 My uncle Don was a big fan of the show Survivor. I was never really interested in it myself, but now that he's passed, it feels really special to watch it with my husband, who also loves the show, and I think of Uncle Don every time. As you probably know, Survivor is a competition show where people try to survive challenges so they can win money at the end of the season. In one of the recent team challenges, everyone was divided into teams, and everyone - except one person on each team - was blindfolded. And the person who wasn’t blindfolded had to verbally guide their blinded teammates through an obstacle course. Whichever team made it to the end first would win a bonus prize. And let me tell you...that challenge was exactly what you’d imagine: complete chaos. The team leaders who could see everything were all trying to yell directions at their teammates at once with things like, No, no, no! Turn this way! Go right! Now left! LEFT! No! Jump through that thing and then duck under the other thing next to you! You’re going the WRONG WAY! There were so many voices all talking at once, the blindfolded teammates felt confused, frustrated, and lost. Ever felt like you were walking blindfolded through a maze trying to sort through everyone’s opinions and directions? I know I have. And I know there are others out there too. Maybe that’s you. Everywhere you turn in the world, there are competing voices giving you instructions - telling you who you are and what you should be doing. Hearing all those different opinions at once and trying to make everyone happy leaves you feeling confused, frustrated, and lost. What if there was just ONE voice you needed to listen to? Just ONE voice that truly mattered? Wouldn’t that make things so much easier? You could navigate the maze of life and ignore any voice didn’t agree with that one. Is the one voice that truly matters...just your own? Well...let me ask you this: Have you ever led yourself down the wrong path? Have you ever believed lies about yourself? Yeah, me too. We’re only human, right? So...whose voice matters more than anyone else’s? Well, it would have to be someone outside human limitations… It would have to be your Creator. Human opinions of you are only based on guesses and assumptions. The Grand Artist who made you sees your heart. He knows what’s actually true about you. If other people disagree with what he says...then they need to just get on board with him. And until they do, take their opinions with a grain of salt. Easier said than done, right? That’s why I got so excited when I came across Beki Beer’s website and online shop. She's been through a lot of hard times, including depression and the loss of a child. She beautifully describes her healing process this way: The loneliness slowly begins to fade. I climb alongside my companion who blocks the magnetic pull. My strength grows and he begins to whisper truth to my heart. Hope is revived and I begin to see color again. As the feelings come back, I feel overwhelmed by emotion, but he never leaves; through the tears, anger, and frustration he doesn’t reject me. He holds me and allows me to feel, in a safe space, there is no judgment in his arms. I feel myself being lifted higher and higher out of the pit of despair, and I have my fight back - my determination not to be sucked back down. I have been rescued. With God being so kind and reliable, why would we waste any more energy and time listening to everyone else’s opinions and trying to make them happy? If you’re feeling confused, frustrated, and lost, lean into your Creator and let his words be the loudest in your life. For more ways to fill up on truth, check out Beki’s shop & mentoring program, as well as my own online gift shop.   As a child, I loved stuffed animals so much that I’d go to great lengths to make sure each one knew it was loved and wanted. My favorite (don’t tell the others) was a little white bear named Snow Bear. I always gave her tons of hugs and attention, because after looking closely at her face, I had discovered that her little yarn mouth wasn’t curved into a smile. One night after going to bed, I was hugging her, but then I realized that the other stuffed animals might see and get their feelings hurt. So, one by one, I placed nearly every stuffed animal I owned near me on my pillow. “Ah, there we go...all nice and cozy!” It was a sight to see, I’m sure! I got to thinking about this scene from childhood because the other day I came across a pin on Pinterest that kept me glued to the screen with sheer happiness. It showed a velvet, earth-brown plush rabbit. I clicked on the link and it brought me to an interview with Abbey, the owner of Seen & Known. And do you know what Abbey creates and sells at Seen & Known? That’s right...stuffed animals - handmade, velvety, ready-to-be-loved stuffed animals! And it spoke right to my heart because…well, for lots of reasons! For one, the colors she uses are beautiful. But even more, the name Seen & Known speaks right to the heart of why I run my business the way I do. I want every person to feel important, and to know their value. And Abbey runs her business that way in an incredibly tangible way. Five percent of the proceeds