“The RoseBouquet”

The Well-Fed WriterWhere the words “starving” and “writer” are never seen together in public.

Because it is so common, it is quite likely that you know people who avoid you, and are difficult to deal with. You may even refer to them as your personal enemies. But perhaps you feel badly about that and would like to win them over. How are you going to do that?

Talking behind their back only makes things worse, doesn’t it? It strengthens your negative energy towards that person, and recruits someone else to also hate them. In response that “enemy” is going to sense that hate, and will retaliate with more hate. Bad cycle.

King Solomon was given unusual wisdom and he was even smart enough to write down a lot of his observations so that we can read them even all these centuries later and learn from them. You’ll find his pithy wisdom sentences in the book of Proverbs in the Bible. We can’t study all of them in one article, but let me highlight one short passage.

In Proverbs chapter 25, verses 22-23, we are advised to meet our enemy’s needs. If we discover they need food, provide food. If that person just needs a glass of water, provide the water.

Your reaction might be, “That’s crazy! How can that help win them over?”

There’s a clue to spiritual psychology hidden in the second verse. It says that if we meet our enemy’s needs, we will in fact be heaping coals of fire on their head, and the Lord will reward us.

Some people have taught that this is a reference to the old tradition of giving guests, as they were leaving, some of your hot coals to carry in a special head scoop, so that when they got home, they could re-start their fire with live coals. Really, that would be another favour to do for them.

I’m not sure if that’s what Solomon had in mind, but he seemed to have a gift of insight as part of his wisdom, and I trust I’m following his line of reasoning when I say that to do good things for those who don’t seem to like you, does something else to their minds. It wakes up their conscience and makes it burn with guilt for how they have treated you. Some will resist for quite a while. But the more we pretend they have not hurt us, and we keep meeting their needs, the sooner we will see reconciliation with that person. Maybe - we’ll even convert them to a friend.

Solomon says the Lord will reward us. A loyal friend would make a great reward, don’t you think? Okay, maybe we’ll settle for an enemy that doesn’t torment us any longer. That’s a worthy reward too.

Have you got a situation in which you can test this wisdom? Let’s compare notes soon.

After all the scrubbing, carrying heavy loads, holding things in place, and whatever else I asked of it, my body is now showing signs of whimpering with the pain I didn’t allow myself to feel over the past few months.

Last week I became especially aware of my right thumb. It felt like it were out of joint and stiff and tender. By Friday I was very much aware that I had a right thumb, and it didn’t like to grip anything any more. Saturday morning I woke up convinced it was broken and I should hike to St. Paul’s hospital about 8 blocks away and submit to x-rays and maybe even a cast! (gasp).

I decided to try some painkiller ointment instead, and gave up on my plans to clean, paint and fix up the back porch that day. I fussed instead over my computer and trying to figure out why I couldn’t do backups. After a while I faced the fact that I might just have arthritis in that thumb, and that it would come and go. Later I was able to do some tidying up and unpacking, but I moved slow and without enthusiasm.

Dave Unger from my church came out with his son Matthew, and fixed some electrical problems, which is a huge blessing. But I felt badly about having only one gear - slow.

On Sunday the pain eased up some, and I was grateful. I had accepted Shirley’s invitation to hear her good missionary friend, Sister Rose speak, and then I had lunch with them at a good smorg restaurant. Later I caught up on a number of emails, but Monday morning the pain was back up a notch or two.

Tuesday morning - I did some serious praying for healing, but also tried to call two different chiropractors, in case it just needed a good joint setting. (Shucks, they are closed for holidays).

I don’t want to get addicted to painkillers, so I’ve been hunting off and on for my tube of Aspercreme. I’ve only really got a few boxes of photos to unpack - can it be in there?

I do recall that Dad found the best remedy for the arthritis in his knees was to go for a walk and limber them up. Maybe I’ll have to tackle some serious work to get my thumb limbered up again. Only then I have to quit this pity party, don’t I?

First off, I need to reschedule the publication date for the RoseBouquet. The director at Western Tract Mission would like me to be at the Wednesday morning staff prayer meeting. I’d like to be there too, but that is just when I’m publishing this blog/ezine and RSS feed. Since I’m the boss lady, I guess I can reschedule it. So next week we’ll try for Tuesday instead.

Hopefully this will not be a difficult adjustment for either you, or me. I did want to give you one week’s warning.

