Christmas Blessings

Whether this is a true story or note, I believe that these kind of things happen at Christmas. And I believe in the power of prayer.

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just
75 cents in my pocket.


Their father was gone.


The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two.


Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.

Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would
scramble to hide under their beds.

He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.

Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no
food either.

If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time,
I certainly knew nothing about it.


I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best
homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to
find a job.

The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small
town.


No luck.

The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried
to convince who ever would listen that I was willing to learn or do
anything. I had to have a job.

Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town,
was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck
stop.


It was called the Big Wheel.

An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window
from time to time at all those kids.

She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the
morning.

She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night.

I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for
people.

I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night.

She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep

This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all
thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.

When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her
home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every
night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.

The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began
to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every
morning before I could go home.

One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found
four tires in the back seat. New tires!

There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.

Had angels taken up residence in Indiana ? I wondered.

I made a deal with the local service station.

In exchange f or his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.

I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him
to do the tires.

I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.


Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the
kids.

I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old
toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for
Santa to deliver on Christmas morning.

Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the
boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big
Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper
named Joe.

A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were
dropping nickels in the pinball machine.

The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the
morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.

When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning,

to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with
boxes of all shapes and sizes.


I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the

front facing the back seat.

Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box.

Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10!

I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans.

Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and
bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and
canned vegetables and potatoes.
There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was
whole bag of lau ndry supplies and cleaning items.

And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.

As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most
amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude.

And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that
precious morning.

Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all
hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.

THE POWER OF PRAYER. I believe that God only gives three answers to
prayer:

1. 'Yes!'

2. 'Not yet.'

3. 'I have something better in mind.'


God still sits on the throne, the devil is a liar.

You maybe going through a tough time right now but God is getting ready to
bless you in a way that you cannot imagine.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards

Let's continue to pray for one another. Here is the prayer:.


Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and email buddies reading
this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power.
Amen.

Craft Shows in Michigan Economy

This post will be a little different from my normal posts about skin.

This weekend I did a two day craft show in Davison, MI selling a jewelry line which has always done well in the past. But this quarter has been a different story.

I left Saturday morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for a wonderful weekend of selling. It wasn't suppose to snow till later in the day and then only about 1 inch so I knew the drive would be easy. It wasn't snowing when I left the house, but as I turned out of the driveway the first snow flakes came down. Looked at my watch - no it was only 6:50 a.m. so that couldn't be snow. Well the snow was coming from the west, and oh yes I was heading west north or do you say northwest? Directions are not my forte so that's why I have a trusty GPS system that tells me where to go. Without it I am totally lost.

So my easy drive was more of a nightmare with lots of pretty snow and no salt trucks in sight. Took longer than anticipated but still smiling. Trust me unloading merchandise for a craft show in snow is not one of my favorite things. The perfect hairdo is now wet and soon to be fuzz but still keeping a positive attitude that this will be a great day, different than the past 2 months because we are close to Christmas now.

It snowed ALL DAY non-stop so of course that kept crowds away. Or would they have come had it not been snowing? I've been watching a trend here especially this quarter, crowds are much smaller than in previous years. My wireless credit card machine has been gathering dust except for the occasional debit card. In previous years saw very little cash exchanged, but this year cash has made a big comeback. The one phrase I heard a lot this show was "I have to look thru the entire show to see what purchase (note not plural) I want to make. Only brought so much cash". And the purchases were for other people as gifts, not shopping for themselves.

When I walked the show all vendors/crafters had their merchandise on large discounts. That was the only way they could make sales. Now for many vendors/crafters this is their only means of income since they have been downsized from their jobs. So there were a lot of unhappy faces I came across, worried faces.

But I was smiling, why? Because jewelry is a side line for me. My main concern is skin care with a direct sales company that has been awesome. The products work, the doctors are well known, people want to keep their skin looking good (skincare does not decline during recessions), and the gift I can offer people of having a good business in this decline makes me feel good about the business opportunity I am offering them. The timing is good because companies like this thrive during recessions. I know that I am helping people and that makes me smile.

The company, Rodan and Fields Dermatologists. If you want more information check my website or contact me and I would be happy to talk with you. http://cevans.myrandf.com or email me at carolevans19@gmail.com.

