"Fabulous after Fifty™" is the Syndicated On-Line Weekly Column by Shirley W. Mitchell, a National Author/Writer/Syndicated Columnist/Speaker and Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host, also known as "The Golden Egg of Aging™" -  View some of the most inspirational and motivational articles on aging, baby boomers, seniors, senior lifestyles, health, diet, exercise, business, women's and men's issues, specific topic articles, poems, writings, recipes, area news, and special people. Shirley W. Mitchell's "Passion" for encouraging Aging people is both Contagious and Intense! We have the Ability to Change Aging History with our "Pulse" & "Faith". To Teach. To Educate. To Transform. If you enjoy the Articles posted here, you will certainly enjoy my Column Articles within  "Senior Lifestyle Magazine". "Fabulous after Fifty™" is fashioned after her "Lace Over Steel™" and "Fabulous after Fifty™" Weekly Newspaper Columns that appeared in the Sand Mountain Reporter of Albertville, Alabama. We want to thank the newspaper and all our readers for their support over the past 25+ years Ms. Mitchell's Column was printed. We inspire to bring more Style and Enthusiasm to it in the future.

Jan. 7, 2006

Jan. 7, 2006 - Sixty Is The New Thirty © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Welcome to 2006. There will be 3.4 million baby boomers turn 60 this year. When World War II came to an end, the soldiers came home to the open arms of their wives, producing the beginning of the baby boomers who are changing the way we age. Anyone turning 60 this year is approaching a year when their career may be behind them, their family is changing, and their grandchildren may be headed off to college since their children became adults years ago. Change is a big part of being 60. Baby boomers have the heart to leave the past and celebrate the now. Life has been building for 60 years and the grand fimale might last 30 more years. Greater knowledge and wisdom, friends, family, relationships, a new career and travel make life richer. A passion for life will keep the aging boomers sizzling, not fizzling. I recently toured New York with a group of friends. What a thrill to observe 60-year-old Diane Sawyer sizzling on the live set of "Good Morning, America." She exudes health, beauty, energy, zeal and passion. When she walks into a room, her charisma fills the atmosphere. The fire of enthusiasm will light the path of the new old. Is 60 today what the age of 30 used to be? Yes! Model, actress Lauren Hutton's face smiled from the cover of the November-December 2003 issue of AARP Magazine. The headlines read, "Sixty is the New Thirty." Hutton rejuvenated her modeling career at age 44. This adventuresome woman now heading into her seventh decade has become the pioneer and icon for older women. She believes there is beauty in all ages and sizes. These 60-year-old baby boomers have a celebrating heart.

Jan. 12, 2006

Jan. 12, 2006 - New Year Is Time For Renewal And Look Into Future © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ With our toes barely into 2006, we have made our New Year's resolutions, made plans for the new year, started a new calendar and have high hopes for the 365 days ahead. Many of us need motivation from time to time.. I get motivated by people, nature, a good sermon or movie, music, the Bible, great books and the list goes on and on. Beginning a new year is high motivation for me to stare at the past in hindsight and look into the future with wild anticipation. The Bible tells us in Revelation 21:5, "Behold I make all things new." The new year is a starting point to remodel our lives through the positive power of Jesus Christ. The excitement of remodeling our home that has become out-moded, inconvenient and unserviceable adds zest to life. Our lives could be compared to our homes. As we become older and wiser, we realize that certain areas need tearing out and rebuilding. Workmen who remodel our homes start with a strong, new foundation for a new wing. Adding a new wing to our lives requires a strong foundation of faith. What new adventure will you enjoy this year? Are you planning to learn a new trade or craft? Is a trip to a new place in the works? Do you plan to marry or start a new career? How about changing your exercise routine to something you enjoy, so you will actually exercise. Look deep inside your soul and get a glimpse of that deep yearning, then build a new wing to your life in 2006 to satisfy that yearning. Carpenters may tear out walls that have been weakened by termites or age to be replaced by new walls. Often, the walls of our lives have been eaten by termites of busyness, mediocrity or complacency and must be replaced by new boards of excellance, enthusiasm and wise use of precious time. When windows age and get clouded, they are replaced by new sparkling ones. Remodeling our lives involves putting new windows in the roms filled with hate, frustration and selfishness to allow the warm sunlight of God's love beam inside. The roof is a big project when remodeling a house. Throwing away the old shingles of insecurity, fear and hopelessness and then replacing with the new ones, faith, hope, love and peace will make life feel new. When the house is remodeled, we take good pieces of furniture, refurbish, polish and shine each one. We probably add a few new pieces. Putting up a new window treatment, a new coat of paint and new decorations adds pizzazz. As we age we must refurbish, polish, shine old skills and new ones. Healthy aging - body, mind and spirit - requires moving upward and forward. Add zeal appeal to the recipe and life will sing. God the master planner has the power to remodel our aging lives into beauty and charm.

Jan. 19, 2006

Jan. 19, 2006 - Red Skies For The Tough Times © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ While this column puts a positive spin on aging, you and I know there are tough times in life - times when we are struggling in the loving arms of Jesus. Many times we learn deep spiritual truths walking through the valley. I Love the poem, "The Red Sky" written by an Alabama poet, Timothy D. Haston. It is with his permission I share it with you. "Seems it was January, from the east, the Lord sent us a glorious red sky. Its beauty called me outside. The chill pierced my face, but my eyes could not leave that red sky. He sent it for a reason. As I gazed upon his red mornin' sky, I thought of a fine friend and a talk we had 'bout how it's our job to search for meaning and reason in things that happen along our path. "See a red sky is worrisome to many folks, but I see it as a promise from God that there will be trouble and thin times - challenge - heartache - and times that ain't so perfect. Life will come but the Lord will never leave you. "See, true beauty don't come from a perfect sky. A glorious sky comes with the blemishes of clouds and imperfections. As in life, true beauty don't come from a perfect life, it comes from the challenge of trouble and thin times. We grow, become stronger, and closer to the Lord. "Lord let me thank you for cold winter days, red morning skies, all Your promises. The closer trouble in our lives brings us to you, and the talks and the life we share with our friends."

Jan. 26, 2006

Jan. 26, 2006 - Fun Is Fine © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Since beginning the new millennium, a large number of health professionals have begun to believe in laughter and it's positive effects on continuing good health. Are the scientists about to catch up with God's Word? Wise King Solomon said, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Laughter juices the chemical endorphins in the brain. It makes you feel good. laughter ringing from the rafters makes you experience the total joy of life. As Minnie pearl once said, "Laughter is a drug and I'm totally addicted." In the movie, "Patch Adams," actor Robin Williams portrayed a true story about a Virginia doctor who helped patients get well through humor. Writer Norman Cousins published "Anatomy of an Illness," a true story of his defeating pain and disease by deliberately dosing himself with reruns of Candid Camera and humerous books. It is a proven fact that laughter stimulates the immune system and mental functions and reduces stress and pain. So, have fun as you grow older. A hurry-worry attitude, an overcrowed life, the failure to set priorities and goals, an out-of-control feeling and a negative attitude could make you sick. We have a goldmine in laughter. Spontaneous humor invading our living gives life a spicy flavor. Laughter is a stress buster. It lifts the spirits and the face by giving you a cheerful attitude. Cruise lines are focusing on the retiring market by offering great, affordable packages for the positive new elders who are aging with vigor, power and style. My own experience cruising the caribbean made me feel fabulousmfit and fiesty with an indefatigable spirit and unrestricted exhuberance. The mystique of a new adventure, mysterious beauty of the sea, sensational sun, sumptuous food and the spirit of camaraderie made the cruise a time to remember. As I mature, I feel I prefer valuable experiences more than valuable things. I learned I am enamored by the morning on the sea. On the ocean, my thoughts flow easily. The magnificent rising and falling waves of the vast ocean covering 70 percent of this great earth always made me feel closer to God. The adolescent retiree may be cruising the age wave on a fun ship. The 50 plus Americans migrating up the lifeline are in charge of 70 percent of the net worth in the United States, according to Dr. Ken Dychtwald, author of, "The Age Wave." With that in mind, retirement in the new millennium may be a new beginning when dreams come true for the average retiree. Along with giving the next generation out of the storehouses of wisdom and experience we've accumulated, it's important to remember: Fun is fine.

Feb. 2, 2006

Feb. 2, 2006 - Feeling Down, Sad, Lonely Part Of Being Human © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Many people get the blues in January. Last week, while I was in Nashville, I picked up a book, "100 ways to Beat the Blues," by singer Tanya Tucker. I wanted to read it to share with my listeners on my live Interenet Radio Show. I found I enjoyed her inspiration. Rocky Blier won four Super Bowl rings. He told Tucker, "As a young man I learned a very valuable lesson. I have a choice. Every morning when I wake up, I have a choice in how want to spend my day. I have a choice how I want to feel, how I treat people and what my disposition will be. For most of my life, i have been very positive. It's just easier. It takes a lot of energy to be negative. That outlook got me through Vietnam, two years of  rehab and 12 years of getting the crap beat out of me in the NFL. But on those rare occassions when I allow myself to wallow in self-pity and beat myself up for being human, all I have to do to beat the blues is remind myself that I am not in a foxhole in Vietnam, or in a bed in the hospital, or looking into the eyes of a 250-pound linebacker who wants to hurt me. Now I look into the eyes of my two little girls, who are six and five-years-old and I see all the hope, love and wonderment they possess. It reminds me that I have a choice. They need me. Life is good." Not only is January the blue season, it is the flu season. Many of us will be in bed with the flu, aching, sneezing, stuffed up, fever and head hurting. What is one to do but stay in bed, eat chicken soup and watch television? If this happens to you, make sure you click that remote until you find a funny show, a good movie, or a lively talk show. Entertain happy thoughts about how you will celebrate Valentine's Day with the ones you love, remembering Spring is just around the corner.

