Bob.

I've noticed a pattern. Not in anyone in particular, but in all of us as Christians. 

We like to copy each other.

A lot of us believe in Creationism, but it's still a big game of monkey see, monkey do. (Ok, sorry, I had to throw that one in there... ;) 

This topic has been on my mind for a long time, and I think that God has finally given me the words to talk about it. 

It goes like this. 

You get a person who has a great relationship with God, and it shows in everything they do. They have a sweet personality, they dress a certain way, they get along well with everybody.

People see this person (let's call him Bob), and go, "Wow... Bob is such an amazing Christian. I want to be like that." 

But how do they do it? When they say "I want to be like that," do they mean they want to be an amazing Christian, or that they want to be like Bob? All too many times, we get confused by that. Then this happens. 

Ew. Not literally. But basically what I mean, is that we become carbon copies of Bob. We talk like him, act like him, dress like him. We try to convince everyone else that we're like Bob, because he's such an amazing person. Then, soon enough, someone is going to come around seeing how Bob is and how we are, and want to be just like that too. 

After a while, Bob's the word. The unspoken rule. The standard. Bobs are cropping up in each pew and corridor. And what's the problem with this? 

Bob picks his nose when no one's watching. 

He swears when he stubs his toe. 

Sometimes, he takes a banana chip from the bulk food bin at Winco. 

In other words, he's human. 

But because we perceive him to be almost more than human, we not only try to become Bob, but we try to become SUPERBOB. 

The Bob without faults. 

The Bob without struggles, doubts or drama of any kind. 

The Bob who isn't real. 

We then create this perfect standard of what we're all supposed to be like and how we're all supposed to dress, act and essentially become... and it's not realistic. We only make it look realistic, because faults and troubles don't just melt away once you become Superbob, you just keep them secrets because everyone else is doing soooo much better than you are. 

It's funny, because we think that if we copy the best Christian we could find, we'd be doing what God wants us to. But does God want us to be someone else? 

1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." Paul goes on to talk about how everyone is given different gifts. We all have different talents, personalities, senses of humor, likes and dislikes. He didn't create us to have the same style and personality. He wants us to trust that He'll help sanctify us to become better versions of ourselves, not someone else. 

And after Paul talks about all the different gifts, he says, "...And yet I show you a more excellent way," and it leads into the next chapter. 

That chapter is 1 Corinthians 13, also known as the "love" chapter. 

If there is anything we're supposed to do the same, it's to be loving towards each other. Even when people wear shoes that don't match or scratch their armpits in public. Even if they think that pirates are cooler than ninjas or are constantly saying words like "Epic" or "Legit" as adjectives in casual conversation.

So you can say that Superbob is dead, but Jesus is very much alive. 

We'll never be able to function if we all pretend like we're perfect, but we don't have to. 

We're real people. And it's pretty awesome. 

Boyfrieeen

Guys, I did it. I found "The One."

Well really, I didn't find him. He found me. 

It's a funny story, actually. I was hurriedly walking down the misty morning streets by myself, when I crossed this adorable chihuahua in the middle of the street. I went over to pet her, but little did I know that she was going to lash out and attack me! I screamed in terror, but it was too late. The angered canine had latched its talons to my leg and would not let me go. 

All the sudden, I felt it lifted from me, and the chaos was over. When I looked up, there was a dashing young man cradling the once-livid animal calmly in his arms. He looked up at me with eyes that seemed to peer into my very soul and grab hold of the breath within my lungs. "Are you ok?" He spoke in a half-whisper that reverberated through my entire being. All that I could say was "Ahblah." Which, in retrospect, was probably my soul speaking something I cannot entirely understand. 

He took me to the hospital to get a rabies vaccine. From there we've been together ever since. 

So you're probably dying to get to know more about this guy. I will be more than happy to satisfy your curiosity. 

His name is Rayon. Rayon Barcelona. 

This picture of him was taken for the news, after he singlehandedly saved a man from a stampede of dolphins. You didn't think that could happen? That's probably because Rayon has stopped them all. He's on the NDADS (National Defense Against Dolphin Stampedes). He founded it himself. 

Rayon's favorite activities are traveling, writing poetry, playing the guitar, assisting the elderly, and teaching orphan children how to knit. He had a hard time with the latter after his dolphin accident, which was a really hard time for him. I was there to hold him when he cried. Even though he's so successful and saintly, he's so real.