from a purchase from her shop goes to the organization International China Concern. The whole mission of International China Concern is to make sure children in China who have been abandoned experience care and love...basically, to make sure they are seen and known! (You have GOT to check out their story here: https://www.chinaconcern.org/about-us/) And all this got me thinking...isn’t that what every person longs for deep down: to be seen and known? And (this is where it gets a bit philosophical) aren’t we all Someone’s work of art? Just as my childhood stuffed animals found themselves on a pillow, we find ourselves on the earth...placed here with the purpose of being seen and known. And like Abbey’s creations, we are vessels to be used for the purpose of letting others know that they, too, have value, and are seen and known. You are a work of art. You have value, and your life can be used to show others that they have value too. Need a little extra encouragement? Download your Affirmation Bookmark Bundle from my online gift shop here!   (This post contains affiliate links.) People can be heroes for all kinds of reasons. Some of the people I admire are people who embrace their physical appearance despite the comments and opinions of others. I’m obviously not there yet, since after hearing things like: “Oh my gosh...look how white you are compared to me.” “Wow, I should have brought my sunglasses.” “You’re so white, you look dead.” ...I decided I didn’t want to wear shorts anymore, and haven’t since my early twenties. (There are, thankfully, lightweight trouser options for summertime, but that’s a topic for another time!) But there are people in the world who don’t let what others think of their appearance stop them. For example, in my twenties I remember noticing that a friend of mine (who will remain nameless, as I didn’t tell her about this blog post!) whose skin color was the same as mine. She confidently wore shorts during the summertime - almost unaware that people in society have opinions about certain shades of skin, and frequently look down on others (or themselves) for not being tan. She doesn’t know it, but she’s a hero of mine for this! Someday, I hope to not care about what other people think. Until then, I’m happy to shine light (ha! no pun intended) on those who have fully embraced their physical features. Angela Mary Vaz is another person who’s confidently owned her appearance. I came across Angela’s blog, Stray Curls, while working on building my work-from-home biz. Angela is a comic artist, illustrator, and blogger. While reading the Stray Curls origin story on her website, I was really impressed! She’s endured her own share of comments on her appearance while growing up, and now...she TOTALLY owns it! Angela grew up with curly hair in a culture where most had straight hair. She endured some harsh, critical comments about her appearance, and whenever she felt sad, she would draw. Finally in adulthood, a turning point came after a particularly discouraging haircut appointment. To process the situation, she posted a drawing on social media about it...and got an overwhelming amount of positive responses from people who could identify! That completely turned things around for her, and (long story short) she’s embraced her hair by creating the Stray Curls Blog. Folks, she’s owned her curly hair so much, she named her business after it! (Check out her blog and online shop here.) When describing her journey, Angela says, “All my life, I’ve been bullied for having curly hair. It was only natural for me to hate my curls. But the day I embraced my curls, and learned to make peace with my hair, life rolled out differently. My curly hair has been my biggest inspiration for Stray Curls. Remember to embrace what makes you different.” So, here’s to embracing our unique qualities! Maybe I can be like Angela Mary Vaz someday. And, who knows...maybe one day I’ll end up changing my website’s name to The Porcelain Proofreader. (But don’t hold your breath...I’m not quite there yet!) Need a little extra encouragement? Download your Affirmation Bookmark Bundle from my online gift shop here!   “Hey, Sam! Want to sit by me?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because you have red hair.” It was kindergarten, 1986, and Sam (Samantha) and I were the last kids on the bus waiting to get dropped off after school. I was sitting alone and had spotted Sam - also sitting alone - a few seats ahead of me. Sam was cool. As much as a kindergartner can have confidence, Sam had it - and I wanted to be her friend. Finding ourselves sitting alone on the bus seemed like a great way to instantly make a friend! But I hadn’t been prepared for being turned down. Red hair? I thought. What’s wrong with having red hair? I spent the rest of the ride home in silence, while my five-year-old mind tried to process what had happened. Cooties I knew about, but...red hair being a problem? I was so confused. Prejudice, large or small, is something experienced around the world. Sasibai Kimis, owner of the company Earth Heir, is no exception. As a child, Sasibai always felt different. Being of Indian descent, she experienced prejudice in her home country of Malaysia. At