Monday, July 30, 2012

Recipe Mondays: Strawberry Muffins

If you are like me, you may often have the dilemma of finding a healthy breakfast that can be made ahead of time or rapidly made that morning.  Let me introduce you to Strawberry Muffins.  One of my new favorites, they are tremendously delicious!

Here's what you need to mix up!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup buttermilk*
1/4 cup orange juice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees while greasing a 12-cup, normal size muffin pan.

Stir together dry ingredients, mixing well. (We don't want a big bite of baking soda!) Then mix together wet ingredients.  Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Drop by spoon into muffin pan, dividing in between the different muffin cups.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or just until golden brown on the tops.  Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.  Serve warm, or cover and serve when ready.  Or you could pop them into the freezer and pull out when needed! I use all of these combinations and they are delicious!

*If you do not have buttermilk, simply mix 3/4 cup of milk with 2 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar.  This will create "soured milk" which is very similar to buttermilk. :)

I hope you enjoy this great meal!

Not the prettiest batch of muffins I have made, but they were GOOD!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Saturday Smiles - Hacked - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISSY!!!!


Today's Saturday Smile Post has been HACKED. . . . yes, that is correct.   You see. . . IT'S MISSY'S 23rd BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISSY!!!!!!!!!


"Beside a well, one does not thirst. . . beside a sister, one does not despair." - Chinese Proverb

It is hard to even begin to describe the worth of my little sister.  How does one go about telling her exactly how much she means and how much of an inspiration she has been in my life?   Words sometimes just don't do it. 

So, to help describe my little sister, I have pulled some quotes from my Pinterest Board: (Click on the image to be taken to that pin)

Life with you, sis. . . is an Adventure!!!!!

You bring me such happiness, sis!

Wherever you go, you make it beautiful!
This you do . . . 
Your quiet courage inspires me!

We have this hope!

You are beautiful and inspiring. . . I love watching your passion for the Lord!

Dearest Missy. . . my little sister.   God gave you to me for a reason, and I thank Him all the time for you!
  You are my Saturday Smile and my Everyday Smile! Happy Birthday!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Discovery Friday - Unique Home Decorating Ideas

Hello everyone!  I just recently found these really unique, home decorating ideas that I hope to try sometime soon!  







1. Buy plates from Dollar Store 2. Write things with a Sharpie 3. Bake for 30 mins in the 150 oven and it's permanent!  Courtesy



Seashell covered, wood letters!  How easy! I might try something like this for my parents for Christmas as a washroom decoration.   Courtesy



This is my new favorite idea and something I must try!

First I went to Lowes and bought the cheapest board they have (12″ x 36″) I believe it was around $6.50 for the board, and you can pay .25 a cut at Lowes as well. I had them cut the board into three equal parts (12″ x 12″). I picked up Mod Podge as well, and some sponge brushes. I developed my pictures at Costco for $2.99 a picture! (12″ x 12″) First step is to paint the boards. ~ I painted the whole back and the sides grey. I just used left over house paint. ~ Next you let the paint dr...  Read More >>

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Acting as a Bride to Christ


While going about my chores today while my baby slept, I was thinking about my wedding day and the preparations for becoming a bride.  The night before I washed up thoroughly, and then my friends and I had a nail painting party. The next morning, I ironed my dress.  My Mom did my hair in a simple fashion that my husband loved. I put on my best jewelry. I prepared myself to be pretty and look nice for what is known as “the most important day in a girl’s life.” But it hadn’t just started there.  The wedding preparations went back for months.  My Mom and I made bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen vests. With friends we made all of the wedding party outfits, and all of the decorations, invitations, brochures, etc. But the biggest project of all was making my wedding dress.  We picked the whitest satin we could find.  When we first used the wedding dress pattern, we made a sample dress out of sheets.  We worked to get that dress perfect. 

