It would be a real CURSE IF...

...our kids don't learn to read and write in Cursive!

I cannot believe that schools don't teach cursive writing anymore!  Seriously?!? That's one of my fondest memories from grade school - and I seriously can't remember much LOL.  I loved those notebooks with the dotted lines and the examples of how to perfectly write every letter in CURSIVE.  I bit my tongue like kids do when they're really concentrating and gave it everything I had.!!

I've always loved writing - and by that I mean simply writing.  I love just about anything handwritten: notes & greetings,  journal entries, study notes (Man, I love to take notes!) and checks (yep, you heard me), and little love notes to my hubby and cards to my Mama... I think you get the point.  I have a bunch of JOURNALS 'cause I simply cannot get enough of them.  They are so beautiful and so BLANK and ready for WORDS.  Ohhh the possibilities!

Our SIGNATURE is a part of us - right? And I know that FANCY NANCY has a beautiful, curly-girly signature that looks just like her!  Don't you love getting a letter in the mail and you recognize the handwriting right away and get excited?  How sad to no longer get letters simply because it's easier to type an email.  I know I'm OLD SCHOOL - and proud of it - but I just think our kids are in danger of missing out on something so precious.  I still have notes  my husband wrote me when we were 18.  I can't possibly keep a TEXT that long?  Ya gotta clean that stuff out!  Oh, and how I love to look at my scrap books that have greeting cards from my family when I was 13 years old!!  Ya just can't buy that, people.  I can't keep an online greeting card forever, and it robs me of the joy of seeing the personality of my loved one in their handwriting and signature.  Please don't get me wrong!  I love to receive online greeting cards too.  Any effort one makes to let you know they are thinking about you is amazing. I simply hope the handwritten part doesn't go by the wayside in this tech-savvy generation.

I don't know what ya'll are gonna do but I've decided I'm just gonna have to KEEP WRITING!  If you feel the same please let me know.  I NEED to know I'm not the only one. LOL  I'm quite certain I'm not!

I realize that I'm actually BLOGGING this post on the lost art of HANDWRITING, but I think that's my point.  Blogging is good.  Texting is great! Email is wonderful!  But, it's not the ONLY WAY.  Every now and again how about you surprise and delight someone with your very own handwritten note.  I GUARANTEE they will love it and you'll feel awesome.

So!  Here's to the written word.  It would be a real CURSE-IF we stopped writing with our very own hands and relied solely on our computer keyboards to communicate. 

WILL YOU JOIN ME?  Let's keep CURSIVE alive people!  Teach your children. There's not much better than a handwritten note from a child is it?  A handwritten sentiment truly is a beautiful thing...even when it's completely illegible. LOL That just makes life more interesting and keeps us on our toes.

If I could I'd sign my name right here in beautiful black ink. 

My AVON Calling!

My last entry was April 20th.  Remember "You want me to go where?"  At the time, I was being drawn like a magnet to Avon Leadership but so afraid to take the leap.  See, I'd taken the leap before when I first started my Avon business back in 2007 and it didn't work well at all so I was afraid to leap again.  Afraid to trust myself. What if I'm wrong? What if I can't do it?  What if I fail again?  Big noise in my head, but God's quiet voice persisted.  Avon. Leadership. Empowering Women.  Serving. Go. Trust me! 

All year long God has been calling me out of my COMFORT ZONE.  Never before have I been more sure of His mission for me than this one of getting outside my comfort zone.  Well, I'm officially OUT, honey!  I started my Leadership path in April and have 1 Representative on my team so far.  I was away most of May so I'm really just beginning.  I have SO much to learn and I'm really excited for the opportunity to Empower women with Avon.   I love my AVON business and I love serving my Customers!  Now, I get to help other women build their own businesses too. 

People need JOBS.  They need OPPORTUNITIES.  And, AVON is a great opportunity.  If you know of anyone who would like to hear more about Avon please share this post with them.  It would be a pleasure to serve them.

I'd especially love to speak with Retired Women looking for opportunities to continue working and using their gifts.  At our AVON AWARDS LUNCHEON last week the TOP WINNER of the day in terms of awards and recognition was over 80 years old.  She is gorgeous and full of life and was absolutely loaded down with trophies.  And, the best part!? She was applauded and honored for 40 years of building her Avon business.  I want to sit down and have lunch with that woman, and so did every Avon Representative in the room. Where else do you see that?   She's not the only one.  With Avon it seems your age, your wisdom and your years of loyal service are applauded rather than discarded or looked upon as "no longer relevant".  Ahhhh, makes you crazy.    Imagine a woman forced to retire before she's ready getting an opportunity to put her talents and skills to work in her own business!!  Imagine what she could do with no-one telling her "no". Ahhh, now I'm all excited. 