the age of twelve, Sasibai was told that even though she got good grades in school, she wouldn’t be getting into the best schools because of her racial background. Eventually she ended up attending college in the United States where she says she had “the most confidence-building and life-affirming experience” of her life. She graduated and got involved in investment banking in New York. By age thirty, Sasibai was struck with corporate burnout and began seriously thinking about what her legacy in life would be. She questioned whether the meaning of life was to just work hard and grow her bank account, or if there was something more. Sasibai realized she wanted to do something she really believed in, and she ended up returning to Malaysia to spend time making an impact there. In her interview on the podcast The Immigrant Entrepreneur, she says, “Think about how you’re spending your days and whether you think your days are going to have an impact on the world.” She decided to make an impact on the world by creating her award-winning luxury craftsmanship brand Earth Heir, which is already making a huge difference for local artisans in Malaysia. Sales from just one of their event’s orders provided one woman with eight months’ worth of salary - providing a better house and the ability to pay for university...and this is just one example! I know we’d all like to make an impact, too. But we can’t all provide economic support for people on the other side of the world, or start luxury brand companies. But, just like Sasibai Kimis, all of us CAN make an impact on the people right in front of us. Wherever we are, we can look around and see who’s there. We can find out what they need, and do what we can to be a blessing. And, Sam, wherever you are, there’s still a seat next to me on the bus waiting for you! I still have red hair, though, so...just think about it and get back to me. ;) Need a little extra encouragement? Download your Affirmation Bookmark Bundle from my online gift shop here!   Comfort food... We all have it. When I was little, mine was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...on WHITE bread (had to be white)...FOLDED over (not sliced). I ate it every single day...except for that day we were all out of supplies and I had to have bologna instead...never mind - let's not talk about that. Back to comfort food...what's yours? Maybe it's mashed potatoes, mac 'n' cheese, french fries, popcorn, waffles...the possibilities are endless. But one thing is for sure - it's called "comfort food" because it's more than just food to you. It's something tangible that tells your emotions, "Everything's going to be okay." And as silly as it sounds...you know that it's absolutely true! For Pati Jinich, comfort food takes the shape of flavorful, unique recipes featuring ingredients from her home country of Mexico. In her own words, she comes "from a family of accomplished cooks and food maniacs...absolute maniacs." Later, as an adult living in Texas, Pati began teaching her neighbors her favorite recipes. Even through all her non-food-related ventures, she could not stop thinking about food! Her husband encouraged her to follow her passion, and she decided to go for it. Now she has multiple awards, nominations, cookbooks, and a television show - all centered around food! Pati is a firm believer in comfort food. A theme that comes up in her show is her unique way of navigating homesickness. When she misses Mexico, she heads to the kitchen and cooks. Her recipes deliberately use ingredients that remind her of home with their fragrances and tastes. What a great idea! So, if you enjoy tasty food and down-to-earth people, you have to check out Pati’s website. She also has a Facebook page and a Pinterest page. AND...you can also watch full episodes of Pati’s Mexican Table on public television or Amazon Prime. You will not regret it - in fact, you'll probably be cooking up something tasty in your kitchen soon after, and possibly discovering something that just might become your own new favorite comfort food!   “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” “That person’s a real diamond in the rough.” “Neil Diamond’s music is top-notch.” These are all verifiable and true statements in our culture about diamonds (except that one about diamonds being a girl’s best friend, as it’s actually usually puppies or chocolate). What was I saying? Oh, yes - diamonds. They’re everywhere in culture, as well as many a chick flick and Pinterest search history and "wedding dream board." But then, there’s also... blood diamond… conflict diamond… I don’t like these words, and I’m sure you don’t either. In fact, for some time I’ve avoided watching the movie about this type of diamond (you know, the Leo DiCaprio one) because I imagine that a lot of tears would be involved. I’ve known for awhile that there are terrible conditions surrounding diamond mining in the world, and I know that when looking for jewelry, people should specifically purchase “conflict free” diamonds. Hearing the detailed realities about conflict diamonds can be really hard to process. It makes me want to put on my superhero gear and go storming into these places and take out any evildoers