“The RoseBouquet”

No doubt you are a very tidy person at your computer, but it’s embarrassing, isn’t it, how much debris falls in between the keys? Here’s some simple cleaning steps;

1. Unplug your keyboard. Lift it up and shake out whatever you can over a wastebasket.

2. Using a card or piece of paper folded a few times to give it a couple of stiff corners, rake it in the trenches between the keys. I drag all the hairs and crumbs (of my nails?) over to the left end. Then I rake down that trench and try to lift the garbage up and out of there. That takes care of the largest stuff. It’s also something I can do when I’m stopping to think about something and need do useful stuff with my hands.

3. Keyboard do get grimy though from the sweat and sticky-whatevers on our fingers. Sometimes that gets set in deep. Find a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the bathroom (or rubbing alcohol will do too) and a handful of Q-tips. Pour some of the hp into a cap or small plastic container. Dip in the Q-tip and starting at one end or corner of the keyboard, wipe and rub down every key.

4. If you have to, you can pry off a key or two with a table knife but remember where each one belongs.

5. Lastly, I read online that some people put their key board in the dishwasher and get it super clean. Only thing is - to avoid frying all the electronic parts, do NOT plug in the keyboard until it has had at least 72 hours, (3 days) to air dry thoroughly!

[Note: In my devotional times I’m working on a study of JOY. These will end up in a book, but I want to share a page now and again from the work in progress].

“There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.”

1 Chronicles 12:38-40 talks about how the Israelites gathered at Hebron, determined to make David king. Their families had sent food, and also their neighbours from as far away as Issachar, Zebulon and Naphtali, so they feasted for three days. Then it says, “There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.”

Lord, shall I read into this that when there is joy, the supplies become plentiful? Or did they rejoice because they had good food to eat?

The Berkley Bible says, “…because gladness reigned in Israel.”

No, I’m thinking the joy came first and then the supplies. That is how it seems to be with me this year too. As my faith and devotion to God has increased, so have the gifts and incomes that I needed started to come in.

It is so easy for most of us to have a cautious, negative attitude – probably because we want to ward off disappointment. However, this passage (and others) show that in God’s mind, the cheerfulness that comes from believing our needs will be met is suppose to come first. We prove our faith by our joy at what is to come, and then the blessings come. Often in direct proportion to our faith as evidenced by our joyful confidence in God.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, then I want to grow in faith and glad believing that You care and ARE meeting my needs. Take away any hints of doubt and fear and fill my heart with that joyful knowing that You are aware of me and my needs and You will meet them – on time!

Help me to start sharing my testimonies of the needs You have already met wonderfully. I want to give glory to You, Lord God.

Over New Year’s I promised myself that I’d go to a doctor about my throat/laryngitis problem. So first thing the next morning I called a doctor I had seen some years ago (more recently from Hague I was using Dad’s doctor). I was able to get in that same afternoon. He thought my throat didn’t look bad. I agreed, it had improved considerably because of some old anti-biotics I had found at home. But I knew it was not good to stop suddenly and I had run out. So he prescribed some more and asked me to go to a lab for some blood work.

I haven’t heard the results of that yet, but my voice is back to normal. Everything should be hunky-dorey now, eh?

Well, on Friday afternoon at my Azaleas office, I bent way down and reached sideways to plug a cord in behind a bookcase. As I did I felt a soft pop in one of my left ribs. Oh no! I’ve cracked a rib, was my first thought. It has hurt with a low-grade pain since.

Did I forget to tell you I’m a little ol’ lady with osteoporosis?

About ten years ago, after Mom died, I rolled over in bed one morning and cracked a couple of ribs. That did end up a screaming pain and I got help at the chiropractor’s. However, unless it is dislocated, there is nothing that can really be done about a cracked rib except to eat painkillers for a while. I’m glad this pain isn’t as bad as then, but it sure is a nuisance. Especially when I pick up a computer or monitor, or reach to open or shut the car door when driving.

So what else can I do but UP my calcium intake dramatically? (Now up to three kinds). Sitting still at the computer is not too bad, but I seem to be doing a lot of other stuff too. Hmm… how long do you suppose this will take to heal?

I placed an expensive 7-day ad in the paper for my Open House at my new business, but realizing that the turnout might be limited the first Saturday (this last one) I extended it to next Saturday. I dressed up a bit, and made sure I was there by 9 am.

In my heart I felt that since i didn’t have all the computers and printers in place, it might discourage anyone from applying to be an intern if they came to see this office, so in a way, I was not too upset that no one came. I had a quiet day all by myself, cleaning keyboards with Q-tips and hydrogen peroxide, and trying out various operating systems on the one computer.

