fritzpw_admin: Hello there everyone!? I'm glad you could join us tonight with our special guest. But before we get started I'd like introduce our volunteers tonight. Helping on stage we have rt_editor, teens_editor, romanshost, clare_host, daisyhost, and angelmuffin. Yadah_Host is roaming the auditorium with a flashlight and offering free cyber popcorn and cokes to any who would like some. Hey!!! No throwing popcorn at the Chat admin. And now... She is currently on a adventure across the United States in a motor home with a husband and three homeschooled kids with plans to write a book... Lisa Whelchel!!!!

Lisa: Hi!! Great to be back with you!

guest105: I began reading your book "The Facts of Life and Other Lessons my Father Taught Me." It is amazing to see how God is using this book. Have you had similar responses from other people?

Lisa: Yes, it has been very encouraging. The number 1 response I heard was someone who stayed up until they finished the book. That made me fell good! Also when someone says that one or two of the chapters changed their lives. I thank the Lord that He was able to change someone else's life by opening up mine.

guest95: Lisa, how are the holiday plans going in the RV?

Lisa: Since we started the Advent calendar, things feel more normal. The hard part is storing and hiding the gifts. We have Christmas decorations for the RV but we haven't been some place long enough to put them up. I don't think they will stay up while we are driving down the road. The kids are after us to start decorating, and although we pulled out the Christmas music CDs, it's still not enough in their opinion.

guest126: Lisa, you seem to have such a close relationship with Jesus. How do I keep my relationship with Jesus going?

Lisa: My initial response... Spend time with Him every day. That is something that you can do. By reading your Bible and praying and having that committed time every morning. What I think is more important and yet harder to pin down is knowing Him well enough to trust Him. When you know Him that well, you can't help but love Him and understand how much He loves you which equals a close relationship with Jesus. I don't feel that I always do everything that I should do, but I still feel close to Jesus. I know He cares more about love than anything would do for Him.

chatmaster: Check out Lisa Whelchel's article on the Crosswalk.com at http://women.crosswalk.com. Did you know Lisa Whelchel had her own website? Grab a cup of coffee and head on over to http://www.lisawhelchel.com

fritzpw_admin: The PC with the questions is not the one that crashed... It was someone else's... Keep those questions coming!

guest118: What was it like being Blair Warner again after all this time?

Lisa: I think it was better the second time around. I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder. It was also fun to go to work everyday, have someone do my hair, makeup, dress me, feed me, and after 13 years of doing everyone else's hair and feeding them and pampering them, I could get spoiled. But I am back on the road and
nobody does my hair for me anymore and it shows.

guest86: Are you more recognized as Blair by your voice or by your looks?

Lisa: Both... Probably more by my looks. As soon as I open my mouth to speak they know it's Blair! A few months ago, our RV ran into a parked car. We had to wake up the owner in her trailer. She came out saying, "Oh no!! Not my baby!!" That was when we realized how much trouble we were in. I didn't open my mouth. I just let Steve do all the talking. I didn't say anything until much further in the conversation, but as soon as I did she whipped her head around and said, "Oh my goodness!! It's Blair!!" That was not what I wanted to hear because I still taking a picture with me... Sponge rollers and all. Another time I was placing a catalog order and before I even gave my name the lady asked me if I was Blair from "The Facts of Life." Thankfully, I wasn't ordering anything I would be ashamed of.

guest165: You seem really busy. What do you do to recharge?

Lisa: SLEEP!! My kids don't know that most children give around 3 or 4 years old. Don't tell them any differently. We still all go down for a family nap as often as possible. When I am at home, scrapbooking is my favorite thing to do for myself. It recharges me emotionally although I come home drained physically because I crop till I drop.

queen_of_hearts: How did you respond to the Facts of Life fans that approach you as though your personality was like Blair's?

Lisa: I take that as a compliment. It usually doesn't take more then a few minutes of conversation for them to realize I am only acting. I don't volunteer the information and it's not too terribly difficult to act like Blair. It's really a lot of fun!

guest135: What would be the first question you'd ask Jesus when you get to heaven?

Lisa: I can't imagine getting past telling Him how grateful I am and how much I love Him. I have a feeling that we might be able to understand most of the things we have questions about here on earth once we are in His presence. So I can't think of a question right now. I trust Him so implicitly...He has proven Himself so faithful in the past whenever I have questioned Him before. I assume that will be even more the case in heaven.

blairfan: Did you have more fun with "The New Mickey Mouse Club" or in "The Facts of Life"?

Lisa: "The New Mickey Mouse Club." It's hard to beat singing and dancing, working at Disneyland, riding in a parade, throwing pies in each other's faces, buckets of water being spilled on your head, and many other fun things that we got to do.

fritzpw_admin: Chatmaster has some words for us...

chatmaster: Did you know Lisa Whelchel had her own website? Grab a cup of coffee and head on over to http://www.lisawhelchel.com. Looking for ways to creatively discipline your children? Check out "Creative Correction."

madchatter: Lisa, what is the best place you've visited so far on your Family Dream Trip?

Lisa: Depends on whom you ask... The family collective favorite would probably be Oregon because my kids' idea of nature is sleeping out in a tent on the trampoline in the back yard. In Oregon, we got to go horseback riding, fly fishing, and running a river in a boat.

guest152: Lisa, how did you start your tradition of the Advent calendar?

