Emotions

Totally stealing Troy's idea!


Anger is injustice.
Annoyance is not getting everything done that I had planned.
Contempt is mean girls focusing on my daughter.

Disgust is dirty feet in my bed.
Irritation is unthoughtful people.
Anxiety is avoidable.
Embarrassment is mismatched children.
Fear is burying a child.
Helplessness is watching him struggle.
Powerlessness is absent in light of who I am in Christ.
Worry is part of being a mom.
Doubt is a constant companion.
Envy is demonstrative affection.
Frustration is being asked to lie.
Guilt is a tool of the enemy.
Shame is going to God one more time to confess sin...and then one more...and one more...
Boredom is small talk.
Despair is in a two year old's hospital room.
Disappointment is parenting failures.
Hurt is echoed words.
Sadness is not having a person.
Agitation is cats...and dogs and trees and grass and...
Stress is feeling inadequate.
Shock is anaphylactic.
Tension is speaking the truth in love.
Amusement is his laugh.
Delight is their laughter.
Elation is my children choosing Christ.
Excitement is the perfect card.
Happiness is a pedicure with my mother and my daughter.
Joy is studying God's Word with others.
Pleasure is knowing someone well and being known.
Caring is a tender hand on the small of my back.

Affection is a kiss.

Empathy is marriage.

Friendliness is a smile.

Love is sacrifice.

Courage is choosing obedience instead of being swept up by the world.

Hope is future plans for my children.
Pride is thinking that I can heal him.
Satisfaction is hearing them describe God.
Trust is knowing He is working even when I don't see Him.
Content is sitting down to a meal with my husband, my kids and my parents.
Relaxed is watching my favorite shows with my favorite person.
Serene is reading on Mom and Dad's couch.
Politeness is answering the phone.
Surprised is learning something new about someone I know well.

FAB: What's Your Color Season?

So, I blogged about how important it is to wear colors that flatter you.  They ehance your skin tone, make you look more radiant, brighten your eyes...so important! 
I have known that I am a winter for quite some time because, like I said, my mom had her colors done.  But for those who don't know what season they are or which colors are in your season...here are some sources to figure out what colors look best on you.

The color swatch things you carry around come from Color Me Beautiful.  They have a very basic way of figuring out your season by assessing your hair color.  Remember to think about your natural hair color.

I found this at ehow.com 
Instructions. Determine Your Skin Tone

Decide which season most accurately describes your complexion. People - and skin tones - can be divided into "seasons," depending on their skin tone.

"Winter" complexions have blue or pink undertones. Skin can be pale white, yellowish-olive, or dark. Winter people are generally brunettes, with deeply colored eyes. Many Asians and African Americans fall into this category.
"Summer" complexions, like winter complexions, have blue or pink undertones. Skin is pale and pink. Summers are often natural blondes or brunettes with pale eyes.
"Autumn": Autumn complexions have golden undertones. Many redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes fall into this category.
"Spring": Spring complexions have golden undertones and are usually creamy white or peach. Spring people generally have straw-colored or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks, and blue or green eyes.

Choose Clothes to Flatter Your Skin Tone

"Winter": Winters should wear colors that are sharp, stark and clear. White, black, navy blue, red and shocking pink all go well with winter complexions. For lighter colors, wear icy tones rather than pastels. Avoid subdued tones like beige, orange and gold.
"Summer": Summers should choose pastels and soft neutrals with rose and blue undertones. Lavender, plum, rose-brown and soft blue suit summers well while black and orange do not.
"Autumn": Autumns should select colors with golden undertones, like camel, beige, orange, gold and dark brown. Avoid colors with blue tones, like navy.
"Spring": Springs can wear warm colors like camel, peach, golden yellow and golden brown. Avoid dark, dull colors.

Here are a few places to see seasonal colors:

http://trepanrr.tripod.com/tonal_color_palettes.htm#deep_winter
http://www.beauty-and-the-bath.com/Season-Color-Analysis.html

I don't love either, but they give you a basic idea...

Hope this gives you a push in the right direction!  TRY COLOR!!!!

FAB: Daily Devos!

Product Review:  Christianity.com

I have problems with waking up early to have my time with God in the morning.  I am NOT a morning person.  BUT, I definitely recognize the benefit in my day if I think on Him and the mercies that are new in Him for me each morning.  So, taking both of those things into consideration, I have started having devotionals emailed to me every morning.  I am loving it.  At first, I was worried that I wouldn't have much to choose from.  I knew that The Upper Room and Daily Bread did an online thing, and I visit Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest blog regularly.  Those are all great...but seem old fashioned.  So, I googled and found christianity.com. 
I want to say upfront that I have only used the site for the reason I looked for it.  There is tons on the site that I have not explored, yet.  But, I loved what it had to offer me in daily devotionals.  There are seventy-two devotionals to choose from.  They have the devos broken down under subject lists with descriptions for each one that includes the author of the devotional.  I chose several to see which ones were most beneficial for me.  I have found them all to be of great benefit for me each morning.  I chose one for different aspects of my life...parenting, marriage, being a woman.  I also chose one on the names of God which digs into some greek and one that is a reading plan through the Word.
I know that in terms of being fed spiritually an emailed devotional is fast food...but it is better than going hungry all day!