in sight. But I don't have any superhero gear (yet), and the corruption in these places runs deep. So what can anyone do? Well, recently I discovered the group Diamonds for Peace (DFP). The DFP team works hard and is making huge strides in raising awareness and affecting real change in the lives of diamond miners. Check out their website here, and how they got started here. They have a blog, news updates, and a donation page that are effective in letting everyone know what is happening and how they can help. The Diamonds for Peace team is hard-working, determined, professional, friendly, and truly making a difference. So even though you and I don't have our superhero gear, we're not powerless when it comes to fighting corruption. I've been doing volunteer work with Diamonds for Peace, and I've felt SO encouraged to hear about positive changes happening (as we speak!) that are getting rid of corruption in the diamond mining industry. Check it out for yourself! You'll see how rewarding it can be to partner with people across the globe to help make the world a better place. (Oh, and...by the way, Neil Diamond’s music absolutely is top-notch.)   Ah, the one-stop giant shopping center... So far, since my move to New England, every time I have taken a trip to the local big-brand, one-stop shopping center (I’ll let you guess its name so I can avoid stereotypes), I’ve had unpleasant experiences during the checkout process. From awkward cashier comments about my personal purchases (or their own personal lives), to straight-up rudeness, nearly every cashier at this store has caused me to say to myself afterwards, “Avoid that one next time.” And I do manage to avoid them next time. I also proceed to have a new round of rudeness or awkwardness with my new cashier choice. “Just do the self checkout lane,” you might say. And I understand. I’ve said it to myself and it hasn’t worked. (Those self checkout lanes have people assigned to watch you, you know!) I can just see this store’s employee training program now...wide-eyed and eager to please, cashiers are instructed, “Do your part to make sure no one goes through your line without making them second-guess their choice to shop here!” They have one big group “Hurrah!” and off they go to make Big-Brand One-Stop Shopping Center head honchos proud. (At least that’s how I imagine it in my mind.) But...a miraculous thing happened the other day. It was so fantastic, I could hardly believe it. What was it? Well... At this very same store, my newly picked cashier 1) acknowledged my existence (yay!) and 2) efficiently scanned and bagged my items. Ladies and gentlemen, if you ever think that you couldn’t possibly make a difference in someone’s life because you feel your line of work isn’t that exciting, or you don’t see many people in a day, you are mistaken. Have you heard the story about the little boy going along the seashore tossing stranded starfish back into the ocean? Someone came along and told him he wouldn’t make much of a difference because there were too many stranded starfish, so he wouldn’t possibly be able to help them all. Then the boy tossed another starfish back into the ocean and said, “It made a difference to that one!” You can be this person in someone’s life. Take my most recent cashier, for example. She was simply doing her job. She had no idea that nearly EVERY other experience with a cashier in her store had created frustration for me. She simply did her job with kindness and respect, and she MADE MY DAY. Making the world a better place doesn’t have to be in the form of grand, sweeping gestures. I mean, we can’t all do dramatic rescues or donate tons of money to nonprofit organizations. But... We can send a text to someone who’s far away and say hello. We can sympathetically smile at that mom in the store whose kids are freaking out. We can be gracious to the waitress who forgot to get us a refill on our drink. We can set up our artwork for others to see. We can help a little kid wipe his spilled milk off the table without getting angry at him. We can make a tasty meal and show others how to do it, too. We can be the cashier who efficiently and kindly sends people through the line. There's an ENDLESS amount of actions we can take! This blog is for highlighting people around the world who are making a difference one “starfish” at a time - those who are using their talents and gifts to make the world a better place, whether they have thrown hundreds of starfish back to the ocean or just one. My goal is for you to be inspired to use your gifts to make the world a better place - to understand that you matter, what you do matters, and you can make a difference. And if your talent is being an efficient, respectful cashier, then go for it! No act is too small. (Just ask that little starfish!) Need a little extra encouragement? 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AuthorHi, I’m Kendall! I'm a freelance proofreader and social media graphics creator. My goal for this blog is to highlight the lives of our neighbors both far and near to inspire others to use their own unique talents to help make the world a better place. Archives
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