AVON Advanced Techniques Lotus Shield

I have been going crazy to do a give-a-way, so instead of waiting for the 4th of July, or even for July 25th (6 month countdown to Christmas), I decided to go ahead and have one … just because!

AVON has a BRAND NEW product coming out in Campaign 17, I bet you can guess what it’s called… :) Yeap, Advanced Techniques Lotus Shield. It stops frizz in its tracks! I am giving away a 1 week supply!

So, if you have absolutely the worse UNRULY hair, frizzy hair, live in a high humidity area, then I need you to enter this give-a-way! I need your honest feedback on this product, even if you don’t like it. OK!

All you have to do is leave your name with your email address in the comment section OF MY BLOG. YES, on my BLOG, not on my facebook page!

IF you do not have a blog,after you click the word “comment,” all you have to do is click “anonymous.” IF YOU CLICK ANONYMOUS AND DON’T PUT YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN THERE, THEN I WON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE! I know that seems elementary, but you’d be surprised :)

Lets see, it is 8:31 P.M. Central Time. I’m going to close this out on Thursday night at 8:31 P.M. Central Time.

The winner will be announced Friday morning!

Campaign 14 Orders Due Monday, June 28th!

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Habitat For Humanity

On Friday, July 1st, our family has a meeting with the selection meeting for Habitat for Humanity.

This is the final meeting before the recommendation (or denial) before the board.

Now, there are several areas of prayer:

One would be that if this is what the Lord wants for us, then it would be so.

Two, please pray specifically for Christopher. By the time evening we are meeting he has no medication in his system and it is too early to give him his night time medications.

Three, Kaitlyn has developed a fear of strangers.

Four, we have one car, it barely fits the five of us, moreless six ..... (that's the least of my concerns though cause I have a list of ya'll I will be calling to help us out ;)

Five, please just pray for our family. We have really been under the missiles lately, well, seems like for the last couple years to be honest with you, and quiet frank ..... I am weary and tired.

I will, of course, update as soon as we know something. I do not know if there will be a meeting with the board this same evening, or if it is a different night.

Thanks.

Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Video

Please take the next few minutes to watch this vide clip. (Don't forget to scroll down and pause the music I have playing so you can hear the words being spoken.)

Every 9 seconds someone is being abused.

I'm a survivor. Is it time for you to speak out?! There is hope.

YouTube - Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Video

You Mean My Ways Aren’t His Ways?!? LOL

My kids wake up between 4 and 6 a.m. nearly every day; with that said I rarely get a "quiet time" first thing in the morning, BUT, this morning, the Lord gave me that blessing.

I use several translations when I read and study my Bible.  This morning I read out of a Bible I purchased shortly after giving my heart to the Lord, "The Life Recovery Bible.   It's written in the New Living Translation.  It's not marked up much as I used it mostly to read as a story, so I could begin to get a grasp, or try to somehow begin to comprehend this "book" that breathes life.   Another reason I purchased this particular Bible was because it is written as a "12 step program" that is Christ based, with devotions throughout the Bible that carry you throughout the entire Bible.  It is a glorious and fabulous Bible to read and study if you are interested in "getting back to the basics."

Anyway, I tell you all that because of two verses that just jumped off the page, they are verses 30 and 31 of Proverbs 21.  Now, I have read that chapter several times; but reading it in this translation ..... it just spoke volumes to my soul.  What's so crazy are these two verses are "things" I already know, however; having the Lord use them to remind me has been very comforting this morning. 

Verse 30 reads, "Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the Lord."

Verse 31 reads, "The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."

I am a planner.  God made me that way.  I get very, very anxious when MY plans do not go as I have "planned."  Over the last few months, the Lord has shown me time and time again that my ways are not His ways.  My busy schedule of doctor appoints and therapy sessions and AVON deliveries while carrying for everything else was about to push me to the end; so, as crazy as it is, I've cancelled the therapy sessions for my kids that take place twice a week because I have to be home.  I am not making ANY deliveries for AVON except on Wednesday and Saturday's ..... and if that doesn't work for my customer's, then that's OK.  The Lord will take care of my business and He will take care of the customer's that need different needs.  I'm OK with that.