Courtesy Missy Photos
Knowing the lengths we went through, I am sure you can imagine my horror one day when I was sewing and I rubbed that brilliant, pure white satin wrong on my sewing machine.  Looking down I saw two dark, glaring grease spots.  They were tiny in comparison to the full dress – but they were ugly and huge.  I was terrified that after months of working on it, I had ruined my wedding dress.  (While this is not my point in this article, if that ever happens to you, try rubbing it out with a tiny bit of baby shampoo.  It worked to COMPLETELY get the grease stains out!)  That one event made me think long and hard though of something besides my wedding to my husband.

Courtesy Missy Photos
 My thoughts were these. We are the bride of Christ.  As the bride of my husband, I wanted to be “spotless” and beautiful.  I wanted to be pure for him when I married him.  Those two little grease spots in my white wedding dress caused me so much concern even though the rest of my dress (all 99.9999% of it) was still a brilliant white.  As a Christian, I know I often do something and think “That wasn’t THAT bad. I’ll not worry about it.  The rest is okay!” But Christ wants us to be as attentive a bride to Him as we are to our husbands.  He wants us to look for those small, but dark and glaring, blemishes and work to remove them from our lives.  It’s all about becoming more Christ-like…  It’s hard to do, but it is necessary and pleasing to Him!  We’ll never be perfect.  We will always sin.  But part of being a Christian is working to do what is right and pleasing to Him.  We want Him to look at us and find us a pleasing bride…just as we wanted our husbands to on our wedding day.

Courtesy Missy Photos

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Natural Remedies: Cinnamon Essential Oil

Let's tackle Cinnamon Oil next! I have to admit, I was avoiding this one because I figured it couldn't "be that great." Oops! Let me rethink this.  I am now itching to purchase this oil! I was thrilled when I began reading what it can do! Before I go any further, however, this is another one of those oils that it is important to not use it while you are pregnant.  With that taken care of  -- what is Cinnamon Oil? 
  • Antibacterial
  • Antifungal
  • Antiseptic
  • Antiviral 
It can also aid in....
  • Infections
  • Memory and Concentration
  • Pain Relief
  • Respiratory Problems
  • Skin Care
  • Stopping Bleeding
  •  ....and guess what? Much more!

Photo Courtesy

Now...I could go through and try to recap everything I have read, but I can't think of a really good way to do that, and I found a couple of websites for Cinnamon Oil that I found to be really concise and full of information.  When I pass these on to you, please note that I am only recommending the health-benefit side.  Unfortunately, many of the natural remedy scholars and "believers" (for lack of a better word) are also into things such as "spiritual healing and cleansing." I do not believe in this at all, and believe it is wrong.  That said, one of these websites does have some of that "information" in it...so please do not read that and think I am passing it on as fact.  It is not.  But, the information they have regarding Cinnamon Oil's physical health benefits are excellent!

The Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Health Benefits of Cinnamon Oil

Photo Courtesy

PLEASE NOTE: These are only natural home remedies that no professional has reviewed or written.  This is not to take the place of professional medical advice, it is merely to aid you at home.  If you are concerned, it is best to call your doctor and follow instructions given by him/her.

Also, please pay particular attention during use of essential oils in regards to which oils are safe for pregnant women and children.  There are many that should not be used, although some are perfectly safe.  For other important information, please see my May 9th, 2012, post titled "Natural Remedies: Essential Oils."

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

This and That

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I just wanted to update everyone a few things. 

1 - Sorry for the lack of certain posts and such the last few weeks.  All of our lives have been extremely crazy, and we've had to put Pure Femininity on the back burner for a little bit.  However, we are working to get back in the swing of things and we should have the blog up and going better soon.  One of the things that both Missy and I would like to have happen shortly is to have a lot more modesty and femininity and purity articles on this blog.  If you have ideas, suggestions, or guest posts please email us! Or leave a comment here on this post! :)

2 - If you follow us on Facebook and Twitter we are hoping to get our blog synced up to both to automatically update those respective pages when Pure Femininity has a new post! If they aren't running right now (which they SHOULD be...but I'm new to figuring this part out so we may still have some issues) they will be up this week! 

