Something fun and new for me to try

Okay all, since the stress as of late has just about done me in, I decided to get back to doing some fun things. One of those things is using my journalism background to write features on really cool people who inspire me and uplift me as they live their everyday lives. Some of them you will know and some of them you will not. But I can say this about each and every one of them, they have touched my life in some way.

I'd like to do a couple a week so I'll be looking for volunteers (or maybe I should say guinea pigs) to write features on. All I ask is this, if I come knocking at your virtual door, consider opening it up and letting me pick your brain to find the story in you......

A Woman Without Guile

Websters defines guile as "slyness and cunning in dealing with others - craftiness."

And although the world seems to be full of it at the moment, I can honestly say that I have met at least one woman without guile. She is a mother, a wife and a historical fiction author. And she has a great sense of humor, a radiant smile and is an amazing friend. But most of all, she is so pure in spirit and intent that I'm certain you can see the glow popping out from all around her.

She is Tristi Pinkston.

"The most beautiful thing I've ever read in an obituary is 'she was a woman without guile'," said Pinkston. "That's what I aspire to. I don't want to live a life of pretense. What you see is what you get - I may not be all roses and sunshine but I'm honest with my feelings. Someday, I want someone to be able to truthfully say that I was without guile."

That day has come.

Part of Pinkston's charm is her bipolarity like when she says that she loves my motherhood motto (Motherhood is like being pecked to death by a duck) or another she heard (Good mother's let their children lick the beaters but REALLY good moms turn the mixer off first) but subscribes to the one which states simply, "It's harder than you ever imagined , and yet, more joyful than you ever thought possible."

Or when she freely admits that she's judgmental (but trying to change) and would like to physically change her girth but in the same breath admits that she wound not change places with anyone since she believes with all her heart that Heavenly Father sent us to Earth to be exactly who we are and to face our specific challenges so we can gain th greatest blessings. She knows that if she traded paces , she might miss out on all the blessings in store for her.

She would not be a good candidate for Wife Swap. Although the other guy would be getting a gem for a week, she would never accomplish much since she'd be in her room missing her family too darn much.

The dichotomy that is Tristi Pinkston is clearly defined when she admits that the thing she most wants to keep from the world is how vulnerable she is but yet, when asked to give a synopsis of her life in three sentences or less says, "Charming vivacious girl wows and astonishes all with her wit and intelligence, leaving them jealous of her incredible ability to win friends, influence people, and amass large gifts of jewelry."

Here's the kicker,....she doesn't really mean it - but she does accomplish it.

Humor for Pinkston is a way to connect with others and to hide her truth, that she really does feel vulnerable and yet she will never, ever put her own needs ahead of anyone else's even if it does mean getting ahead.

And this is why I say she truly is a woman without guile. Anyone who knows her well also knows that she doesn't care about the jewelry unless it's treasures in terms of her family (her dear husband and four precious children) and her friends. And for the record, she does influence people as she inspires them to be better.

Even in her writing, she is giving. She made a commitment long ago that all of her books in some way would point to Christ and the hope He offers since she believes that is what art is for - to remind us of the creation and the Creator of all. And literature after all, is art.

She writes historical novels because she learns while she researches and wants to shed light on those things that modern day history books have forgotten. She also wants to give her readers that same experience - to be entertained while learning.

And she has managed her goals beautifully in the two novels that I have read ; Nothing to Regret set during WWII and Season of Sacrifice set in the early pioneer days.

She also masterfully weaves hope and faith into her stories. Even her first foray into novelization Sue the Dog was about overcoming the odds. "In the end, Sue reaches her dreams of becoming a ballerina," Pinkston said. "That's really hard for a dog to do, you know, the toe shoes and all, so there really was quite the dramatic triumph."

Yes, I can honestly say that Tristi Pinkston is a woman without guile. In all the conversations I've had with her, she amuses, and inspires. And guile nor any other negative element has ever been a part of them.

We should all aspire to be as such - but not necessarily become Tristi since, first of all she'd not swap places and let someone else steal her blessings and secondly, the world would be a much sadder place without Tristi to spread her magic and brand of good cheer.

You can get to know Tristi Pinkston better by linking to her blogsite at www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com