Most of you know I love shoes and I always have.  My mom said I arrived in them the day I was born.  I am sure they were leopard stilettos!

From the time I could walk, I could not wait to wear heels (you can check out the photo on I Once Was A Pageant Queen to attest to it) and I drove mom crazy asking her to let me start wearing them.  I have a love for shoes, but frankly it is fashion altogether I love.  Friends always ask me why I dressed up so much and I was honest and said I love the way I feel when I am in heels!

As I walked past the purse and shoe department on this Thankful Thursday, I was reminded that sometimes we have to say Shoo to the Shoes and the stuff in life that is keeping us from achieving financial wealth and freedom!  I want to be a savvy, sophisticated saver!  That is my goal – to learn to spend less and save more.

Winters has lovingly, on occasion, said the Little Black Dress can spend money, can make money, but can rarely account for money. Ouch, but sometimes the truth hurts.

So on this Thankful Thursday I am not talking about cutting coupons, but you certainly can if you want too.  I am talking about an overhaul to your spending attitude toward money.  We must become really wise women when it comes to money.  We as women need to be not good in this area but fabYOUlous!  We have got to be savvy and smart .

Yes, sadly we might have to just say shoo to the shoes and the things that are keeping us from our financial freedom. Again this might sound funny coming from a gal who loves her accessories and her stuff. But let’s be honest, we must be wise women with our financial future and wealth in mind.

I have been reading a terrific book and I  highly recommend it called,  Shoo, Jimmy Choo by Catey Hill.  It is a funny, clever and well written book.  The girl knows her stuff and nails this topic!  It is written a bit more toward the single city girl but, oh, it is so worth the read and you will certainly laugh and possibly cry when you calculate how much money you have waisted away over your lifetime on magazines, shoes, and so more.

In just the short time I have read it, Hill recommends many things to get your spending habits on track and here are my two top favorites:

First, set up a spending diary and see where every penny is going. This is a great idea for the LBD and probably all of us!

Second, decide what kind of spender you are:  Emotional, Impulsive,Compulsive, Absentminded, Social, It’s On Sale, Reward Spenders: ~Ouch! Again I think I am all of the above.

Bottom line Ladies we all know that knowledge is power!  On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful Winters is so patient.  We have always tried to live on cash and no credit cards. Thank God. God put me with a saver!

But I think it is time we all get hardcore and say shoo to the shoes if it is getting in the way of wealth! Whoo! I really did just say that and I mean it. Shop in your closet, make your own latte, eat in rather than out and live life to the fullest!

Be blessed and encouraged on this Thankful Thursday as God gives us strength to say shoo to the shoes if we need to!

On this Thankful Thursday this is my prayer for you,

Go out into the world in peace.

Have courage.

Hold onto the things that are good.

Do not return anyone evil for evil. But give strength to those who are fainthearted, helping those who are afflicted

and giving honor to all of God’s creation.

Go and love the Lord.

Rejoicing in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Go in Peace

Dear friend, If you face this Thankful Thursday a bit worn out, and overwhelmed by life I pray this prayer encourages you.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday and remember you are loved!

This is unusual for him because he is usually calm, cool and collected.  That is unless he see a scary movie.  But today was different. It was different because he was running for a position as a 4-H officer for the fifth grade class.  Trying out for anything can be a bit unnerving. And he was indeed nervous.

As he worked on his speech and rehearsed it to us, he confessed he was a bit scared. Really, I think I could have told him that.

Then the what if’s started to come …

What if they don’t choose me …

What if they laugh at me …

What if I forget what to say …

What if I do not make it like the Eldest Son not making the soccer team last week? What if I don’t make it too?

Life is full of what if’s, isn’t it?

What if I get fired …

What if I lose my  house … We all too have a list of what if’s.

But after a moment of reassuring him, Seth simply said “Will you pray for me”

Great thinking Seth!, And I quickly broke into prayer.  I am so glad he thought of that.  Prayer should be our first resort and not our last.  Why didn’t I think of that. Ok, it was early and I must have needed more coffee!

“Let’s pray about that” is what I say.  He is taking my line and Praise God he is.

Life is full and we become distracted by all of its many issues.  But on this Thankful Thursday my heart is filled with joy that the middle Son of Thunder suggested prayer.  Just as his oldest brother does all the time.

Maybe I am rubbing off on them. Raising men of prayer, how awesome would that be.  I could not  imagine a greater gift! My mother would be so proud them.

