Archive for April, 2008
People who know me will attest to the fact that I’m not like most people. Being peculiar has always been one of my trade marks. Although I’m not exactly weird, I definitely skip to the beat of my own drum.
There will really no other way for me to turn out. I come from a family of unique and unusually people. My family has the odd-ball uncle or two (who has been known to wear Superman costumes and hang from chandeliers) and a few peculiar aunts as well. That doesn’t even delve in to the peculiar state of the cousins that fill the branches of the family tree.
Life is more interesting when there are some non-conformists in the group. They may not always make sense, but they do tend to keep things interesting. I get much of my peculiar instincts from watching and copying (in some shape or form) many of the odd family members I have encountered over the years.
I am growing my children up to be peculiar as well. We are avoiding the whole “hang from the ceiling” concept and striving for a more biblical form of peculiar. Our immediate family is focusing on treating others as we would WANT to be treated and seeking to do something good for someone else each day. We also try to smile at others. If you don’t think these few acts of kindness will make people stop and stare, try it a few times.
Being peculiar doesn’t mean you have to be strange (I think my family has the corner on that market anyway). The peculiar people that God desires in His family are those that seek to do His will every step of their day.
April 30th, 2008
IF I believed in conspiracies then I would think the cable company was out to drive me crazy. After several years of being told I was “unserviceable,” my hubby and I determined it was time to bite the bullet and become “serviceable.”
It cost an arm and a leg to get them to run cable to my house just so I could get high speed internet. The cable company would not foot the bill to run cable out to our farm (a mere mile from the main highway). They did allow us the privilege of paying for it, though.
Four months after I gave them a check for the process (which they stored in the company’s vault) the contractors were finally out here to run our cable. The twist was that THOSE contractors only ran the main line. It would be another day before the other contractors would come to actually connect to the house.
The next day was insane – the cable contractors refused to hook up the line because it was too far from the main drop. There is no way to CALL the office, so I had to make the 70 mile round trip to speak to them in person. Fortunately, the engineer was in the office at the time and he sent the contractors back out.
It has now been a full month, and my service has yet to work correctly. We’ve had three technicians out to our house. The last one left just about an hour ago. While the techs are here, the system works great. When the techs get out of the driveway, it slows right back down.
If I thought things like this were possible, I’d swear they go to the end of the drive and hit a switch that MAKES the internet run slower.
I had to call technical support again. This time she says it’s the modem that’s causing the problems. They are sending me out a new modem that will be here probably Tuesday. In the mean time, I just have to sit and wonder what’s really going on.
April 19th, 2008
After reading some blogs around the Web, I’ve discovered that the best way to make money as a freelance writer is to sell my abilities and proficiency as said writer. Today I am asking you to hire me!
1. You will be working with a freelance writer that produces quality work that is grammatically correct.
2. You will be working with a freelance writer that consistently produces the work on time – or early.
3. You will receive completely original work from the freelance writer that you hire (work will NOT be farmed out).
4. I am a freelance writer that is willing for work for a discount under some situations (for instance in exchange for the by-line or to retain re-print rights).
5. I am a freelance writer that is able to write with a variety of voices – from technical to chatty and anything in between.
6. I am a freelance writer who is looking to expand her career and is able to start working with you today.
7. I am a freelance writer that is passionate about writing and one who works hard to let that passion show through no matter what the topic being covered.
8. I am an experienced writer in both print and online and looking for more avenues to expand my freelance writing success.
9. I am a freelance writer that can do projects in a time crunch.
10. I am a freelance writer who is determined to always improve my skills and looks forward to comments and suggests. I do not get my feelings hurt if you have a complaint or a criticism.
Writing is not just my passion – it is my life’s work. I want to put my skills and experience to work for you. By seeking out the freelance writing jobs, I am taking one of the largest steps yet towards the freelance experience I desire and will achieve.
April 12th, 2008
Everyone wants something for nothing. Free is a word that will get your attention. Free money really perks up the ears – but there’s always that cautious nature that looks for the fine print. The truth is that we all have free money sitting around our homes today.