Now, I  need to state I do not believe that we are not to make plans.  I believe schedules and order of services are needed to maintain structure and some sort of sanity to life; HOWEVER, what I have to do is be sensitive to the Holy Spirit that is within, and when He sends me on a DETOUR, remember my ways are not His ways and He has bigger and better things for me than I can even imagine.

So, I am thankful for the hour I had of solitude this morning.  I'm thankful for Memaw as she helps me fold my two baskets full of towels and I'm thankful that while my spirit is weak, I am girded for battle, and praising God for the Victory!

Where He leads me, I will follow :)

The Spirit of AVON Award

I've struggled with sharing something very special that happened in my life last month because I didn't want to seem proud or boastful, so I kept it to myself, until recently. I shared it with and friend and she said, to explain it the way it all happened, and anybody reading this, that knows me, that knows my heart, will know that I am not sharing this to be prideful, but thankful.

I started selling AVON in April 2009; that's right, just over one year ago. In less than a year I made President's Club (sales totaling $10,100).

I did not start selling AVON to set records, reach goals, or become anything to anybody. I started selling AVON because I needed an excuse to have a life outside my home. I know that seems shallow, and I'm sure some of you are probably reading this and thinking, "You got married and had those kids, they are your life so suck it up." Well, that's just fine and dandy, and you are right; with that said, I had closed everyone out of my life, and it was beginning to affect my spiritual life. I found myself yearning for a drink to try figuring a way to get through. I had to do something.

I looked seriously into selling three things, AVON, Tupperware, and Mary Kay. I couldn't afford the Mary Kay kit and didn't have the energy to build a clientele with Mary Kay so I struck that one out first. The next one to go was Tupperware. What made AVON so appealing to me was I have always heard, "AVON sells itself!" Then when I found out the start up cost was only $10! Hello! That's all it took! I was ready to sign up.

I knew absolutely nothing about AVON at all when I started selling. I had to teach myself, and AVON offers free training online to all AVON Representatives. I bought samples. I started using their products. I found what worked for me and used what I liked. Then I got my daughter using them, and so forth.

Several months ago, I started asking myself, I guess telling myself, "Lord, I am not doing anything for you anymore. I'm not teaching. I'm not attending any more Most Excellent Way meetings..... what good am I doing for you?" I mentioned my concern to my husband. He felt my plate was full with my family and helping with my mom-in-love (this was even before she moved in with us). I said, "OK," and left it at that. Shortly after I started praying, "Lord, please let my AVON business be my ministry. I pray you will let me touch lives throughout the world with AVON and that this will be my doorway in." He is doing just that ya'll. He is honoring that prayer. AVON is my ministry. In fact, with as many customer's as I have, and making P.C., I took a loss on my taxes last year. Why? I gave so much away to people that didn't have. Do you know how rewarding it is to bless someone in the name of Jesus that can't do for themselves?

I love my AVON family, customer's and representative's alike. With that said, that's what this post is about..... The Spirit of AVON Award.

At our yearly President's Club Recognition Luncheon, many awards were given out. It was a fun time for all of us.

As Earl was reading, Earl is the Southeast District Manager, the description of the Spirit of AVON Award, my eyes swelled up with tears as my heart yearned for that to one day be me.... that one day the Lord would honor that prayer and let me touch the lives, to one day find me worthy and use me to bless others ... that He would give me a chance to share the testimony of His love ..... His grace ...... His mercy..... by saying, "Ding Dong, AVON calling!"

Well, you can imagine the surprise, when Earl called the name, "Stacey Paden of District 1275!" If any of you know me, you know I am not often speechless, but ya'll, I was not only speechless, I was shaking. I think my heart had crawled up my throat and there was a lump the size of Texas in there!

The Spirit of AVON Award is a special award as it is the ONLY award NOT merited by sales. It is merited by service and honor. WHOA. The Lord granted a heart's desire within moment's of a silent prayer.... how amazing is that!

I've scanned my certificate. I don't have a picture of me with my trophy. I don't know if you can even read the certificate, but I just really wanted to share this special memory and occasion with ya'll.

I pray the Lord will continue to use me each day, with each person's He allows my path to cross, in order to bless them and to be Jesus to them.

Thanks for letting me share. You know, my only wish is that I had opened up and shared this earlier as my grandmother would have known about it too.