Step Into Your Future: A Women's Guide to Business Success

If you’re a small biz owner--or want to become one--then this book’s for you: Step Into Your Future: A Women's Guide to Business Success by Rosemary Hossenlopp (Morgan James Publishing).

Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp, MBA . . .is an expert on the mindset needed for business change. She is the founder of Business Success Plan group and inspires small business owners, professional services consultants and other women leaders to create personal business plans. She makes it easy for business owners to define and execute success plans. Her book on Step Into Your Future: A Businesswoman’s Guide to Success sets the standard for realigning to current market needs.

Here’s what Rosemary tells us about her book:
“What specific incident inspired you to gather together this information and put together a book?

→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp: The heart of success is figuring out what gets you the best results. You hear about business planning techniques that can help you focus on getting the business results you want. But you procrastinate in implementing them. I know this because I have been there too. It is overwhelming when you need to be the plumber, the accountant, the salesman and the person who delivers the goods. It is hard to make the time to work “on” the business and not work “in” the business. More planning advice is available at www.StepIntoYourFuture.com/teleseminar/

“What’s specific inspiration changed your life … and why do you feel it had such a ‘mind-shifting’ impact on you?”

→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp: I believe in easy; an easy way to see what you need to do and came up with a quick process that allowed me to identify steps that accelerated my success. You can get more information at www.StepintoYourFuture.com/teleseminar/

Check out Rosemary's video trailer.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of stepping into the future, what about our kids? Check out the new version of my biblical parenting book, Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!--Biblical Answers to Practical Parenting Issues.

That's all for today, readers. See you soon. Same blog, same time . . . (Whatever time you happen to click in.) Keep reading the good stuff.

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com

A Darker Tone -- Music Dynamics.

This year’s Grammy awards intrigued and one duo in particular piqued some serious interest: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.

Is everyone who sings Christian music (Christian lyrics) singing to the Lord?
Is everyone who sings demonic lyrics singing to Satan?
I’m not convinced they are. I think some are just singing words because they sound nice. And some are pawns.

As a music fan with a strong musical bent, I’ve recently been fascinated by a duo I discovered at this year’s Grammy awards: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss for the album, Raising Sand. Their voices blend in dazzling harmony, and the music style defies genre. The eclectic amalgam of country-ish ballads, folk-rock with bluegrass twangs and Zeppelin-undertones is stunningly different (dare I say unique?)

What makes this duo so interesting is the astounding audacity of such a mix. Their gifts, backgrounds and specialties come from opposite ends of the music spectrum--almost like night and day.

Krauss, for example, is the most Grammy awarded female artist there is (seventeen to date). She is known as the golden voice of bluegrass whose harmonies offer silky, seamless perfection. Prolifically gifted in harmony and musical talent, she has sung hundreds of songs—including many Christian ones. But is she a Christian? I don’t know. I only know that her singing is beautiful and lends itself blissfully to Jesus ballads.

Plant, on the other hand, hard rock musical icon best known as the vocalist of the seventies rock band, Led Zeppelin, was new to the Grammy scene. He never received a Grammy back in the day. (Not until he collaborated with Krauss on Raising Sand, which resulted in them prizing a packet of them.)

Still, Plant’s talent has not gone unrewarded. In 1996, he and his Led Zep colleague, Jimmy Page (best known to Plant as “Pagey”), were awarded Best Hard Rock Performance for the song "Most High" from their album Walking Into Clarksdale. But this is disturbing.

The lyrics and music video to Most High are nothing short of Satanic. The song is clearly a worship song--not to the true Most High God, but to the sources of darkness and the lyrics are filled with satanic, Bible poking symbols such as: “olive tree consumed by fire,” “David seed” (referring to Christ), “ a king a moved the stars and the son,” (yes, “son” as in Son of God) . . . Or, what about this line, “Who hides the east from the blind man's eye?” (East refers to resurrection – and we all know who blinds the eyes to keep people from believing Christ rose from the dead.)