To compensate for my sudden drop in physical activity, I’m planning to walk over to the WTM office three days a week over lunch. Depending on which way I zig-zag there, it can be 11 to 13 blocks one way. I tried it last Friday, and can do the walk in 20-25 minutes.

(But if I stop to chat with a stranger, it can take longer. )

Last week I got the two sites up for clients that I said I was under pressure to get up.

Manna-Publications.org.uk is ready for promoting.

MHSS.sk.ca is just starting, but there are 8 or 9 pages in place now. It is going to become a huge centre for collecting all kinds of archived data, family histories, and so forth. I am to set up a content-management system so that we can recruit other volunteers who will each become responsible for just one section or area.

I have, however, now settled down to my old full-day office schedule at the computer. Housework and renovation projects have to hold their breath for Saturdays.

Email catchup is making good progress. I’ve handled all the May and June emails, and nearly all of July’s too. I think I had 6 left over yesterday. Down from way over 100. ‘Course, there’s still some addresses I’ve not looked at.

There is also the matter of checking my site STATs for all the sites I work on, but more urgent is the matter of getting new forms on the sites, because the old ones are being spammed. So I need to take part of my precious business hours to research, set up and try various scripts until I get one that works securely, and doesn’t take too long to install.

Retreat day? (sigh)…. I’m watching for a day I can set aside for this, but I may have to slip it in, bit by bit.

Because of living on a tight budget, or no budget, for so many years.I do very little shopping, and when I do need something, I shop around for the BEST price for just that item. I like to think of myself as a very frugal shopper. That’s why I hesitate when I get invited to join a shopping mall online.

But I did see one some time ago that looked like a good deal every way I looked at it. Only - if I don’t shop much, how could I urge others to buy, buy?

Then I heard from a subscriber/friend to the RoseBouquet (Ezine edition). Barbara Mintle assures me that this one works for her. It’s the same MyPowerMall I explored a while back. Hmm….

So if you’re a spendthrift (crazy word; it means the opposite, someone who throws money around in wild sprees), or even if you can claim to be a a frugal shopper like me, you might want to check out MyPowerMall

It doesn’t cost anything to have either a personal shopping mall, (get rebates up to 55%) or if you want to sign up others, a business mall, and do all your comparison shopping online, and even your final purchases. (Note: if your computer can’t watch the movie, just click on the link to read the text instead).

This Ginny seems to have learned the hard way how to run a gentler business, that takes into consideration that people are not all alike, and most need lots of help to succeed.

When the Israeli people were coming out of Egypt to trek to their Promised Land, they needed food in the desert, and God provided for them by dropping some white stuff that looked like coriander seeds from Heaven. This came every morning, except the Sabbaths. When they first saw it, they said to each other, “Manna?” (that is, what is this?)

Well, they discovered that if they got up early every morning and gathered this stuff, they could use it to eat in various ways. They could even cook and bake with it if they liked variety. But they had to gather extra the day before the Sabbath, because that morning there would not be any. Yet, if they tried to hoard it, the manna would grow mouldy.

A quick check online shows that many people now-a-days like to call their wines, and artwork and whatever else they are trying to sell - manna. If we know the above story of origin it is rather confusing.

I do know of one non-profit organization that is using the name much more appropriately. Manna Publications, begun by a retired missionary, Fred Morris, understands that like the Israelis needed fresh food every day, so Christians around the world need spiritual food every day. Because of his years in Africa and Asia, Fred and his friends fully understand that many Christians in third-world countries cannot afford to purchase a Bible, never mind all the commentaries and Christian help books that are available in North America and in Europe.

Fred had specialized in learning to produce Bible study helps in Easy-to-read English, and found them very useful in his missionary work. By the time he and his wife Leona retired to Harrisonburg, Virginia, he had written many of these Bible Commentaries. He tried getting them printed in quantities, and shipping them to friends in Africa. Only, he discovered the painful lesson that the shipments would be stuck in customs, with huge bills to get them out, and then the cost of printing demanded they be sold for such high prices the people for whom they were intended could not buy them.

A better plan came to Fred. He would offer the manuscripts, ready to go to local printers in Africa, or whatever country a motivated distributor was in, and those who caught the vision, could have them printed for much less, and be able to sell them at near to cost. He would try to raise funds for the first printing, and if the distributor handled the sales and monies wisely, there should be some left over for the next printing.

