any, she offered to share hers. So as I got to the check out, I had the nice serendipity surprise of getting 15% off which meant that my $50 purchase whittled down a considerable amount, enough to leave about $9 left on my gift card. What a nice surprise. Then, to top things off my daughter and her husband decided to treat me to lunch. Serendipity...it ignites in you a sense of wonder and opens your mind to believe in small miracles...To me, so much more than just good fortune.

Welcome to Nearly Brilliant

2011-12-21T10:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Nearly Brilliant a blog maintained by published author, artist and ministry leader Teena Stewart. Here you will find wholesome but candid reflections on life (as it happens) and publication. Interviews, guest bloggers and book reviews welcome. After all, if it wasn't for life, where would be get our inspiration?