1. Dig out that old “Add-a-bead” necklace and cash it in. Your scrap gold (or gold you don’t need or want) could bring you a tidy little some. Since gold is going up in a financial market that seems determined to push investments down, it might be a good time to cash in.
2. There are items in your home right now that you NEVER use (and possibly never wanted). You hold on to them because your dieing grandmother gave them to you or for some other sentimental reason. Let it go. Free up your space and your life by changing those items into free cash. If you are worried about getting a good value for the precious then call a local auction. Most will charge around a 30% commission when the item is sold, but 70% of something is way more than 100% of nothing.
3. Send in those rebates. It may seem like a lot of hassle, but it will pay off. Most people just throw them away because they don’t want to be bothered with the details. That’s just money in the trash. After filling out a few, you will get the hand of it. It’s a shame to see so many people missing out on free money. I have even thought about starting a business where I do other peoples rebates for a small percentage of the money.
4. Since we already hit the jewelry box once, why not go through it again. Many people start wearing less jewelry as they get older (especially when they have small kids). Why not see if a local jeweler would be interested in some of the pieces you are no longer wearing.
5. Purge and sale! Yard sales are always a great way to get a little free money. Just be sure that you take what you don’t sale to charity (and get a receipt for tax purposes so that you can deduct the donation on your taxes next year). Not only will you have some cash in your hand, but you will have a much cleaner house.
Free money is all around you. Quit missing out and start digging in. There is no telling how many treasures you have hiding around your home right now.
April 12th, 2008
Most people feel that rejection is bad. I’ve learned better. Rejection is the catalyst that makes me refocus and re-motivate my life goals. Rejection is the one thing that can make me take a firm look at where I am (and where I am headed) and give me the courage (or discouragement) to turn in the right direction.
Rejection is a good thing.
This is a new way of life for me. Growing up, I couldn’t stand rejection. I was apt to reject first just to avoid the hurt. Even more likely was not trying. Failure was just not an option.
Before I left for college, my high school sweet heart rejected me. If he had not, it is likely that I would never have gone so far away to school. I met people from all over the world at college. I made friendships that hold fast today. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I only experienced because of rejection.
While at college, I met a nice guy. He fit into my plans, so we made arrangements to get married. Exactly one month before the wedding, he rejected me. I was forced to re-examine what we had, where we were going and the why of it all. It was only after rejection that I discovered that as good as he was, he was not the great that I wanted for my life.
Rejection forced a change in my life.
Back in my home town, I reconnected with my high school sweet heart. We spent months being pals and friends. It was an amazing time. We were married on New Year’s Eve at the end of that year (and recently celebrated our 14 year anniversary).
As painful as it may feel at the time, rejection is a good thing. It makes you push yourself a little farther, see yourself a little better, or make yourself do a little more than you would otherwise accomplish. Rejection is the motivator that will help you climb to the pinnacle of your dreams.
Embrace rejection and then determine to rise above!
April 11th, 2008
A sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different. Every person that is alive today tends to be insane in some area of life. Work is the same, speck is the same, attitude is the same, eating is the same and yet there is an expectation of change.
I was there. I wanted change and even knew how to get change, but I was willing to change my way of doing things to get there. After all, did it REALLY matter all that much? If you truly want change in your life – from what ever or to where ever – there are some things that you must do.
1. If you want change in your life then you have to choose to change. It may be something small (like keeping negative words out of your mouth) or something big (like trading sodas for water) or something unexpected (like getting up at 4 am every morning). There is something that you know you need to be doing (or not doing) and you just haven’t been willing to go there. If you truly desire change then you MUST go there.
2. Breaking a bad habit means replacing it with a good one. I had the habit of eating in front of the television (especially when the kids would eat at Grandpa’s). By fixing meals and planning for the family (whether they show up or not) I am more consistent about eating at the table. It also helps if I turn OFF the television!
3. Change comes when you decide change will come. Think positively about your situation. If you have lost your job (or left unexpectedly) use the time to create the working environment that you have always desired. Thinking positively only requires that you find one good thing from the situation you are in at present.