3 - Petra Anderson, the friend I posted about on Sunday, is doing very well.  Her recovery is truly miraculous.  Please continue keeping her in your prayers.  She was moved out of ICU, is walking, talking, and knows who and where she is among other important things.  There are HIGH hopes of a full recovery, but she is still in a lot of pain and has a long recovery process ahead of her.  If you know anyone who would be praying, please pass on her story...  And if you or anyone else feels led to donate to her family, this is the link: http://www.indiegogo.com/readytobelieve.  Continue praying for Petra and her family - especially her mother, Kim, who is battling terminal cancer.

Thanks to all our followers!  We hope to hear from you soon!

~ Sarah

Monday, July 23, 2012

Recipe Monday - Unique Snacks for Kids


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I recently came across several adorable cute and unique snack ideas for kids.  I have not had opportunity to try any of them yet, but I hope to very soon!  





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Do you have any cute
snack ideas for kids? 
 I would love to hear about them!

~ Missy








Sunday, July 22, 2012

Prayers and Funding for Petra Anderson


Most of you probably heard of the horrible news that struck in Aurora, CO, when a gunman went into a theater and killed 12 people and wounding 50+ others.  One of the critically wounded is a dear friend of mine, Petra Anderson.  She is a 22-year-old young woman, with a brilliant, compassionate mind and a wonderful friend.  Some of you may remember her from our wedding - she was the talented violinist.

Petra was struck with 4 pellets from a shotgun.  Three less serious wounds struck her arm, but she was critically injured when a pellet went through her nose, through her head/brain, and lodged itself in the skull.  Initially she was given 2 hours of life...but miraculously she is recovering.  They have removed the pellet, and she is talking and moving though in great pain and still has a long road of recovery, though, praise the Lord, it looks promising.  As if this was not enough on the Anderson family, her mother has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and give 6 months to a maximum of 2 years to live.  Both Petra and her Mother have health insurance, but it won't cover Kim's cancer treatment and won't cover all of Petra's medical expenses or potentially the therapy that she needs to continue recovery after being discharged.**

You know me well enough that I don't forward emails, I don't start chain mail, and I usually can't stand fundraisers as they often seem for a worthless cause.  But...that time for now has ended.  I believe in this one.  The Andersons need us, and this is how you can help:

Number one, the Andersons need our prayer.  Prayer for Petra and Mrs. Anderson's recovery; prayer for strength for the family; prayer for the surgeons and professionals who aid Petra and Mrs. Anderson; prayer for the funds to come through.

Number two, they need funding.  Petra's older sister, Chloe, along with other family and friends are working to start a viral campaign for the Andersons.  They need $100,000 to cover Petra's medical expenses.  Additionally, they need funding to help Mrs. Anderson try to battle the cancer through alternative medicine due to complications with traditional treatments.  

Chloe and company have set up a campaign called "Ready to Believe: Anderson Relief Fund."They are trying to raise $250,000 in the next 40 days.  The first $100,000 for Petra's surgery, medical, and recovery costs. The second $150,000 will be evenly split between Mrs. Anderson's treatment and the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance (COVA) through the Aurora Police Department to be used in aid for other victims of this horrible tragedy.

There are many websites that can give additional information:

The Andersons are also trying to get the campaign to go viral through YouTube and Twitter.  At Twitter you can use the Hashtag: #ReadytoBelieve starting at 10pm EST on Sunday, July 22, 2012.

And this is where the third thing you can do to help comes in.  Number three, they need publicity.  This could be spreading the viral campaign, it could be that the news will (hopefully) spread this story wide and far.  But it can also simply be by pressing the forward button on this email.  Many of us may not be able to contribute financially, but if word is spread then there is a good chance that someone that you know WILL be able to contribute financially.

Please be praying.  And please, please, please pass the word.  Push the forward button, pray, and keep hoping for the best.  In less than 12 hours from the IndieGoGo site's launch, they've already raised $6,000.  But there is still much more than is needed.  Please pass the word.  The Andersons need our help.  They are many who are Ready to Believe that Hope is Rising for the Andersons.