On Sunday afternoon and evening I had my belated New Year’s Prayer Retreat. I tell you, I felt much better after that. It is always good to get a fresh over-all picture of where my life is going and what i need to ask the Lord to grant me yet.

At this point I am praying for more working computers. (My old one might be revived if I can install a new motherboard, etc.) and the old one from my brother Tom is working.

I’m also praying for the biggest miracle; that God will bring in exactly four suitable people to be interns, willing to learn from me and to pay me for the skills and knowledge i can share with them.

God has done so many wonderful things for me last year, and in bringing me this far - surely He will provide. And IF He should not - I’ll just set it all aside, cancel my rent and the phone/internet connection (coming on Thursday) and stay home and try to keep up with my already full solo business schedule.

At least there is a chance I could catch up one my emails then!

Sunday I found some encouraging Bible passsages in Psalms 126, 128 and 138, and here’s one I should turn into an office poster; “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.” (Proverbs. 10:22). Wouldn’t you love a wealth that comes without trouble attached?

When I first signed up for MyPowerMall I took the promises of great income with a pinch of salt. Maybe that was exaggerated a bit. However, I’ve been reading Ginny’s emails and new Power Bytes, and as I see my own downline increasing with limited efforts on my part, I realize that it really is possible.

Ginny says that once you have a large enough downline - who are shopping - and once you earning commissions (you need to reach $25 before you get your first payment), the way things are set up you are likely to double your income almost monthly after that. She’s also made a new rule that everyone must buy something from their mall each month, even if only $1 worth. This drives people to discover online shopping benefits, and lo…things are picking up.

After 4-5 months, I now have a downline of 86 and my first payment due! (Not just $25, but $65+) As I watch this growth pattern I realize that Ginny may be right. This can double practically every month once it is on a roll!

You don’t have to pay to join, but it is smart to set aside time to read the emails, and to create some business cards with your mall ID on it, and pass those out to friends and strangers where ever you go. Her emails will suggest other ways too. Use the ideas that are right for you, and see what happens.

You’re welcome to check out my own Mall

Christian Novelists Reveal the Heart in the Art of Their Writing

by Diane Eble (c) 2002
Published by Bethany House Publishers, Bloomington, MN. 55438
ISBN 0-7394-2556-0My Review:
If you read a lot of Christian fiction the names of most of the forty authors profiled here will be familiar to you. Some of them are bound to be the writers of your favourite books. You will also meet some that you may not even have heard about. For me, some were names I knew I had seen somewhere, but I really didn’t know any background on them.

If you have a passion to be a writer, if you have a story to tell to the nations, even if you don’t recognize any author’s names, this is an important book for you. Why? Because you will begin to comprehend what it takes to become such a writer, the discipline and perserverance required. In fact, I observed that if you become as prolific as Jerry B. Jenkins you can hardly help but have an experience like his, and you are almost bound to find yourself writing a series of best sellers that cross over to both secular and Christian markets. Just a side note.

To tell you the truth, the main take away impression I had was that if you aspire to write good books, and make yourself available to God to write them, He will start moving people and events in your life to make that possible. I was astonished at how many writers reported that once they offered themselves to God for such writing, He seemed to move heaven and earth to make it possible. That’ is a huge encouragement to me, for I’ve become so busy with other had-to-do work, that I was beginning to think nothing more was going to come of my writing goals. I have been enthused to believe again that it is very possible.

Eble has set up this book in sections to point out, via the writers she profiles, at least 10 or 11 points, so that if “Say Yes to God” doesn’t inspire you, perhaps “Dream God’s Dreams” will, or “Redeeming the Past,” or “God’s Stretching Places,” and “God’s Gracious Ways,” will when you see how three authors feel about the effect their writing has on readers.

Just reading about the many years some writers persisted in writing without recognition before it came to them, and how God used those years to polish and perfect them resonated well with me. I too feel God has matured me in the delay periods. But the over-all effect of reading all these profiles is one of hope swelling up that yes, these are my kind of people! I belong in their midst. I can learn from their examples, and be an effective, fulfilled and published writer too.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you are in similar shoes. In that case, by all means get your hands on this book. It will inspire you. Keep it handy to re-read when you lose the big picture of your writing career.

Thank you Diane Eble, for giving us this fine book!

[To Buy this book…]

Read about my novel HERE Or, go directly to the order page

Or, Read sample chapters of my first novel online, starting at the Index

You can order the softcover paperback from Booklocker

First off, I want to wish you a Blessed and Happy New Year, with enough prosperity to meet all your needs and to share with others. Even if big changes should come, may they all turn out for your good!

I hope the Christmas season has been very special for you too, with both good things and people happening to you.