Feb. 9, 2006

Feb. 9, 2006 - A Salute To Coretta Scott King © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ With grace and determination, the late Coretta Scott King kept her husband's legacy alive. Emerging as one of the most influential American voices for human rights, she fought for nonviolent social change. Widowed by an assassin's bullet in 1968 to the Rev. Martin Luther King, she made her husband's philosophy of nonviolent social change her own. She has been an ambassador for Christ. She proclaimed liberty for all, "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." II Corinthians 3:17 A single mother of four, with a regal, poised demeanor, the widow became an international speaker, humanitarian and author. Her beam of light penetrated the earth. Many called her "the black Jackie Onassis." Two days after her husband's death, King told a crowd at Ebenezer Baptist Church: "My husband faced the possibility of death without bitterness or hatred. He knew that this was a sick society; totally infested with racism and violence. He struggled with every ounce of his energy to save that society from itself. He never hated. He never despaired of well-doing. And he encouraged us to do likewise, and so he prepared us constantly for tragedy. Our concern now is that his work does not die." After 15 years of pushing and six million petitions presented to Congress, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation marking the third Monday in January Martin Luther King Day. Coretta Scott King's last appearance at the Salute to Greatness dinner in Atlanta on January 14 that celebrated the 20th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, gave the 1,500 guests a thrill, as she smiled approvingly from her wheel chair.

Feb. 16, 2006

Feb. 16, 2006 - Passion For Freedom © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ We are standing on the shoulders of giants as we enjoy our freedom today. One of those giants was our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Born Feb.12,1809 in Kentucky, he struggled to make a living and get an education. His favorite book was the Bible. Elected President of the United States in 1861, he struggled with decisions and pressures of the War Between the States. On Jan.1,1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy. Celebrating Black History Month in February, we salute President Lincoln and those who lost their lives in the War Between the States. His powerful dedication of the military cemetaryat Gettysburg inspires us today. "That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this Nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Our Nation today should make Lincoln's second inaugural address our heart's cry. Now inscribed on the wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. are the words: "With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; tobind up the Nation's wounds." As I watched the 20th International Olympic games in Torino, Italy, I have been thrilled at the gathering, competition, indomitable spirits and passion of the participants. Watching the lighting of the Olympic flame, the peaceful march of the Nations into the arena, and the opening extravaganza, made my heart palpitate as President Lincoln's words, "Freedom shall not perish from the earth," flowed through my mind.

Feb. 23, 2006

Feb. 23, 2006 - Gains Of Retirement © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ The goodness of retirement goes beyond getting our senior citizen discount card,10 percent off Wednesdays at the grocery store and cheap rates at the movie theater. Deborah loves the flexible schedule and freedom of her sixties. She can dash over to volunteer in her grandson's classroom at the last minute, help a neighbor with a lift to the doctor, and still wake up after predawn commuters have chugged past her home on a busy highway. Freedom ranks high in the benefits side. It's not all bad to trade in your work I.D. and be free of the time card machine after a brutal drive in rush hour. Freedom from expectations, fear of out-placement or redundancy, and not having to produce allow for deep breaths of relief. With children grown and gone, Lorinda moved to a warmer climate. And because Perry and Grace carefully invested their money, they purchased smaller homes on opposite sides of the United States, splitting their time between children, strengthening the bond with kids and grandkids. Perhaps the greatest gain in the retirement years is the freedom to choose who we will be. Since women who live to 65 can expect to see their eighties, this is a golden chance to create a second life, totally different from the one defined by others' expectations and demands.

Mar. 2, 2006

Mar. 2, 2006 - Old Is Out, Ageless Is In © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ On Dec. 12, 2005, the leading edge of the 76 million Baby Boomers turned 60. This generation is probably the most celebrated in history. Some of the celebrated generation include George W. and Laura Bush, Bill CLinton, Cher, Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone, Dolly Parton and millions of other Americans who will turn 60 this year. Sixty is the new 30. This is the first time in history people are living better longer. These 60-year-olds are looking good and feeling good. If you're facing your big 60th birthday, you will be called  the sexagenarians' generation. Dolly Pardon is happy to be 60. She told USA Today that it's all right to be who you are. Most of us watched her begin her singing career with Porter Wagoner on television. She has used her talent well throughout the years, writing songs, performing, acting in movies and creating a theme park called Dollywood. She grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee. One of the funny stories she tells is that her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher. He felt it was a sin for her to look like a Jezebel. Even at age 60, Parton isn't slowing down. She will sing her song, "Travelin Thru" from the movie TransAmerica at the Oscars. Afterward, she will be on tour. Like Dolly Parton, many Baby Boomers are gathering speed in their life and career. Old is now out. Americans are becoming ageless for life. The new paridigm is fabulous after 50, sensational after 60, sizzling at 70, elegant at 80, ageless at 90 and spiritual at 100.

Mar. 9, 2006

Mar. 9, 2006 - Returning To Glamour Of Spring © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ The brilliant daffodils are lifting their glamorous heads and screaming 'Spring is almost here.' The spirit of Spring gives me the desire to sing with the birds. The music of the birds reminds me of Berthold Auerback's quote, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everday life." Does Spring cause you to feel youthful? This time of year sends messages to our soul of beauty, cheer, enthusiam, grandeur and new beginnings. Our Southern belle, Reese Witherspoon, breathed a breath of Spring into the 78th annual Academy Awards, representing the South well. In her acceptance speech for the best actress for her role in the film Walk the Line, she spoke from her heart. Reese shined as a star with gratitude, hope, glamour and praise to her parents, giving them accolades for always giving her praise, whether she was making her bed or starring in a movie. The theme for the Oscars, "A Return to Glamour," ignites our fire to return to the glamour of Spring.

Mar. 16, 2006

Mar. 16, 2006 - March Is Tomboy Month © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Will March come in like a lion or go out like a lamb? Or will it come in like a lamb and go out like a lion? Whatever the outcome, we know there will be howling winds and blustery weather somewhere in between. March has been called the tomboy of the year. Last week I observed a group of young people laboring to fly their kite, raising it against the wind. Like the kite flying in March, life often flies higher when headed into stormy winds. Often one finds God's mercy concealed within every storm cloud of life. We feel His grace flowing beneath every crosscurrent.When the winds of adversity blow high, timeless people become alert and keen to God's presence. He strengthens spiritual fiber through had times. No one ever flew a kite in a dead calm. It's difficult to advance life to a higher plane in a dead calm. Head into the wind and fly higher. Experiencing the blustery March winds, we feel the hope and beauty of spring as the daffodils raise their lovely yellow heads and scream for joy. Nothing can squelch the determined daffodil as it sings a song of winter's end. I planted my first daffodil bulbs earlier this year. What joy I had this morning walking down my front walkway and gazing at the beautiful yellow flowers blowing in the wind. Wise old King Solomon said, "The winter is past. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come." The joys of Spring and new beginnings bring new vitality to the ageless person. The magnificent rainbow of colors that often appears after a cool rain causes our hearts to soar with expectations of Spring. We desire to sing with the late Judy Garland, who in the movie, "The Wizard of Oz" sang, "somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds sing." Saint Patricks Day is celebrated March 17 to honor the Christian missionary to Ireland. He used the shamrock to explain the idea of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). The shamrock is the national flower of ireland. According to legend, Saint Patrick planted it in Ireland because its three small leaves represened the Holy Trinity. All loyal sons of Ireland still wear a shamrock in their lapels on Saint Patrick's Day. The name shamrock is anglicized and means trefoil, or three leaved. It is given to a number of plants, but a small clover is usually considered the true shamrock. Here's hoping your day is shamrock blessed and rainbow bright.

Mar. 23, 2006

Mar. 23, 2006 - Age Is Perception © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Diane Sawyer, hostess of Good Morning America turns 60 this year. She said,"Sixty is not the new 30. Sixty is the new 60." Sawyer is an awesome example of the new generstion of 60-year-young women who will change the perception of aging. And how about our President - a prime example of renewal every day. Zeal encircles the baby boomers hitting 60 this year. Going around the circle of life has become an exciting adventure for almost 80 million baby boomers. According to the United States Census Bureau, 8,000 Americans a day will turn 60 in 2006. That's 330 per hour. My book, "Sensational after 60 - Loving Life All Over Again", is the attitude of the baby boomers who are suddenly 60. This is the season of celebration  as we turn our 60s into a festival. Enjoying the first wek of the spring season, living in the South, beholding the gorgeous flowers beginning to bloom and taking a Spring break enables each of us to get a feeling of new beginnings . Spring fever, becoming 60 while aging outside the box with power, style and vitality encourages a positive attitude toward life. One Alabama legend, Helen Keller said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows." Let's you and I pledge to keep our face to the sunshine, to keep us from seeing the shadows of aging and times of war. Add a little humor to that sunshine and life will be bright.

