Cartoon of the Week

From the Augusta Chronicle by Rich McKee.

I've always been told that the Republicans were the rich people. Where is all this $$$$$ coming from?

Economy

“It’s not the economy out there that is the problem, it’s the economy between your ears that is the problem.”

-Zig Ziglar

My dad took me to first see Zig Ziglar when I was in 4th or 5th grade. At a young age I didn't always understand what he was saying but I did understand the difference between people with a positive attitude and people with a negative attitude. The positive people were the ones with money and the negative ones were broke.

I'm with Zig. I choose to enjoy a booming economy regardless of what the rest of the world chooses.
For more "Zigisms" go to www.zigziglar.com

"May you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers." -Paul
(for more on Paul see The Bible)

Biden on Joe the Plumber

Dear Senator Joe Biden,

I don't think that you can afford to make fun of Joe the Plumber on national TV. No, I don't watch Jay Leno's show but many of us in Ohio do. None of us appreciate it when someone who is trying to get our vote makes fun of one of us.

I don't care what the polls say, YOU LOST VOTES because of your condescension! Thanks for showing America what a pompous a$$ you really are.

Sinerely,

Teresa the Taser Lady

I already have a Savior!

They let anyone be a Congressman!

Some of our members of congress say the dumbest things!

"Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So you just think this through." Congressman Alcee L Hastings

Are you serious, Congressman? Do you really think that because one hunts that they have no reguard for human life? What does a moose have to do with a Jew or people of color? Obviously, one doesn't have to take a logic test prior to running for office.

I tote a fire arm and a Taser Device but I've never stripped a moose. Does this make me a danger to others? Or am I okay? Give me a break!

Change

Count Down (up) to Independence Day #6

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall not fight alone. God presides over the destinies of nations. The battle is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, ALMIGHTY GOD! Give me liberty or give me death!"

Patrick Henry

Count Down (up) to Independence Day #5

"You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe."

President John Adams

Count Down (Up) to Independence Day #4

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

President James Madison

II Samuel 22: 31-33

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried. He is a Shield to all those who trust and take refuge in Him. For who is God but the Lord? And who is a Rock except our God? God is my storng Fortress; He guides the blameless in His way and sets him free."

II Samuel 22:31-33 Amplified Version

Count Down to Independence Day #3

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God....I never doubted the existence of the Deity, that He made the world and governed it by His Providence....The pleasures of this world are rather from God's goodness than our own merit....Whoever shall introduce into the public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world."

Benjamin Franklin

Count Down to Independence Day #2

"Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waive
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

Frances Scott Key
Rarely Seen Last Verse of "The Star Spangled Banner"

Countdown to Independence Day #1

"My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!"

President Thomas Jefferson

What the ...

A news story title from the last few days that made me say "What the..."

"Girl, 12, Charged with Distributing Pic of Classmate" FoxNews

So tween and teen girls are taking nude pics of themselves and each other and sending them to friends.
If my son was to receive something like this, I would insist on criminal charges and would probably file a civil suit.

So what would you do if your son or daughter sent or received porn pics?

Challenge

I challege each of you to fast one or two meals per week. Of course you should consult your doctor if you have health concerns. Work through lunch 2 times this week. Make extra sales calls, do that 'thing' that you have been putting off or just go for a walk. Make sure you drink your water you need to stay hydrated!

School's Out

Wow, I can't believe it's June and school is out for the summer!
All the kids that I've barely seen since last August have reappeared in my pool. I don't really mind because it means that I know where they all are and what they are doing.
What do you do with your kids in the summer? Or if you are a kid what do you do with your parents in the summer?

Be safe!

7 Reasons to Love Indy

No, not Indiana Jones. IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500!
Why would this NEO WAH mom become an IndyCar racing fan?
Well...

1. No male enhancement commercials. If you want me to change the channel, play that 'Viva Viagra' commercial every 10 minutes. Who in this country hasn't heard of these drugs and what they do? Is there REALLY a need for these?
2. No trash talking drivers. In the interviews that I saw, each driver told the viewer how good they are not how bad so-n-so is. When they were asked about another driver, they showed some class and found something positive to say...or at least they didn't trash each other.
3. Limited beer commercials. As a mom, I really don't want children (or adults) to think that you have to have beer to have fun. (I hope you didn't just learn something new)
4. Helio Castroneves. Have you seen this man smile? 'nuf said.
5. 3 Girly Girls. Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher and Danica Patrick are three woman drivers that prove that you don't have to sacrifice feminine beauty to be tough.
6. Ethanol. Yep, these cars run on ethanol. I keep hearing that if we run our cars on ethanol, the price of food will go up. Well, maybe our farmers could make a decent living. C'mon folks, some one's getting wealthy when you fill your gas tank. Wouldn't you rather it was an American Farmer?
7. 220+ MPH in an open car. That's what I call Crazybrave.