In my case, I’ve been battling a head cold and what I now think is infected tonsils. I’m feeling much stronger this week, but my voice still sounds raspy and awful. Last week I managed to get out to do a bit of shopping on Christmas Eve (I really only had one brother to shop for). Then I took elk meatballs to Tom’s place for supper, and cleaned up his muddy bachelor floors before we drove to his church for the candle-light service.

On Christmas Day I drove all the way to my home church in the morning, and then dropped in on my dear prayer friend, Kathy. We exchanged gifts.

I had put a 12 lb turkey in the oven at home in the morning. When I turned my key in the back door I realized that I should have hurried home a bit sooner. the bottom of the turkey was rather crisp and dark. Well, a well-done turkey is easier to take out of the roaster in chunks. It fell apart. When I had that in a warming tray and had mashed the potatoes cooking in the crock I phoned Tom and told him to get his veggie on, as I was going to be there in about ten minutes. I made the gravy and packed all my food stuff and gifts in large bags, and got into the car.

We were eating our Christmas feast by 2 pm. It tasted fine, but I was nursing a cross-eyed headache, and because Tom smokes (when I’m not there), the air in his apartment was very dry. He loves all the Christian TV programming he gets now that he has this MAX deal from Sasktel, so we watched some good Bible story dramas.

But about 4 pm I said I really would like to go home and put my feet up in my recliner. That’s a treat I usually only allow myself on Sunday afternoons.

Once home I did some dishes and put the rest to soak. By 4:30 I was in my chair and I slept right through to nearly 11 pm. An eight hour nap can do wonders!

Now when anyone asks me if I had a good Christmas I reply sheepishly, “Yes. I had a nice meal with Tom, and a good, healing eight-hour rest.”

Despite my ill health hindrance, I have been working on my new business all through December. It seems that most stages took more time than I first expected. First I cleaned the three rooms I’m leasing, which I call the Sunshine Suite upstairs at Western Tract Mission’s building. Then I painted the rooms. WTM paid for the paint.

Through a gift I was able to rent a Dr. Rug steam cleaner and spent a whole Saturday cleaning the carpets. Well, I did the hallways too.

I wanted the rooms to have a touch of class, so I put up pretty wallpaper borders I had found cheap at the Sally Ann. I put them about eye-level when sitting at a computer, so there will be something pleasant to look at. Then it was time to look for furniture. The director of WTM offered me some spare stuff sitting in the basement. A huge monster desk was left behind in the smallest office, and the WTM director, Arnold, was happy to hear that I wouldn’t insist it be moved out. Nobody wants to “move” it. Another ministry was moving out of the building, and their director was willing to let me have some pieces of furniture.

However, I still wanted four computer desks, and office chairs, as I plan to take on students (whom I’m referring to as interns), and I didn’t want them to have to work on rough old desks. I had got my December support check before Christmas and I had deposited. On Boxing Day (the biggest shopping day of the year in Canada) I studied the flyers and did online research and discovered that I could get a really good deal on computer desks from WalMart. They have a brand new big-box store at the south end of Saskatoon. I had not been there yet, but I decided to go looking. Yes! I found four such desks for under $50 each. Anywhere else they were at least $70 or $100.

From there I went to drop in on an older couple who are my supporters from way back, and they had more used furniture they were happy to give me. On the internet I’d discovered someone advertising a 19″ monitor to give away. I went to pick that up next. By the end of the afternoon I had the car full!

I headed over to the WTM office building and lugged it all inside, and then all upstairs into my office suite.

The next few days I spent quietly at home, getting some paper work cleared up. On the Saturday I went shopping at another place where I could buy four secretarial chairs for a steal of a price. When you get such bargains you do have to exert some effort to make up the money saved. I took them up to my office, and spent the rest of the day assembling the chairs (not too hard), and the desks. There I still need someone to tighten the screws for me.

Next stage, get the paperwork finished and send out press releases and get ready for the public to show interest and come to fill out application forms. That’s my main effort phase this week.

I’m taking the rest of today off to spend it with friends, and at midnight, I’ve promised to go to the airport to pick up my dear friends and neighbours, Joe and Penny Homontowski. They went down to Maryland to visit their family, but had some adventures there too. Penny had a near heart attack, and was flown to a larger hospital in Baltimore for emergency surgery. She phoned me yesterday and sounds much, much better! We rejoice that it happened when and where it did.

Back in November when I first started working towards this new business, Azaleas Virtual Assistants, which is now registered and licensed - I sort of hoped I could start on January 2. Because of the delays I need to allow another week or two to recruit the training students I’ll be taking on. The idea is that they will help me with my internet work as part of their training, but I will also help them start a web business and guide them over their shoulders - like a hothouse for seedlings, or an incubator for baby chicks.