He says that cooking is one of his greatest talents and cleaning is cleansing to his spirit. 

Here he is helping me open a pickle jar. He's always so very helpful. 

We've been on countless adventures since we've met. Here we are at the beach.

He took me there before his modeling tour.

Oh, isn't he just so ROMANTIC?!

I admit, my devoted blog followers, that I've kept our relationship hush-hush for a long time. It is not from shame (far from it!), but because I wanted to keep all of you girls from getting ravenously jealous. Of course, I cannot help it if you feel like now that Rayon is taken you have a gaping hole in your life. But don't worry. You'll still find someone someday... even if he's half as handsome and has only accomplished a fraction of the same feats.

Did I have you guys going for a second?

Maybe I had a little too much fun with this one... ;) I think if Rayon was real he'd probably drive me nuts.

(This post was loosely inspired by Eli's Mommy Blog. If you've never seen it... GO THERE. He's hilarious!) ;)

Book VS. Movie: The Notebook

So here's my new segment: Book VS. Movie! (That's your cue to cheer in overwhelming excitement.) ;) It probably won't be a regular segment, just one I'll write on a whim when I'm wanting to compare a book to its movie.

So with that, here we go.

Basic plot: "The Notebook, a Southern-fried story of love-lost-and-found-again, revolves around a single time-honored romantic dilemma: will beautiful Allison Nelson stay with Mr. Respectability (to whom she happens to be engaged), or will she choose Noah, the romantic rascal she left so many years ago?" ~ Amazon, on the book

"Behind every great love is a great story. Two teens from the opposite sides of the tracks fall in love during one summer together, but are tragically forced apart." ~ Amazon, on the movie

So, after watching the movie and reading the book, I have a few things to say about them.

The Movie:

Pros: Ok, so first off, we have a great cast.

Rachel McAdams (Ally)

Ryan Gosling (Noah)

(Surprisingly, I really didn't think Ryan Gosling was all that cute until I watched this movie... ;)

James Marsden (Lon)

The acting was great, and the cast made the characters real.

The relationship between Noah and Ally.

There are so many scenes with them that just make you go "awwwww." They're so cute together.

The relationship seems real because it has its flaws, but you can tell that they still truly love each other.

(^This scene and the Carnival scene are my two favorites)

This movie actually made me cry. It takes a lot for a movie to do that. I didn't bawl or anything... but still. It's got to count for something.

There are a lot of other things I love about this movie, but... SPOILERS. :P

Cons: There were still a few things I didn't like.

Content. Although the relationship between Ally and Noah was really sweet, I think they got a little too serious too fast. :P So, with that said, there are a couple steamy scenes you might want to fast forward.

Lon.

It's not that I didn't like Lon. Actually, I thought he was really sweet. What I didn't like was that Ally kind of broke his heart. Normally in movies where the heroine has to choose between the guy she's with and someone else, the guy she's with is normally a jerk. This one's sort of a tough situation, because Lon and Ally really were cute together, but they just weren't meant for each other. However, there were some things I think Ally could've done to make it easier on him, and, without spoiling anything, I think she could've made wiser decisions.

The Book:

Pros: Good storyline. I mean... we wouldn't have the movie without the book, right?

Cons: So I actually watched the movie before reading the book. In watching the movie, I had high hopes and expectations from the book. Well... those hopes deflated about halfway through the book, and I never finished it. Why? It was just boring. I really, really wanted to like it, but alas, it just wasn't that good. The writing style went a little like this:

"He walked to the house. Then he went inside the house. Then he ate dinner and went to bed."

That wasn't a direct quote, but you get the picture. That's what most of the book consisted of: A boring narrative of the characters' actions. It wasn't a natural narrative, and it rarely elaborated on the thoughts, feelings and histories of the characters; it was more like an itinerary. There really wasn't much depth to the characters, they were just basically the author's puppets. There were also a bunch of cliches.

The romance between Ally and Noah wasn't very believable, either. You sat there and wondered how on earth they were in love. There was no chemistry... just physical attraction.

The sequence of events seemed a bit disorganized and confusing, too. The author was somehow able to create a flashback within a flashback. It was just sort of sloppy and, again, unnatural; but maybe it was just the fact that I saw the movie first that threw me off a little.