Mar. 30, 2006

Mar. 30, 2006 - Springing Outside The Box © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Spring is here! What fun to bring out the spring clothes, enjoy the colorful flowers and foliage and get outside for fun and frolic. The spring season adds zest to life. A spring in our walk, a smile on our face, and a positive attitude colors our days with sunshine. As I meet and greet people, they look happier, peppier and joyful. Spring is filled with beauty. Pslams 90:17 tells us, "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us." In my new book, "Sensational after 60 - Loving Life All Over Again," I quoted Audrey Hepburn's Seven Simple Beauty Tips. Here they are. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness... For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people... For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry... For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fngers through it once a day... For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone... People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw anyone away. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands - one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.

Apr. 6, 2006

Apr. 13, 2006

Apr. 13, 2006 - The Hope Of Easter © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Each new day is a gift from the Master's hand. He hands you a package of 1,440 new, unused minutes each day to spend in the manner you choose. At the end of the day, your 1,440 minutes are gone forever. You cannot save them or carry them over to the next day. You put your own personal stamp on each new day as you turn a new leaf in your own book of life. Each new day is a clean page to be written by you alone. A great way to start the day at the first awareness after a good night's sleep is to resolve in your heart, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" (Paraphrase of Psalms 118:24) Golden oldies that radiate zeal and passion for life, taste the waters of the fountain of youth. They have mastered the art of making each day a pearl. At the end of a long and successful life, they will be wearing a string of pearls. Approaching the Easter Season is like pressing the refresh icon on your computer. We feel the freshness of the spring season and the hope Easter gives us of eternal life. As the golden beams of sunshine turn up the brightness in our lives, a new feeling of joy floods our souls. Put the holy fire of joy in your life and enjoy your gift of 1,440 minutes today.

Apr. 20, 2006

Apr. 20, 2006 - Fabulous After 50 Means Being Keen On Life © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Are you a keen-ager or do you have a bad attitude? Are you keen on life or have you given up on life? The word keen means very sharp, sightful, exceptionally intelligent and characterized by intensity. I found this to be true when I spoke to a senior group a few years ago at one of the local churches. The name of that group was Keen-agers and they were keen on life and displayed great enthusiasm because of God within them. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." (KJV) He did not say I have come that young folks might have life and have it more abundantly. Life is eternal. The June 2006 issue of AARP Magazine has a picture of Paul McCartney on the front. He was a member of one of the most famous music groups of the 1960's, The Beatles, and will turn 64 on June 18, along with millions of Baby Boomers. I still remember in the 1960's, taking my children to the Princess Theater to see the movie about The Beatles. In 1967 the Beatles performed a song written by Paul McCartney called, "When I'm 64." Now, he is there. Paul McCartney is a keen-ager. Age has brought him experience, satisfaction and wisdom and he does not plan to retire. He published a children's picture book, "High Over the Clouds," in 2005 and has released his 39th post-Beatles album, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard." Will you be a keen-ager? It's your choice.

Apr. 27, 2006

Apr. 27, 2006 - Freedom To Soar Like Eagles © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ I have experienced the weathering of life. I have gained strength from it's winds. The crucible of life has given me strength and resilience for my soaring spirit. I choose to soar through the decade of my 60s with the majesty, strength, beauty and freedom of the eagle, king of the birds. The enormous strength of the eagle gives him the ability to fly above the storms. His eyesight is eight times more powerful than humans. With his keen vision and infallible sense of direction, the big bird sees the storm approaching long before the storm arrives. Likewise, I am eguipped with a God-given spiritual insight, intuitiveness and wisdom to see the storms of life approaching. The eagle sits patiently, unafraid as the great storm rumbles closer. When the winds begin to howl and the rain begins to fall, the eagle launches from his nest high on a cliff. He will spread his majestic wings, spanning six to ten feet, lock them into ascending position and fly into the face of the storm, using the strong updrafts of the wind as he circles round and round until he rises up over the storm into the bright sunshine above the clouds. As we age, the storm winds of life make us fly higher into the warm sunshine of God's love. While we might prefer dead calm, it is impossible to fly as high in the stillness as in the midst of the storm. I have learned that God's mercy is concealed within every storm cloud. His grace flows beneath every crosscurrent of wind. Faith in a living God gives us the freedom to soar Sensationally after 60.

May 4, 2006

May 4, 2006 - Power Of An Unforgettable Dream © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ I recently took my 85-year-old mom to see the movie, "Akeelah and the Bee," an inspirational story of an 11-year-old girl who possessed an unforgetable dream to win the national spelling bee. I liked the movie so well, I took one of my grandchildren to enjoy the movie the next day. Akeelah inspired me with her talent, discipline, persistence, never-give-up attitude, her utilization of help from other people and her passion. She never gave up on her unforgettable dream as she faced impossible odds of winning the spelling bee. She allowed every person in her life to become a part of her dream. Each person sharpened her through her struggles and celebrated with her in victory. I highly recommend this family movie. As we age, it's important to remember that dreams do not turn gray. What is your dream? What is your passion? Do you have a can-do attitude? Do you have a support group that sharpens you? God's love letter, the Bible, tells us, "Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 RSV Is there a long delayed dream in your life? It's never to late to follow that dream.

May 11, 2006

May 11, 2006 - The March Of The Penquins Is Special Lesson In Parenting © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ If you want an adventure this month, here is a suggestion. Watch the movie, "March of the Penquins." It shows us a special lesson in parenting that will help celebrate Mother's Day this Sunday. You may even want to rent the movie and have friends in for snacks and make it a nice social time. When I took my mom to see this movie a few months ago, I received a new vision of the deep love and many struggles of parenting. Every year, thousands of emperor penquins make an astonishing journey to breed their young. They are birds, but they do not fly. They are aquatic animals, but this time they will not swim. Instead, they walk - marching day and night in single file 70 miles into the darkest, driest, and coldest continent on Earth. Amazing and inspiring for all ages, the true-life tale is touched with humor and thrills. The breathtaking photography captures the beauty and staggering you-are-there drama of devoted parent penquins who, in the face of the fierce polar winter, take turns guarding their egg and trekking to the ocean in search of food. Predators hunt them, storms lash them, but the safety of their adorable fuzzy chicks make it al worthwhile. Mother's Day is a great time to write a love note to mom or receive love notes from your children. It is a day set aside to focus on the deep love of mother and child. My love note to my 85-year-old mom would read: "You taught me how to love. As a little girl, you made me feel special. That special feeling gave me self-confidence, balance to my life and courage to live life with a positive attitude. You have the most caring, giving spirit of any person in my life. Giving is so prominent in your personality; you do not realize that you are selfless." Fabulous after 50 moms have given their children wings to fly. The greatest joy is to observe our children being involved in life, making a difference in changing the world and being great parents to our grandchildren.

May 18, 2006

May 18, 2006 - Surprises Go On © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ The two children of my friend Jane stood in her kitchen one morning. Her daughter was nearly 20 and her son was 13. Josh rubbed sleep from his eyes and told his mom about a dream he had of being in a closet in the basement and found it had another door out of it that had a new room that went on and on. He said it was really a good dream. Dreams are full of creation, of new life, of surprises, revealing secrets and treasures we don't know exist. Midlife is the time when those dreams can come true for us. In earlier years, we don't take time to tap into ourselves because we don't have time. But when we finally do, we discover parts of ourselves we hadn't noticed before. We are able to define and design these rooms as we discover them, to set aside time and space and energy to consider how we want to reflect ourselves through our character and through our surroundings. When I began to list my favorite things, I knew I had to incorporate comfort, communication abilities to keep in touch with my loved ones, as well as warm, rich, regal fabrics and fluidity of movement in the lines around me. And when it came to the bedroom, I wanted cushy comfort and heaven. The Westin Hotel's heavenly bed transported and inspired me - down comforters, an abundance of feather pillows and soft fluffy towels. I also knew that I needed to begin my renovations by attending to my need for community and tackled the first project - creating a magnificent patio in the backyard, which once was a mud puddle. I was on my way and thrilled to host an open house for a fundraiser for my Business and Professional Women's Club. Whether you prefer island breezes, or campfire rejuvenation, country views or classical retreats, a cottage on stilts or a mountain scene; whether ruffles and frou-frou or clean lines and sparse decor; you can create space that reflects that love and feeds your soul. We cannot afford to live disconnected from our deepest longings, during this season of our lives. The result will be an integration of heart and soul, inner and outer spaces, that give grace to all who enter. Sensational space. What a life-giving gesture. A personal space, large or small, for nurturing the body, soul and mind is a blessing for busy multitasking people. Where will you start creating your space?

May 25, 2006

May 25, 2006 - Define Your Own Success © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Successful Fabulous after 50 people define their own success. Author Bessie A. Stanley said, "He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much." To live well, one must remember life is a gift. Life after 50 in unique. It is an invisible package that must be opened everyday. The gift of years is received with thanksgiving. A life well lived is a process. Today is the time to live well, not tomorrow when you think times will be better; not next year when you plan to be wealthy; not when your life is perfect. Willie Nelson now has a new song out called, "It's Always Now." The heart of living life to it's fullest is exemplified by a 94 year old woman from Arizona. Her friends describe her as charming, delightful and always polite. When asked her secret of living, she responded, 'It is my enthusiasm for life. Because I think positive, I am positive.' Pausing for a moment, she continued, 'even at 94, I have four boyfriends. I begin each day with Will Power, then go for a walk with Arthur Ritis. I usually return home with Charlie Horse and spend the evening with Ben Gay. Need I say more? We must laugh often because "Laughter is wine for the soul - laughter soft or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - with hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living," said Sean O'Casey. We must love much because, "Love is the basic need of human nature, for without it, life is disrupted emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically," said Dr. Karl Menninger. The Greek biographer, Plutarch, once said, "For the wise man, everday is a festival." Enjoying this beautiful month of May, let us vow to live life well, laugh often and love much.