Well, I watched this out of curiosity and now I'm looking forward to this Sunday's race. I hope I don't have to retract any of my 7 reasons to enjoy this sport. That would be a bummer.

Oh, for those of you who were hoping that "Indy" stood for Indiana Jones...maybe next week.

Economic Stimulus

This is the story of three women that received their economic stimulus check.

The first woman deposited her check in a savings account at her local bank earning 1.5% APY. Because inflation averages 3% per year, she is actually ends up losing money. NO STIMULUS

The second woman paid down a credit card which in turn lowered her monthly payment giving her $30 extra per month to buy gas for her car. This is good for a while until the holidays come and she uses that credit card which puts her right back where she started. NO STIMULUS

The third woman invested in a home based business. She researched products and companies until she found one with which she was comfortable and found a current, active representative that could mentor her in her new venture. She started her new business and doubled her money in a few weeks. She invited friends to join her in her new venture because she can only be in one place at a time and needs help. Because her friends are also marketing this business she starts to receive commission checks from her supplier. These checks continue to grow as she invites more women to join her and those women invite their friends to come along.
Through the power of duplication (plus time and effort) she has taken a few hundred dollar investment into a multi-million dollar business that has changed her economy for life!

Now THAT is economic stimulus!

Sarcasm? Me? Nooooooo

I recently read an article by Paul Coughlin who is also the author of "No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps: Raising Secure, Assertive Kids in a Tough World".


In the article that I read he covers Parental Sarcasm.


I find it very interesting that I happen to find this article 2 days after I blogged about my 7th grade teacher's damaging giggle. Ya see, my husband and I are the King and Queen of sarcasm. When I read the title "Parental Sarcasm is no Joke", I was immediately convicted.


I thought, "What have I done?!? Have I scarred for life? What can I do to fix it?"


Coughlin calls sarcasm a "double edged sword, able to spark laughter as well as inflict pain..."


He does point out sarcasm's good side. The prophet Elijah mocked the priests of Baal in I Kings 18:27. "At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout Louder!" he said, "surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." This is my favorite use of sarcasm of all time! ;)
Jesus also used sarcasm with the Pharisees. "You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but you swallow a camel." (Matt. 23:24)


If you notice in these examples sarcasm is directed at the stubborn, self righteous and arrogant, but never against the weak or wounded.


Too many of us use sarcasm to wound without it appearing like a wounding. Then we say, "can't you take a joke?"


Since reading this article, I have tried to curb my sarcasm habit, not just at home but with everyone.


"The tongue has the power of life and death," (Proverbs 18:21)


I want to speak words of life. Words that are of encouragement and empowerment, not wounding mockery. Anyone can be rude and laugh but those of us who are children of The Most High need to choose our words for carefully.


I guess, grandma was right, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." (unless it's to the priests of Baal or the Pharisees) ;p








You can find out more about Paul Coughlin by visiting http://www.family.org/ .

Balancing work and family?

Hi All!
Balance between work (even if it is from home), family, household duties and your man can get stressful!
My friend Lori has some great insights so check her out...

http://primchic.blogspot.com

Strike One and You're Out!

Only one strike? Even baseball players and criminals get three strikes. So why do we have this idea that if we try something once and don't succeed, we should just quit?

When we went to school, the subjects were reading, math, science and social studies. We learned the material and took the test. Unfortunately this system of education requires the correct answer the first time. We really learned, whether we realize it or not, if your can't get it right the first time, you are a failure.
I actually had a 7th grade reading teacher that would giggle when a student made a mistake. I often wonder how many of her students won't read aloud or speak in front of a group. (I know I didn't for 20 years. When I was forced to read or speak, I would hear her giggle if it wasn't perfect.)
What Bondage!!!!

So what did it take for me to get past this "One strike and you're out" mentality?

Watching a baby learn to walk.
Unless you are a horse, you did not walk the day you were born. Nor did you at ten months of age stand up and start walking because you saw someone else walk. Learning to walk was a trial and error process. Did you take one or two steps, fall then say, "forget it, I'm just not meant to walk"? NO! You saw others doing what you wanted to do, and you worked at it until you got it.

