Author: Suzanne E. Ostrander

I received my B.A. in English from Kennesaw State University in 2008. Worked as a Technical Writer for the past 5 years, where I met the love of my life and got married. I now work at home as a Tech Writer and blog contributor, so I can stay close to my now 4-month old son, Luke. I love writing, running, knitting, and laughing.

Eric Lusk Awarded as this Year’s Scholarship Winner

December 23, 2013

Eric Lusk photoBy: Suzanne Ostrander

Congratulations to Eric Lusk, this year’s Foxwerthe Consulting scholarship recipient! Eric is a student at Toccoa Falls College, a Christian-centered school in the Northeast mountains.

Eric has proven himself as an exemplary student, as he has managed to excel in both academics and athletics as a full-time student and baseball player at Toccoa Falls.

When asked what it means to be a scholar, servant, and a steward, Eric has referenced his ability to rely on his education, which has taught him that learning is “a lifetime concept”.

From Kindergarten through the twelfth grade, Eric has reaped the benefits of being exposed to an ongoing study of the Bible as part of his curriculum.  As a young child, Eric watched his family teach Sunday School until he eventually started helping them teach a class of first grade students.

Eric has been blessed to be a blessing to others, as he has served on two different mission trips at Cumberland Christian Academy.  In Denver, he worked throughout the homeless shelters to assist those living in poverty.  Eric also served as a missionary in Barbados, where he “performed dramas and puppet shows to demonstrate the Gospel to children in schools”.

As a steward, Eric has credited all of the ways the Lord has entrusted him with his “time, talents, and treasures”.  While Eric notes that he is still in the process of learning about his unique spiritual gifts, he has recognized that essentially all believers in Jesus Christ are instrumental in His ministry.  Every believer, regardless of his or her age or ranking in the church, serves as a steward to the kingdom of Heaven.  One of the most important lessons to us as followers of Christ is that our talents have nothing to do with us; it is God alone who has awarded us these gifts.  I believe that Eric has done a marvelous job in using his resources to glorify God.

Congratulations to Eric in his academic, athletic, and missionary pursuits.  As a follower of Christ, I am inspired by this young gentleman and know that we will hear great things from him.  I would also like to recognize his family for raising an outstanding young man with such a bright future!

Congratulations again to the Lusk family and Merry Christmas to all of our readers out there!

Robert Frost

December 18, 2013

Robert Frost“In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on”.

Have a wonderful day, and remember to encourage excellence to everybody you interact with!

Amazon Drones: Savvy or Just Creepy?

December 6, 2013

The Lone Drone

Perhaps a little bit of both.  If you have not heard the update, Amazon has publicized their future intentions of using drones to deliver purchases within 30 minutes to specified destinations.

To the left, is a photo of a “lone drone” eerily flying in the air in route to a delivery destination.  Aside from the question of necessity, the greater issue may come from a safety standpoint.  Developers are concerned about potential malfunctions in the sensors, which could result in an Amazon drone abruptly landing on somebody’s head!

What are your thoughts on this new idea?  Is it likely to go through, or do you think there will be too many problems to iron out?  As always, please remember to encourage excellence in your everyday endeavors!!

Click below for direct access to the article on forbes.com:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nishacharya/2013/12/05/how-amazons-drone-will-transform-government/

The Newest Element to Spelling Bees in America

November 14, 2013

By: Suzanne Ostrander

spelling beeAccording to a recent publication from Time magazine, Spelling Bees across America are now requiring the contestants to not only spell the word, but to also provide a correct definition.  Interestingly, America is the only country that follows the Spelling Bee tradition, most likely due to the level of difficulty that relates to the English language.

We are often enthralled by the adorable, yet perspicacious youngsters who participate in these competitions.  I often wonder why we limit the competition to children though.  For starters, many of their words would stump me!

How can we make spelling and grammar more of a priority in the workplace?  The key is to raise awareness in your working environment.  Offer annual refresher courses, and require all employees to participate.  Most importantly though, don’t be pretentious.  You may be more educated, wittier, or competent than another person, but knowledge is wasted if it is not used with humility.