For a song worshiping the “lord most high,” the song is loaded with satanic symbolism. But if that doesn’t convince you, check out the graphic video on Youtube. (Please do not show it to children. It’s highly disturbing.) Satanic symbols run riot in this visual, ranging from a black goat, a huge black creature with horns, other monsterish looking creatures and numerous dark icons.

Jimmy Page, in fact, has a long history of occult dabblings. I’m not sure about Robert Plant. He’s written some creepy lyrics but is he conscious of what he’s writing or is he just a pawn? I don’t know. For the highly renowned melody, Stairway to Heaven, he claims that something just pushed his pen to write. (And, yes, the song—beautiful is it is—apparently also contains hidden occult symbols). Find out more about Led Zeppelin and the occult here.

So what am I getting at here? I’m really just thinking out loud. I’m not one to seek for demons everywhere. Far from it. I’m not convinced, as some are, that just hearing certain kinds of music automatically opens you up to demons (although I’m not saying it couldn’t. I think it depends where your heart’s at. And I don’t credit Satan with as much power as some like to believe—although his lures are crafty). But I think we must be mindful of what we hear, and be diligent to discern the enemy’s strategy’s to slither into every aspect of art, culture, politics . . .

Look, I’m a down-to-earth sorta gal. I love Jesus. And I love music, art, words (although not to the same measure as I love Jesus). But I’ve been culprit to singing words without meaning them at times. And, before knowing Jesus, I subconsciously wrote some dark poems. While that’s clearly not the case with Page whose occult connections are flagrant, where does Plant stand in all of this? Is he just led by the flow regardless of its source? Or is he conscious of the depths of evil perpetrated in the lyrics of some of his old music? I do hope that singing with a bluegrass icon and dabbling in good ol’ Americana expose him to a whole lot more than just alternative music styles. I hope that the purer roots of some of America’s music rub off on him.

I wonder if Krauss knows the Lord (she’ll certainly have heard of Him). I hope that Plant’s heart is open (hey, he’s in his sixties so he could be pretty set in his ways by now). Maybe it’d be a good thing to pray for this duo—that both would come to know the real, true MOST HIGH. And His name is Jesus.

Check out Chris Tomlin's glorious song, Awesome Is The Lord Most High on Youtube.

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright © March 2009

www.JaneyDeMeo.com / www.orphansfirst.org

Two new books by Janey DeMeo

Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!--Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues, has received a makeover with a brand new cover. For details on the book, or to place an order, go here. Read testimonies of how the book has helped people on my website. Heaven Help Me Raise These Children can also be found on Amazon.com and all major book distribution services.


I'm also a contributing author in another great book, A Cup of Comfort Women of the Bible Devotional. This book includes twelve of my devotionals--each featuring a special woman of the Bible and highlighting what her life teaches us. The book is an easy read, rich in anecdotes which increase your knowledge of and hunger for the Bible. It makes a great gift.

I hope you check out these books. And please leave me a comment.

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright © March 2009

www.JaneyDeMeo.com / www.orphansfirst.org

Slumdog Millionaire, Orphans First -- & Me!

Well, well, well . . . I’m barely back from a deeply soul-searching retreat in the Colorado mountains—where my life in France, Italy, England, Africa, India was a relevant discussion point—and I see flashbacks of my days in India in the award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. (Btw, this picture is not from the movie, but is an actual street child I’ve worked with in India.)

No, I was never on Millionaire (not that smart!). And I wasn’t born in a slum (although parts of my native London are close). But I have visited India several times. (In fact, Orphans First has an orphanage there with some ninety children.) And I have been to Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). It was in Mumbai, more than a decade ago, that God allowed me to help start a children’s home. More on that later. For now, let’s focus on the film.

Slumdog Millionaire is about orphans, corruption, exploitation of the poor and defenseless, and cruelty to the innocent. It is a story of extreme suffering, love and beauty. The real India—and India’s beautiful victims enslaved to the harsh hand of poverty.