Jun. 1, 2006

Jun. 1, 2006 - Now Is Time For Fun © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ A white convertible passed me on the road. The three women in the car had red scarves around their necks flying out behind them. They were laughing like crazy and having fun. The driver was may friend, Carol Self, whom I met at Toastmasters years ago, when it was held weekly at the place Carol worked, the Mueller Company. When Carol bought the little white convertible, a Chrysler LeBaron, she lived on a farm and was sole caretaker of horses and cows. She has driven a three-quarter ton truck for years. But this Fabulous after 50 woman dreamed of driving a white convertible. Carol told me she, along with a million other women, has always dreamed of going to the beach in a convertible with a red scarf flying behind her in the breeze. She admitted she did buy a convertible and was having the time of her life. She had been to the beach, taken a few friends to lunch and gone joy riding. Carol told me, "As we get older, we have to begin to participate in the pure joy of things. Do some of the silly things we thought we might like to do when we were younger, but never had the opportunity. We should say to ourselves 'If we don't do it today, we might not get to do it at all.' So let's open ourselves up to unlimited possibilities." While telling me the story of her dream convertible came true, Carol said the memories she had received from the little car have meant more than the money she paid for it. She said the little dreams that one can still make happen, can make the later years of life more enjoyable and more fun. And rather than living with regret, with "I wish I hads," we, too, can smile because we dared to enter into our dreams. We live short on joy and long on complaints. We will lengthen our lives if we strengthen our joy factor and learn to lighten up. This includes taking care of our bodies, our hearts and our minds, as well as, our dreams. Physical and mental fitness is a top priority. One of the most encouraging truths we have encountered about aging well is that it is possible to grow until the time we die. But, to do this we must have a heart-to-heart conference about our bodies, brain and outlook on life. As my friend, Jane Rubietta, tells women around the countrywhenshe speaks, "Age is inevitable, but maturity is optional." Let's go for the gold - a glowing, self-assured maturity.

Jun. 8, 2006

Jun. 8, 2006 - Circle Of Life © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ I graduated from Albertville High School in 1956. My classmates and I are in the process of planning our 50th senior class reunion. We are awestruck at the realization that in our circle of life we will be celebrating our golden anniversary high school graduation. Gathering to plan this event, reminiscing our teen years, time melted like snow. Our togetherness brought back the feeling of youth that had added a few pounds and some gray hair. Though we are now keenagers with more wisdom, we reverted back to the teenage years. We all loved being a teen during the fifties. the girls talked about hanging net petticoats on the outside clothesline to dry. We wore the poodle skirts, sweaters with dainty white detachable collars, socks and black and white saddle oxfords. We remember the popular crewcut was the hairstyle for the guys. They loved wearing black leather jackets, pink shirts, ans white buckskin shoes. The jitterbug, our favorite dance, was the hot dance of the 1950's. The guys talked about the bright-colored Chevrolets and Fords. I remember the bright orange, turquoise blue and pink cars. It was great fun riding in the convertibles during the homecoming parade. The senior class of 1956 proudly proclaims to be the the first senior class in the history of AHS to take a senior trip to Washington, D.C. Local businesses helped raise the money because many of us lived on small cotton farms and couldn't afford the trip. I remember my dad also worked at night at the Kendall Cotton Mills. Kendall Mills paid my student amount, giving me the opportunity of this stellar experience in Washington, D. C. During the 1950's, our local economy on Sand Mountain was fueled by the small cotton farms. The high school always gave the students a three-week break to help the parents gather the cotton. The teenage years in 1956 was a fun time. The current year of 2006 is proving to be the best time in history to age outside the box with power, style and vitality as the baby boomers and the senior boom join together to make a difference with healthy, happy aging.

Jun. 15, 2006

Jun. 15, 2006 - Mother Teresa Defines Life © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ What is Life? Mother Teresa defines it in this thought: "Life is an opportunity, benefit from it, Life is a beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is a sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is life, fight for it!" Life is an opportunity. What an awesome time to be fabulous after 50. We are stepping over the threshold of the new millennium. The explosion of knowledge and communication will thrust us into new beginnings, adventures and ways of thinking and living. Life is a beauty. The summer season is a perfect time to focus on the beauty of each of our lives. Life is a dream. Dreams do not turn gray or diminish as we age. If we believe in ourselves, find our own passion and be persistent, then we will realize our dream. Life is a challenge. Meeting challenge in our lives, head on without fear, sharpens us to be powerful and make positive changes. Life is a duty. When we complete our lives with responsibile, charitable living, our lives end on a positive note. Life is a game. Each of us must let the child inside ourselves play as we age. Life is a promise. Abundant living fills our destiny. Life is a sorrow. There will be sorrow in all our lives. It is up to each of us to either overcome it or drown in it. Life is a song. We should not die with a song inside of us. We must sing it now. Life is a struggle. Like a kite struggling against the wind to fly higher, our life struggles take us to a higher way of life. Life is an adventure. Now is the time we must push the envelope. We must dare to follow our dream. Life is luck. We must follow our plan to push our lives in a lucky direction. Life is life. We must fight for it with all our gusto.

Jun. 22, 2006

Jun. 22, 2006 - Baby Boomers Becoming More, Not Less © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ The leading edge of the baby boomers will reach 60 this year. Those baby boomers are comprised of the 84 million Americans born between 1946-64. Every eight seconds a boomer turns 60. Each day 11 thousand boomers turn 60. This year four and a half million will turn 60. The baby boomers turning 60 this year are more youthful and exhilarating. This new breed are reinventing their own lives and changing the attitude for the years after 60. The new paradigm for aging Americans is reinvention of retirement. instead of becoming less, they are becoming more. Many boomers are experiencing new spiritual fulfillment. Seeking life eternal has fueled the mega churches, media, small groups and international worship. A large nunmber of retirees are charting new options and writing new chapters in their life's journey. The desire to deepen personal relationships is high priority. The excitement of making new relationships gives zest to the aging baby boomer. The anticipation of developing a social life is high on the priority list. Energy and fun reclaims youth for the 84 million aging boomers who are experiencing re-powerment and personal reinvention. A book that will guide you into a powerful last half of life is Dr. Ken Dychtwald's book, "The Power Years - A Users Guide to the Rest of Your Life." This book gives you a step-by-step guide to pursue your dreams, deepen your relationships and achieve financial freedom. It's time we view the years ahead as a fabulous time to do new things, follow the passions, and enjoy the life God has planted inside each of us instead of thinking our second half of life as retreat, decline and isolation. The baby boom generation is compared to a pig moving through a python. What legacy will we leave?

Jun. 29, 2006

Jun. 29, 2006 - This Fourth, Live Like You're Dying © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ "Live Like You Are Dying," a popular country and western song, is a great attitude for Fabulous Over 50 people! It is prime time to live, love and be happy! We have experienced the terrorist attacks of 9/11, natural disasters and the war in Iraq. Celebrating the Fourth of July this week, our survival of the land of the free will add new meaning to our celebration. We loved being teenagers in the 1950s! We were the generation that steppedinto the new millennium. We are living healthier, longer, while living better as we age. We became the "The Greatest Generation" (Tom Brokaw's book), describing the Americans who lived during World War II and the Great Depression. Being the daughter of cotton farmers, I remember the huge radio in our home being the center of our entertainment. We danced to the music it produced, huddled around the news programs and gasped at the soap operas. After listening to a newscast one motning, my beautiful auburn-haired mother sent me to the back 40 acres, where my dad was turning land with two horses pulling a turning plow. Carrying earth-shattering news and some refreshing cold water, I walked barefoot in the freshly plowed ground, my legs sinking almost to my knees in the warm plowed ground as I made my way slowly to my dad. Even from a distance, his big, expressive green eyes shot beams of love my way. Sweat dripping from his chin, a wide grin stretched across his tanned young face as he watched my halting progress. Waiting till the water relieved him, I spilled my news: "The war is over! World War II is over!" He hopped and hollered, grabbed me up, crushed me to his sweaty chest and spun me around in the pungent dirt. As a young child, I did not understand the significance. This is one of the memories that makes celebrating the Fourth of July dear to me! Between 1946-64, 84 million baby boomers were added to the population. When World War II ended, the soldiers came home excited to reunite with the open arms of their wives, producing 84 million babies. The boom generation is teaching us to age with power, style and vitality! Happy Fourth of July!

Jul. 6, 2006

Jul. 6, 2006 - Life After 60 Liberating © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Liberty begins in our minds and hearts. In the Claymation movie, "Chicken Run," a plucky hen constantly was scheming to set the prisoners free. She was thwarted at every turn, not only by the farmer, but by the other hens themselves. Finally, in her British accent, she said, "The fences aren't just 'round the farm. They're up here, in your heads." One of the gloom-and-doom cohorts responded, "Face the facts, Ducks, the chances of getting out of here are a million to one," to which the plucky hen replied, "Then, there's still a chance." The chances of us getting life out of our 60s are far better than those of the hens - if we choose to dismantle the fences the world and our own psyche throw around us. Dr. Ken dychtwald suggests a woman has more liberty after 60 unless she must be or chooses to be caretaker of grandchildren, husband or aging parents. And, even in places of caregiving, if liberty lies within, if liberty is a state of mind, then our attitudes can set us free. To choose to give support with joy, serving others, as though serving Christ; to find freedom in the beauty of a smile or a sunset, even though we may be locked into place in the role of supportgiver. Liberty may look like changing careers rather than retiring. Let's face it, if we retire at 62 or 65, we may well have 30 years of life left to both fill and finance. Many have never had a choice before now. They have moved from their fathers care to that of a husband and to children. This may be the first time we've had freedom to do what we choose with our time And, we do have a choice. We can fill it with dreams, passion, bliss, adventures like going back to school or learning a new trade. It's time to kick up our heels. During one of my nights out ballroom dancing, I saw a beautiful lady, dressed to the nines, dancing as the spinning disco ball bounced off the jewels she wore. When she sat back down at the table, she put her oxygen back on but abandoned the mask every time she was ready to dance. So, dance. As Gail Sheehy said, "Women and men now in their 60s have reached the stage where maximum freedom still coexists with a minimum of physical limitations."

