Not Alone Series: Make-up

Hi friends! Wow, it's Tuesday already - jeepers! Time to join to link-up fun with Jen from Jumping in Puddles and Morgan from Follow and Believe.

What are your thoughts on wearing make-up? Do you see a tension between a pressure from society and a God-given desire to be and make life beautiful? Is your use of make-up compatible with the idea that God sees you as naturally beautiful?

Really quickly, a friend shared this article today and I thought it was very appropriate! Thoughts?

Oh golly. I'll be honest and take the heat/credit, depending on how you look at it - this prompt was my idea. This is a question that has been tickling at my mind and heart for a while, and I'm still not sure how to answer it. There are a few stepping stone conclusions I've reached, but the path keeps going beyond my line of sight. As Tilly from "Miranda" would say, "bear with!"

via

So. Make-up. Stepping stones. I'm a bullet-point kind of gal, so here is the bullet-point list of what I know that I know:

• God made me, and He didn't make mistakes when He made me. I hesitantly think that the logical conclusion is that He thinks I'm beautiful.
• I like feeling beautiful.
• Feeling beautiful doesn't come solely from wearing make-up {or wearing certain clothes, but that's a separate post}. Make-up can help me feel dressed up, which usually means there's an occasion for which I want to feel beautiful, but make-up does not make {ha! pun!} or break my beautiful-o-meter.
• There is definitely a pressure from society for women to be beautiful. Society's standard of beauty a) has evolved over the years, b) is photo-shopped, and c) is profit-driven. I think women wanting to be beautiful has been exploited by advertisers, and the market has changed from enhancing natural beauty to changing your body to meet society's standard.
• As much as I want my outward person to be beautiful, the inner person matters more. My character will shine brighter than any lip gloss, or it will be duller than unconditioned hair. 

Did anyone find a clear conclusion among those stepping stones? Me neither. But the path is leading in a good direction, I believe, so we'll just keep walking down this path.

My make-up routine is really basic, and it gets even more basic on weekends. I put some shadow and liner on my eyes, and a bit of concealer under my eyes and maybe elsewhere if a zit demands. Sometimes I wear mascara; sometimes not. I put chap-stick on at night after I brush my teeth, and I brush with toothpaste and baking soda. It's a good day when I remember to apply body spray. 

I think the most important aspect of make-up for me is making sure I'm comfortable without it. As long as make-up is a choice for me, then everything is alright.

When I was deathly ill sick on the couch on Sunday, my friend Rebecca came over to deliver some orange juice {she is so great!}. I had moved from my bed to the couch, period. No hair brush, no face wash, no daytime clothing, nothing! And it was absolutely fine {part of this nonchalance is probably due to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, that breathing comes before being beautiful, but whatevs!}. Both my inner and outer person are made beautifully, and that's what counts. 

via

San Antonio + Sickness

Well, gang, I'm home again, home again, jiggety jig. Our event in San Antonio, Texas, was fantastic, and now I'm home celebrating by...being sick. Yep, San An gave me a bug. But let's back up.

Tuesday morning before the crack of dawn, my parents and I loaded up into the car and set off for the airport. We had 6 bags to check {thank you, Dad's status, for letting us do that for free!}, and someone {read: me!} got bumped into first class! Yes and amen, right!?

I won't bore you with all the nitty gritty details of the week {I know you've been on the edge of your seats for THAT}; instead I will tell you that the event went way smoother than Mom or I could have ever imagined, hoped, or dreamed, and we got compliments right and left about how awesome everything was.

My favorite part was Friday night when we down the street to the Buckhorn Saloon and had dinner, dancing {with live music}, and sharpshooters. The food was fantastic, everyone was dancing or laughing at those dancing, and the sharpshooters walked around intimidating people before they started arguing over their girlfriend. It was absolutely perfect.

Saturday was a morning session, conclusion, and goodbyes before I rushed off to the airport. First class both flights - please and thank you! My sisters picked me up from the airport, and we hit up Dick's Drive In before heading home.

The only downside of this trip was the bug I caught. I think it was a combination of the air conditioning {odd, I know, but I'm pretty sure it was involved}, dehydration, and the stress of the event. Add traveling to that mix, and I woke up Sunday with a bad case of I-can't-breathe-so-I'm-gonna-stay-on-the-couch.

Today's to-do list includes watching the Season 1 finale of "Elementary," drinking lots of water and orange juice, and growing a pile of tissue. {I feel like a game show host announcing this list, btw,} I'm on the mend, so never fear! I should be back in the saddle again tomorrow. Giddyup!

Finish This: Week Thirty-eight

Joining our fantastic hosts Jen from The Arizona Russums, Becky from The Java Mama, Lisa at Coastlined, and Nicole from Three 31. {I'm blogging from the app, so pictures are lacking today, sorry. But at least the hotel here in Texas has internet - yay!}

My relationships thrive because both my friends and I initiate conversation, texts, hang-outs, etc. We know that it takes two to tango, and we feel free to contact the other person anytime. We also know our lives are all ridiculously busy, so we aren't offended if plans are delayed or something. We all love each other and we'll get together eventually!

My favorite piece of advice is make your bed first thing every day. As a Type A OCD person, having my bed made keeps me sane. Plus, bedtime is nicer when crawling into a made bed.

My worst habit is pulling hangnails instead of cutting them off. My fingers always have red gashes where I've pulled (and pulled and pulled) the skin off, and they hurt! When will I learn?

That's all, folks! Go leave some comment love on the other posts, if you're so inspired. 