I was humbled and honored to receive the SPIRIT OF AVON award this year and it has set the standard for my new Leadership business.  The SPIRIT OF AVON is one of giving, serving, teaching and blessing. It's the best possible award I could have received and I'm truly grateful.  The recipient is chosen by our District Manager (that's Becke on my right) and presented with a beautiful trophie and Certificate outlining the Spirit of Avon creed.  While I feel completely unworthy of such an honor I am truly grateful.  It's humbling indeed and raises the bar on this Avon Lady's calling!  That's a good thing and I intend to keep it in view as a means of holding me accountable to this blessing. Thank you, Becke!  That's Brenda, my Unit Leader on the Left.  She found me at a Women's Expo back in 2007 and we were set up next to each other (I was selling  my Tote bags).  I had been looking for an opportunity and there she was right next to me.  We talked Avon all day and I signed up 2 weeks later.  (I am not a cheap date! LOL  I do not make these decisions lightly.  Sorry Brenda!)

AVON is not perfect.  Nothing is!  But, it is an awesome opportunity and I'm proud to be able to share it with you guys. And, can I tell you, it's just plain FUN.   It really is. So, PLEASE pass this little blog post on to anyone in your world who could use a little beacon of hope and opportunity.  Trust me when I tell you, you never know where it may lead! Anything is possible!!!

Have a great week.  Thanks for letting me share my AVON Calling!

Penny

(P.S.  The purple leopard print dress is AVON.  I got to model it at the Awards luncheon fashion show and they let me keep it.  Color me happy!!!)

You want me to go where?!?

Ever feel like it would be just so nice if you could stay home inside your cozy 4 walls and just "be"!?! Me too!

But, this morning in my Bible reading (Exodus 2-4) I read how God told Moses "I've got a job for you, and it involves leaving your safe little world and going out to help some people who are in desperate trouble. They've been crying out to me for help and I'm sending you!" What do you suppose was Moses' response: "Oh, God. I'm not the person for a job like that! I don't have the skills, I don't speak very well in front of people and they will not listen to me!" And God's response? Moses, who makes mouths? Now go ahead and do what I tell you. I'll be with you and I'll tell you what to say." LOL I just LOVE that.

Today, if you're feeling like you just don't have what it takes to do what you KNOW God is leading/asking you to do, please remember this. God is the best BOSS we're ever gonna have so we're probably gonna have to trust He knows what He's doing. Somehow the world tells us that your "calling" will feel absolutely right and perfect and you'll just know "that's what I was born to do." But, Moses story makes me wonder. He WAS indeed born for it but he just didn't know it yet. He had to learn on the job but he had the raw skills and passions and abilities God needed for that particular task. He was born for it...literally...but He DID NOT SEE IT COMING!
And, frankly, in the beginning he wanted no part of it! But, then there was this "calling", this voice that he couldn't get away from, this task he was scared to death of, and this GOD who was way ahead of him. LOL Thank goodness!!

If you'd like to read more of his story it's in the Old Testament, the book of Exodus. AWESOME story of deliverance at the hands of harsh task-masters who have no regard for the personal life of their employees/slaves, but GOD heard their cries of "THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS". And, that's exactly where it began for me about 10 years ago. I thought I knew God before but I had NO idea how awesome He is until I started reading His Word. Exodus was one of my first books and I just GOT IT. I decided on the spot I'm not letting WORK KEEP ME from getting to know God and spending time with Him. There's not enough room here to tell you what He's done for me since. Maybe next time. LOL.

I'm feeling a little like Moses today and thought maybe you do to. I hope this encourages you as it has me.

Have a great day!!

Hang a sign on the door, "GONE FISHIN"!

This is a picture of my Dad fishin'. I adore this photo because it shows him in a posture of peace and contentment doin' the thing he loves so much. It is in the fishin' boat he finds peace and quiet, a wonderful respite from his work. He is THE hardest workin' man I've ever known and he taught me a wonderful work ethic. He and Mom both did what was necessary for their family going above and beyond duty every day.

This photo makes me think of the days when the shop owner simply hung a sign on the door sayin' "Gone Fishin'! Be back later" and we would just have to wait till they got done. Now, we'd be tweeting, and facebooking and shopping elsewhere 'cause in this day and age we WAIT FOR NO-ONE. We've completely forgotten how to wait, I think.