Jul. 13, 2006

Jul. 13, 2006 - President Hits Big 6-0 © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ President Bush hit the big 6-0 on July 6 and his predecessor, Bill Clinton, will reach 60 on Aug. 19. The two men are the leading edge of the baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) since all of the 84 million baby boomers are now over 40. A baby boomer turns 60 every eight seconds in this country. In an interview from Washington, President Bush told Larry King on his talk show on CNN that he felt good and looked forward to life as a series of oportunities to make the world a better place. "I feel it is an honor to be in this position," he said. "I advise anyone approaching 60 or over to exercise It's very important. Eveeryone should make time for exercising." Bush gives his mother, Barbara, credit for his gray hair. This silver fox is not over the hill, but picking up speed. He is a prime example of the power years of aging America. With good health and a can-do spirit, many aging baby boomers are trying their wings with personal reinvention. Dreaming of the golden years, we become very liberated to stretch and grow, creating our dream career, enjoying leisure time and deepening our relationships. For many aging people, life keeps getting better. A passion for life will fuel our days with enthusiasm.

Jul. 20, 2006

Jul. 20, 2006 - 30 Ways To Feel Happier © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ When I called a friend yesterday, I asked her how she was. She responded that she was depressed about the world situation and that watching the news gets her down. We are living in troubled times. So, I wanted to share 30 little ways to feel happier. ...First, count your blessings. After Oprah Winfrey read "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach, she bought the prettiest blank book she could find and now writes down five blessings each day. She said that being grateful for the moment increases your own abundance. ...Laugh. Laughter is a stress buster and lifts the spirits and face by giving a person a cheerful heart. People who laugh, last. ...Smile. Radio announcers make themselves sound cheerful by smiling when they talk. Researchers have found when we turn our mouths up, our spirits go up. ...Be exhuberant. Experts have proven people who freely express happy emotions are the happiest people. ...Have the mental attitude that life is beautiful. A positive outlook on life gives a life a rose-colored glow. ...See a funny movie because laughter is the best medicine. ...Give yourself an endorphin rush by doing whatever you like to make yourself gleeful. ...Challenge yourself. Meeting a challenge with success gives you an adrenaline boost. ...Discover the fountain of youth. Believe your aging is the building dance of intrigue and new horizons. Operate on theory, "If in life you trip, make it part of the dance." ...Play with your grandchildren. If you don't have grandchildren, borrow one. ...Exercise. Re-spark and rekindle fire for life. Exercise is the golden egg of aging. ...Eat 55 micrograms of the mineral selenium, a mood lifter found in brazil nuts, chicken, seafood and whole grains. Eat smart all day. ...Realize you're never too old. The famous painter, Grandma Moses, started painting when she was 80 years old. She painted 25 percent of her famous paintings after becoming  a centenarian. ...Thomas Arnold said "the happiest period of life most frequently is in middle age when the eager passions of youth are cooled and the infirmities of age have not yet begun; as we see that the shadows, which area at morning and evening are so large, almost entirely disappear at mid-day." ...Aging is a towering experience. Mid-life can be the years that crackle with excitement and adventure. Each new day is a new life. Fill it with zip, zeal and enthusiasm. ...Be joyful. Helen Keller said, "Your success and happiness lie in you. External conditions are the accidents of life, its outer wrappings. The great enduring realities are love and service. Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow. Resolve to keep happy and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulty. ...Grasp your own special moment. If you do not, the future will roll over you, determined and driven by external forces. ...Have an upbeat personality. David Stipp, who wrote, "Live a Lot Longer" for Fortune Magazine, said "there is one striking pattern amoung centenarians: they tend to have upbeat personalities." ...Keep your chin up. The gloom is gone in gerontology. People are living longer, better quality lives. The talent and money is flowing into aging research. ...Patricia Barry wrote in the "AARP Bulletin, "It's no joke - hunor heals. Laughter may be just what patients need." ...Keep in touch with your sense of humor. It's a gold mine and good for the immune system. ...Clown around, it will lighten up your day. ...Work in your garden. Being close to Mother Nature helps stop Father Time. ...Read a favorite book. ...Slow dance with someone you love. Dancing is magical. ...Fill your life with music. ...Form beautiful lasting friendships. As we grow older, we are nourished by a support group of friends. ...Enjoy little things such as a child's smile, a butterfly, a sunset. Have faith. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 KJV

Jul. 27, 2006

Jul. 27, 2006 - Courageous Aging © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Courageous people inspire us as we age. Two people who have given me courage this week are U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Tour de France winner, Floyd Landis. A black woman who grew up in Birmingham, Rice is now sitting in the center of power on the world stage. We see her courage as she has become a central figure in the diplomatic efforts of ending the fighting in the Middle East between the Hezbollah guerillas and Israel. Landis proved a championship mentality as he won the Tour de France while needing a complete hip replacement. A champion with courage, strength, patience and persistence. Knowing God is imperative to courageous aging. If courageous agers really desire to know God,they must give themselves to the study of the written Word of God. I met J.J. Packer, author of the best-selling book, "Knowing God," at the Christian Booksellers Association in Denver this month. He is enjoying his late 80's as a soldier of the cross. I highly reccommend his new book, "Praying - Finding Our Way Through Duty and Delight." A leading expert in the field of health and aging, Dr. Walter Bortz II wrote: "You've got to have guts to grow old; To claim life you've got to be bold; But you have to be smart, as well as have heart, If you want your whole tale to told."

Aug. 3, 2006

Aug. 3, 2006 - An Unbridled Spirit Of Aging © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Researching the positive side of aging whle writing,"Fabulous after 50," and "Sensational after 60," I have become aware of the unbridled spirit of aging America. The aging baby boomers are teaching us that Mother Nature and Father Time does not give one an inevitable sentence of growing old. Living old is a choice we make. Or, we have the liberty to stay young-at-heart, body and soul. Searching for the fountain of youth, we may retire from a vocation, but never from life. Nobody grows old by living a certain number of years. They grow old by giving up up a passion for life, a passion for a dream, a passion for an unbridled spirit. One Alabama Fabulous after 50 woman, Condoleeza Rice, is one of the most influential people in the world. She was recently elected as one of the best dressed and is showing those of us over 50 how to have an indomitable, unbridled spirit. With strength, knowledge and dignity, she is a strong spokeswoman for peace in the middle east. You will age. Do not allow aging to amputate your spirit. An unbridled spirit will take you into new adventure, new relationships, new places and a new closeness with God. A book I recommend, "God in the Flesh," by Don Everts, gives an excellant acount of the unbridled spirit of Jesus. "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Galatians 1:4 KJV

Aug. 10, 2006

Aug. 10, 2006 - Back To School © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ It's time for the youngsters to go back to school. But, how about the oldsters? many mature people contiue their education in many ways. Some mature people add to their formal education; others take classes or correspondence courses. Crafts and creative art are big with retired people. Motivational, self-help classes such as Dale carnegie or Toastmasters enrich many lives. A new trend in successful aging is to retire near a college. Taking classes, using the well equiped libraries, enjoying the arts, musical programs, and theater expands the mind - one of God's most amazing gifts. Scientists tell us that we use only 2 percent of the brain power available to us. Condition your mind and soul to use the fabulous power available. The eager elders of 2006 are exploring new opportunities. If God plants an idea inside of you, go for it. Exciting social changes give zip, zeal and zest to the over-50 person who is willing to break free to new dimensions of life. The senior boom created new careers, options and adventure for the "getting-older-but-better" group. Barbara Bush, named Silver Fox by her grandchildren, spurred the focus on literacy in our great nation. This ever-young, ever-growing, gracious lady will always be remembered as a strong advocate for education for both young and old. She and her son, President George W. Bush, will be a beacon of light for the education system of America. The challenge of learning, creating and contrbuting is the spark that keeps the fire going in our ageless years. The late Rev. Jamie Buckingham said, "It's not death I fear. Death is nothing; but to live without creating, without contributing, is to die daily." My favorite quote is "use it or lose it." So young and old, stimulate that miracle brain into action. Our affluent society gives each one opportunities beyond belief. The computer age, the wealth of knowledge, and a world of adventure pricks the desire to go back to school.