Lisa: When the kids were small, they got overwhelmed with opening so many presents on Christmas Eve. They would open it up, glance at it, toss it to the side and move on. By spreading out their gifts through the entire month, they were able to enjoy each gift by itself for a whole day. This also enabled me to count Christmas craft kits, winter pj's, fuzzy socks, and new underwear as Christmas gifts. There are still plenty of gifts to open from relatives on Christmas Eve. And of course Santa brings the BIG gift on Christmas morning. Tomorrow morning Clancy get Hello Kitty panties, Haven gets a new pair of jeans (considering she has outgrown all of her old ones since visiting grandma's house and eating all her good cooking), and Tucker gets new socks.

guest128: Lisa, you've said that when you were a teenager they put you on a lot of diets, etc. to help you lose weight to "look the part" of Blair. Do you have any suggestions for a teenaged girl who wants to lose weight?

Lisa: From my own personal experience dieting only made things worse. In hindsight, I think it was just a part of puberty. Some teenaged girls break out with acne, some put on weight. All kinds of things go haywire during the teen years. If possible, I would recommend not worrying about it too much until you get past the teen years, until then, join a sports team if you enjoy that kind of thing. Also cut back on breads and sugars if you have a big date coming up. Other then that, try not to fit the mold of what television says you should look like. Concentrate on your walk with Jesus because He says that a gentle and a quiet spirit is more attractive than outward appearance.

guest191: If your kids came to you and told you they wanted to act, would you support that?

Lisa: I would support them, but only after I cautioned them against it.

fritzpw_admin: Why is that?

Lisa: There are so few parts available in Hollywood that don't go directly against what we have been taught as being healthy. It's next to impossible to get a job, that doesn't even take into account the environment in which you would have to work if you did get a job. In today's churches, there are many more opportunities to use your talents as an actor, singer or even dancer. I would encourage them to find a church where those could be used for the Lord.

guest94: Are there any "Facts of Life" episodes that you won't let your kids watch?

Lisa: I probably wouldn't have let them watch the episode where Natalie and Snake slept together. But it was on a tape with 3 other shows. Then Clancy asked me why I wasn't in one of the shows. At that point they all still thought they weren't supposed to literally sleep with someone before they were married so it wasn't much of an issue.

guest146: I enjoyed your book on creative correction, I just wonder where or how do you get the confidence to know that you are doing the right thing when an issue is happening? I seem to second-guess myself a lot.

Lisa: Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed the book. I don't know if you ever stop second guessing yourself as a parent. I still do. You have to keep trying. Hopefully when you blow it, your love for your children will cover your mistake.

guest164: When do you plan to stop home schooling your children? High school or college?

Lisa: What I plan to do and what will actually end up happening are 2 different things. I found that to be the case in my life many times. My plan is to homeschool through high school and then let each child choose the direction that they want to go from there. At this point, Clancy wants to be home schooled through college, Haven wants to attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia, and Tucker wants to go to school wherever he can have the most fun and do the least amount of work.

guest194: Is there a Lisa Whelchel fan club? If not, can I make one?

Lisa: My Nanny (grandmother) has been the President of my fan club for over 25 years. Her health has prevented her from doing as much as she would like to recently. I would be honored if you would want to start a fan club. I would encourage you to contact my Nanny. She could be of help. Her address is on my website. Thank you for even considering it.

guest199: Why did you start your website?

Lisa: I started it many years ago because a friend offered to put it together for me for free. I revised it last year in order to better reach the new fans and also to stay in better contact with the old ones, especially while on the Family Dream Trip.

fritzpw_admin:It looks really good Lisa...

guest122: Lisa, I read "Creative Correction," I loved it, I plan on reading your other books. what inspired you to start writing?

Lisa:I wasn't as much inspired to start writing as much as I felt compelled to share what the Lord was teaching me and how He was helping me in areas that I knew other women were also struggling with. Writing seemed the obvious avenue to express my heart and thoughts.

blairfan: Lisa, what was your favorite memory of The Facts of Life? You're the best!

Lisa: Thank You. Any memory with George Clooney would be hard to beat.

guest163: What was your favorite Christmas gift ever?

Lisa: When I was 13 years old, I was already dieting for the "New Mickey Mouse Club." That Christmas, my mother individually wrapped all my favorite foods, put them under the tree, and told me to enjoy being a kid for the holidays.

guest163: Did you miss Nancy McKeon in the reunion?

Lisa: Very much... I even called her the first day of rehearsal. I told her Blair was only half the fun without Jo

guest172: What is your favorite scripture?

Lisa: Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

guest184: How close have you stayed with your fellow castmates?

Lisa: It's very similar to high school friends. We were very close while filming the show. After it was over, we all went our separate ways. Our paths still cross occasionally, and it's always wonderful, but we don't see each other as often as I would like.

guest105: What will your next project be?

Lisa: My commitment to MOMTIME, a new ministry I am starting to equip and encourage young moms to set aside time weekly to be together and be refreshed through food, faith, fellowship and fun.

fritzpw_admin: Thank you for joining us tonight Lisa. Is there anything you would like to say in closing?

Lisa: I'd like to thank romanshost1 for typing as fast as I talk and all the other volunteers and staff for helping me have the opportunity to chat with my new cyber friends. I'd also like to thank each guest who took time out of his or her schedule to spend this hour with me! I hope you had as good a time as I did!!

fritzpw_admin: Thanks for coming to our Chat everyone. I hope you had a great time. If you missed any of it, we'll be posting the transcripts sometime tomorrow. To view them just go to http://chat.crosswalk.com/transcripts. God bless you all and I'll see ya in Chat and Forums.