Wednesday was a first. I helped out with the filming of an episode of TLC’s “Home Made Simple,” a life improvement show that descends on a family and helps them with meals, décor, and household projects.

My friend, mother of three, and fellow author, Arlene Pellicane, bravely submitted her household to the “Home Made Simple” mavens, and she invited me to help out with a craft project for the redesign of her son’s room.

I assisted Wanda, the design expert, with a steering wheel clock and a glow-in-the-dark street sign with Ethan’s name on it. All of this to compliment his new race car bed! The big reveal was yesterday, and I bet he hasn’t yet left his room. A little boy’s mecca.

Arlene and I met ten years ago when we both worked in the Creative Services department at a local non-profit. She was sunshine then, and she’s every bit as warm and lovely today.

Her first book, 31 Days to a Younger You, releases in January (you can pre-order it on Amazon already!), and Arlene and I have enjoyed sharing the unique journey of first-time authorship together.

She doesn’t know it, but Arlene has been a beacon of generosity in my life lately, a quality that is difficult to come by in our industry and in our culture in general. It’s too easy to have a deficit mentality when it comes to success, as though one person’s recognition and exposure eats into the limited quantity available in the world.

Arlene’s table is abundant. She shares her opportunities (“Home Made Simple”). She shares her blog (she featured a piece about me on her blog for Veteran’s Day). She invites me into circles she has worked to build. She relentlessly and selflessly talks up my book to others. And, most of all, she encourages me to keep going.

She’s quick to give.

I want to be more like that. Not just for the karma—though I’m sure Arlene’s is very, very good—but because it’s beautiful and counter-culture and of God.