Unless the book was able to miraculously redeem itself in the second half of the book, it was far from being my favorite, and closer to being one of the worst books I've read so far. :P

So... one story, two renditions: Hollywood's, and Christopher Sparks'. Which one told it better?

*Drumroll please*

I'd say the Movie wins this round. Hands down.

The One About Courtship.

I'd like to introduce you to Mark.

Question Mark, that is.

He's my husband.

Chances are, you haven't met him yet.

That's probably because I haven't exactly met him, either. He also has no clue who I am.

See, as of right now Mr. Question Mark is off minding his own business, learning important life lessons, and preparing to meet me, the future Mrs. Question Mark.

Sometimes when I'm lost in breezy, girly daydreams of walking down the aisle, I try to imagine who might be waiting for me on the other side. This is a little tough, because as of right now, I don't know who he is. There may be times where I try to pin a face on the guy who'd be standing there at the end of that aisle, but at the end of the day I still don't know. So as of right now, there's a big question mark where his head should be. He's like one of those little facebook icons where it's just a big cutout of a guy's silhouette.

Dang, isn't he handsome???

There are some things I know about him already.

• He'll have a face.
• He won't be a turtle.
• He's going to have a good relationship with Jesus.
• He'll have the same convictions as I do (at least the important ones!)
• He's going to make me laugh. A lot. :)
• He'll be a gentleman.
• He isn't the kind of guy who wears crocs. :P
• He's going to be my best friend.
• He's going to be AWESOME (I mean, naturally... if he's in love with me, right? ...Kidding!;)

I don't know what he looks like, I don't know what he sounds like, or what his personality is like. I just know that God is going to pair us together at the right time, and the guy of my dreams will finally get a name and a face. He won't be Mr. Question Mark anymore; He'll be Mr. GuythatImarried... or... something like that.

Some people might think that's weird. But the way I see it is like this: God's not going to go, "Hey. I've helped you find your car keys before, but a husband? Sorry kid, that's just too hard." God wants us to trust Him with every part of our lives, so our love lives can't be any different. :)

The question is-- how would I go about finding the guy God has for me? I could start the search now, and date guy after guy until I finally find him. Then one day I can take him by the hand, look him in the eye, and say, "Oh, Q.M! I'm so glad I've finally found you! Several guys and years of emotional baggage later, and here you are!"

Then he'll be like, "Gee, thanks, honey?"

This is why I like the concept of Courtship better.

I've been thinking about doing a post on this for a while, since I mentioned that I prefer courtship over dating in my "About Me" section. I could just see how weird it might sound to someone who's never heard about it before. "'Courtship'? What era is she from?"

But basically, courtship is dating with a purpose. (Heck yes, that sounds cheesy)

Dating sometimes makes it hard for people to know each other's intentions in entering a relationship. Some people date "just for fun." Other people want to find the person they're going to marry. Sometimes two people enter a relationship for the fun of it, but then one person develops deeper feelings and the other one doesn't, so hearts get broken.

Pretty much all courtships end in marriage.

So for that reason, you don't really court until you're ready for marriage. :P

In courtship, you develop a friendship with your person of interest before you develop a romantic relationship. Whether you agree more with dating or courtship, I think this is something you should do no matter what. So many times, people get romantically involved without even knowing the person that well as a friend. Courtship allows you to do this a little moreso than dating, in my opinion. You need to know how good of a friend they are waaaaay before you know how good of a kisser they are.

The couple's families are more involved in courtship than they are in dating. You know how when you're dating someone, you know it's serious when he wants you to meet his parents? Courtship isn't like that. The boy asks the girl's dad's permission, and the dad makes sure to talk to the daughter about it. If the girl accepts, the two families get together a lot and get to know each other. When you marry someone, you're also marrying into their family, so it's good to get to know them before things get serious. Also, like I mentioned here, If things work out between the two of you and you get married, the way he treats his family is how he'll one day treat you and your kids.

Those are the two biggest differences.

Now, here are some common misconceptions (I'm sure some of them sound familiar)...