Aug. 17, 2006

Aug. 17, 2006 - Moments To Remember © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ In 2002, I have the privilege of enjoying a live performance of the famous pop group The Platters. This week the Public Broadcasting Station has televised many of the 1950s top pop groups. The program was called, "1950s Moments to Remember". It awesome realizing that 50 years had passed since they were tops on the pop music charts. They looked and sounded the same as their act 50 years ago as I watched The Platters sway to the music in identical royal blue suits. The only difference was they had gained a little weight and lost a little hair, but their musical sound was still the same. Their charisma filled the stage. The energy filled the audience. Everyone was caught up in the spirit of the moment. I remembered every word of the song. Being a teenager during the 1950s, PBS preserved moments in time for me. I remember when Roger Williams recorded "Autumn Leaves" all these years. The show also spotlighted the Four Aces, the Four Freshmen, Peggy Lee and Rosemary Clooney. A clip of Mr. C. (Perry Como) reminded me of Saturday nights when our family would listen to his smooth perfect pitch. It's evident that these stars have taken care of their health and continued to move forward and bloom. Their enthusiasm for life has intensified. Looking forward to the  fabulous autumn season after a long, hot summer, some of us will thrill to new ideas, look forward to new adventures and live life with expectancy. In the Bible, longevity is promised to the obedient. Deuteronomy 5:33 tells us, "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live and that it may be well with you amd that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess," (KJV).

Aug. 24, 2006

Aug. 24, 2006 - Reinvention, Renewal And Repowerment © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ There are 7,918 Americans who turn 50 everyday. Most people will live 20 good years past their great-grandparents. It is possible to live 100 years enjoying the best possibilities of life. Movie Star Ann-Margaret is thrilled to be 65. Her career is moving forward. She still loves her husband of 42 years, Roger Smith, and riding her Harley-Davidson. This sensational after-60 woman starred recently in a hit movie with Jennifer Anniston in "The Break-up". During Christmas, you will be able to see her on the big screen, along with Tim Allen, in "Santa Clause lll," and her new gospel CD has been nominated for the Grammy Award. She will also have her own show in Las Vegas in November 2006, and in 2007, she and her husband will begin a road tour. In an interview for AARP magazine, Ann-Margaret said she was choosing reinvention and renewal, rather than getting old. Thomas Edison is my role model when handling the downsize of aging. At 67, Edison watched his life go up flames when the $2million Edison Industries burned. Standing in the rain, Edison said, "There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew". Being an enthusiastic man with a vision, Edison proved he was a self-starter and a self-motivator as he prevailed by delivering the first photograph from the new Edison Industries three weeks after the fire. Dr. Ken Dychtwald, president of Age Wave, and the author of "The Power Years" said, "Reinventing yourself and repowerment - ramping up life where and when you choose and in ways that excite you, not winding down into obscurity - is the mold-shattering, exciting new stage that will come next for our generation."

Aug. 31, 2006

Aug. 31, 2006 - Stardust © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Those of us who watched the 58th Emmy Awards on television this past weekend saw the stars come out to party dressed to the nines. The stars portrayed majesty as they paraded onto the red carpet in purple and jewels. Host for the night was Conan O'Brien, who was successful in bringing passion, pizzazz and humor into our hearts.Changing focus from bad news to celebrating excellence was a welcome change. I enjoyed being a teenager in the 1950s. Watching Dick Clark host American Band Stand kept me abreast of the music and dances that were hot across the nation. Emotions swept over me as the Academy honorded Dick Clark. Recovering from a stroke, his words were slow but powerful. He informed the audience that he was glad he had the courage to follow his dream. He encouraged everyone to follow their own dream, saying he had been "truly blessed." The elixir of youth, Barry Manilow, honored Dick Clark with a special tribute. Manilow's career has revived into high gear. He is a perfect example of a continuing life with gusto as the years flow into eternity. One of the original Charlie's Angels, Kate Jackson, along with Farrah Fawcett and Jacklyn Smith, attended the Emmy Awards to honor their producer Aaron Spelling, who died June 23. She praised him for making everyone around him better. We remember the past Spelling's popular television shows - Dynasty, Fantasy island and Charlies Angels. All of these entertainers have come into the comfort of our living rooms to entertain us.

Sept. 7, 2006

Sept. 7, 2006 - Nurturing The Soul © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Our heart and soul are the center of the universe. We experience emotional force. We feel love. The heat of fervor, ardor and vitality warms our soul. The desires of the soul are the sparks that get a fire going as we move forward in life. Our souls are filled with divine creativity that give fullness to our lives. Funk and Wagnell's dictionary defines the soul as the rational emotional and volitional faculties in people conceived of as forming an entity distinct from the body. The Bible confirms that definition in Ecclesiastes 12:7, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Benjamin Franklin published his first newspaper column at age 16 and had the honor of helping frame the United States Constitution when he was 81. He had a lifetime of fruitful creativity and intrigue. After painting the Sistene Chapel, Michaelangelo carved the Pieta shortly before he died at 89. Creative souls are filled with passion. The desire of the soul is to be intimate, to be attached. You may have enjoyed the delightful experience of being soul mates with someone, to be profoundly interior with another person. Being familiar with one's deepest soul and being engaged with the deepest of another person's soul fills our emotional tanks. We feel comfortable in our skin and comfortable being in the presence of our soulmate. We crave the euphoria we feel when touching the soul of another person. The very best marriages are comprised of soul mates, spiritually, physically, emotionally and creatively. To be intimate with a lifetime mate is a precious gift. Soul mates have intangible times of harmony. Our souls yearn to be intimate with God, our Creator, and be attached to Him. Thanks be to God, we can never be separated from His marvelous love. it is always unending, unchanging, unfailing. Security of the soul springs from this truth

Sept. 14, 2006

Sept. 14, 2006 - Mellowing Into Autumn © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ The fall season gives us an interlude between the fiery hot days of summer and the cold, gray days of winter. I have a deepening love affair with the colorful days of fall. Ushering in the fall season with cooler mornings and milder days, I anticipate the changing of the leaves on Sand Mountain to vibrant scarlet, deep purple, sunshine yellow and glowing orange. Middle age and the fall season can be translated into the beauty of living. Thomas Arnold said, "Probably the happiest period in life most frequently is middle age, when the eager passions of youth have cooled and the infirmities of age not yet begun; as we see that the shadows, which are at morning and evening so large almost disappear at mid-day." Just as the autumn of the year splashes bright colors everywhere, so do the autumn years of life. Turn toward the winds of fall and embrace the winds of change to allow them to move you life forward. The autumn season is energizing, giving you zip, zeal and zest. Autumn gives us a positive spin on aging. Daniel Kadlec, co-author of "The Power Years," believes many baby boomers will live to be 96. That is 20 years longer than their great-grandparents. So, the autumn of our life could be very long. The goal is to live full, healthy, successful lives. For autumn reading, I would suggest Dr. Michael F. Roizen's book, "Real Age - Are You As Young As You Can Be?" It is an age reduction program that can make you live and feel up to 26 years younger and gives 44 scientifically steps that delay aging. It teaches you how to control your genes, affect your health, learn the value of each step to your real age, and increase your vitality in mind and body. A new season and a good book are sure to give us the Midas touch.

Sept. 21, 2006

Sept. 21, 2006 - Game Of Life Like Football © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Yeah, football season is upon us. Watching a ballgame on television last week, I heard the announcer say a player's greatest assets are his confidence and guts. In the game of life, confidence and guts are important. My friend, Walter M. Bortz, author of the book, "Dare to be 100," recited a poem to me in an interview. He said: "You've got to have guts to grow old. To claim life you've got to be bold. But you have to be smart, as well as have heart, if you want your whole tale to be told." I'm amazed at the teamwork, discipline, enthusiasm, strength and "can-do" spirit athletes have. To age successfully, teamwork is imperative. We need family, friends, health care professionals, community and spiritual guidance on our team. Like a championship football player, successful agers must also be disciplined. Championship agers exercise the body, mind and spirit while eating smart and enjoying a positive attitude. In football, enthusiasm is the force that ignites the competition for the winners circle and the championship. However, at the end of the game, all the players are winners. Acing the game of life is also a thriller. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Sept. 28, 2006

Sept. 28, 2006 - Late Bloomers © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ I noticed bright red lilies blooming alongside the road this week, renewing the summer weary landscape. I recall my grandmother always had bright orange lilies growing in her yard all summer. Then, the September rain always triggered the dormant bulbs of the late bloomers - the oxblood lilies. Some gardeners call these beautiful blooms, school-house lilies, because they never fail to bloom about the time children return to school. These gorgeous blooms can even be found in neglected flowerbeds, or at abandoned homesteads because their deep roots enable the bulbs to withstand poor soil, severe temperatures, and humidity. Each year, the brilliant oxblood lilies hold their heads high on the slender foot-tall green stalks to shout, "I'm alive!" Looking at the stunning beauty of the oxblood lilies, my thoughts race to the late bloomers that are entering the autumn of life. Fabulous after 5o folks and fall lilies are both independent types. Some examples are Michelangelo, who was 71 when he painted the Sistene Chapel; Albert Schweitzer, who still performed operations in his african hospital at the age of 89; John D. Rockefeller, who was still making $1 million a week when he died at 93, and Golda Meir, who was 71 when she became prime minister of Israel. I'm sure you have people in your circle of life who have taken the experiences of a long life and bloomed into bright flowers. Let your roots grow deep into the soil of God's love to produce a late bloomer in your ageless life.