So once again this week is much like last, win or lose, we can always trust our future to God on this Thankful Thursday and always know we are safe in the cross of Christ!

So be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we remember to bring all things to God in prayer because He cares about the smallest detail of our lives – even the winning and the losing.

P.S. There is no editor today so be merciful!

Be blessed

There were two sons and their father was an alcoholic.  The one son became an alcoholic just like his father and his life ended in ruin just like his father.  The other son never drank and was a  happy and successful businessman, father and husband.

When the first son was asked why he drank too much and his life was falling apart,  he replied, “my father was an alcoholic so what other choice did I have?  I am just like him and what else would you expect from the son of an alcoholic?”

The other son, when asked why he never drank, said, “my father was an alcoholic. I did not want his life and so I chose a different path.  What else would you expect from a child of an alcoholic?”

Two sons, same father, two different lives.

What kind of life do you want?

What kind of life will you seek?

You do have a choice!

Don’t let others dictate your future by the past choices they have made.  Create the future you want and start living your fabYOUlous Life today.

Trust the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we look toward the future that God has for us! A future and plan for hope and not for harm!

You may call it something else at your house, but we call “It” that.  The thing you feel when you know you can’t take one more step, one more move, one more phone call not returned, one more whatever.  It is when you’re flat-out “spent”.

You have nothing left to give yourself – or anyone else for that matter.

To be honest friends, I have felt that more than once in the last several years.  Starting over a life is not easy. Losing my parents, who were such strong Godly pillars in my life, and simply having to make so many decisions about our life and life’s work has been flat-out exhausting at times.

But I know many of you are walking through the same journey as Winters and I are.  I also know it could be even harder and I am grateful it is not. On this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for the friends that have chosen to stand beside us and face our future, or “giants” as Winters calls them, together with us.  I am thankful for those friends that say” how can I help,” and “what can I do,” or simply “I love your latest post or Winters’ interview”.  Words that speak hope and words that speak life to weary journeyman.  I pray I give the same encouragement to you and those I meet.

In Everyone Needs A Sam, Winters writes that many will go to the mountain top with you.  There are many who want to tag along when you are important, but few will walk life’s dark valley with you.  He talks about those faithful friends that will join you in your lowest and darkest hour as you are searching for a  light switch, and they bring the flash light.  I pray I am that kind of friend, packed with a flash light and willing and ready to turn it on at a moment’s notice. I thank God for all my flashlight-carrying friends.  You are a blessing to us.

We have been on the mountain top of success and we have been in the deep valley of despair.  We have been rich and we have been poor.  But as the apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content no matter the circumstances.”

This past week was a week of reflection.  That can be a good thing, but only if you come out the other side with more perspective and understanding.  And so I did, have more insight and perspective that is.  I wish some of the events of the past could have been different, but they weren’t and if they were different I would probably not be sitting here typing this post.  So again, I have a deeper appreciation for the here and now.

Winters is a deeper, more compassionate and wiser man than he was and for that I am so grateful. Because of the path we have chosen Winters Writes.  It is his gift.  His calling. Non-conventional as it may be.

I recently read a phrase on an artist friend’s business card the other day, it simply read:

“Sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one”

I love that.

I think it can be so true , often we have a plan. We think we know what we want and we head out on the journey, dreams packed, prepared and ready. We have great plans.  However, along the way you find an even better one.

New passions, new purpose and new opportunities may pop up right in front of us and we must be open and willing to see the new dream God may have for us.

If the word of God says “He will give you the desires of your heart”, then the way I see it He will either give you the desires of your heart or change your heart’s desire.  I really do think it is that simple.  There may just be a new dream God is just trying to birth in your heart and life.  It might be right around the corner. One prayer time or devotional away from being birthed.

So if you have “hit your wall,” you have lost your “whatever” and you feel completely spent and on top of that you are afraid  your dream is just out of reach …

Be open.

Be willing.

Be restored and renewed.

Ask God for eyes to see and just wait, any moment your friends will start turning on their flashlights.

You are not alone.

On this Thankful Thursday dear friends, be renewed as you step into new purpose and new dreams! Because frankly maybe the new dream is better than the old one anyway.  And thank God for the friends with flashlights.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday as we remember that what ever we are walking through, God has not been taken by surprise, you are not lost, but found.

And the Dream, whatever it may be, is still alive and well in your heart and soul whether it be an old one or a brand new one!