Stress and Wrinkles

We all are aware of how stress can affect our bodies...headaches, upset stomach, etc. And in the past few weeks many people have been under unbelievable stress with foreclosures, stock losses, and such. But did you ever consider that stress also creates wrinkles and in a matter of weeks you could look 5 to 6 years older. Ouch!

Well there is something you can do about it. Take time to pamper yourself. Do deep breathing exercises. And speaking of exercise, yes that's a great stress reliever. Learn to sleep on your back because those creases in your morning face will eventually become wrinkles. Read positive books and have positive thoughts.

And take care of your skin. Rodan and Fields Dermatologists have a great Anti-Age line that will actually change the width and depth of your wrinkles. http://tinyurl.com/5u2f72

History of the Tan!

Before 1930 tanned skin represented the working class people and you did not want to be associated in that category. The whiter the skin the better!! In fact, at one time women took arsenic which made them become anemic and therefore very pale. Wow! Talk about extremes!!

In 1930 bathing suits covered almost everything. Maybe a little knee showed now and then. But Coco Channel changed everything - by accident. She was the fashion icon. She had been on a yacht for several days and had inadvertently gotten too much sun on her face. When she stepped off the yacht, the paparazzi were there to capture a tanned face. So began the search to get the perfect tan.

Bathing suits shrank and no longer was the tan associated with the working class. Now it represented the leisure of the wealthy class. As suits got smaller and smaller, skin cancer increased.

There is no such thing as a healthy tan. The uva rays penetrate deep and cause damage that can't be seen for years but is just lurking there ready to come out. I have a tool that can show you the damage that is under the skin. It's not what you see - but what you don't see. What you can see is just the tip of the iceberg!

Good News - Rodan and Fields Dermatologists has a regimen that REVERSES the damage caused by the sun. It is called.....drumbeat......REVERSE! (Imagine that) and it WORKS.
Check it out at my website www.cevans.myrandf.com or email me at carolevans19@gmail.com and I'll be happy to answer your questions.

I really want to help you, because it has helped me so much and I believe in "paying it forward".

THoughts on the Economy

I received this article today from David Neagle and it really made me think. What the media is telling me does not have to be my reality. I can see it completely different.

Here's the article:

What Do YOU See?

When THEY say the economy is bad, it's up to you to determine if that will affect your outcome and your life. If you see easy times and wealth, they will be yours. If you let others control what you think, you become a slave to their false beliefs.

One of my favorite authors is U.S. Andersen and I want to share with you something he wrote in 1961. This rings so true for us each day of our lives - the beautiful truth it contains will transform your life... if you will let it.

What do you see, even when people of authority tell you what they want you to see?

"It is an established fact that a half dozen people can stand on a street corner and each see things that are imperceptible to the others because of the different qualities of their consciousness. One person might be a realtor and be primarily concerned with the value of a vacant lot. Another might be a doctor and be preoccupied with the erratic gate of a pedestrian. Another might be an advertising person with their attention focused on a vacant billboard atop the drugstore. Still another might be and old lady concerned with the speed of the traffic. There might be an automobile salesman whose attention is riveted upon the new model of a competitor. There might be a contractor who observes that the drugstore needs painting.

Such a list is endless. Because of the infinite variety of the human species, it would surely be impossible for any two people out of any number of combinations to see exactly the same things on the same street corner. What we see is the result of our consciousness. We see only that which we are.

There is no liberation from this fact. It is the basic law of existence. It can be used to restrict consciousness or it can be used to expand consciousness, but work it must, and always. By using it, and we cannot help using it, we either shrivel our souls or expand them, there is no in-between. We are cursed or blessed from within, and upon the judgment seat sits our ego, a false judge to be sure, an illusion to begin with. When we subordinate ego to spirit, then we are able to expand consciousness and increase awareness, to fully use the law of growth and power. But as long as the ego remains king, that long will we be slaves to a tyrant which imprisons our consciousness within narrow boundaries."

Remember nothing has to be as THEY tell you it is. THAT reality doesn't have to be YOUR reality.... It doesn't have to be YOUR life.