But, I tell you somethin'. I still believe the best things in life are FREE and worth WAITING for. I'm not always good at waiting but I'm grateful God gives me ample opportunity to practice. He is a Master at waiting! Waiting on me to give him a few minutes of my attention. Waiting on me to abide in His Word and listen to all the glorious wisdom He has for me. Waiting on me to forgive so I can be forgiven. Wiating on me to love as He has so lavishly loved me! I could go on and on but I'll simply end with this.

How 'bout we all hang a sign on the door today saying "Gone Fishin'" and just sit down a spell. Grab our Bibles or simply sit in the quiet and listen for His still, small voice to break thru the craziness around us.

Like my Dad on the lake, just be still and wait for that big fish, that big catch of the day! Feel the breeze and gentle rocking on the water, and listen for that awesome, glorious, and oh so sweet & gentle voice of Jesus saying "Come to me and let's just rest for a while. Abide in my Word and I will abide in you."

I hope you "go fishin'" soon. I'm always up for a good "fish" story.

Hmmm. I think I'm havin' fish for dinner. LOL. Happy fishing!!!

Does anybody answer their phone anymore?

Good morning. I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter weekend!! It was wonderful on this end and I'm so grateful for the beautiful weather.

So! Is it just me or have you noticed no-one ever answers their phone anymore. We all have cellphones and blackberries, and I-phones and whatnot, but I can't get anyone to actually pick UP the phone. I find myself leaving voice mails but rarely actually having the pleasure of hearing the voice of the one I'm calling to speak to. Sometimes I'm calling just to say "hey", I'm thinking about you. And sometimes, it's to say "Avon calling! can I get anyting for you this week, or can I help with anything.

I have to say I do get my Mom on the phone because she comes from a time when you actually did pick up the phone because "it must be important." Believe me, I get the whole screening your calls thing, or being so busy you couldn't possible pick up the phone, or simply not wanting to talk at the moment...maybe it's the climax of the movie. LOL.

But, I confess it strikes me funny..and kinda sad...that we have so many ways to be "reached" but we don't seem to be able to simply reach out and say "hey" anymore.

So, here I am on my blog saying "hey" I hope you get the party you are trying to reach today...or at least they call you back soon. And, I really just wanted to ask "is it just me?"

Have a great day!! Oh, and "Hey!"

It's a "Good" Friday!

I received a gorgeous E-card this morning from a dear friend. Hope you can access it from here.

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=3425681342126&source=jl999

It's funny, because I had planned a Blog Post for today called "This Bud's for You" or "Everything Old is New Again", inspired by my walks this week thru my neighborhood. The trees full of buds and flowers full of blooms I'm in awe of God's landscaping skills and amazed at the Redemption and Revelation I see in Nature. Perfect timing for "Good Friday" right?

The Petunia's on my terrace came back to life after lying dormant all winter and it's thrilling to watch that happen. I wasn't sure they'd survive but couldn't bear to throw them out. I'm SO glad I didn't. They are just beautiful. All they needed was a little time, patience, love and most of all someone willing to believe they could indeed RISE AGAIN.

Today is GOOD FRIDAY and a gorgeous one it is here in Nashville. Jesus showed us all, through His sacrifice for us, that we can indeed RISE AGAIN. He paved the way, payed the price and opened the door to Eternal life with a most loving and gracious God, in a place where the Sun and Moon are not necessary because HE provides the LIGHT! To quote the song by Mercy Me, "I can only imagine...". "Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus. Oh for grace to trust Him MORE." Oh for grace to love You more because You are worthy of SO much more from me.

I celebrate with Him on this Good Friday because He took my hand and pulled me out of the darkness into His beautiful light, and I am eternally grateful. You showed me what Redemption looks like, what it really means to be born-again, and taught me that it is ALWAYS possible to RISE AGAIN. Redemption is a most beautiful thing...like flowers that rise again after being dead for the winter. And You proved, dear Father, that (as the Bible says) "your mercies are new everything morning." Oh how grateful I am for that!!

For years I felt like those petunias; tired, dried up, withered and not at all sure I could be what I once was, or was born to be. But then came Jesus. "Come to me and I will give you rest" you said. And you have...and you do...and I love you!!! To quote the Psalmist "You have turned on my light. You have made my darkness turn to light. Now, in your strength I can scale any wall, attack any troup." Hallelujah!

Happy Easter everyone. It's a "Good Friday" indeed!!

"When God Writes Your Job Description!"

I came across a great article yesterday while thumbing thru my old issues of "Discipleship Journal". I've kept them for years and they just keep on givin'.

In this article, the writer shares how she finally got her priorities in order when God finally got her attention! She asked the reader to:

List your current roles & responsibilities (all of them)

Cirle the ones that are a good fit for your gifts & passions.

Underline the ones that bring significant frustration or hardship.