4. Be excited. I worked for a man who made up repeat – with enthusiasm – “I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific” over and over again every day before we started work. If you fake the enthusiasm, you are likely to find that you stumble into the enthusiasm rather quickly. Do what you need to do with joy and excitement.
5. Make a plan, but follow through. You can lay out all the perfect schemes or ideas, but if you don’t take the first step then change will never find its way to your door step.
Change may not seem easy, but it sure is simple. You simply have to want to change, be willing to choose to change, and then step out towards change in order to make a difference in your life.
April 10th, 2008
Every morning our whole family puts on the Whole Armor of God. Even the two year old is learning the process (although he always wants to skip to the boots of the gospel of peace). We go through the process of pretending to physically put on the spiritual armor usually at the breakfast table (first thing in the morning most mornings).
I thought that was enough, until yesterday. It was only after a straining serious of events that my husband faced and the resulting attitudes and actions that spilled over on the rest of the family that I realized we were missing a vital piece of the Armor – one you have to find BETWEEN the lines of scripture.
Never leave the house if you aren’t covered with positivism. Positivism is like the oil poured of Jason to keep him from being burned by the bull (Jason and the Argonauts). Facing the world with a positive mind force will keep you from being burned by the circumstances that you are bound to encounter.
Positivism is the ability to look at a situation and find the one positive that you can hold on to. For many people, the fact that I was stuck on dialup while trying to earn a living online might seem like a negative, but I would NEVER have learned to balance my time as well otherwise. There is always a positive to what ever situation you might face. The key is finding it – no matter how small – and repeating it over and over again until it takes hold in your heart.
The Armor of God has saved my family on several occasions. I know that it is important that we make that early connection with God each morning – as a family and as individuals. Now I just have to help them find their own positivism and be sure that they leave the house fully coated every day.
April 8th, 2008
There are a lot of theories about how to be a good wife. Some are distorted interpretations of one religions doctrine or another. Some are tradition handed down for generations without any rhyme or reason (or for reasons that have long been forgotten). The best way to be a good wife is to be a good you.
1. Stop right now trying to change him. There is only one person you can change in the relationship and that is YOU. Work on making you the best you that you can be. Keep it “on the down-low.” You’re change should be obvious because of what he sees, hears and feels not because you show him how you are trying to change. A good wife does not nag (in the end it is just a waste of breath anyway).
2. Focus on you – when it comes to change. Being a good wife means that you have to work hard to correct negative patterns and habits in YOUR life (I was EXTREMELY sarcastic when I first got married – often to the point of hurting others. I have had to learn that words do hurt).
3. Focus on him – when it comes to needs and wants. If you will put others first (but not to the detriment of your health) with a joyful heart then you will see a drastic change in the world around you. Sometimes being a good wife means sacrificing a little of you for him (and them when children come along).
4. Support his dreams. If he wants to quit working a “real” job and start his own business then sit down and work out a plan with him that will give him that opportunity. He needs your support to be truly successful. There is a balance for a good wife between supporting dreams and discouraging foolishness and you have to learn to find that balance and approach the situation with tact. But every dream deserves a chance to live.
5. Speak positive things over his life. Every wife gets frustrated at times and that is understandable, but 99% of what you say about (and around) your husband should be good, positive and uplifting.
6. Being a wife is a job – think of it in that terms. Work hard to do what is expected of you in the relationship. Ask your husband to write down what he expects. You write down what you expect. Work out a list that you can both be happy about from day to day. Remember that everyone comes into marriage with different expectations and part of being a good wife is blending those expectations so that the two can become one.
7. A good wife will create a zone of safety and comfort in the home. Make it a noise free zone when the hubby first gets in. Have a project or activity set up for the kids so that they can get out of the house (or off to another room) after greeting dad.
8. Take pride in what you are doing. Being a good wife if one of the most valuable things a married woman can do. Stop making excuses for why things aren’t the way you want and start working right now to get them that way.