**Update 1: Originally this was posted with the sentence that said "According to my knowledge, neither Petra nor her mother have insurance."  It was brought to my attention that they DO have insurance, however, it won't cover Kim's cancer treatment and won't cover all of Petra's medical expenses or potentially the therapy that she needs to continue recovery after being discharged.

**Update 2: As of this update at 3:00pm (Pacific time) on July 24th, Petra's fund has raised just over $135,000 -- thanks for everyone who has helped and prayed.  Thank you for continuing to pass the word! 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Saturday Smiles - Do You Always Just Smile?!



Give them a reason to smile. :)
(Credit Unknown)
          In early June, I was returning home from Arkansas after photographing a friend’s wedding.  After taking my seat in the airplane, I noticed a military man seated across the isle and one row ahead of me.  From his seat, he could not see me from where he sat on the airplane, but randomly through the whole flight I noticed him lift himself up and peer over the seat top to look at me.  I felt slightly uncomfortable and I made a point not to look at him, but I could not help but notice this strange activity from out of the corner of my eye.  
          While preparing to leave the plane, he approached me emphatically said,
“Do you always just smile?!  I’ve been watching you ever since you got on the plane, and you are always smiling!”
I told him that in truth I had no idea that I had been smiling at all, but I make it such a habit to smile that I that it just came out naturally.  (What I did not tell him was that part of that smile was probably just a smirk at how funny he looked popping his head up over the seat to see me!) 
        We talked a little bit about how people just aren’t in the habit of smiling and so their smiles become rusty for lack of use.  However, if a person makes it habit to take out their smile and polish it everyday, putting it to good use, then it will come out naturally without any effort.  This type of smile can make a huge difference in the lives of those who are nearby - Just as it did in the life of this military man.


Smile!



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Essential Wedding Day Tips - The How & Why You Should Start Preparations Now



Essential Wedding Day Tips

“The How & Why You Should Start Your Preparations Now”


Photo Courtesy
          What girl doesn’t like to prepare, or at least dream about her wedding day?  That day, like no other, when she will be united as one with the man of her dreams!  Girls from a very young age dream and plan, and dream again, and change their plans, and then change their plans again.  Everything MUST be perfect! The ceremony, the decorations, the cake, the location, the bridal party, and most importantly - the dress! (Actually, the most important thing is finding the perfect photographer - but I get to say that because I AM a photographer!)  By the time her wedding finally arrives, a girl may have spent 10-20 years or more preparing for it in her mind! It’s a massive accomplishment.

I too, love to dream about, plan, and prepare for my wedding someday!  In fact, I have found several ways to work on my wedding right now, even though there is no special man in my life and may not be for many years.  Despite that, I am working right now on my ceremony, decorations, the cake, and even my dress!  By the time the right man finally comes into my life, I won’t have to deal with all the same stress that normal brides struggle through.  I will be all ready!  Let me share with you the secrets I’ve found to being able to prepare so early.  It’s never too early to start, in fact, the sooner the better!

Let’s begin with the decorations!  For my wedding, I plan to have a very large candle light ceremony, and so of course that means that I need lots of candles!  Unfortunately, I have been collecting these candles for as long as I can remember.   I say it’s unfortunate because I never wanted to end up with so many of them, for these candles are quite different from the ones that you may be thinking of.  The candles that I plan to burn during my wedding ceremony are made of selfishness, anger, bitterness, self righteousness, pride, impatience, idleness, and outbursts of wrath.  I work daily to burn up these candles, but I will still have more than enough to use at my wedding.  The flame lit to dissolve these candles will burn by the power of self control and diligence, and the sweet aroma flowing from the melted candles will be mercy and forgiveness.  

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Let’s move on to the cake!  Not many people can say that they have been preparing the cake for years before their wedding!  Never failing faith, abundant grace, and  unconditional love will make up the three flavors of the cake and it will be lavishly frosted with joy and grace.  These are the free, sweet gifts that I would like to offer to each guest that attends my wedding ceremony.