Oct. 5, 2006

Oct. 5, 2006 - New Visions © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Once you were a young whiper-snapper. How about now? Are you an "I-take-a-napper?" Do you hold onto your youth so tightly you get cramps in your hands? On this road of life, have you turned down Wrinkle Street and into driveway of middle-age bulge? At 80 years old, Moses of the Bible was just getting started into the most exciting time of his life. He was called into leadership when the voice of God spoke through a burning bush, asking him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses found new purpose for his life. "And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated" Deuteronomy 34:7 (KJV) Embracing this time of middle-aged change, let's think more about what we gain and not the losses. Sure, you may have lost hair, waistline and memory, but gained self-time, wisdom and a new appreciation of life. After 50 years of life, you have become a treasure. You may be a matriarch or patriarch to live, learn and love with four generations alive in your family. Who is your burning bush? Who is your mentor? It is now time to pass the torch and become a mentor for a younger person. If you need a new vision, a new dream, I recommend you read, "The Power Years" by Dr. Ken Dychtwald. This book is a user's guide for the rest of your life. It teaches the older generation how to pursue their dream, deepen their relationships and achieve financial freedom.

Oct. 12, 2006

Oct. 12, 2006 - Thinking With Wings © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Thinking with wings encompasses valor, thinking positively, progressively, and constructively. One's life is seeded in his thoughts. Shakespeare said,"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once." Webster defines valiant as strong, powerful, courageous and heroic. Columbus experienced lofty thoughts as he sailed for the new world in search of gold, spices and a chance to spread Christianity. We are all glad that he thought with wings. In the Bible, Paul thought with wings when he said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Thinking with wings involves positive mental images, setting goals, following plans to reach goals, persistence, hard work and expectations for success. Someone once asked Thomas Edison the secret of his amazing inventive genius and he replied he thought in pictures. Edison mastered his inventions in his mind. He was told no light could exist in a vacumn; however, he saw a picture in his mind and believed it could be done. He visualized his dream. Success comes from never losing sight of your goals. In 1952, long distance swimmer Florence Chadwick swam 15 hours and 55 minutes in bone-chilling water to be the first woman to swim the catalina channel. She gave up a half mile from her destination because the fog moved in and she lost sight of her goal. The fog, not fatigue or cold water, had defeated her because it obscured her goal. Chadwick tried two months later, not allowing the fog to distract her, and succeded. Conrad Hilton said, "Man, with God's help and personal dedication, is capable of anything he can dream." I wish for you the ability to think with wings during your aging process.

Oct. 19, 2006

Oct. 19, 2006 - Aging With Vitality © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ She looked about 80 years young. The lady sitting across the airplane aisle from me was definitely aging with vitality. The spunky, feminine woman wearing a satin coat of many colors caught my eye. Traveling alone, she was enjoying a large print,"Readers Digest." As she moved spryly around the cabin, I thought tomyself, "This is definitely an ageless woman." Enjoying her travel, she gave no thought to age. She immediately gained my respect with two thunbs up! Her winning ways gave me the impression of aging with vitality. She was rekindling her brain power with reading. After all, reading is the fitness center of the brain. She told hilarious jokes, causing her smile to give her a fantastic facelift. Her energy squealed, "I'm excited about life." For the fabulous after 50 bunch, energy is a priceless commodity. Energy is the power surge that keeps us young and active. Four basic steps will keep your energy high. The first is good health. It is the trump card of aging with energy. Next is exercise. It is the golden egg of aging with energy. Enthusiasm captures the energy and excitement of aging with energy. And, self-efficacy is the energizing power for aging with energy. Several great energy zappers are boredom, poor health, not enough exercise, stress, too little sleep, poor diet, and nothing to look forward to. Growing old without growing older can be attained through a positive attitude, a youthful healthy lifestyle and working toward a goal of personal excellance.

Oct. 26, 2006

Oct. 26, 2006 - Trick Or Treat © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Being grown and mature, we are in our prime to enjoy Halloween any way we choose. Giving treats to grandchildren, neighbors, and friends will probably have top priority. And, creativity with costumes, decorating, entertaining and pulling pranks will add variety to life. Just what is Halloween? How did it originate? Centuries ago, before Christianity became a part of Ireland, Scotland and England, the Celts celebrated New Years Eve the last night of October. Historians think Halloween started in the United States toward the end of the 19th century, when these immigrants arrived in this country. The Celts celebrated a festival called Sambain, meaning the end of summer. The Celts believed on this night the powers of evil came out to celebrate their power of good. People would put out sweets and other good things to eat to placate the evil spirits. Many would disguise themselves and roam the countryside. The Catholic church, back in the eight century, declared the first day in November, All Saints Day. The night before was called All Hallow's Eve. The belief was that all the evil spirits came out at night before All Saints Day. However the traditions arose for the present Halloween holiday, it has become a big time to play in America. Shopping in retail stores, we realize how commercialized this holiday has become. Children become excited about dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating for candy and gifts. Americans enjoy a holiday and a chance to celebrate. Halloween is a great time for the Fabulous after 50 to pretend, play, enjoy children and eat candy. Happy Halloween !

Nov. 2, 2006

Nov. 2, 2006 - On Being Thankful © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Starting into the season of Thanksgiving, one of the things I am thankful for is the opportunity to write this column each week to connect with my readers. I'm thankful to live in Marshall County, Ala. This location gives us an extraordinary place to enjoy four distinct seasons. I especially love the fall season. However, the people make our community special. King David in Psalm 100 tells us, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him and bless His name." Age has not dimmed our zest for Thanksgiving. We are thankful for living in the generation that is living longer and better. We are proud to be seasoned older folks who still feel fabulous after 50. Many eager elders who have worked hard all their lives are happy to retire and follow their own bliss. They are not retiring from life, but refiring with a new life. As we fence off this holiday season with vibrant living, a spark of praise will start a fire of hope in hearts. President Lincoln officially proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863. This proclamation was a direct result of Sarah Josepha Hale. For 36 years she worked for her idea of the holiday. She used her book, "Godey's Lady's Book" (the most widely distributed periodical in the United States) to infiltrate the nation with her idea. She wrote,"Thanksgiving, like the Fourth of July, should be a national festival observed by all our people." On Sept. 28, 1863, Hale wrote President Lincoln urging him to proclaim the day as Thanksgiving, a national holiday. Then on Oct. 3, 1863, President Lincoln read this proclamation: "I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday in November next as a day of Thanksgiving and praise by our beneficient Father, who dwelleth in the heavens." The proclamation was a 75th birthday present for Hale. She proved that one woman can make a difference. A thankful heart creates a better life for the mature person. This Thanksgiving season brings us six years into a new millennium. President Lincoln and Sarah Hale would be thrilled to know that Americans are still celebrating that great holiday in the year 2006. With thankful hearts we anticipate the future. A new beginning is always exciting.

Nov. 9, 2006

Nov. 9, 2006 - A Thanksgiving Remembered © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Thanksgiving 2004, three of my granddaughters, Michelle, Monica and Melissa, flew from their home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mother, my daughter Karen, drove to Albertville from Cincinnati when she got off work at 5P.M. My granddaughters and I hung out and munched in the kitchen waiting for Karen to arrive. The phone rang. Karen's shaky voice from the other end of the line said, "Mom, I'm ok, but you need to come to Sardis to pick me up. I've had a wreck." Arriving on the scene, my heart palpitated. The impact had destroyed the hood until it reached the steel cage. Karen was not hurt. The next day, Thanksgiving, our family gathered for our feast at the home of my son David and his wife Angela, who has the gift of hospitality. They have three children, Stephanie, Sarah and Jackson. Standing around the beautifully decorated table loaded with food, my younger son Jay and his wife LaWanda, and baby Lawrence, we loved being together. Before we enjoyed the delicious feast, David asked each of us to tell one thing for which we were thankful. My oldest granddaughter, Michelle, said, "I'm thankful my mother is here today - that God protected her. She had a car wreck last night." each person from the youngest to the oldest expressed one thing for which they were thankful. We concluded by holding hands while David prayed our Thanksgiving prayer. What a privilege to gather around the banqueting table on the Thanksgiving holiday, to give thanks to our Creator - especially when the story could have turned out so differently. As a grandmother, Thanksgiving characterizes the last half of my life. It was Robert burns who said, "Enjoy the last of life for which the first was made."

Nov. 16, 2006

Nov. 16, 2006 - Smells Of Thanksgiving © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Close your eyes and remember the scents drifting out of your mother's and grandmother's kitchens during the holiday season. The aroma coming from the kitchens of great cooks and bakers give happy feelings of anticipation for the Thanksgiving season through our nose and olfactory nerves. Many of us, who are fabulous after 50, grew up on small cotton farms in this area. Most of our food was grown on the small acreage. I remember my dad becoming very cheerful, laughing and cracking jokes as Mom began placing her delightful culinary dishes on the heavily loaded table. The aromatic fragrance of turkey, cornbread dressing, cakes and pies gave all gathered around the table celebratory spirits and thankful hearts. Thanksgiving is one day of the year we step out of our busy lives to focus on what matters the most - loved ones at home, a feast on the table and a fire in the fireplace. Family and friends matter on that day. Kraft foods is running rub-and-sniff ads in People magazine this holiday season to spark the childhood memories of smells of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Readers who rub a spot on the beautiful, colorful pictures of strawberry cheesecakes, cinnamon coffee, and cherry Jell-O will experience the smell. According to the Wall Street Journal, the scents are in microscopic capsules applied in a varnish in the printing process. This new technology is much better than the fragrance strips in the magazines or the scratch-n-sniff childrens books. New technology may change the way we advertise the delightful smells of the season; however, the power of celebrating our thankfulness with family and friends remains very traditional.