9. Find the joy in being a good wife. There are positive things to say about every job. Find your silver linings and focus on those when things get tough, mundane, or just tiring.
10. Value yourself – no matter what others might say or do. Remember that being a good wife will help you create a foundation for your marriage, your children’s future and your own well being. Forget the experts or the politically correct and look to your own heart to determine what being a good wife is all about.
Being a good wife is a growing process. It is not something that you fall into just because you say “I do.” Each day, each situation and each time you turn around you will find that being a good wife requires flexibility, compromise and change. Take the challenge and make your family’s future one that will keep you smiling.
April 4th, 2008
We are blessed – with our health, with our home and especially with our finances. Few people can walk away from the only steady income a family has and turn out to be more financially blessed because of it. Just a few years back, it would no have been possible. We struggled hard to get to the place where we are and we will continue to crawl can climb until we reach the pinnacle of abundance.
Our struggle was recently recounted in an article at In Touch magazine (Dr. Charles Stanley). “Breaking the Debt Curse” – found on page 22 of the April issue of In Touch - is one of my first big publications and also the first step to being completely honest with people in my writing. I was reading it with my hubby yesterday online, and it is overwhelming how far we have traveled in the last several years.
Today we are both staying at home. I’m writing full time. He is starting an Arts Academy. Together we are working the land and making a go of the “small farm” life. We have truly been blessed – but we have worked hard to get to a place where we can receive the blessings.
If you have a dream or a goal and you fill like you are just spinning your wheels, look back in your journal (I know you keep one 
) and see where you were just a few years back. Keep remembering that although you may not be where you want to be right now, you are much farther along than you were yesterday (or last year).
Abundance is having a plentiful supply. Now that we have broken the debt curse for our family and for our future, we will make it to abundance in every aspect of our lives.
April 3rd, 2008
Working at home is something I have been doing on and off since my first child was born (now over 11 years ago). I started out doing office work from home for my mom’s medical billing practice. There have been a few pauses and breaks (and stumbles) along the way, but some
things always seem to remain true.
Peculiar Thought #1: Some people will call to chat even though they will ask if you are working and you will respond yes. It’s almost as if they are asking to hear the words come out of their own mouth and not because they want a response.
Peculiar Thought #2: It doesn’t matter what your schedule looks like or how well you plan ahead – if you have kids in the house and you are working at home then the odds are good that you will work in the early morning hours (before the kids get up) or the late night hours (after they are in bed).
Peculiar Thought #3: The entire family and most of the rest of the world (including aunts, cousins and others that you may not know exist) expect you to do the little things that people who work just can be bothered with doing – like taking Aunt Pearl to the eye doctor or getting the Family Dinner planned and organized or putting together the church newsletter - because you don’t have a real job. These distractions can make work impossible.
Peculiar Thought #4: Even if you are making a nice living while you work at home there are those days when you will think that life would be easier if you just did the “normal” thing and got a real job.
Peculiar Thought #5: No matter how good you have planned out the work, there is always something that comes up or something that happens to try to throw everything off balance. Always be prepared for the unexpected, be organized and orderly, and work in advance. Procrastination and disorganization will eat you alive if you decide to work at home and let them rule the roost.
Peculiar Thought #6: The more money you make when you work at home the more money you need to make when you work at home. The government is taking a HUGE chunk of America’s income and when you write that check yourself you become very aware of it. And the more income you make, the more the government thinks it should get.
Peculiar Thought #7: Almost every venue pays less for online work than for print or in person. I haven’t decided if that is because the quality is so low around the industry or if the industry is just that cheep.
Peculiar Thought #8: The comment “so you don’t have a real job” will come up at least once when you are out in a new social situation no matter how successful you might be when you work from home. Society has a certain game plan and you must step in line or else you must be wrong.
The world of work at home is fun, interesting and it seems it is always changing (at least in this house). The best thing is that I’m here – enjoying each and every minute of my children and the craziness that is our lives. It may be a peculiar road to walk, but we are skipping along the way, so does it really matter all that much if people stare?
April 3rd, 2008
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