Slumping Economy? Need More Money? Start Your Own Business!

We hear it on every TV station these days...'We are in a recession and it will take some time to turn the economy around.' What are we to do with sky-rocketing prices? How are we supposed to meet the needs for ourselves and our families? I say, start your own business!

Yes, you read correctly. Take your hobby and turn it into a full-filling and lucrative business.

What is it that you enjoy doing? Selling items on ebay or Craigslist, photography, baking, sewing, housekeeping or organizing? Put those passions to use and make some extra dough on the side.

One of my co-workers just started a handbag business. She is a newlywed and new mom and took her love for handbags to a new level. She says the response has been great and she has plans to introduce her Spring collection in the coming weeks. Who knew something so simple could be so lucrative? I too love handbags, but I do not always like to go out and shop for them. Now, I have the convenience of just looking through her inventory on my lunch break and buying the bags I want. I think it is simple and fantastic!

The list does not stop with just this particular co-woker. I work with a very talented group of individuals. Although we all have day jobs, the majority of us still have a passion or hobby that we have decided to turn into a small business. From web design, logo creations, selling avon and pampered chef, to landscaping businesses, we do it all! We love and enjoy it and it gives us a sense of pride and accomplishment that most 9 to 5 jobs simply cannot provide. And starting your own business is not as hard as one might think. I held off on taking my hobby to the next level because I thought taking the time to make the business official would take too long and be too expensive. Boy was I wrong! Depending on what you want to do, you can be in business tomorrow.

The government keeps telling us to stimulate the economy in order to stop the downward spiral, but in this time of layoffs and cutbacks, we've got to take matters into our own hands and use our God given talents to make the world a more positive place. What started out as a serious hobby for me, has blossomed into a full fledged small business. My passion is photography and book writing. What is yours?

Does Slow and Steady Always Win the Race?

Are you a planner, a fly-by the seat of your pants type, or a multitasker? I thought I was a multitasker --- every since resume writing class 101. I don't even know when I began calling myself that. The funnier thing is I actually thought I was becoming a great multitasker since being a mother requires that you master this skill early on. Ever tried nursing a newborn and copping a few Z's? What about making yourself some lunch while rocking a baby bouncer? Ooo, and my worse; chatting on the phone while managing the kids. Some of these jobs are easy and some are very hard. In all my trials with attempting to balance more than one thing at a time, I never stopped to think about why it was so difficult. Then a couple of days ago the answer arrived in my inbox.

Read it for yourself. There's no such thing as multitasking, the article declares. Huh? Or is it, Ahhh? I'm not sure of my response. I mean I have kind-a-sorta prided myself on learning the tricks of the motherhood trade by doing a heap of things at once. Now I'm told that my brain doesn't want me to be doing that? (Hello! I'm running two businesses here, people. You're a little late with your research!) So I thought about it. Doesn't seem to be any way I can go slow and steady and win this race. I mean not cold turkey. For example, while I've been typing I've planned out my dinner menu for the rest of the week and thought up a new post for my other blog. No such thing as multitasking, eh? Good to know I'm not the only one guilty of this. How many tasks can you juggle at once?

Do We Have Your Support?

I have to ask the question, though I have pondered long over asking it. Do we have the support of our friends, families and communities as a small, women-owned business striving to share positive products and messages with the world?

My sister and I started this journey with the few pennies we had knowing that it would not be an easy road but it was a road that we were happy to travel together. I confess that the road has been harder to travel than I had expected. We’ve fought tooth over nail and demand only the very best for our customers. We’ve attended day long expos and bazaars in an attempt to spread our message to the masses. We’ve toiled and prayed for the success of our book in hopes that it will uplift and empower families to teach their young children that love is key and that we must cherish one another even when the going gets tough.

Has it all been in vain?

Well I don’t think so. As we brainstorm on how to attract new customers, we are painfully aware of the need for additional funds to create and publish our next book. But the heart of our business and most important aspect to us, is sharing God’s positive ministry with everyone. We believe our product does just that and if you have not had a chance to enjoy this wonderful story with your children, siblings, families or friends --- then prepare to be blessed!