While the cake is being prepared, I also need to collect more contentment, hope, and faithfulness, for these are the flowers that will make up the bouquet that I will carry down the aisle.  
My shoes are being custom made with strength and sparkling with truth and nobility. 
My sash will be finely woven over many years of unwavering faith and joy.

It’s time for my dress!  Made of purest white, I have been working hard to sew this dress for many years.  The fabric is made of the softest purity, and sewn with threads of patience.  There have been many times when I was sure that I had completely ruined the dress as I brushed it up against something dirty or spilled something on the pure fabric.  I have cried many times over this dress because even the smallest spot shows plainly on the white fabric and cannot be hidden.  There are many people who wish to touch my dress and hold it, leaving more stains upon the fabric.  I do my very best to protect my dress from those who would harm it, but I’ve found that I cannot do it alone.  I always seem to get frustrated by the process and I continually run out of thread, but then I remember that all I need do is humbly ask, and my loving Heavenly Father will bring me more thread, help me protect my dress from those who would harm it, and wipe away the stains that have been made.  Without this continual help, my dress would certainly be a dirty black mess by the time that my wedding day arrives. 

Resting gently on the top of my head will be a crown that I have earned through storms of tears, pain, and heartache that I have faced.  Tiny diamonds will represent perseverance and humbleness that I have learned during the most difficult times and will be jewels that will serve me well throughout the rest of my life. With every move I make, my crown will sparkle with praise for my Heavenly Father, because without Him, I would have never had the strength to gain such a crown.

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The rings that will grace the hand of myself and my groom will be far more costly than mere gold, which is only pavement on the streets of Heaven.  Our rings will be carefully made of unconditional, never failing, ever faithful love, and will sparkle with diamonds of life-long commitment.


Aside from all the other gifts that I plan to give to my groom upon our wedding day, I will also add unconditional respect, understanding, and unwavering support.

Flowing freely above the ceremony will be a banner of the glory of the Lord and will display His marvelous power and might.

I am planning a wedding more extravagant and more costly than the most expensive wedding that has ever taken place.  The cost my wedding will be everything I have, everything that I am, and everything that I will ever be.  It will require all of me, and I can withhold nothing.  

Weddings typically are exceedingly expensive, and for the richest of people who have extravagant weddings, the cost can easily reach into the millions.  All that money spent on a wedding that only lasts a day, and a marriage that may not last at all.

 The wedding that I am working toward does not last just a day, but will last for a lifetime and may be passed on to strangers as well as future generations.  The decorations that I am working so hard for will not simply vanish when the wedding day is over, but they will grace my home and touch the lives of everyone around me.  Many things can be purchased with worldly wealth, but the treasure that I seek is worth far more than silver or gold.  The wealth of this kind of wedding is the only kind of wealth that, when given freely to others, will make the giver more wealthy. 

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My wedding preparations are far from done but I continue to work quickly and diligently because I do not know when my groom is going to appear!  But then, what if there is no earthy groom for me?  Do I labor for a wedding that will never be?  

If there is no groom for me here on this earth, my wedding preparations will not be wasted in the least.  I still will have a groom and whether I have an earthy groom or not, these preparations are first and foremost for my preparation as the bride of Christ, and I plan to be ready when He comes.  

Of course I would like to get married someday, but when I think of this short life in comparison my eternal home as the bride of Christ, I will be glad to make these wedding preparations my whole life long and have Him as my one and only groom if that is His will for my life.  And so while I wait, I plan to gather as many flowers of contentment as I can and continue to sew with threads of patience, both of which I need much of!

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My dear readers, as your sister in Christ, I humbly urge you not to spend your time preparing or even dreaming about your physical wedding until the time of your engagement (or shortly before).   Most of the girls that I know collect pictures, make plans, and pin ideas for their weddings on social networking sites such as Pinterest, Facebook, and online web albums.  This may seem harmless but indeed it is not, for over time, discontentment over your singleness will slowly creep in and may cause you to enter a relationship that is not a part of the great plans that the Lord has for your life.  I have seen this very thing happen to many girls who had at one time committed this area of their lives to God, but became weary and discontent over time. 