Since the business phone and internet connection can’t be done until the 10th, I may be jugging where I’m at. To do some things I’ll need to be home, but I also need to be at the office to set up the second hand computers I’ve rounded up, and to be there when potential students come for applications and interviews.

Hopefully the media will come interview me too, for some good publicity!

So what about this RoseBouquet? Well, I am probably going to be scrambling for the next few weeks to get everything done, but once I have some interns trained to do some basics, and once I can give them assignments at the beginning of the day, I hope to slip into my office and carry on with my own work - that only I can do. I may have to make up the difference in the evenings for a while, but once those interns become useful - look out! It will be like multiplying myself by about four!

Oh yes, I’ve taken some photos. I don’t expect to have enough time for a photo story today, but hopefully before too long.

Only a couple of times a year, does Ken Evoy of SiteSell offer his two-for-one sale on SiteBuildIt! The best one is at Christmas, but because people have complained that they were away traveling and wanted the sale extended, Ken has graciously given in and the sale is on yet until January 4th!

I’m afraid I’ve set my own first SBI site on the back burner in December, but hope to press ahead enthusiastically now in January. In fact, I already have an idea for another site! It would be a great vehicle for training interns how to use it, but I don’t think I can afford the full price myself just right now. If you should want an SBI site and contact me, I might be persuaded to join you in a purchase and split the price so we each just pay half. I need to go look at my bookkeeping carefully, but just right now that idea sounds good.

Do you need to review the benefits of a SiteBuildIt!

Would you like to see what steps you go through to use SBI? You can have access to the whole video course (Note: the advice from about Day 4 on requires the SBI to carry out, but you can watch the whole series to grasp how much work is involved. The really juicy information about how much money you can make is hidden in the SiteCentral, once you input your keywords there - so there are nice surprises saved for you in SBI).

Have another look; SiteBuildIt!

Jan/1/2008

Dear Writer,
let’s have a heart-to-heart talk here. This is the first day of a new year. It’s time to evaluate what we have done with our gift and passion for writing, and what kind of fresh start we will make today.

YOU: Well, a lot of life happened in 2007. It was impossible to get to any writing!

You’re not telling me anything new. 2007 was the most eventful year I’ve had since… 1983. Dad died in February, I had a back fracture, I had to find a new home, and clean up Dad’s estate, and prepare for the estate auction. My new home is wee house built in 1926, and it needs to be made all over again. I made it livable this last summer, but there’s still lots to do. On top of that, I registered my home business with the city, and now have registered a commercial business and set up a new office.

I’m sure your life has been busy, but I crammed a lot into mine too.

Although I had started a sequel to my novel in 2006, last year I didn’t get to put in five minutes on it. It’s stalled on my old DOS computer. I can’t even remember if I got half-way finished with it. I tried to keep up with my business writing, such as my RoseBouquet and answering emails.

But you know what, dear Writer? I got a book for Christmas in which Christian novelists reveal their heart in the art of their writing - it’s a good look behind their stories into their real lives, and in this book I’m finding myself challenged to say at the very least, “Lord, if You will open the door to writing, I promise to walk through it.” A number of these well-known authors have prayed along that line, and found that changes came into their lives shortly afterward, which made it possible for them to write. Yes, even when to all appearances it was impossible. Could not happen.

So last night I prayed such a prayer too. That book makes me feel like the Ugly Duckling who has finally found her own kind, and lo, it is among the Swans. I know I am happiest when I’m writing. I do believe God has guided me step by step in this new business and perhaps it will cover my expenses well enough so I can hire others to run it, and return to just writing for hours on end at home. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

I suspect you may be in similar shoes. Do you find yourself brimming with things that need to be said, or better yet, written? The written word is longer lasting and can reach more people. Have you made an effort to mark a certain place and time as your writing time? Would you be willing to do that if God gave you a nudge, and helped other things to fall into place?

Are there things in your life you could give up to make room for writing?

Writing is a joy, but it is also hard work. At least, you need to be prepared to work if you want to be productive on a steady basis, and most particularly if you want to make a living at it.

Think of the things that have happened to you as fodder for articles, stories and books, or web sites. If something makes an emotional, visceral impact on you, it’s bound to do that for someone else too - if you know how to write about it well.

All I’m asking of you, dear Writer, is to pause today to think very seriously, paying attention to the whisper of God’s Spirit in your heart, about your writing and your life, and what do you really want to do about it. If this is not the right time, let it go. Just be willing to be guided, if God has plans for you to write.

Blessings and Best Wishes for your 2008 - May it be Especially Great!

Ruth