Ask God to help you determine which ones you're giving too much time & attention to and which ones need to be higher priorities.

Identify one way you could begin making adjustments that God reveals

Brainstorm the benefits of making that adjustment.

Now! Ask God how He would like you to move forward...what's the next step?
(excerpt from Discipleship Journal, article by Dale Hanson Bourke, issue July/Aug 2007)

This gave me much to ponder and I thought you might like to do the same. I don't know about you, but if there is anyone I want writing my Job Description it's God! He is a Master Leader and Teacher and knows just how to get the best out of me...when I'm not being stubborn that is.

Hope this helps you the way it did me. Have a great day!!

COLOR BLOCK Rocks! My new Monogram PBT!!

I love COLOR BLOCK and am thrilled to see it's everywhere this Spring. I noted in my Etsy store that this Tote was inspired by an episode of The Lucy Show(the ones with Mr. Mooney). She was wearing a gorgeous Navy Coat (over a shell and skirt of same color of course) with bright green lining. Her handbag was the same shade of Navy with green trim. Gorgeous! Don't know why I love that but I do. So feminine and classy. I immediately saw this PBT in my head and made it the next day. I adore Hot Pink and Black!

And, NOW I can offer MONOGRAM too! I'm working on various color combinations (including Lucy's Blue & Green) as we speak and I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS. What favorite COLOR COMBINATION would you want to "get the Word out" in? Whether it's the WORD, your WORK, or WEIGHT WATCHERS, my Color Block Monogram PBT will serve you well! It's super sturdy and LOVES BOOKS so load 'er up! LOL.

Either way, I'd love to hear what you think. Have a great day!! And, stay tuned for more fun COLOR BLOCK Totes from Penny Bennett Totes.

This HOT PINK and BLACK is in my Etsy store now! ($32; $42 with Monogram)

Have a "colorful" day! It's FRIDAY people!!!!

www.PennyBennett.Etsy.com

13 going on 30! Where's that Little Girl within??

Ever seen the movie "13 going on 30" with Jennifer Garner. Watched it last night and was reminded of how I lost myself in the Corporate crazy life...more importantly I lost the little girl within me who loved to laugh and have fun and viewed life thru a lens of joy to be had. Many insecurities and fears as all little girls have, but the capacity for great laughter and joy and got pushed farther and farther down with every climb on the Corporate ladder. Strange how that works, isn't it? All the validation and rewards and satisfaction for work well done, while all the while getting farther and farther away from the person you were born to be.

Now, in Jennifer's case (in the movie) she was just in too big a hurry to grow up and got her wish. As life (and God's wisdom) would have it she should have just taken her time and enjoyed the moment. There's plenty of time (God willing) for growing up so why are we in such a hurry??

The best part of the movie is watching her re-discover all the joy and creativity she had as a young girl. After losing it (or giving it away) she is given a second chance to be the woman she was born to be. And, it's delightful watching her do it. I just GET her! So cool.

And the moral of the story is...don't forget that little girl within that is begging us to view life thru the lens of a child. A lens that is full of wonder, and joy and excitement and possibility!!! Ah, those are the days.

Why not do something today you haven't done since you were a girl. Buy a Lollipop, Play with your dolls (you know you still have them). Color!! I love coloring books. Go to the park and swing. Just do something that brings you joy and reminds you that life is short and oh so sweet.

Have fun!!!! And, let me know how it goes!

"Words on Paper"

Surrounded by books! That's my "sweet spot"! My heaven on earth. My comfort zone. When I'm surrounded by books I feel the MOST like ME. When I'm holding a book in my hand I feel a sense of exhileration and excitement...like something awesome's about to happen. Actually, it doesn't even have to be a Book! I'm just as excited with a magazine, a Notebook poised to capture some insight or wisdom I'm hearing on Tv or the Radio, or an article I printed out from the computer. (Somehow I feel like I'll lose it if I don't print it out. LOL) In short! I just am in love with "WORDS ON PAPER."

My Mom sent me this article from Southern Living Magazine because she also has a love affair with books and thankfully passed it on to me. We're not particularly high minded in our love of books. I have lots of Classics in my library but confess I haven't read near about all of them. I dearly love Jane Eyre and equally love the ENTIRE Jan Karon Mitford Series. And, don't even get me started on the Bible!! LOL I just LOVE TO READ!!!

In this Southern Living article, Rick Bragg writes:

"I know that the world of reading has forever changed, that, in this cold winter, many people who love a good book will embrace one that runs on batteries. I know that many of you woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa graced your house with an iPad, or a Kindle, or a Nook, or some other plastic thing that will hold a whole library on a doodad the size of a guitar pick... Someday I may have to read The Grapes of Wrath on the side of a toaster, myself...