Slumdog Millionaire reminds me a little of Pursuit of Happyness, Blood Diamond, or City of Joy inasmuch as its suspense-driven plot is more nerve-wracking than entertaining. I spent most of the movie riveted to my chair, gripping my husband’s arm and feeling sick. (Not what you’d usually opt for after a retreat—but no doubt what I needed to remind me why I’m here.)

Still, in spite of the reality shock about what life in India is really like, the story line is brilliant, with unexpected twists, and exquisite artistry. But beyond art and plot--even Oscars--lies a far greater kinship between Slumdog and me. For me, it stung me to the core because I know children in India—children like Jamal, Salim, Latika, Arvind. I’ve hugged children who lived in Mumbai’s slums or at the train station. The pain they’ve borne has given them an unusual perspective.

Mani lived in the streets. He used to tell me, “Mummy, it’s not that I lost the toy you gave me, it’s that they stole it from in the streets.” Ganesh had only one leg because he got hit by a train: We bought him a prosthesis, but somehow it never seemed to feel comfortable for him. And Vijay--beloved Vijay who fought back tears the day I left, his face so worn with worry and stress that he looked like an old man. Vijay hugged me so hard, I felt as if he was trying to keep me with him forever. How I wish I could have kept him. I will never forget those children (now young adults).

I met many of these children In 1996, during a visit to my orphanage in Guntur, India. We went with a team of friends from France, and spent some time with the street children of Mumbai. It was there and then that the seed for a children’s home was planted. Orphans First began funding the upkeep of 20 street children, providing food, school (thanks to two saintly women), and church life. This initiative was catalyst to the founding of a home which then became an independent entity – no longer needing Orphans First funding. It was a miracle. However, because life in India is so precarious, most of the original children we’d worked with ended up back in the streets—something which has kept my heart broken ever since. Still, a home was established and we’ve been able to do more in India since.

With regards to India, Orphans First has its largest children’s home in Guntur and helps poor children in Delhi—and, of course, in many other countries. Check out the Orphans First updates.

India, land of dreams and demons,
Of poverty, despair and misplaced hope,
Yet land of beauty,
Simplicity of survival,
Humbled humility,
Land of squalor, shame, scum and slums,
Disguised diamonds,
Born in muck,
Cut and carved by pain’s sharp tool,
Fashioned by destiny’s cruelty,
Slumdog millionaires!
Oh, not because of money—
but because of heart.
Because of the heart of the One who died for them.
His name is Jesus.

Janey L. DeMeo M.A. © Copyright March 2009
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com

The Beauty of Zits

Used to hate having zits when I was a kid. But today, when the unexpected happened—a festering ziteroo planted on my not-very-teenage face—I got to thinking. (It sometimes takes something drastic like that for the thinking genes to kick in.) Some little bothersome things can actually turn into blessings—way later on, of course.

I mean, think of school. All that homework, peer pressure and misery. But now I have a Masters degree, and can spell (which is more than I can say for kids leaving school nowadays). It was worth it.

Or, take kids. They’re adorable little blessings. And then they grow up to be . . . Ok, maybe we won’t take kids. Poor example here!

But let’s take flowers. You put in lots of effort to plant them, and then voilà—they bloom. Moral of story? Dah! That it’s worth planting flowers of course.

Now, let’s go back to zits (oh, puleeeeeeeeeeez, do we have to?!). Thing is, although I struggled as a teen, trying to cover those wee facial monsters, today I’m thankful for those over-active oil glands. Y’see, most people can’t guess my age. They perceive me to be younger than I am (well, for 102, I really don’t look so bad do I?) That very oil that clogged up the pores now keeps the skin moist and youthful (relatively speaking, that is!)

So, should I be mad I had zits as a self-conscious teen? Or glad I’m now ancient and look less ancient?

I don’t know. But this one thing I do know: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NKJV).

Let’s look beyond today’s zits and into the beauty of eternity awaiting us. (The way it’ll pan out really does depend on how we live our lives today. Saved by grace, but given a chance to be conformed to Jesus by doing the works He’s set before us—Eph.2:10).