If you happen to run across a picture or idea that you really may like for your earthy wedding someday, then by all means save it in a special file for the time that you may need it, but do not continue to dwell on it.  Discontentment is a deadly poison and it is encouraged by romanticizing, early wedding planning, and many other such things. 


Will you join with me in planning a wedding like mine?  If you do, then you will become a bride that is worth more than the most precious rubies.



Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Even If He Does Not....

        This morning I saw that my sister had written the words, “Even if He does not…” on her wrist. When I asked her what it was for she said that it was part of a verse from the book of Daniel. The King was trying to get Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to bow down and worship a golden idol. If they did not worship the idol, they would be burned in the fiery furnace. The three said to the king:
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-18 (NIV)
        Our family is facing some extremely hard times right now where very tough decisions must be made that will change our lives for ever. We are trusting and believing for the Lord to turn this situation around and make it into something wonderful. BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, we will still praise Him and not turn our backs on Him.



~ Missy



Natural Remedies: Orange Blossom Essential Oil

Have you ever smelled Orange Blossoms?  They smell simply delicious! And so does this oil.  But it is also very useful - besides smelling "pretty."  So what are the uses and benefits of Orange Blossom Oil (also known as Neroli Oil)? 
  • Acne
  • Antibacterial
  • Anti-depressive
  • Antiseptic
  • Anxiety
  • Hypertension
  • Insomnia
  • Scarring
  • Skin Care
  • Stretch Marks
  •  ....and guess what? Much more!

Photo Courtesy
 Due to the cost and power of this essential oil, it is advised that you use a 50:50 dilution of Orange Blossom Essential Oil.  Jojoba oil is a very good mixture, or you can use olive oil.  A few uses for it are these:
  • Massage 2-3 drops of the 50:50 dilution containing Orange Blossom Essential Oil on to scars or stretch marks.  With continued use, it will often diminish (and sometimes even eliminate) the blemishes.  It is not always effective, but it has a pretty high rate of success.
  • One thing I have heard is that Neroli Oil decreases hypertension (high blood pressure) and aids in circulation problems.  What I have not discovered is how to use it effectively for that! Any ideas anyone?  I do not have any of those problems in our family so it is not something extremely important for me to find out right now...but I would like to know for the future!
  • Rub a small amount of rosemary oil on skin in order to help with dry, irritated, and sensitive skin.  It helps! This will also work for acne.
There are many other uses, but this will give you a start point if you wish to use Orange Blossom (Neroli) Essential Oil.  It is an expensive oil, but it is also delightful!

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PLEASE NOTE: These are only natural home remedies that no professional has reviewed or written.  This is not to take the place of professional medical advice, it is merely to aid you at home.  If you are concerned, it is best to call your doctor and follow instructions given by him/her.

Also, please pay particular attention during use of essential oils in regards to which oils are safe for pregnant women and children.  There are many that should not be used, although some are perfectly safe.  For other important information, please see my May 9th, 2012, post titled "Natural Remedies: Essential Oils."

Monday, July 16, 2012

Recipe Mondays: Baked Doughnuts

I love doughnuts.  I eat them very rarely, however, as they are fried and they are unhealthy.  But if you are going to have doughnuts, why not have a slightly healthier version of homemade baked doughnuts.  They don't taste exactly like the doughnuts we are all probably used to, but they are still good!  Check out the recipe below to try something that is probably a little different from what we are used to making! It is fun to have a little change, isn't it?


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Sunday, July 15, 2012

Deception - Guest Writer, Rachel Stickler

Deception

Guest Writer, Rachel Stickler


          I went to Life Church tonight and they are doing a sermon series called 'Deception'.  It is about how the Enemy (the Devil) tries to deceive us.  You are thinking well, of course!  But it was a great sermon.

Photography by Rachel Stickler
          The Devil is able to disguise his true motives and twist good into evil and evil into good, at least he makes it all look that way. 