Crutches

So, I have a friend that just had knee surgery.  He should be using crutches.   He's not.  He is using a cane.  If he were using crutches, he would heal quicker and hurt less.  With the cane, he ends up in tons of pain and unable to do the things he normally would have.
I have been thinking a lot about the abundant life that we are promised in John.  I honestly don't think that most Christians live the full life that Jesus meant.  Laziness, misunderstanding, disobedience...they all block our ability to live the type of deeply committed life that leads to abundance.  One of the ways that we miss the full life is not completely giving ourselves to God in total dependence on Him.  We use Him for support as we walk on our own because we think we know better...instead of letting Him bear the load while He heals us.
It's kind of like using a cane when we were given crutches...

FAB: Fabulously Fashionable

Ok, Girls!!!  Here are some fashion tips you can take to the bank!

• Pockets.  Here's the thing:  pockets matter.  Let's talk back pockets on pants.  The position, shape and size of your back pockets is extremely important...they can add or subtract size to that area.  No pockets is very rarely a good option unless you are wearing a dress trouser with some drape or a legging (which should be worn very wisely).  If you are sporting some junk in your trunk, make sure that you have a pocket to break that up and make it look smaller.  The placement is also key.  Look at your butt when you are trying on pants because other people will be looking when you aren't.  The pocket should hit mid-cheek!  If you have a tiny caboose, a pocket is still a good idea - just make sure it is proportionate.  You don't want a really large pocket because it will make your butt look even smaller.  If your rump is flat...try finding heart shaped pockets.  The curves will trick the eye.  Now let's talk about what you put in your pockets.  Some women don't like to carry a purse...I don't understand it, but I know it is true.  Unfortunately, that means keys, phones and wallets get put into pockets.  It's not attractive to have bulges in any area that you have pockets.  Find a purse you can live with...a small one, your favorite color, anything.  It's worth it.
• Color.  Colors are one of my favorite thing to play with because you can do a million things with color.  I know that black is slimming, but it is very rarely (maybe never) the best color for any given person to wear.  Back in the day, you could get your colors done.  I am not exactly sure what it was called, but you would go see someone who would tell you if you were a Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter based on your skin tone, eye color...or whatever.  Then they would give you a little book with color swatches that you could carry in your purse when you went shopping or something.  (My mom totally had one.  She is a summer, by the way.  I am a winter!)  I don't know if you need to go through all that but finding colors that look good on you will make a 100% difference in your wardrobe.  All of us have a shirt that we bought because the style was flattering, but we should never wear because the color is all wrong. The same style of shirt (or even a less flattering style) in the right color for you will get tons more compliments and look a thousand times better.  Color can make us look happy and gives us warmth.  It changes the way your face looks.  I also love to pair unexpected colors...it is a great way to make people look twice!  Jewelry can also be a great way to add an unexpected color to your outfit.
• Fit.  I know that this maybe a hard one for some people to take but dress the size you are...not the size you want to be or were.  Look fabulous and beautiful exactly like you are.  That means thinking about fit.  Too tight doesn't look good on anyone.  Ever.  I don't care what a man says.  Classy is always the way to go.  Conversely, oversized clothes are not flattering either.  We don't want to hide who we are...we want to enhance the good and minimize the bad.  Body skimming can be very flattering...pick things that hug parts that you love and float away from parts that you don't.  Experiment with size and take someone you trust with you when you go shopping.  If you have a friend that you love but can't pick out her own clothes properly, don't let her pick out yours - no matter how close you are or how much she wants to!  If you have a friend who agrees with everything you say, don't take her shopping with you - she won't tell you the truth.  Don't be afraid to try something new.  Claim the parts of yourself that you love and show them off.  You are beautiful.

FAB

So, I have finally come up with a name for my product reviews, tips and all things wonderfully woman.  F.A.B!  At first, I thought it would stand for Fashion and Beauty.  That somehow felt confining…like I can only review fashion or beauty products.  So I have decided that it can mean that but doesn’t have to…  FAB can also mean Fun and Beneficial or Fantastic and Beautiful or Feminine and Blessed.  I am going to officially go with Fabulously Awesome Beauties…because we all are.  Seriously, YOU are…I asked your Creator.  I hope that these posts will be fun, beneficial, fantastic, beautiful, feminine and a blessing to you!
So be on the look out for FAB posts that give tips, product reviews and encouragement for us girls as we journey through life as Fabulously Awesome Beauties!

The Greatest of These...

SO, I have been thinking about something since Sunday school (we have an excellent, thought-provoking teacher!). We are beginning a study in 2 Peter and spent some time looking at verses 5-7 of chapter 1.

2 Peter 1:5-7 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."

We talked about the qualities on the list and the order in which they are presented.  Does the order matter?  I think the majority of the class agreed that the order was intentional and increasing in value.  We talked about what a relief it is that we don't have to have it all together the moment that we become a new creation...that there are aspects that we can work on individually and grow into who God wants us to be.  We also noted that there is an inward focus that moves outward and the basis for all of it is faith.  It wasn't until after class that I realized what was at the top of the list...the greatest of these is love.  Sounds familiar, huh?

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I have wondered about this verse before.  I pull a lot for faith to be the greatest.  Faith is, in fact, necessary...essential for life in Christ.  Faith brings us into relationship with Him.  Faith is...well...the foundation.
The other verse that comes to mind when thinking about love is this one:

1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

Love is the greatest because the source of all love is God.  He is love...by definition.  The difference between faith and hope and love is two originate from us and one is Him.  With the foundation of faith placed in Jesus Christ, I can begin to strip away my sinful man and pursue a holy God.  The pinnacle of a Godly pursuit is sincere love.  Truly loving people the way God intended is hard.  Very hard.  It takes goodness, self control, perseverance, kindness...it takes God.  The Greatest of not just these...