Bling It On!

I hope you get it because it's hard to vogue when a g'baby is tugging on you!

She wanted to see if I could Bling It on the seesaw.

I could not. 

I've decided that it's only because I was wearing a dress.

But because this ensemble only cost me $2.25...


(wait for it...  wait. for. it.)


I can afford to Bling It On Again!

And next time, I'm blinging my spirit fingers.

Oooohhh, scary...

Not because I didn’t brush my hair.

Not because I’m wearing a white blazer
in the middle of October.

Not even because I’m wearing feathers
in spite of my age!



Clearly, now. I ain’t skeered to just put myself all out there and such.  Clearly, right?

From the start of this whole blogging excursion, I’ve had a master plan, a big picture in mind. I’ve wanted to emphasize good stewardship, ministry, gratitude - to place more value on values than on attire.

My Master plan has been to do this for Him.

If I mean what I say, then I have to listen when He speaks.

Sometimes His speaking is in the form of a question.  "How many pairs of black shoes do you need?" 

Just for instance.

One of the voices in my head keeps saying, "You will not laugh. You will not cry. I will teach you." Uh, I don't know, man. Some of the other voices are laughing. And I definitely feel like crying. Because change is hard. And it can be scary.

The scariest of all - at least for me - is to give up the reigns.

What makes it worthwhile, however, is that while the process may be painful at times, in the end I'm left with joy, peace, and gratitude. 

I may not be the American Dream Blogger, but that's okay. This is really about me and God.  And after that, of course, I have all those voices in my head to keep me company!

Think I’m crazy?  I suggest you hold out a bit before making that decision.  After all, I haven't even worn the potty collar yet!

What I DIDN'T Wear Today...

My husband said he liked my ensemble...     
even though I reminded him of John the Baptist.

I believe one of my daughters actually used the word "hideous" but I don't care.  I still like my nice, hairy jumper.

My favorite was when friends at church asked if I was actually wearing the potty collar.




I DIDN'T wear the potty collar.  Today.  But its day is coming soon enough.  It's necessary for me to wear it and, if you know me at all, you know that I'm right about this.

Now I'm assuming you'll be wanting the low down so here it is:  I recently brought home a detached coat collar that must surely have made it here all the way from 1973.  Poor outcast thing needed a new home, a new purpose in life, so I set it down somewhere whilst I thought on it for a bit.  It didn't take very long to determine its purpose (what did Twain say about the second most important day of your existence?!)  That collar's mission was to make my honey into a RRR convert.  Without any coaching or direction whatsoever, here's how my husband re-purposed it:

You see that I have something to prove, right?

Now, just one. more. thing... so that you all might have a little more insight into how I wound up with this hairy, hideous, urban-wilderness-wandering vest - and with Terry - please watch this, one of the all-time greatest scenes from one of the all-time greatest movies, ever:

DIY Truth Project?

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)

Recently, I stumbled across a blog with the words "truth" and "bird" in the title. The page on my screen was beautiful and artistic, the colors and swirls all working together to lull the senses. The words themselves were poignant, alluring. But the truth is ... she had me at "bird."

There was a picture of the author and she was formidable. Yes, that’s what I mean. She was wearing rugged boots and a straw hat with feathers and bits of turquoise in its band. She had hippy hair and strong hands. This chic looked as if she could knock down an oak tree - with her thumb - and then whittle it into enough shoes for her entire village. Whittle it with her teeth, I mean, and while the local wildlife gathered round and together they would sing Kumbayah. That kind of formidable. I want to be just. like. her.

Lucky for me, it seemed, she was offering that very possibility. Were I to join her for an exciting, affordable, easy-to-follow course, why then! I could expect to finish as a brand new girl. I’d fully develop my creativity, tapping into my given giftedness. I would never waste time again because I would capture each day and woo it to be mine. I would make my own paper as well as the thoughtful gifts around which to wrap it. And through this process, my spirit could become free. My soul could be restored.

Uh, pump the brakes please.

There’s a lot of stuff for sale out there. Whether we’re looking to improve our poor time management skills, develop our creativity, or simply garner some self-esteem, the desire to self-improve is not wrong in and of itself. It is critical, however, that we aim for purity in the motivation. And after that, great care should be practiced when choosing our instructors.

How many times did Jesus say, "I tell you the truth..."? Who better to guide me?

"Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you." Psalm 86:11 (NLT). What purer a motive could there be than to want to honor Jesus Christ in all that I do?