But I hope I will never have a life that is not surrounded by books, by books that are bound in paper and cloth and glue, such perishable things for ideas that have lasted thousands of years, or just since the most recent Harry Potter. I hope I am always walled in by the very weight and breadth and clumsy, inefficient, antiquated bulk of them, hope that I spend my last days on this Earth arranging and rearranging them on throned of good, honest pine, oak, and mahogany, because they just feel good in my hands, because I just like to look at the covers, and dream of the promise of the great stories inside...

It is not just the stories, but the physical book, the way I feel when I see the spines, when I read the titles, the very feel of the paper under my fingers as I turn the pages...Every book comes alive in my mind. I like to be in that company. Cicero said a room without books is like a body without a soul, but I don't know about that. I just know I like to have them close, when the sun goes down. (excerpt from "Words on Paper" in Southern Living January 2012)

I (literally) couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you, Rick Bragg, for putting into such beautiful words exactly how I feel about "words on paper." Oh, and thanks for "All over but the Shoutin'!! An amazing book that I absolutely could not put down. (If ya'll haven't read it I highly recommend it.)

"IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN"?

I love this quote! Not sure who said it but I found it on a Mary Englebreit poster and kept it ever since.

I came across this story this morning in the magazine "Just Between Us". The article is called "PERSONALITY & PASSIONS: What they reveal about your Hidden Talents."

Apparently it's from a story told by Mark Twain and it's a sobering look at what we could miss out on simply by not taking the time to uncover our hidden talents, and take the leap of faith into the unknown to put them to work. God has gifted us for many things and it's our responsibility to develop and use them. How do we develop what we don't know we have? Well, that's a question for another day. But, for now I wanted to share this with you. Take a look:

In Mark Twain's story, a man who died and met Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates, asked a question (knowing Peter was very wise) that he'd wondered about his entire life. "Saint Peter", he said, "I have been interested in military history for many years. Who was the greatest general of all time"?

Saint Peter quickly responded. "Oh, that's a simple question. It's that man right over there."

"You must be mistaken," responded the man, now very perplexed. "I knew that man on earth, and he was just a common laborer."

"That's right, my friend," assured Saint Peter. "He would have been the greatest general of all time, if he had been a general."

Now just ponder that one for a moment. I've been reading and studying a lot lately about purpose, and spiritual gifts and working within our strengths, so I'm not surprised this article crossed my desk today. But, this thought has captured me. I pray none of us will have to someday hear "it is, indeed, too late to be what you might have been".

I encourage you, as this article does, to consider "Your Divine Design" today. What gifts, skills and talents do you have that the world desperately needs, and God wants to use for His purposes? What do you love? What makes you feel strong? What are you passionate about? Have fun pondering these questions. I would love to hear what you discover.

Enjoy the journey!!! It's never too late.....!!!!

I'm a happy AVON Lady! Why, you ask?

I love being an AVON Lady, and I really love being an AVON Lady when I come across an AVON product that makes me feel fabulous. The new RESURFACING EXPERT Smoothing Fluid is AMAZING! and I truly love how it makes my skin feel. I realize that I am, indeed, an AVON Lady and you would expect to hear that from me, but you would NOT hear that from me if it wasn't true. I would simply be a good Southern girl and "say nothing if I couldn't say something nice." LOL.

Here's what AVON says about the RESURFACING EXPERT: Overnight - transforms skin to look younger, smoother and revitalized. In 3 days - dramatically retexturizes skin to reveal the look of youthful radiance.

Here's what I say about the RESURFACING EXPERT: DITTO! I'm hooked on how my skin looks and feels with the RESURFACING EXPERT. (took me forever to get the name right, LOL, but I got it!!) I've never been a big fan of my skin so it makes me so happy to look in the mirror and see smoother, more dewey skin looking back at me. Makes me feel like a girl!!!

If you wanna give it a try it's ONLY $20 this week from AVON (reg. $38). AND, it's 100% GUARANTEED. It's good stuff, girls. And if your skin isn't happy with it, simply return it. It's that simple. But, I don't think you're gonna need to.

You can find it in my ONLINE STORE at www.youravon.com/pennybennett. Or! You can call your local Avon Rep and make her day by asking about the RESURFACING EXPERT. Either way, I hope you'll give it a shot. I think it's awesome!

Thanks for letting me share it with you. What kind of AVON Lady would I be if I didn't share my good news with you. Have a fabulous day!!

Please feel free to share with your friends. You tell one, then they tell one.... There are AVON Ladies everywhere so spread the love!!