My Own Domain!

This has been a time of learning new things and applying them to my life and to my business.

Showing off my new domain name! www.bienleindesign.com

I learned last week how to get my own domain. I went through www.godaddy.com and purchased 4 domain names for my eBay business. Now instead of having a LONG domain I can't even remember, I can use www.bienleindesign.com and it goes straight to my store. Go ahead and try it! Isn't that cool! I can now add that to my emails for additional exposure and advertising. www.bienleindesignfinds.com will also get you there! Or try www.beanlinedesign.com for those who spell my name the way it sounds!!! cool huh? The last one was www.beinliendesign.com for those who get the "e" and "i" mixed up!

I am so blessed and excited about all the new things that are happening with my business, etc. I can't wait to get my new logo and everything branded. Hope you will stop by soon and check out the things I have on auction and in my store.

Currently listed

Right now I am doing mostly consignment work for three clients. I just listed a whole bunch of Bible related reference books and will have a lot more of that coming in the next few weeks. I also have some beer steins left from a recent collection I just listed. Seems kind of ironic that I have beer steins and Bible books in the same auction but hey... that's part of the business... never know what will come up to sell. However, I do draw the line and will NOT list XRated anything - even though those items sell for high prices. I will not put that trash back into the system. That trash goes exactly where it belongs.. in the trash can!

Here's to both yours and my success! And as in everything I do, I give to God the glory. Thank you Lord for being involved in all this! I am truly blessed!

Taking my eBay business up a notch

Exciting news! I took a giant leap of faith and took my eBay business up to the next notch. I have to start at the beginning.

Learning about DOUA - Disabled Online Users Association

I really don't remember where I first read this but I think it was in one of Skip McGrath's newsletters. Skip is one of the several eBay guru I get newsletters from. Skip happened to mention that he was a strong supporter of DOUA which stands for Disabled Online Users Association. I decided to check it out so I went to their website. It is free to signup so I did. They have all kinds of classes there teaching how to get started on eBay and there are forums where you can ask or answer questions. Its a lovely community of people helping other people. Anyone can belong to DOUA - whether your disability is physical or something only you know about. They don't ask questions about that. They are just willing to help anyone who needs a "boost". Its a great site to learn about eBay. Their link is http://www.doua.org/

Learning about OSI Rockstars

While on DOUA, I learned about Janelle Elms OSI Rockstars www.osirockstars.com/ so I checked out that site too. I couldn't afford to pay for the membership but I could get the newsletters for free. For several months I faithfully read the newsletters and I really wanted to get a foot in the door as I felt this was the place I could really learn to improve my business. I also really liked that Janelle freely talked about her Christian faith in her newsletters and we already had that much in common as well as succeeding on eBay.

One day I decided to write to Janelle and shared with her that I wanted to become a member but could not afford it and also... this site was based on Podcasts which are audio interviews. There were also some videos with voice overs. The podcasts I would not be able to get anything out of. The videos were 50/50 if I could figure out what was going on by watching only. I knew that even if I could afford the membership fee, I would not get full benefit as the other members got.

A door opens at OSI Rockstars

I got a response from Janelle's organization. They suggested that I go to DOUA and talk to Margie there. Margie would then refer me to Janelle and I would be able to have access into the OSI Rockstar site. How cool is that! I was SO THRILLED that I cried. That was a BIG day for me. I knew my business just took a turn in the fork in the road.

A Humbling Experience

That was three weeks ago and I can't believe how much has changed! First of all the people on OSI Rockstars are the BEST! They just bent over backwards welcoming me, etc. I got involved with the forums asking questions on how to improve my eBay store and improve my blogging experience. Others became aware that I was not able to listen to any of the podcasts and one by one people started to write to me and offer their services to transcribe classes. I couldn't believe it! They would give up their time and energy for me?

I am very humbled by this whole experience. I know Janelle told me at the very beginning that transcribing all the classes was almost impossible as there were so many of them. However, one class is already transcribed and more are being done as I write this. One by one classes will be transcribed and EVERYONE will benefit from this.. not just me. That's the part that I like best about this whole project. We are all helping each other. I am not able to help with this project but I know there will be other projects I can help with in the future. We all have something to teach someone else.

Blessings Overflowing

OSI Rockstars is an awesome community of like-minded people. They all have businesses on eBay and we all help each other to achieve success. I even have a person who offered to help me create my own logo for my store. I can't wait to see what he comes up with. Soon my eBay store, ME page, PROstore and auction listings will all be branded and coordinated. That is something I desperately need.

Thank you Rockstars for inviting me into your "world". You ALL ROCK and I am very blessed knowing you.

Thinking back 16 years ago

Where were you April 23, 1992?

Sixteen years ago.. at 10:30am...on April 23.... where was I?

I was in the maternity ward at an hospital in Montgomeryville, PA about to give birth to my second son. Today that little boy is 16 years old and over 6 ft tall. Happy 16th birthday Tyler!

The adventures before birth

Let me tell you about Tyler... he was in such a hurry to be born but then decided to stay in the womb after all. When I was 6 months pregnant, I was at work and contractions started. Since they continued into the evening, we went to the ER and I found out I was in early labor. I was given some kind of medication to stop labor. It worked.