Frankly, I must bee honest.  I shielded mine.  I shielded them from the pain and hurt I knew they would feel if they watched the videos and heard the recounted tails of horror.  But that really all came to a head last week when we watch the unthinkable happen again to the Twin Towers.  The middle SON vowed to never fly.  The SONS were all holding back tears and tears were indeed the right emotion and yes, followed by anger.

The show we watched was indeed graphic.  They were not ready.  I was not ready.  I never was and never will be.  But in the moments before I could say “cover your eyes” or “leave the room,” we saw human beings falling and jumping to their deaths.  That is just really hard for children to comprehend.

Real life.  Real death.  And as I explained to the SONS, this is not some war game on your play station or PSP –  this is real life.  And real life has some very dark, horrible and grievous moments in it. And this was certainly one.

I remember many things about my mother, but  every year as we approach the anniversary of 9/11 I can remember her calling me like it was yesterday.  Mom was a native of New Jersey who had frequented the streets of New York for years, with horror in her voice as she said” Turn on the TV a plane just flew into the Twin Towers.” She knew right then and there it was no accident.  I assured her it was an accident and she simply said “No Corby, this is no accident.” Her voice had a sound unlike any sound I had ever heard from her before.

Her voice resonates in my mind every time I think of 9/11.  None of our friends or family were lost that day.  All those we personally knew in New York or New Jersey were safe.  However, several of their friends were killed

But it was early this morning I watched such an inspiration message about Lauren Manning, who survived 9/11 and had burns over 82% of her body. An amazing women and amazing story.  Her book is entitled  “Unmeasured Strength”.

In the interview she said  the following things that so stood out to me on this Thankful Thursday:

1. I made a conscious decision, a very conscious decision, to live that day.  I became determined to heal.

2. I have reconciled that I live with vast degrees of imperfections

3.  And I’ve learned to inhabit the body that I have

4. I am more relaxed with the notion that not everything turns out the way we think it should

5. I am more forgiving and patient

6.  We can be touched by a tragedy but not be held by it!

Amazing how the human spirit can triumph over tragedy.  This woman is beautiful from the inside out!  She said she chose to live that day. Others did not have a choice.

Wow amazing life-giving words on this Thankful Thursday.

Later I picked up the morning newspaper and  it said that at 1:00p.m. on Sunday they were asking all Cowetans to observe a time of remembrance by ringing bells and sounding sirens.  The very thought of that then as I read it, and even now as I write it, brings tears to my eyes.

A city full of bells and sirens.  Ringing in honor the lost  that day.  What a beautiful thing to do for such sad moment in history.

I feel certain on that horrible day ten years ago, the angels of God were ringing bells in glory and sounding horns as they ushered in so many to heaven.

On this Thankful Thursday, I pray that you are blessed and encouraged and that you hear the message of hope in the midst of all the tragedy.

I don’t mean just any old dream like a vacation or the desire to have a new car. No, I mean your heart’s deepest longing and passion to do what God has created and called you to do.

Let’s be honest, sometimes dreams are just that, fantasies that we imagine and create in our minds.  They are unrealistic illusions or distractions from a life where we feel such discontent.  But how is one to know a fantasy from a real heart’s desire?

On this Thankful Thursday I am reminded that real dreams are simply the things we were created and called to do before the foundation of the earth. A man knows deep in his spirit man what his heart’s longing is to do.  You just know.

I think of the movie, Chariots of Fire, when Eric Liddell said he felt God’s pleasure when he ran or Billy Graham changing a nation and a world because he had a purpose greater than himself driving him to change the world for Christ.  These are not easy dreams to fulfill, but dreams none the less.

God’s purpose for our life is compelling.  Our desire to fulfill our purpose is also compelling.  It is a yearning deep in the soul of each of us.  Others may see it and some may not, but  that does not make it any less real or true.

God is asking for obedience as we attempt to walk out and fulfill our purpose.  If fulfilling our purpose was easy, then it would be easy, but it is not.

Not only will there be people in your life that will believe your dream is folly, there will be distractions and yes, self-doubt too. There will be many road blocks to ultimate success.  And even the word success is subjective.

Stepping into purpose requires many things.  You must be unwavering in your faith and commitment to your dream, your passion and your purpose.  You must keep your eye on the prize and the goal – whatever that may be for you.

Sometimes you must be willing to lay the dream down for a season or for a time.  That season might feel like forever, but the purpose is never gone.  God will give you the courage to lay the dream down until He can raise it up out of the ashes.  Sometimes we have to lay it all down for Him.

