As I write this column, two different news items have passed before me in the last 24 hours that lead me to believe things really are starting to turn for the better.

First of all, the "Cash for Clunkers" program will be over by the time you read these words. A rousing success by any measure (at least in terms of moving product), the program ended almost two months earlier than originally planned and proved that if consumers are properly motivated, they are ready to spend money again.

Further, it was announced today (Aug. 21) that sales of homes rose almost 8% last month against the same month last year. It was the biggest on-month jump in 10 years and the fourth month in a row that sales of homes has shown growth.

How do these two separate events give hope to our industry? First, like all the rest of you taxpayers, I certainly believe that consumers can be motivated by many things other than handouts by the government, but the "Clunkers" program at least proved they can be motivated. Secondly, in spite of all the carnage in housing over the last two years, home ownership remains the foundation of the American dream, and I don't believe for a heartbeat that people are not going to pour back into home ownership as soon as possible — the evidence says it's already started.

The motivation for the consumer to buy our industry's products again will come from the same place it always has: The positive feelings of buying a new home, the overwhelming feeling of joy that you are entering a new phase of your life that will bring you an enhanced lifestyle, the obvious "feel-good" of that new piece of furniture or that beautiful new accessory. I do not believe that government handouts will bring our industry back. I believe that good old-fashioned pride in our homes will start bringing our industry back, and I believe that whirlwind of activity is right around the corner.

And don't forget, it's not just about new home purchases. Once people hear of friends and family who have purchased a new home, even those who cannot buy a new home will want to buy something a little new for the house to make them feel times are getting better as well.

So, what do I mean when I say it's "time to get back in the game"?

Many of you, for all the right reasons, have been operating your businesses very cautiously over the last nine months. You've cut your costs as much as you can. You've renegotiated your leases. In virtually every case, you have cut back on inventory dramatically because of lack of demand.

However, if you're a positive thinker and if you're seeing the same things I'm seeing, it's time to start getting ready for the breakout that is coming.

Holiday giving is right around the corner and there is no evidence that any recession, no matter how bad, has ever kept the American public from gift giving at the holidays. And our products make great gifts.

As soon as the fourth quarter is behind us, we'll enter 2010. We will probably enter it with home sales continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Lots of the foreclosures will be gone, so prices will start to rise. Other things will be happening in the economy that will signal to most Americans psychologically that we've made it, we're through the worst of this, and we can relax a little and feel OK about starting to spend again.

If you agree with me, it is time for you to become aggressive and start ordering more product for your store to be ready for the turn. When people are ready to spend, they are going to put those dollars to work somewhere, and if you're selling from an empty wagon because you are under-inventoried, then it is your fault, not the economy's, that your sales suffer because you were not ready.

This will have a "blossoming effect" on our industry at the vendor level as well. Vendors are scared right now just as much as retailers are. They've cut their inventories back in response to your lower orders. In many cases, they've even slowed down product development of new items. What will it take for them to get back in the game? Strong signals from you that you are not afraid any more and that you are going to take back control of your own destiny.

If all this is correct, it's important that we respond because of the lead times involved in this industry. It takes months to develop product, have it produced and delivered to America. The tragedy here would be if the public becomes ready to spend us back to prosperity, and we weren't ready with the goods they want.

I'm not an economist, an MBA, a politician or any of those other important titles that are in the newspaper every day. I can't guarantee that we are at a bottom, but I feel in my soul that if we're not I'm close enough to touch it, and the bounce-back will come quickly because of pent-up demand.

Are you ready for that?