          The beginning of deception started in the Garden of Eden where Genesis 3:1-7 tells the story of the Fall.  The serpent said to Eve, "Did God really say that?"  ...And Eve questions it.  Then her convictions change because she is being deceived.  She thinks of how the fruit would be good for food and how beautiful it is and what wisdom that it might offer.... (As the serpent had told her).  As Eve bit into the fruit, the Devil was triumphant.  We don't want him to be the victor do we?

         Our Enemy has been deceiving from the beginning!  Don't let him fool you, as he is still around.  He still wants to snag your heart.

          Lust is a deception.  We look at what we do not have in stead of what we do.  And the devil and our own sinful nature tells us that we need that thing.

           The Devil will do anything, play upon your every weakness.  Don't let him prevail.  Take hold of God, do what He commands and know that the Devil is a deceiver and that he will not hesitate to make you stumble.

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About guest writer - Rachel Stickler


          "I am a 16 year old born again Christian, a quadruplet, a dreamer, a bookworm, a writer, a wanna-be singer, a sinner, a lire, and a hater.  It's true.  I fall short of the glory of God yet he gave (and gives me) grace every day.  I fail, I fall, and I fly.  What can I say?  I am who God made me yet I am who I choose, and I choose to be His alone.  My writings are musings and my readings are dusty old books...I love it!  And if I get lucky, God will drop something in my lap that I can tell you about!  I want to change the world (Or should I say, I want God to change the world through me), and this generation.  If I went on, this would become a novel!  So...there is just a little taste of who I am and what my dreams are :)    

Rachel's Blog: Chosen Generation




Saturday, July 14, 2012

Saturday Smiles - Sleeping Yoshi

     This is my kitten Yoshi.  He has been the best stress relief and smile maker that I have had in a long time!  For a girl who was determined to not have a cat of her own... I sure got stuck!  Dreadful little thing sank it's claws in my heart!  (But for some reason, I don't mind!)  
This is a video of Yoshi sleeping.  When he really falls asleep, he goes out so hard that I can do just about anything to him and he's just limp.  He has given me so many smiles and laughs, I hope that he will give a few to you as well.




Friday, July 13, 2012

Discovery Friday - Modest Summer Dresses



I LOVE dresses but it's always nearly impossible to find a dress that is modest! Here are a few dress ideas that I have discovered online that are modest and cute! I am working on sewing one of my own and hopefully it will turn up in a Discovery Friday post in the very near future!


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My style - NOT my price.  I would make one like this though!
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What kind of modest dress styles do you like?



Thursday, July 12, 2012

Up-Cycled Fuzzy Fabric



     Have you ever looked at the prices of fuzzy fabric in a craft or fabric store?  $12 and up per yard! OUCH! I don't know about you, but I can't afford to pay prices like that, but even if I could, I prefer to spend my money wisely and be as prudent as possible.  


     Well, what's a girl to do when she wants to make something out of fuzzy fabric?  I found a solution!  Earlier this year, Lisa had a little boy and I wanted to make him a very special fuzzy blanket from his auntie Missy.  Over a couple of weeks time, I visited several thrift stores and picked up old robes, crib liners, and pajama pants that were in good condition.  My trick for saving the most amount of money was to go to a thrift store when I knew they were having a 99 cent sale on certain color tags.  Once I found out which color tag was on sale, I went through the PJ section and only looked for that particular tag color.  After finding the right tag, then I would look at the item to see if it was in good condition and was something that I could use.   For regular clothes shopping, this approach would never work, but for fuzzy fabric it's great!  


     I used my up-cycled fuzzy fabric to make this cute puppy blanket.  I used two robes, one PJ shirt, one pair of PJ pants, and I still have so much fabric left over that I will be able to make something else later!  Altogether, the fabric for the top of this blanket coast me about $4.  I had to purchase a large piece of new fabric for the back - but it simple flannel that was on sale for $1.99 a yard!  


     Would you have ever guessed by looking at that cute puppy face? Probably not. 


Practical. Resourceful. Prudent.  - Learning to save and spend money like a Proverbs 31 woman. You can do it too!


~ Missy


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