As he has aged and developed Parkinsons, Fred realized he had to get others on board or this plan would die with him. At one conference in Europe, he met Peter Skinner, who was with SOON mission at that time. Peter caught the vision and he and his wife, Peggy, started up Manna Publications, and before long, two others were working with them;. David Page, a retired but very experienced editor, and Jim Norman, a professional typesetter, also retired. Combining their connections, they have set up at least 20 distributors in various countries, who are welcome to use any or all of the commentaries ready for publication so far, and if they wish they may easily gain permission to translate the books into another language.

While this editorial team keeps busy preparing more commentaries for publication readiness, (and Fred is preparing children’s story-colouring books now to add to the list), the distributors keep selling out their book tables, and printing more! An efficient and blessed cycle has been set in motion, and many individuals, and pastors, and small group Bible studies are benefiting.

I was introduced to them year before last, and added a single profile page to the http://Generosity-Alive.org site. Since then I have become the web designer for both the UK site, at manna-publications.org.uk, and their USA site, at mannapublications.org, and I am honoured to be connected with these fine people who are providing spiritual manna for Christians who need to be able to study the Word and gain more depth to their understanding and faith.

The more funds that come to Manna the more distributors can be set up to run a cycle of printing, selling, and printing again, and again, all at a rate most of their people can afford.

Yesterday was my birthday, and about 6:30 am. just after I had got out of bed, Helen phoned to say they would be bringing a birthday supper for me. I asked if my brother Tom could join us. (I try to include him in family highlight events like this). If we had it in the backyard, he wouldn’t have to worry about getting up the steps and into my narrow, cramped house.

Sure, Helen said.

I wanted to go to the missions conference in Waldheim again (I’d already been there Sunday and Monday nights). Helen said they’d come at 5 pm and I’d still be able to make it.

Okay.

I was still in the bathtub when the phone rang again. You know how it always stops just before you get to it? So I decided to ignore it, but the phone rang and rang a long time, so I was just about to get out and see if I could make a safe dash, when it stopped. I wasn’t quite dressed when it rang again. It turned out to be my friend Lorraine from Burlington, Ontario. We haven’t seen each other in over 24 years, but yes, she’d been the one to try earlier, and we ended up having a lovely visit for over an hour.

I had intended to spend the whole day relaxing and praying about my new future before me. But the whole morning seemed to be swallowed up in phone calls, and this and thats.

So at noon I had my breakfast, tried to phone Tom, and went out to do my banking. On the way I saw a light on my dashboard indicating my oil level was too low. So I drove came back on 22nd Street looking for a full-service station, where I could get oil added. I ended up a block from home at Mr. Lube.

There I had to wait a bit, but they give you the deluxe treatment, and a fairly comprehensive diagnostic report. Before I knew it I’d spent $71 there, having the engine flushed and an oil change. (I knew Dad had done an oil change at home in fall, but I decided it might be best to have a thorough job done because I’d done a lot of driving since then). I now know what other problem areas I have, and I’ll get them looked after at a cheaper place.

I went home and began to tidy up. Company’s coming!

Tom called after 4 pm, and yes, he’d be delighted to come. I promised to come get him right away. I warned him that with the over-cast skies we’d likely have to eat inside. He saw no problem.

He was just crawling up my front steps backwards on his bum, like a kid, when Helen and Wendell arrived with the Kentucky Fried Chicken birthday supper, and a lovely pink rose!

I brought in Tom’s wheelchair, and - good thing I’d cleaned up quite a bit - we had this birthday party in one hour flat.

The Stobbes had offered me a ride to Waldheim for the conference; they pulled up at 6 pm, just as we helped Tom back down the front steps, and over to the Klassen’s car, so they could take him home.

I dashed in to lock doors, and grab my purse, (forget about changing), and jumped into the Stobbe’s car. (And I enjoyed the conference too)…

It was a very nice day.

I just didn’t have time to answer all my birthday emails. That comes after I finish this belated RoseBouquet.

As I indicated last week, this morning was the big day when I turned the keys of Dad’s house over to the new owners, Kevin Enns and Caitlin Dyck. George, the realtor, didn’t have an exact time yesterday when I called him, but he said I didn’t have to be there.

Whoa! I had a fan to pick up there, and a few other small errands. So I decided to go out early this morning, and if I missed them, I did, but I’d leave the keys there in the house for them.