If a dream is that important to us  we must  be willing to lay it all down for the dream and for God’s purpose to be fulfilled in us.

I am sorry to say that some of you reading this post will never find your true purpose.  You will never identify your gifts and what God ultimately created you to do.  I pray that is not so, but then again it is possible because we care too much what others think and fear becomes the norm.

The other night we watched one of our favorite golf moves of all time.  The movie was full of powerful unforgettable messages.  The SONs endured life lessons galore from Winters and myself.  You know,I simply could not resist myself.

The Greatest Game Ever Played~ A story of a caddie in 1913 has a chance to play in the U.S. Open as an amateur.  His father, not understanding golf and a working class man, cannot understand his son’s foolishness.  He cannot see his son’s true talent. So often in life that is the case.  Urged to play, the young caddie does play in a small tournament.  His father is so annoyed by this foolishness he basically makes a bargain with his son, that  if  he loses the match he must get a real job and give up golf forever.  That is pressure to say the least.

The father at one point says, “let go of this fantasy and make peace with your station in life.” Those are painful words, but words I think many have had spoken over them in their lifetime. Yes, let go of your dream, your purpose, your passion and wake up and get a real job.

Francis, the young caddie, gives up the dream after losing the match.  He takes a shop job in the local town and a part of him dies. He got that real job his father spoke of and he resigned himself to his station in life, but not really.  And no one really won and no one was really happy either.  Not his father, his mother and most of all, not Francis.

One day the young caddie throws all care to the wind and picks up his clubs and commits to play.  Again, no one is really happy.  With Francis’s fear of his father’s disapproval and most of all the fear of being cut off from family and friends,  our young caddie steps into his purpose and picks up his clubs again and goes for the dream with all his heart.

He won the US Open in 1913 and beat out the most seasoned golf professionals of their time.  Francis Ouimet chose to not make peace with his station in life, he changed it! It takes courage to walk toward a dream; especially a dream that looks completely unrealistic, but isn’t that faith? Doesn’t the apostle Paul describe faith as believing things that are not as though they are.

Finding the time to finish the dream will not be easy my friend.  Stepping into your purpose and fulfilling God’s call on your life will also not be easy.  But God did not call us to an easy life, He called us to greatness!

Last night Winters had the opportunity to be on Atlanta Live to talk about his books and his passion for helping others grow deeper in their faith and in their relationships with God and others. It was streamed all over the world on the world-wide web.  How awesome is that! Just a little show in Atlanta but a big part of his bigger purpose.

It was a moment.  Twenty-four years of writing and years of work all converged in 24 minutes with one host on live television.

You  and I may never be on TV.  We may never write a book.  But whatever God has called you to do, do it and do it well! Do it with confidence, passion and determination.  Don’t give up on your dream, I promise you God certainly hasn’t.  He believes in you when no one else will.

So on this Thankful Thursday I am thankful that John Winters has been obedient.  I am thankful that although we have many times been weary we have not grown weary of doing good and doing what we feel He has called us to do.  I am thankful that God has made provision just as I know He has made provision for you.

I am confident that the Lord is saying “well done my good and faithful servant.”

So dear friends, be blessed and encouraged on this Thankful Thursday as we celebrate our dreams, our passion and purpose and we don’t give up on God’s call on our life whatever that may be!

You all know I am passionate about helping you and women across the country stay healthy and happy.  Frankly, it takes a lot to be healthy and I have a lot to say.

Bottom line – to truly live a healthy life takes work!

For some women it easier than for others.  For some they may struggle in one area and for others, it is another. I have one friend who simply thinks about losing weight and it melts off her.  I have other friends who will hike the North 40 and see very little results. But that is why this weekly post is a series to keep encouraging you that you can achieve your goals.  It is to serve as a reminder each week that you can be healthy, whole, and  a fabYOUlous You with some simple how-to’s on healthy living.  

Let’s be honest, you and I both know that there have been times in our lives when we were healthier than at other times.

I know for all of us there were times that feeling FabYOUlous came quite, well, shall I say easy and other times it was more difficult. Right?

Birth, death, grief, change, hurt, moving, divorce, infertility, death of a dream,  job loss, job change and financial uncertainty and so much more can all affect our healthy lifestyle.