In short, don’t “brag” about your superior intelligence.  Chances are, you fall within the category of being human and eventually, your gloating will come back to bite you in the rear!

As always, I encourage each and every one of you to encourage excellence in all that you do.

For direct access to the Times.com article, click the link below:

http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/16/why-americans-need-spelling-bees-and-vocabulary-tests/

Sir Richard Brason is a Failure!

November 14, 2013

Kennesaw, GA – Sir Richard Branson is known for many things but being a failure isn’t one of them.  If you study his accomplishments though, you see how he applies courage to risk big on his ideas.  Sometimes he fails.  But even in failure, he learns valuable lessons that he takes forward.  He weighs the risks and surrounds himself with very talented people.  Sir Richard understands how to “Encourage Excellence”.

Sir Richard Brason “The key to bouncing back is to learn whatever lessons you can from the experience so that you can avoid making the same mistakes in the next launch,” he writes. “This will help you to overcome your fear, take a leap of faith and try again.” Entrepreneur Magazine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH35Iz9veM0

The Most Preserved Mammoth in the History of Paleontology

November 13, 2013

By: Suzanne Ostrander

Uncovered MammothAncient MammothIn May of 2013, the most preserved wooly mammoth in the history of paleontology was discovered in Siberia.  Frozen in a tomb of ice for thousands of years, this mammoth still had hair on his body!  Since the discovery, Tokyo researchers have been conducting extensive research on the extinct creature to shed light on its cause of death.  Further study on the mammoth led scientists to infer  that the creature perished over 39,000 years ago, by getting stuck in a swamp.

Upon further examination of this captivating animal, Japanese researchers are investigating the possibility of repopulating the earth with these creatures.  Due to the impeccable condition of the discovered body, blood and muscle tissue were collected from the mammoth.  Since the mammoth was a female, professionals are discussing the plausibility of implanting its egg into a live elephant for a 22 month pregnancy.

After reading about this plan, my first thought was that it reminded me of the 1993 box office hit”Jurrasic Park”.  If we recall the plot, paleontologists scientifically manipulated a way of preserving the existence of long extinct dinosaurs, including the majestic brontosaurus and the intriguing yet terrifying T-Rex.  As many of us suspected, the achievement was far from foolproof and became disastrous to all visitors of the park.  Still, I will never forget the rush I felt when I saw that glass of water ominously ripple, as the newly preserved and fully alive T-Rex approached that tiny touring car!

In light of the future plans for the recently uncovered wooly mammoth, I began to mentally calculate the pros and cons of such a pursuit.  There are some things that, though possible through scientific effort, may not be the best solution for mankind.  Of course, as a science nerd, I will not deny that the attempt is nothing short of fascinating.

Is it right though?

Did God have a plan and a reason for allowing these creatures to become extinct thousands of years ago? If we do this, then what next?

Again, this is not a complete endorsement nor is it a rebuttal of the idea.  I am writing this to initiate a friendly discussion on the matter.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this!!  Regardless of what happens, I think we can all agree that it is breathtaking to view such an ancient being almost 40,000 years following its extinction.

So, that’s the question I leave with you all.  Is extinction where these creatures should stay, or should we see where science can take us?

As always, remember to encourage excellence in your everyday lives.

Till next time,

Suzanne

For direct access to the article outlining this amazing scientific discovery, click the link below:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2358695/Woolly-mammoth-frozen-Siberia-39-000-YEARS-goes-display-Tokyo-woolly.html

Thoughts from Sir Issac Newton

November 12, 2013

Kennesaw, GA –Sir Isaac Newton, one of our most prolific scientists, worked his way through college at Cambridge cleaning other student’s rooms and waiting tables in the dining hall.  The humble Newton never worried who got the credit for his ideas and this caused other great minds of his day to be attracted to his brilliant discoveries.  Use your mind to seek out new ideas and remember to encourage excellence in everything that you do.

http://www.biography.com/people/isaac-newton-9422656

Issac Newton

“Newton did foundational work in physics, mathematics, astronomy and natural philosophy, and wrote Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica still in print (and avidly studied) more than 300 years after its first publication”.