Not Alone Series: Dating vs. Courtship

{I'm writing this on an airplane as my fellow passengers find their seats. My company has a conference in Texas, so hi-ho, hi-ho, off to The Great Nation of Texas I go.}

It might be easy to say that the pursuit of marriage is the purpose of dating (aka courtship). But, that's not how our culture views dating. Does viewing the person you're dating as a potential spouse add unnecessary pressure on the relationship? In your opinion, is there a difference between dating and courtship? If so, what are those differences?

Wowza, what a great question! I really love this - good job, Jen and Morgan!

Short answer, since I'm on a plane and got up at 3:30 this morning: I wouldn't date anyone that I couldn't see myself marrying. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't go on a date with someone unless I knew he was The One, but I wouldn't go out with him unless there was a possibility. 

That being said, I think considering someone an "option" is different than considering that person The One. I think some NAS girls have mentioned Cindy's "3 Date Rule," and I really appreciate it (that is, if I'm thinking of the right rule!). Go out with a guy if he asks and you're interested, but don't start a relationship with him unless he is an actual option for a husband.

Personally, I feel pressure on myself to know my list of character qualities I'm looking for, because a guy can be really fun and awesome and interested, but if he lacks my non-negotiables, I couldn't enter into a relationship with him. 

That's all I've got, folks. Join Jen and Morgan for the link-up!

Makeover

A couple weekends ago, I went thrifting for a table lamp. Since I had no idea what I was going to do with it and also since I had no idea how my attempt would turn out, I bought one lamp with a clear cord and a shade already attached {instead of buying two lamps with various degrees of inspiration and intimidation}.

{Sorry, I didn't take a "before" picture. Lame, I know.} The original color was kind of an Eeyore-blue... aka depressing. Also, it went with nothing already in my living room, so paint was in order. The shade was an off-white; again, not my fave. So I knew that this was a total makeover. 

via

The mirror on my mantle is painted "geranium" from Martha Stewart's collection, and I decided that the base of the lamp should match the mirror. Unfortunately, Martha likes to keep things moving through her collection, so geranium was no longer an option. Fortunately, I have a dedicated crafting friend in Julie, and together we searched through the clearance bucket and found something close: poppy. I figured they are both orange-ish flowers and close enough. 

Julie and I turned on the movie "Austenland" {which was pretty cute and funny - a good choice for crafting} and she started knitting and I started with the lamp shade. I had purchased some scrapbook paper and began to glue the paper onto the shade. I finished before the movie did, so it didn't take too long. The pieces of paper were each $0.56 and I used four pieces. 

When the movie was over, Julie and I grabbed paintbrushes and sponges and let the poppy loose. It didn't go very far. We painted one coat that night, then I painted three more coats on Saturday, and then Monday saw the fifth coat. FINALLY it looked good!

Above and below are Saturday morning, after the second coat. Still see-through!

Here's the paint I used:

I figured if it didn't work, I only paid $0.79 for it, so no biggie. 

All done!

Close-up of the shade

Ta-da! I have another table, so stay tuned for potentially another lamp makeover. $10.00 for the lamp + $0.79 for the paint + $2.24 = a new lamp for less than $15!

Baby Cuddling, Week One

Two Sundays ago was my first day getting up to my 4:30am alarm. It was the first time I groggily called the NICU, willing my voice not to croak like a bullfrog. It was the first time I tried {and failed!} to clock in using my volunteer PIN.

It was the first time I made the rounds in the NICU, asking the kind nurses if they had any babies needing cuddling. It was my first time {ever!} in the Family and Maternity Center {FMC}, and it was my first time holding a baby completely uninterrupted for longer than an hour.

The nurse didn't know this baby boy's name, so I didn't get to know it, either. We just knew he was a little fussy and that his mom needed some sleep. I settled into my rocking chair and opened my arms. The nurse gently transferred him to me, and I started gazing at him.

Everyone says that every baby is perfect, and I absolutely agree. Babies with pale skin, brown skin, yellow skin, red blotchy skin, purple skin... babies with no hair, black hair, curly hair, blonde hair, two hairs total... they are all perfect.

This two-day-old baby and I got to hang out for three hours. We watched {okay, I watched and whispered descriptions to him since his eyes were closed} the sun rise and the morning fog dissipate. I prayed over him and sang to him.

He squeaked and I hummed. He stirred and I stroked. He twisted and I patted. And when my shift was over and I gave him back to the nurse, I wondered where the time had gone and why couldn't I stay for the rest of the day. And then I realized that I would never see this baby again, and I confess that I cried a little.

I can't really describe the joyful ache I feel in my heart and my arms. I feel full of gratitude for the opportunity, contentedness with a baby in my arms, humbled to be serving new moms in this simple way... and I feel lonely for my future babies, sad for the NICU babies who can't go home with their parents yet, and pain for the parents who never get to take their newborn home.

Describing my time at the hospital really helps me process allll these emotions, so brace yourself for some baby cuddling stories! I don't know how much information I can share, but if you want to join me in praying for these little strangers, that would be wonderful. Thanks for listening. 

Finish This: Week Thirty-seven

Joining the Finish This party! Our lovely hostesses are Jen from The Arizona Russums, Nicole from Three 31, Lisa from Coastlined, and Becky from The Java Mama.

I am the type of person who always has a to-do list going and will call it a fantastic day when everything gets crossed off. My day planner is filled with lists of errands to run, phone calls to make, and Zumba classes, and at the end of the day, I draw bold lines through everything! And if I didn't finish something, I leave it unscathed and get to it later, no biggie. That's why I have a list - so I remember what I haven't done yet.

My favorite joke or riddle or funny is probably a little too dirty for this little blog, so I will share a couple G-rated favorites:

via

via

via

All that really matters is:

via

Hugo nails it: God is faithful, and we always have hope. 

Thanks for reading! Come back next week for another round of prompts, and if you want to participate, you can "finish this" in the comments or in your own blog post.