Janey L. DeMeo M.A. © February 2009
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
www.orphansfirst.org

Grammies -- music & the arts

Dunno if you watched the Grammies this week, but I got a glimpse. Delightful—for the most part. (Sadly, there were some agenda-loaded comments applauding ungodly practices, but that’s life today.)

Did you ever consider how diverse music styles can be, yet there’s a common thread in its structure? It’s almost as if God allows us to have “almost” possibilities in creating melodies, tunes, sounds—but they are capped by our human limitations. It sure makes you wonder what the music will be like in Heaven.

Another thing about music, like dance and other art forms (I’m a huge fan of all the arts), is that the arts provide a beautiful vehicle for people to express themselves, and sometimes find healing. The arts especially provide a valuable tool we often use to minister to children.

As someone who grew up in an artistic family, and as a vocalist and fan of many types of music, I was especially intrigued by some of the music combinations. Whoever would have thought Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin fame would sing with bluegrass virtuoso, Alison Kraus? Fascinating sound. Not sure where Plant plucks all those lyrics from, but I get a hunch, he’s seeking.

ColdPlay, good ol’ Brits like me, have a great sound. Now if I could just get those words . . . something about a “missionary”?

Of course, some songs typically depicted today’s liberal society, which is beginning to make Sodom & Gomorrah look like Disneyland. (Ok, some of you might find this metaphor a bit of an oxymoron, so think Disneyland as it was originally meant to be.)

Music is a language, a form of communication, a God-given gift. If only this gift could be used entirely to glorify the One who gave it. Now that would really change lives.

Janey L. DeMeo
February 2009 © Copyright
www.orphansfirst.org / www.JaneyDeMeo.com

Octuplets & Ethics –when is enough enough?

A woman not far from where I live recently gave birth to octuplets—8 babies. Of course, this wasn’t a natural incident (it never is) but, rather, it was the result of fertilization treatment—artificial insemination. No one loves babies more than me, but I find this situation extremely troubling for many reasons—not the least of which is that the woman already has 6 babies (the oldest being only 7-years-old).

Not only does the woman now have 14 babies (6 + 8 = 14), but she isn’t married. And she lives with her parents—who just happen to have claimed bankruptcy, and who are exhausted. The parent's home has only three bedrooms. All the children this woman has ever conceived were through fertilization treatment. Isn't that pushing natural limits and playing God? Tragic--especially since there are so many children needing homes!

The woman’s mother said that her daughter just loves children. So? Many people love children (me, for one). So, why not work at a Daycare? Or foster needy kids? Why jeopardize the lives of the six precious children she already had before tampering with nature to satisfy some kind of need? Babies should not be brought into this world to satisfy our need. (More on this in my parenting book, Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!).

What troubles me is why didn’t anyone ever look into the woman’s background? Did the doctors involved in her insemination know she already had 6 children and no husband? Shame on them if they didn’t know. And greater shame if they knew and still proceeded.

In most cases of artificial fertilization or insemination, 3 or 4 eggs maximum are implanted. Rarely do all of them “take.” Still, they might, so that’s why the count is limited. In this case, 8 were planted. And 8 took. The age limit to receive such treatment is 35. This woman is 33. Seems like borders were pushed to the limit and the old philosophy “ignorance is bliss” reigned over reason.

Ignorance ain’t bliss folks. No way. Knowledge—combined with a sense of ethics—might have saved a lot of hardship. (I pray these children won’t face hardship, but realistically . . .).

Read an article on this subject here. (I added this article link in on Feb.12th -- since it adds more details than when I first wrote this post.)

I wonder what will happen to those precious 14 babies now? I wonder who’ll feed them, bathe them, hug them, help them with their homework, challenge them to make wise choices in life . . . I wonder if they’ll be kept together or if some will end up in foster homes. Precious, innocent lives.

Let’s pray for this woman and her babies—and the grandparents who have now landed so much more than they expected—that God’s will be done for all. Let’s pray also that the medical field wakes up to ethics and reason and stops playing “god” because of their greed for money.

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © February 2009