Bryan

What Do Children Learn From a Parent’s Low Self Image?

November 4, 2013

By: Suzanne Ostrander

ImageAs I opened up my laptop to write today, I planned on writing in another tone- my favorite tone: humor. Simply put: I live to laugh and words cannot express how much I truly love laughing with others.  Looking for inspiration, I skimmed through a newsletter by Ed Foreman.  It was at that time that I realized that something greater was on my heart, and it was captured in a post about how to love yourself more.

As a new parent, I often wonder if I am up to the task of presenting the world to my son in a manner that captures my values as a Christian.  After all, the way I perceive myself effects not only my perception of the world around me, but it also teaches my child how to think.

Let’s face it, not everybody wakes up in the morning ready to walk on the runway.  If we aren’t careful, we may catch ourselves making derogatory comments about the way we look, and our children can catch wind of it.

What are these types of comments teaching our children?

For starters, it teaches them low self esteem! Parents always will be a child’s first and most influential teacher. Always.

Even if we are working through our own issues of self-worth, DON’T pass it on to your children!! Bite your tongue if you have to!  Even better, take measures to learn to love yourself, so you don’t have to worry about letting such self critical comments slip!

Lessons learned from the home can be unlearned later in life, but the amount of effort and years it takes to correct such thinking is enough to make any parent think twice before constantly verbalizing their “bad hair day”. Of course, a bad hair day is sadly a censored version of some of the awful things some parents will say about themselves.

We were all made by a loving Creator who made no mistakes.  Can you imagine how much it hurts God each time we ridicule ourselves?  Our words have power. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “life and death are in the power of the tongue”.  It’s reckless behavior to disregard the power of our spoken words on a daily basis.

Below is one of my favorite poems on parenthood and the things we teach our children.  It is hanging in my son’s nursery now. There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but I pray that I can use this and God’s wisdom as a guide throughout my journey to help me be the best parent I can be.

Children Learn What they Live

By: Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

I am also pasting below the wonderful article by Ed Foreman on how to love ourselves better.  These words of wisdom can serve as a reminder to us all from time to time.  Enjoy! As always, never forget to encourage excellence in your everyday lives.

Eight Steps to Loving Yourself More

Learning to love yourself is the first step toward loving others and effects how you view the world and your place in it. Loving yourself means accepting yourself unconditionally and understanding that in life there are some things that you cannot change. To have self love is not conceited or arrogant but is part of recognizing your worth as a human being. Once you are able to appreciate yourself for all your strengths, weaknesses, talents and flaws you will begin to appreciate these things in others as well.

Here are eight steps to encourage you to love yourself more:

Don’t Nag Yourself: Everyone is his or her own worst critic, but it is important to give yourself constructive criticism. Learn to control the little voice inside your head and cut the nagging.

Believe in You: There is not a soul alive without some talents or skills, including you. Having the confidence to believe in yourself and your abilities will go a long way in creating your successes.

Be Forgiving: Many of us are haunted by our past mistakes and never fully recover from negative experiences or traumas. Allow yourself the chance to heal by forgiving yourself the way you would forgive others.

Express Gratitude: Whether you pray every morning and give thanks for being alive or go through your day telling those you love that you appreciate them, gratitude is key to loving yourself. Appreciating what you have makes room in your life to receive more.

Take risks: A little calculated risk taking every now and then never hurt anyone. Learning to go outside of your comfort zone and try new things can be an instant confidence booster and help you grow.

Be silly: When you were a child you never worried about what people thought of you but somewhere along the way it became important. Learn to face the world like a child again and act a little silly – blow bubbles, make funny faces, sing silly songs. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Let Yourself Be Pampered: Taking time to relax and regroup can have a wonderful effect on your spirit. Whether you get a massage or spend some time listening to soothing music, learn to enjoy doing nothing but letting go.