One of the greatest culprits to healthy living is stress. Which all of the things I mentioned above will cause. That is why each week I write this post to encourage you, to empower you and to equip you with proven principles and tools that you can easily implement into your daily life to stay healthy.  I want you to live your life with purpose, exude confidence, and have an overall sense of well-being!

As we approach the new school year, now is a great time to make some choices that are for you: choices that will help you stay healthy.

First, set some goals. Goals are a good thing and keep us on track.

With school, now is the time to get everyone on board. For example, everyone at our house is going to bed earlier to get ready for getting up earlier in the morning. Everyone needs their rest, especially moms.  Summertime can put your schedule in chaos so the sooner you get on track the better for everyone.

Evaluate the summer food habits that you want to break.  If it is time to go back to Weight Watchers, a group I love and totally endorse, well, then get signed up and fast.  Start looking at the pantry and the refrigerator and evaluate the food you are consuming.  This is key.  Eat to Live not Live to Eat! The famous line at our house is we want to be healthy!

Again re-evaluate your alcohol consumption.  If you have been downing too many summer cocktails, ladies, they are not worth the calories, weight gain, expense, possible embarrassing behaviors and usually the typical headache the next morning.

Also you have to get moving, yes it is time to get moving. Have  you put your workout on hold because the kids are home? Then think about your workout plan once school starts.  We must move these old bodies.  They have to stay active.  So go for it, get moving.  I love the buddy system, but if you don’t have buddy then grab the iPod and go!  We got the Sons all new bikes just to get them all moving and I must say it worked!

As we embark on this new school year another great way to stay healthy is learning to say “No.”  You will be asked to do a million things at school, church, home and everywhere else in between. Say “yes” only to the things that are good for you and your family.  I often say I try to only do things that make my life easier and do not complicate my life and make it more difficult than it already is. So say “no” when you need to and do not feel an ounce of guilt.

So dear sweet friends, as we approach the new school year I hope today’s post is just a quick reminder of some of the ways to stay healthy, live well and help you to continue to remember you are FabYOUlous!

Be blessed and encouraged as you remember that one simple act today can change your life forever tomorrow!

Dream!

Discover!

Create… Believe… Think…Act…Live

And most of all pray!

These are some very powerful words that can empower you to make the most out of your life.  They can cause you to hang on, dig in and believe even when you don’t think you can.

These words inspire and encourage the human heart.

If you feel you have lost hope and you do not feel you can find your way.

Remember to Dream… to Create… To believe and to most of all pray, yes, pray for God to guide, direct and order your steps.

On this Monday I pray that these words will fan the flames of your faith! I pray you will be inspired to hang on and let God change the world through you!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as you never forget your passion and your purpose!

Summer is winding down and the munchkins are getting restless. They want their backpacks, school supplies and to get things organized.  It is important to get them organized and we need to get organized too.

A schedule and a routine is a mom’s best friend.  A calendar is a must for a busy and of course, beautiful, mom at that. You might even want to add some pretty post-it notes as well. 

The children may have concerns and reservations about the new year.  Make time to talk to them about those concerns and reassure them that everything will be ok.  Even if the mean bully winds up in their class again this year.  Talk about the exciting things this new years holds for them.

I recently heard a great tip too, which was to buy a book for your child when you run into the store. The Sons of Thunder love to read so I  thought I would try it out. This was a  HUGE HIT!  They have been buried in the books all week!  Yes, it cost a bit more, but it has got them reading and reading is something that is good for them and they love it.  Remember knowledge is power and the best way to achieve knowledge is through reading.  But I’m sure you already know that! 

Here is another tip to all you moms, It is my last tip for today. Make time for yourself and fit into your schedule doing something you love!  For me, that includes painting, getting a massage or just taking a good old hot bath, a walk, writing or even reading a book.

Yes, a good book. It’s hard to believe but I have said before how much I love Success Principles by Jack Canfield and I love reading it every day. The 450-plus page book has just been truly awesome and I am almost finished. I really hate for it to come to an end. I urge you to buy it today it is really worth the read.

 But all women are different. For you it might be hiking, running, drawing or going to the library.  But most of all remember to not ever  lose yourself in motherhood.  Remember who you are and what you love to do.   You will be a better mother when you carve out some “me” time.  At our house we always try to follow the “everyone deserves a moment even if it is just a moment” rule.

And fear not dear friend, the laundry will always be there waiting for you when you return from your “me” moment!    

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we relish motherhood  and our munchkins. Oh Yes and that school will be starting soon!  Hee Hee