Sisters Are From Heaven simply must be a part of your children’s book collection. So Onjeinika and I are giving away 3 hardcover proofs of our book. All you need to do is be one of the first three to email us your contact information and join our mailing list and we’ll send the book to you. It is just that simple. Our only request is that you share the story with everyone you know. Read it to your children, share it with your daycare providers, Youth Ministries at church, camps, friends, families and associates…share it with the world!

In addition, please let us know what we can do to better serve you. Our ears are wide open to suggestions and we are ready to assist. Because isn’t that what God wants us to do…to help and support one another in any way that we can? It’s a two way exchange and we are more than happy to be on the giving end.

Many Blessings,

Meek (Polly & Meek)

Tiny Miracles

It was warm for winter so playing outside was A MUST. I was a little chilly but the kids didn't care. The colors excited them. As one child put it, "The sky is sooo blue!"
"The sun came to visit with us," they said. And "ahhh --- fresh air." I couldn't believe all that they were noticing, which seemed like normal scenery to most. "Where does the wind come from?" asked the five-year-old. At the end of our playground fun they fought to pick up leaves and sticks to take home as treasures.

I took them to McDonald's for lunch. And although my kids can act up, yesterday they were simply loving life. "Thank you for taking us to McDonald's," said one. "Yes, thank you", the other two chimed in. "It was fun." Yet all we did was eat fries and cheeseburgers. It wasn't our first time. I didn't even buy apple pies or happy-meals. (Cause I'm cheap!) Still they were enjoying their outing ---just because. They had played, they had eaten and they were going home for a nap. Sometimes tiny miracles are enough.

Little children are beholders of everything and they capture it with all their senses. It can be as mundane as a sunny day, or as elaborate as Christmas or a birthday. A child will absorb it and equate it to a joy adults rarely show. Their approach reminds to ask for no more and no less than God's will and to give praises for all he provides.

If You Can Just Take God Out...

That was the statement that lit a fire under my sister. I consider my sister to be the kind-hearted one. The who stays objective, focused, cool and calm despite what may be thrown at her. I consider myself the one to protect her and defend her when it seems anyone is trying to rush over her and take her kindness and sereneness for weakness. But on this day, with this statement, I could not even rush in quick enough, I could not get a word in edge-wise. Instead I listened and was so proud of the way Polly handled it.

We were at one of our expos during the 2008 season and we had a woman come up who said she was a teacher at one school or another. She took our book, Sisters Are From Heaven, and begin to read through it. When she got to the end, she looked at us and begin to ask some questions. My sister was taking the lead, as we often would so that neither one of us got tuckered out with all the talk and bustling around from making contacts and sales. The lady said, 'this is a very nice book and I really like it, BUT the God..' and then she made this anguished face...'if you can take the God out I can get a lot of people to buy the book'. At first I do not think Polly truly understood what the woman was saying. Heck we were both tired and it looked as though it took a minute to register. I rose to my feet ready to defend, but then my sister begin to speak. She did not say much except 'Take God out? No way'. The woman tried to defend her point 'well you have to understand that in the school system we have a lot of diversity and different beliefs and some parents don't want to see the word God in the story'. I begin to think we were on Candied Camera or the women was going to say we were being Punked or something. My sister said 'well then they do not have to buy it. We will never take God out of our story, the book is called Sisters Are From Heaven, so it is clear what that means.' I don't think it was so much what Polly said, it was how she said it. It was stated matter of fact and not open for further discussion and the woman understood that. She placed the book back on the pedestal and shrugged and said 'well' and walked off.

I giggled to myself as she and I discussed the nerve of some people to even suggest taking God out of our story after all He has done for us. Nothing seemed more outlandish to us. Has anyone every asked you to take something out or add something to your book or short story that you did not want to do? If so, how did you handle it?