Nov. 23, 2006

Nov. 23, 2006 - Thanksgiving's A Day To Share © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ As you gather your family and friends around you today, you might want to try these fillings for your favorite cobbler. They're from Barbara Bush, the President's Mom. Remember those who are less fortunate and the world as we live in perilous times. Now here are the red, white and blue fillings. For Blueberry filling: 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp cornstarch 1/2 tsp lemon juice 2 cups fresh or frozen unswweetened blueberries Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and add all other ingredients. Cook until thickened. Pur into an 8-by-8 inch Pyrex pan and keep hot in a 250 degree oven while making the cherry filling. For Cherry filling: 1 can sour pie cherries 1/2 cup plus tbsp sugar 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch 1/8 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp almond extract In a saucepan, mix the dry ingredients. Gradually stir in juice from canned cherries and cook until thickened, adding cherries and flavorings at the end. Smooth cherry filling over blueberry mixture. Keep hot while making your favorite topping and then add ice cream. Power, courage, intimacy with God, greater faith, strength, optimism and hope rise up in a thankful heart. This Thanskgiving, as a spark of praise starts a fire of hope in your heart, look up and love Him.

Nov. 30, 2006

Nov. 30, 2006 - Faith, Fun And Forever Young © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Whether we are foxy at 40, fabulous at 50, sensational at 60, sexy at 70, prime time at 80, forever young at 90, or glad to be alive as a centenarian, we are still living one day at a time. At any age, we desire for this to be the best day of life. We push the envelope to test our limitless potential. Striving to build our faith, have more fun and stay forever young will cause our day to burst with adventure, discovering the essence of each day. "what is faith? It is the confidant assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead." Hebrews 11:1 Living Bible Fun often diffuses tension. Being of farm background, my dad was strong, masculine, and did not like the hospitals. During his last stay, a sensitive nurse saw the horror in his face when she brought the hospital gown. She told him, with a laugh, that a hospital gown was an intensive bare unit. The front was rated G and the back was rated X. She added that she now knew what they meant by southern exposure. My dad laughed as he put on the gown. This caring nurse had diffused his fear with humor and put a little fun in the sickroom. Living the grand finale of 2006, we are witnessing a paradigm shift to ageless living. As Americans grow older, we are definitely searching for the fountain of youth. If your goal is to be centenarain, it's important to maintain your body, soul and spirit. Maintenence is the key. A car, well maintained, operates longer and better. A home well maintained looks beautiful and is functional longer. Art Linkletter, close to 100, shared this poem on one of his 75 speaking engagements he books each year: "I never want to be what I want to be, "Because there is always something out there yet for me. "I get a kick out of living in the here and now, "Because there is always one hill higher with a higher view, "Something waiting to be learned, I never knew. "So until my days are over; never fully fill my cup, "Let me keep on growing." (Shirley W. Mitchell will be in Huntsville, Alabama on Dec. 16th from 1-4PM-CST at the Coffee Tree Books N'Brew 7900 Bailey Cove Road)

Dec. 7, 2006

Dec. 7, 2006 - Telling The Christmas Story © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Life after Sept. 11 has made an indelible mark on our minds that the package of life is marked and fragile. This renewed knowledge gives Christmas and the hope of eternal life a new and more personal meaning to each of us. Jesus, the babe in the manger, is the revealed member of the Trinity - God, The Father, God The Son, and God the Holy Spirit, The birth in Bethlehem was not the beginning of Jesus. In the Bible, John tells us, "In the beginning was the Word (meaning Jesus Christ), and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2 At Christmas, love came to earth. When the angel Gabriel appeared to young Mary of Nazareth, a favored one, she accepted by faith, the virgin birth of the son of the Most High God. She said in Luke 1:38, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word..." (NASB) Mary's son, Jesus, is now part of history. Just as He came the first time, He is coming again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. America, land of the free, will surely have a greater celebration of the birthday of the King than years past. I certainly enhanced my preparation for the celebration by enjoying the movie, "The Nativity Story," in theaters now. It chronicles the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the miraculous history-defining birth of Jesus. This movie is a masterpiece of work and is a must see. May the feeling of faith, hope and love fill your holiday season with laughter and joy.

Dec. 14, 2006

Dec. 14, 2006 - You Are A Star © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ It's time to celebrate the birthday of the Kings of Kings. In so doing, we learn the star is a big part of our celebration. Viewing the wonderful new movie, "The Nativity," I received a new appreciation of the star of Bethlehem. The astrologers of that time knew to follow the bright star and they would find the Messiah. The star dominates in decorations this year. Enjoying the extravaganza of dazzling, decorated New York City last weekend, I became aware of the importance of the bright gold star in the decorations throughout the city. It became dominant in the decorations throughout the city. Now is the time to realize - you are a star. You should live as a star and celebrate life every minute of every day. Life is not a preparation for a party someday. It should be celebrated today! Celebrate that unique spirit within yourself. Be 100 percent present with yourself. Developing your own uniqueness will make you a star of your life. No one else is like you. Celebrate your interests, your failures, the people in the circle of your life, and your God. While celebrating Christmas, celebrate your own unique shining star as your spirit connects with the star of the universe, Jesus Christ.

Dec. 21, 2006

Dec. 21, 2006 - Christmas Brings Sparkle © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ Everyone faces aging. As we age, it is possible to become like a jewel in the sun. Aging with a proper mindset, positive attitude, transcendent faith, and hope makes life a celebration and causes one to become brighter. The marriage of experience and mature faith gives you the oportunity to enjoy a rich older life. Many seniors will not allow the old person syndrome to dim their luster of life. Some of the best and brightest people have passed the half century mark. The stars of the older generation are climbing the ladder of success and the stair master at the gym. This is the time to be bold, self-assured, empowered, and to be socially and politically aware. Enthusiasm and zeal gives life excitement with power. In the Bible, Malachi writes, "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels..." As you mature and allow Jesus to control your life, you are becoming an exquisite jewel. God's splendor shall sparkle from your life as a cut gem reflects beautiful color in all directions. Enthusiasm brings out the sparkle in life. Enthusiasm, meaning "God within," is the reason our lives sparkle at Christmas. The sparkle of Christ fills our soul, shines on our faces and enlarges our spirit. The good news of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fills us with hope and love. Merry Christmas!

Dec. 28, 2006

Dec. 28, 2006 - New Year Time For Renewal © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Lifestyles - Fabulous after Fifty™ What an awesome experience, stepping over the threshold of a new year. Remembering the past, imagining the future, and celebrating the present gives the fabulous-after-50 person's life balance. Focusing on the good memories of the past and expanding on personal dreams for the future will give the present a charm and magical feeling of possibilities. The new year is not some place we are going to, but a life we are creating. Each eager ager is president of his or her own life, president of one's thoughts, actions, dreams, desires, priorities, time, and the list goes on and on. You are the star and you are writing your own life. The path of the new year is not to be found - but made. New paths and higher goals have the possibility of changing the person and the destination of life. If anyone had an excuse to sit and do nothing with her life, complain and grow old, it was the famous blind, deaf girl fron Alabama, Helen Keller. Yet, she wrote in her later life. "Join the great company of those who make the barren places of life fruitful with kindness. Carry a vision of heaven in your hearts and you shall make your name, your college, the world, correspond to that vision. Your success and happiness lie in you. External conditions are the accidents of life, it's outer wrappings, the great, enduring realities are love and service. Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and intelligence aglow. Resolve to keep happy and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulty." Each new year is a gift from the Master's hand. His gift of 365 new days in 2007 is yours to put your personal stamp on. Seniors that radiate zeal and passion for life, will taste the waters of the fountain of youth during 2007. Isaiah tells us in the Bible that Jesus was clad with zeal as a cloak. Webster tells us that zeal is ardor for a cause. Synonyms that cause us to understand the power of zeal is enthusiasm (God within), eagerness (intense desire), devotion (strong attachment), passion (transport of excited feelings), verve (liveliness, spirit, vigor), vivaciousness (full of life and spirits). I pray that Jesus' zeal and God's omnipresence will spill over the brink of eternity and fill you during 2007.

Shirley W. Mitchell is the Owner and Founder of Fabulous after Fifty™ - a Motivational, Inspirational and Educational Company located in Northern Alabama providing products and services related to Organizing and Conducting Educational Conferences, Classes, Symposiums, Seminars, Workshops, Speeches and Training Courses in the fields of Aging, Seniors, Senior Lifestyles, Health, Wellness, Nutrition, Generational Women and Men's Issues, Faith, Passion and Purpose, and Distribution of Materials including Multimedia Audio, Video, CD, DVD, Books, Newsletters, Journals, Magazines, Articles, Periodicals, Electronic Books, and other Written and Audio Publications. Ms. Mitchell and Fabulous after Fifty™ are managed and represented by Lighthouse Coastal Productions 466 Sardis Cutoff Road Sardis City, AL 35956. ***Copyright © and Trademark ™ Notice: 1967-2011 All Works, Venues and Content by Shirley W. Mitchell™ including "The Golden Egg of Aging™", "The Fabulous Author™", "Fabulous after 50®", "Fabulous after Fifty™", "Sensational after 60®", "Sensational after Sixty™", "Aging Outside the Box®", "Passionate Sparks™", "Spiritual Sparks for Busy Women™", "Lace Over Steel™", "Ageless Living™", "Endless Energy™", "Better Half of Life™", "Citrus Park™", "Crosstown Info™", "The Amazing System™" and "Aging with Glamour™"are © Copyright and ® Trademark protected*** No part of this Web-Site or Column may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the Agent. If you would like to purchase copies of the articles, please send an E-Mail to us with your request. If you should encounter any problems with this Web-Site please E-Mail the Webmaster.