I for one will choose my own reality. I see people needing and wanting the help I can give them with the Rodan and Fields skincare lines. I see them lining up in front of me wanting the gift I have to give them. Whether it be product or the great business opportunity. I see Success and growth. I see a great future!!!

TIME

Haven't been here as often as I would like to be. It does appear that time is a big factor in my life right now. Never enough of it. Probably I am wasting a lot of time thinking I am accomplishing great things.

So when this came across my desk this morning, I thought I would share it because I can't be the only person wanting more than 24 hours a day. :)

EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT DETERMINES SUCCESS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everyday you make an investment of your time in your chosen activities.
You cannot save time for later use.
You have to use it as it comes.
And you only have 24 hours to each day.

Try to get the most out of the time you have.
Focus your efforts on doing those things that will have the most significant impact on your life and your work.
Do the important things first and stay focused on them until they are done.

Nothing makes you more effective than your ability to stay focused.
Challenge yourself to stay focused.
You'll be amazed at how much you'll get done, when you actually work the whole time you're working.

Your time is precious and cannot be replaced.
Use it effectively with focus and get things done.

Don't serve time, make time serve you.
Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com


One thing that will save me time is our brand new website. It is finally user friendly!! Have you seen in yet? My new site is www.cevans.myrandf.com Check it out!

Next blog I want to talk about Sun Damage and how it can be reversed. VEry Exciting!

TIME

Since my birthday was just past, I have spent moments pondering time and where it is has gone. Also I have been reviewing how much time I waste instead of doing my business. Then this morning this came across my desk and I thought Wow!


YOU ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH TIME IF YOU USE IT WISELY

Your dilemma goes deeper than having a shortage of time, it's basically a problem of priorities.

Most people leave undone those things that should be done, while they do things that they shouldn't be doing.

Set priorities for your goals.
A major part of successful living lies in your ability to put first things first.
Most major goals are not achieved because people put second things first.

Is what your doing getting you closer to your objectives?
Anything that is wasted effort represents wasted time.

Don't serve time, make time serve you.
Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com

So I hope both you and I will re-examine our goals and priorities both in business and in life.
I know I will.

In the future I will be using this blog to increase your knowledge of skincare concerns. So keep in touch.

Carol

TODAY IS THE DAY!!

This is the face of 60. Wow! Where did the years go? I really don't feel any older than 35! And how about that skin? Smooth, and even. My secret? Rodan and Fields Dermatologist Skincare Lines. So glad I was introduced to them.

Tip: Want to get less wrinkles? Learn to sleep on your back. When you sleep on your stomach or side those creases become wrinkles!

Tip: for staying young - dance, dance, dance and stay active.

So I guess I'll get use to saying I'm "60" and be proud of it.
Age is relevant. It is the spirit that is your true age.

Getting closer

Tomorrow is the day. I turn 60. Kinda scary. Can't figure out where all those years went.
But the good news...when I look in the mirror I do not see an old face staring back. Thanks to Rodan and Fields my skin looks great.

The brown mask I've had for years because of 12 years of Estogen Replacement Therapy and Sun,called melasma IS TOTALLY GONE!! My skin is brighter, tighter, younger and the compliments I continuously get is gratifying.

Whatever your skincare concern, I can help you look your best too.

You don't exist for yourself

Received this today and thought it worthwhile to post here.

YOU DO NOT EXIST FOR YOURSELF

Your success depends on the support of other people.
The only hurdle between you and what you want to be, is the support of others.

Put yourself in another's place,
and you'll know why they think and do certain things.
You can succeed fastest by helping others to succeed.

Always think in terms of what the other person wants.
You'll get everything in life that you want if you'll help enough other people get what they want.
Doing things for others always pays dividends.

You're not an isolated island.
You're a piece of the planet, a piece of the universe.
Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.

When you help someone's boat across a river, you'll find your own boat has reached the shore too.
Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com


If I can help you with a skin problem or raise you up emotionally, I would be blessed.

carol

New Day

The first day of my new blog. How exciting!! As I awoke this morning and looked in the mirror, although getting older...my skin has never looked so good. Hooray!