He, alone, has the power to "restore my soul." (Psalm 23:3)

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all." 1 Corinthians 12:4 (NLT). How better to develop my giftedness than to seek the Source?

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." John 15:13 (NKJ). His love wins.

photo source:  24.media.tumblr

And for that reason alone, 
"We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free!" Psalm 124:7 (NLT).

The truth is that I’m already free as a bird. Because I’ve accepted His offer. And His is free to all who simply ask.





Dear God, thank You for loving us, for leading us, for freeing us. Thank You for Your words of Truth. I pray that You will purify our hearts and help us to want - more than anything else - to be just. like. Jesus.

It Was Funny Until...

I saw these little doggies.

See, there was this picture in a magazine the other day and even though I oughta know better, I snickered at the woman's boots.  Can you even believe it?!

Within a day or so, however, while at my third favorite place to be, I saw not the same pair, but a pair resembling closely enough that I was taken aback.  And then I was moved a-forward. Toward them.  I bought them.  For $2.



Yes, yes.  I've been meditating on just what that says about me that I could turn on a two-bill for a boot.  And I hope those thoughts work themselves out, show themselves off over at The Bending Tree.

But today is the first day of fall y'all and, for me, that means breakin' out the boots!  I'm celebrating the start of this new season and y'all should do the same...even if your boots are funny lookin'.

Honey Hates My Shoes...

However.

There's this rule that if you're wearing something old (nowadays, fashionably speaking), you must balance it with something new.  So when settling on my vintage Lester Square for The Tog Shop dress (lookey there, a maker reference!), I really had no choice but to balance myself atop my most Jane Jetson-esques.

Supposedly, this particular dress is of the 80s era but it looks 60s to me (as to most everyone who's admired it.)  If I'd worn 60s in my 20s - and I wouldn't have because I wasn't cool like that - but if I had, I'm pretty sure it would have been more Peggy Sue does...(not get it.)  I'm talking bouffant, plastic beads, go-go boots. 



Speaking of go-go boots, I gotta get some of those!  And looking at pictures of Jane Jetson, how many pairs of go-go boots did she have anyway?!  Wait.  This may turn out to be thematic dressing after all!  Maybe I still don't get it.

But I am fairly certain I wouldn't have worn this dress back then regardless of its era.  What's next?  The 90s?  (The actual era of my 20s.)  I don't think so.

But then, who am I kidding?  It's become pretty obvious, even to me...if it's a dollar, I'll probably do it.

Why I'm Not A "Christ-Follower"

This has been on my mind for quite some time but I’ve not felt I should "pipe up" until just recently. What, exactly, has prompted me I cannot say. But it’s unshakable now and there will be no approaching the rest of the day until this is done.

Understand, I do Not take issue with folks who call themselves "Christ-Followers." And I believe I understand why our culture is moving from "Christian" to "Christ-Follower." Can there be more noble a goal than to follow Jesus?

The thing is, though, that being a Christian Does mean to follow Jesus. I’ve always known this on some level whether I’ve practiced it or not. A truly committed Christian life is one through which the Light, Life, and Redemption of Jesus Christ does shine. A truly committed Christian will become a disciple of Jesus, which is to follow in His dust, to rest at His feet, to listen when He speaks, to be changed by what He says. Am I living the life of a 100% committed Christian? No, to be honest, but thank God I’m not yet at the end of the road.

"Christ-Followers" are on the same journey. And will have the same issues despite the name change.

There are some super ignorant and downright evil folks out there who give Christianity a bad name. Plus, there’s this modern movement thing that says "change your look or die." Plenty of reasons I could cross over. But I’m gonna stay and do my best to help hold down the fort y’all. The Calvary is already here.

Again, and I truly mean this with all sincerity, I mean no criticism toward anyone who’s going with "Christ-Follower." I know some of you and I know you’re approaching your discipleship with genuine hearts. This is about the reason that I’m sticking.

I wanted to be sure I had this right before writing so I googled "Christ-Follower." The first thing I found was this video:

Funny, I read the (new) King James, carry my Bible in a case with a handle, have (a couple of) bumper stickers on my truck. I read other Christian material. I believe in morality. I need rules and I struggle not to be ruled by that fact. Are these the things by which my Christianity is defined? Nope.

Conversely, is it the absence of these things that defines "Christ-Follower?" If you think 'yes', then I think you're missing something more critical than the point.