Honesty is the Best Policy: Being truthful in regards to your wants, desires, and feelings is imperative to loving yourself. After all, if you cannot believe what you are telling yourself, why would anyone else believe you? Do not lie to yourself, instead just let yourself feel what you feel and accept what is.

Information on Year-End College Scholarships!

October 27, 2013

Image

The end of the year is upon us, and there are two separate college scholarships available for around $500 each. 

For consideration, please send your paperwork to 1457 Winterfield Court, Kennesaw, GA 30152

Completed applications must include:
1) A short letter of recommendation from a current professor or teacher;

2) A verifiable record of participation in the arts, technology, science clubs, contests, athletics or other activities;

3) A typed 150 word essay that responds to the question, “What does it mean today to be a Scholar, a Servant, and a Steward?;”

4) A recent report card or transcript.

Best of luck to those interested, and as always, remember to encourage excellence!!

Ethical Interviewing: From the Other Side of the Table

October 27, 2013

By: Suzanne Ostrander

Image

In corporate America, it seems like we are constantly hearing about how to ace an interview, from tips on what to wear to final resume edits.  We are taught the proper questions to ask, and the customary behaviors for following up.

What about the other side of the equation, though?  It’s not unreasonable to assume that many employees outside of the HR department will be involved in the interviewing process. Members of a job applicant’s potential department need to meet and have the opportunity to interact with a candidate, in order to make a well informed decision from the company’s standpoint.

So, where do we draw the line when it comes to how much we allow non-HR employees to get involved in the interviewing process?

It’s wise to remember that HR personnel have been trained on the ethics of holding interviews.  Not only is it immoral to make “false promises” to a job candidate, but it is extremely unprofessional. Unfortunately though, interviewers are giving exactly this type of false hope to applicants all of the time.  Perhaps it starts out innocently.  The interviewer may be completely convinced that a candidate has a position “in the bag” so he gives a verbal promise to the hopeful candidate.

What happens next?  Oops, the interviewer that made these promises didn’t realize that there was a new mandatory test or additional qualification that must be met. Suddenly, the same candidate does not appear to shine as brightly.  Or, it could be that the very last candidate blew everybody away in the interview and he gets the job instead.

If a non-HR employee becomes involved in the interviewing process, it is imperative for he or she to refrain from making a “job promise”.  It’s one thing to have a good feeling about a potential fit, but it should be left at that.

Another possible solution would be for companies to hold periodic recruitment training for all HR and non-HR employees involved in interviews.  It can take years to build a good company reputation, but just moments to destroy it.  If we aren’t careful, we could be sending the wrong message to the people who walk into our doors.

Aside from the ethical issue, I tend to cling to the “golden rule” when it comes to interviewing: Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Let’s face it, we’ve all been on the other side of the table before.  At one point, even the biggest business executive, manager, or CEO was just a young intern or new college graduate applying for an entry level position.  It’s not just the young ones we should be kind to.  What about those looking for a career shift or the people between jobs doing everything they can to find a position to pay the bills?

Regardless of the reason for their job search, no candidate wants to be promised a job one day and then login to Linkedin the next day to read about the person who received the job.  Sure, you could probably get away with doing it, but just remember- at one time, that person was you.

Let’s try and remember to treat others as kindly and professionally as possible when it comes to holding interviews, as well as our interactions in everyday life.  If we are ever tempted to act otherwise, or if we forget, remember Galatians 6 verse 7: “Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. We reap what we sow”.

In other words, God sees everything, and he knows our hearts.  Even though good deeds come back to us, those who truly love the Lord treat others with kindness because it’s in their nature. Our love for God should be our motivation, not the reward.  What’s even better is that when we put God first and focus less on ourselves, God’s blessings seem to be even more abundant.

I hope you are blessed by this message and, as always, I urge you to encourage excellence in your everyday lives!

To read more about the ethics of interviewing, click the link below:

http://mediacareers.about.com/od/gettingthejob/a/Ethics.htm