What if we addressed all our falls and failures as if it were a learning process like walking?
What could we accomplish in our lives if we would give ourselves permission to miss the target on the first try? What if every time we made a mistake, instead of beating ourselves, we heard Billy Joel singing "Your only human, you're supposed to make mistakes..."
Then...
What if we gave each other permission to be the person that we were each created to be? What if we encouraged others in all things as if they were learning to walk? Instead of giggling like my teacher, what if we gave permission to take ones time and encouraged others to try until they got it?
I guess, we would being singing "What a Wonderful World".

One strike and you're out? No way, the first ten swings are just a warm up.

National No Housekeeping Day

Wow! I heard it is National No Housekeeping Day.
I'm all for this! I choose to participate in this! Unfortunately, I had already done laundry, dishes and cleaned the bathroom prior to finding out. :(
Maybe I can use this as comp time for tomorrow.
Northeast Ohio is having a beautiful day so I believe I shall go outside! Is gardening the same as housekeeping? It IS keeping the outside of the house.
Hmmm maybe I'll grab my cellphone and set appointments from a lawn chair.
This is what working from home is all about! (try that in an office)

First Rant

Okay, I belong to a few networking sites and groups online. I try to remember that the moment you get a bunch of women together, you automatically get pettiness. (guys, don't be so fast to agree) One business owner asks an honest question about a dilemma she is faces with in her business. Many people respond to the question. The answers were many and varied.
There is always one person that attacks EVERY answer and accuses the person with the question of being indiscreet.
It's amazing that some groups are very professional and others...
The crazy part is I always get the best advice to my questions from the "others".

If you work from home and miss the drama of an office, join a networking site that has a bunch of women!

PS--If you think this post is about you...get over yourself...it's probably not.

More New Beginnings!

Most people are smart enough to hybernate in NE Ohio in February.





I initally went out and started to tell the world about my new venture. Then the snow started and didn't stop until March. Also, most people would ask if Empower Her Parties had a website. So, in February I learned how to register a domain name, set up a shopping cart, add a security certificate and upload images. When you are with a direct sales company you just call the corporate office and they give you a site. When it's just you...it's just you.





It was a great stay at home project while the rest of Ohio battled the weather and gas prices. People ask if I miss going to an office. Are these people serious? I think they are referring to the social aspect of an office. (I'll save this topic for a future post)



I really have to thank the tech support people with my server. They were very patient with me when I had no idea what their terminology meant. They walked me through a lot! It's a good thing they are there 24/7.



My site still has a long way to go before I will be saticfied but this is just one more "new beginning" for me this year!



I also hired my friend Mara Robinson the owner and creative director of Spinning Wheel Creative Communications, LLC http://www.spinwheelcom.com/ to write a press release for me. She is just so creative and can really paint a picture with words that as you can see...I can not.





Of course all the snow meant more skiing for our family! By the end of February, I no longer needed muscle relaxers to get out of bed the next morning! (always a plus)



Oh, I also started to actually sell some products! That IS the whole point of a for profit company, right? I know I love my C2 Taser Device and I enjoy helping others enjoy the same level of personal security.

More on this to come...


Remember you are too blessed to be stressed!

The Year of New Beginnings

Wow! I can't believe that we have just finished the 1st quarter of 2008!

So far 2008 has truly been a year of new beginnings! I personally have experience Many new beginnings!

On January 1, 2008 Empower Her Parties was launched! www.empowerherparties.com This has been an amazing journey that has introduced me to people and concepts to which I may never have been introduced otherwise.

Also on January 1, 2008 I learned how to downhill ski. I have always wanted to do this but never had the guts. Yes, I fell quite a bit but by the grace of God I survived. Now our family has something we can do together in the winter months. For the first time in a LONG time, I am actually happy when it snows!

January always brings a new CL Jewelry catalog. This Spring/Summer 2008 catalog is so awesome! And...I promoted to Director after 2 years at Unit Manager this was a great breakthrough.

January 28th, I sat down with my first cup of coffee of the morning to watch Benny Hinn. I had no idea that as I put on TBN that morning, my life would be transformed forever. Sure I expect The Word of God to transform but this was a Radical transformation! I also believe that when the student is ready, God will send the teacher. On January 28th, God sent me a teacher by the name of Dani Johnson. If you are ready to lay aside all your excuses for why you can't succeed in life, go to www.danijohnson.com . If you like your excuses and want to stay broke, busted and disgusted, don't waste your time.

Wow! What a great first month! I experienced in January more than some do in a life time!

What are you waiting for? It's the year of new beginnings! Step out of your comfort zone and DO SOMETHING that you have always wanted to do. We still have a lot of time in 2008!

Be Blessed to be a Blessing!