Two major things happened after that... I was prescribed full bed rest (yeah.. had an excuse not to go to work!) and I was to have medicine 24/7 to prevent contractions again. This was a new thing back in 1992. Today they use the same idea for diabetics and their insulin injections.

The medicine came to me in test tubed shaped containers. We snap these tubes inside a credit card sized box. From that box, a plastic tube came out and a push pin type needle is at the end. That needle was jabbed into either of my thighs. The site for the needle had to be switched to the opposite thigh every other day. That became my husband's job as I simply couldn't tolerate jabbing a needle into myself. He was very gentle and very good to me (he still is!) and he always apologized for having to "hurt" me. It was only a moment of pain but for 3 months I was attached to that box. As I was on total bedrest, I could only leave my bed to go to the bathroom. I had to take sponge baths and wash my hair in the sink.

Blessings overflowed - God used others to help us

Wonderful blessings came during those 3 months. I was able to get medical leave from my job so we still had checks coming in. A couple from our church made up about 50 "TV" style dinners for us (WOW!) Our freezer was stocked! Friends from church came to help with cleaning the house and babysitting my oldest son who was 4 at that time. He was attending morning preschool and a mother of a classmate would come and pick him up and drop him off every day.

A time of rest and growth

I actually enjoyed those three months. Did a lot of reading and sleeping while watching my belly grow and everyone give me so much attention! There were no further problems with major contractions. I had a nurse who came to check on me every week and every day at the same time we had to call some company and give them the readings off my "monitor" that measured the contractions. I also had visits to my Dr. every week for checkups. That was the only time I left the house during those three months.

Finally the day came I was "unattached". We allowed our oldest son to "cut the tube". Now the contractions could come whenever nature said it was time. We waited 2 weeks and nothing! My husband's mother, niece and nephew had driven to PA from Michigan and were visiting with us that week. They wanted a baby too!

The big day finally comes!

On April 22nd, I thought I felt contractions hard enough to warrant a hospital visit. We were told while labor had started, it wasn't hard enough and I was barely dilated. They gave me some medication... sent me home for a good night sleep and told me to come back in the morning and see how it goes. The next morning, April 23rd we are at the hospital again and things proceeded slowly. Tyler was in no hurry at all! They decide to break my water and after that the action happened! Tyler was born later that afternoon. A healthy full term (really over term!) 8 lb baby boy.

It was interesting as we really thought Tyler would be a girl. We did not want to know the sex before birth but the Dr. had teased us that according the heartbeat, it was a girl so in my mind I had a girl. It was a delightful surprise to have another boy. Tyler had a head full of beautiful auburn hair...nothing like the bright red his older brother was blessed with.

Now here he is.. 16 years later. He has been a delight and a great kid. A quick sense of humor and quiet personality. I would thoroughly embarrass him if I talked more about his growing up years. I love him lots and very proud of him!

Happy birthday kid! Here's to many more!

Trails and Blessings

"When You're Down to Nothing, God is up to Something"

"Worry looks around, sorry looks back, Faith looks up."

A week of Trails and Blessings

Last week and weekend was a series of ups and downs. A friend of mine sent me the above quote and it was a reminder I need to look UP! I can count many problems that popped up (one is that our van died so we need another vehicle soon) but on the other hand, I can count many unexpectly blessings that came our way.

I sang (signed) a song yesterday in church. Its a repetative song that has a beat. It goes like this...

I, I, I love the Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord...

I, I, I love the Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord...

He's my Savior!

Praise! Praise! Praise! Praise!

(clap clap clap clap)

and repeat.

You can change the third line to whatever you want. I had

He is awesome

He forgave me

He is worthy

He's my best friend

Its a nice praise song I like to sign when I'm feeling down. Its a reminder to me to push aside all the worldly problems and concerns and turn my eyes to the Lord instead. This song makes me feel better and more positive.

Praise Praise Praise Praise!!!!

Spring in Michigan

Sunny and 75 degrees today!

I think it is finally safe to say it is spring in Michigan - or at last the central to southern portion. Upper Penninsula area did have a foot of snow just this past weekend. wow... pity sign to them!

Michigan had a rough winter and we are SO looking forward to some sunny warm days! I think my area was just shy of breaking the all time most snow in a season record. My snow shovel got lots of use! Last winter we hardly had any snow at all so its just a cycle... sometimes we do... sometimes we don't.

Sharing thoughts

I was reading my devotions this morning from Ecclesiastes 11:5. It says:

As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things.

No. I do not try to attempt to understand why things happen the way they do. One day when I'm in heaven (and I know I will be!), we will have all understanding. I look forward to that day.

Remember Making Deals with God

I know when I was growing up, I hated being deaf (really at that time, I was hard of hearing). I thought God was punishing me. I can't remember how many deals I made with God IF he would only made me hear.

IF I could hear... then I could serve Him better. IF I could hear...all my problems would be gone. IF I could hear... so on and so forth....

Of course, that is all foolishness of youth. I understand now God had a purpose for the way He created me. I CAN be of service to Him no matter if hearing, deaf, black, white, purple, orange, etc.

ALL of us are valuable and are of use. We all have a purpose in life. Do you know what YOUR purpose is?