I got there before 9 am., took care of my errands, including leaving notes at various spots in the house, about this or that item, and what I saw as a problem with it, or whatever. I also went to dig up another sorrel plant, and I cut myself some of those lovely painted daisies at the back, and just two stems of the Kaiser Kronen, or Emperor’s Crowns (day lilies), and some baby’s breathe. I took pictures of all the empty rooms, and then, with the last items in the car, headed over to the post office an hour later.

I turned in my key to the postmistress, and we tried to chat, but so had so many customers, I finally made short work of it, and headed out. (She did hand me one birthday card from a dear friend who didn’t have my change of address yet, and it even had a check in it!)

I remembered that the garbage should be put out on the street, so I went back to the house to do that -and discovered Kevin and Caitlin there, waiting for George. The plan was for them to meet at 10 am, to get their key from him. Since I’d left the keys inside on the kitchen counter, I couldn’t even get inside. We had to chat while we waited for George.

When he arrived we went inside, and I showed them my notes, etc. But then we came outside, and George took a picture on my camera of me handing over the keys to the house to the new owners.

My heavy-duty physical work season is over now at that house. Theirs is just beginning! They have until Sept 15, their wedding date, to make the main floor the way they want it. The basement they will deal with over the winter.

Yes, I did wipe away a few tears as I drove back to the city. That 24 year chapter of my life is now done.

Business-wise, I’m still trying to catch up on emails, but now that I won’t be taking days off to work in Hague, I hope to speed things up.

I have been busy as well, with two web-design clients, getting their sites up and functional. The one is just about complete. I hope to get the last polishing touches on it done this Thursday evening. The other one is just beginning, and will grow like Topsy, and become a multi-faceted empire of information, but for now, the goal is to get the first key pages up in place by next week, when one of the men is at a seminar/conference in Southern Saskatchewan and he wants to be able to point to this site on his laptop and explain proudly what all is going to appear there, and how they can contribute more such information.

I’ve promised to do all I can towards that goal tonight. May God help me. It is so easy to get hung up on designing one little graphic, or on the proofing of one page, and not get to all the rest. I wouldn’t mind going to the missions conference in Waldheim for the closing service, because there’s a dynamic speaker from Little Rock, Arkansas, there, and he brought a singing group too, - however, I’ve committed to seeing how much I can accomplish on this one site tonight. May it be fruitful.

Since I’m still planning a personal retreat to study my options and ways to advance my business, and I have web design on my mind, I thought I’d share another article with you from my Sharing Library. I needed to find this information for my own use.

The 30-Second Nutshell Version of CTPM for folks in a hurry. If you’re at all serious about e-business, you’ll get it.. Got Questions?

SOHOs, startups, and newbies This is ideal for the small business person just starting out, looking desperately for the perfect solution? — SBI! is it.. Any Questions?

Quick Tour Slide Show A fast step-by-step demo of how SBI! works. Still have Questions?

Better still - try the Virtual Tour!

How? Like meteorologists seed thunder clouds for a rainfall?

Brainstorming has similarities to thunder storms. Sometimes you do have to seed the clouds a bit. But once ideas rain down, you get a downpour! More than you really had wanted. Big as hailstones!

You’ve probably heard how it is done, maybe even tried it in a group or committee setting. But do you ever use it for your business? How about when you need a creative alternative to a problem?

Your authority figure has said, “Do it this way.” Yet you can see that it is not a good way. That is a time to brainstorm.

I often complain I get more ideas than I can shake a promising finger at. Maybe because I used to have a job where I had time to think. I gave myself permission to visualize how certain ideas might play out. Sort of like watching private TV in my head.

Studying the new Affiliate Masters course, I noticed that if brainstorming is done correctly it refines plans to pay off with handsome success. If you want to see those instructions, download this ebook free; Affiliate Masters.zip

Here’s some helpful tips.

1. Do your brainstorming in stages, not necessarily in one block of time. A five-minute gaze through the window is not enough. Nor is excitedly tossing off ideas with a friend or two over a meal.

2. Step One: Make lots of written lists.

I wanted to plot a new web site, so I made lists of my interests, skills, and the things I enjoy. Also the problems I’ve had to cope with, as those teach skills as well. The course says, do the lists over again, but keep in mind what you were at five, then ten years ago, and also to ask others who’ve known you some time. - Circle the key words that pop up over and over.

3. Step Two: separate out the main words or ideas that look like they have a remote chance of working. Hey, I soon had ideas for ten web sites! I still have not done all of them!

[Read the rest of this article on Making Ideas Rain on You ]