Teddy Bear Discoveries by Lynn J Simpson

Meet Teddy One.

Teddy was a gift to my teenage daughter. That daughter is now thirty-years-old, and today Teddy is dressed, videoed, and dragged to every sleep-over by her young daughter. 

Now meet Teddy Two.

Teddy Two is a perfect teddy. Perfect brown eyes, round white belly, and soft to the touch. 

Teddy One is bug-eyed, prickly, and skinny. Often his narrow neck is ringed with plastic bracelets and a skirt hides his short legs. Sometimes he is wrapped in baby face-cloths and a pink blanket. 

When you look at the two Teddy’s which Teddy peaks your curiosity, maybe to the point that you are hovering over the magnifying tool on your keyboard ? Is it perfect Teddy Two or wildly different Teddy One? 

I don’t want to make an assumption but….I’d bet on Teddy One ‘cause he’s just so…interesting! Interesting in his imperfections.

Maybe it is just that perfect Teddy Two is not dressed up that makes one be more curious about Teddy One? 

Nah. Even dressed up, Teddy Two is cute yet his perfection still shines through like a shined up coffee table. Nice, pleasing to the eye, but your eyes would not linger long. 

Non-traditional teddy bear, Teddy One, with his crooked smile and bald spots captured my granddaughter's attention breaking the assumptions of what I saw as loveable teddy bear traits. Digging deeper, I realized assumptions can hinder creativity, blocking new ideas and new ways to see our everyday lives. Our experiences can become a collection of stereotypes instead of new discoveries driven from curiosity and open observation. Conforming to standardization, we may even become biased in the way creativity should be expressed instead of trusting in our God nudges that take us into unique territories of creative expressions.  

Trust those nudges. Stay open. Embark on the journey to unexpected results. Break the mundane with child-like curiosity. 

Recently my grandson brightened up my day wearing rubber sandals with a green sock on one foot and a yellow sock on the other.  

My back toward him, he started giggling, “Grandma, owl on your back!” I had been wondering why my t-shirt’s neckline seemed high on my throat. That owl image is the front of the t-shirt. We had a good laugh. A family story that may never be lost created from our imperfections. 

Let’s also not let perfection become like a stop sign on our creativity roadway. Instead, let’s allow our imperfection to lead us to somewhere unexpected. Let’s be open to get outside our comfort zone, discover new things about ourselves, walk in shorts and sandals with a mismatched pair of socks, or our t-shirt on backwards. Let’s foster our creativity by not fearing the messiness of imperfection. 

Let’s refresh our creativity with a childlike sense of wonder. 

How will you refresh your creativity today? 

And said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

You can read more of Lynn's curious adventures at Keeping It Real

Writing Catch of the Day by Wendy L. Macdonald

Recently, I realised what my favourite writing catch of the day is...

My self-confidence, enthusiasm, and hopes bled across the floor like crumpled pages of a rejected manuscript. Why should I bother writing if what a publishing professional I admire says is true?

Her words to writers: “You either have it or you don’t,” severed the umbilical cord of my latest project.

I know I don’t have the “X-factor.” The extra special gifting of being able to write genius prose that sequesters awards and bestseller acclaim has not been assigned to this gal’s name. No. I’m absolutely absent of any arrogance to think I’m one of the chosen ones who bears the mark of the coveted “X.”

I don’t instinctively have anything amazing regarding writing except the love and passion for it. Each small success I’ve birthed has been because I honed an idea—an embryo of hope—until it implanted on a page. And then, like this post, I stayed with it until it swelled into a ripened book bump ready to be bravely sent to editors.

My projects are my babies.

And to think of anyone calling them plain Jane—ordinary—not good enough to name, edit, adopt, and swaddle between a back copy and a brilliant front cover makes me feel like aborting my latest project.

As I thought about the missing "X-factor" in my life, I remembered all the times the Lord encouraged me not to give up on things. I thought about the project I’m working on that’s given me a bird’s-eye-view of what He can do when we trust and obey Him, and cast our nets over unpromising waters.

I pictured Peter swallowing annoyance, doubt, and disappointment when Jesus asked him to try one more time. Perhaps Peter thought it was easy for the Jesus to say it when it wasn’t the Lord who tossed nets all night long over Skunked-Ville Sea. Yet, Peter said in Luke 5:5 NIV:

“But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

And, oh-my-goodness-glory-to-the-God-of-earth-sky-and-sea, Peter’s net was filled fuller than full, and ready to burst, like an overdue pregnancy. For I’ve been that poor mama with a baby bigger than I ever imagined coming out of me. I know what it’s like to wait, worry, and sweat. I also know what it’s like to have and hold a newborn after all the drama is done and the footprints have been inked and stamped to prove—he‘s here—he’s mine.

And one day, in one way or another, a stamp of a different sort will be pressed onto the bottom of a book my future publishing team and I birth together, so the world may read and know of one more story it needs to have on the library shelves of hope.

And besides, stories I’ve read about manuscripts being rejected dozens of times and then finally being adored and adopted by one publisher also stem the flow of self-pity blood.

I rallied as I remembered it doesn’t matter how many “No’s” it takes to hear one “Yes.” For like babies, one family is all it takes to make a home where it can thrive, grow, and show its uniqueness to a world who needs more stories of hope.

And although I may not have the “X-factor”, I’m an inspirational writer, so I’ve got something greater, I’ve got the "Cross-factor."

I’m here to stay in my writing boat, because even though I’ve not birthed much yet—perhaps even been mostly skunked—the Lord may direct me to drop my net in a certain way, in a certain place, and at a certain time. Then my nets will bulge to bursting.

For now, I must not give up. For now, peace is my favourite catch of the day.

While fishing for success, don’t forget to ask your Maker where to cast your nets.     

When life doesn’t roll out the red carpet for you, cast your nets over the Sea of Opportunity and rejoice in your own catch of the day because it’s not about the size of your boat; it’s about the size of the One who called you.

I'm nosey-to-know: What's your favourite writing catch of the day?

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” Her main website is wendylmacdonald.com where she enjoys interacting with readers.

Website: wendylmacdonald.com