Courtship is NOT:

• Legalistic. You will not be doomed to eternal damnation of you choose to date instead. :P Also, courtship does not have its own rules and regulations. Things like how much physical contact between the couple and how much involvement from their families are totally based on the couple, their families, and their convictions.
• Outdated. Now if courtship meant that your suitor would be coming to your dad with his best donkey and a couple goats as the starting bid, then I'd say, "YES! It's outdated, impractical... and a little demeaning. (Aren't I at least worth a horse and a couple cows? Geesh!)" But really. Since when does old = bad? I think courtship, although it's been around a while, is still a legit way to enter a relationship. :)
• Arranged marriage. Nobody's forcing anyone to get married to anybody! Just because the boy asks the father's permission to court his daughter doesn't mean that the daughter has no say in the matter. It's 100% her choice. It's suggested that the couple go to their parents for guidance, but they're not matchmakers! It's probably good to mention here that your parents aren't breathing down your necks the entire time, either. XP Courtship might be a little more chaperoned than dating is (especially depending on the age and maturity of the couple), but c'mon-- you still have time alone to talk and get to know each other!
• An "out" from getting your heart broken. I think this is a really common misconception from people who agree with courtship. Courtship is not some sort of magical institution that leaves no room for problems. Since you and your "significant other" are on the same page as to what you want out of your relationship, then yes, heartbreak is less likely. But like any kind of relationship, you're still putting your heart on the line. There's no guarantee that it'll turn out the way you want it to. It's a risky move for anyone to make, but a move that's still well worth the risk. ;)

So, in a nutshell (a rather large nutshell, mind you), that's courtship. I hope I've explained everything ok. :) If you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear them!

Want books? I recommend:

I Kissed Dating Goodbye (Joshua Harris)

Boy Meets Girl (Joshua Harris)

When God Writes Your Love Story (Eric and Lesley Ludy)

(All photos found at Pinterest)

Random Valentine's Musings...

Do you know someone like this?

"What flavor ice cream do you want?"

"Hm... chocolate. No, strawberry. Cookies and cream... mint...? I dont know..."

"What game do you want to play?"

"I don't know... I like Scrabble, Pictionary, and Apples to Apples, but I'm fine with whatever."

(If you know me... then you know at least one person like this...)

Here's an interesting experiment for you: If this indecisive person happens to be a girl, ask her about weddings and see what happens.

"Oh, when I get married someday I'm going to have a big ball gown, and a live band at the reception, and a four-tiered cake and such-and-such song is going to play for our first dance, and I want red and white roses, and blah. blahblahblahblahblahblahblah...."

I was talking to my friend Anna about weddings last week, and came to an interesting conclusion: it doesn't matter how indecisive I might be; I've been planning my wedding for years. I have a list of songs I want to be played. I have in my mind the kinds of dresses I want to try on. Sure, there have been a few things that have changed over the years, but I still have close to every detail sorted out.

Well... almost every detail.

Obviously, there's going to be one slightly important detail that I don't have yet. ;)

Every year so far, Valentine's Day has meant one thing: Candy, and lots of it. I normally get a tiny box of chocolates from relatives, and eat them until I feel like I'm gonna puke. :P While it's worked for me so far, I can't wait until I find the guy to celebrate Valentine's Day with. :)

It's weird to think that he's somewhere out there, just doing his own thing, maybe occassionally thinking the same about me. At this point, it's all one big guessing game. I could be regularly talking and laughing with him and not even realize, or he could be on the other side of the world. He could be reading this post at this very moment, or he's never even heard of me.

I don't know the who, what, where, when and how... I just know that it's in God's hands, and during Valentine's Day, there's no reason to feel like this (...Even though it's tempting sometimes...)

Or like this:

Sometimes it's easy for me to look at all my quirks and oddities and think, "Wow, that's attractive. Am I training to become the crazy cat lady?!"

Now as I write this I'm wondering... who is the crazy cat lady? What exactly did she do to become the crazy cat lady? Was she simply unattractive? O_o Was she mean? Did she go on so many dates, she couldn't decide what kind of guy she wanted? Did she scare people off with her quirks, or was she just one of those feminists with the mindset of "I don't need a MAN!" :P I think when you think of all the things that could go wrong with her personality, quirkiness might not have been the reason.

I mean... if a guy can find a girl who he loves and can be himself around, who makes him laugh and cares for him, what then is a few quirks? Am I right? Hopefully...? :P

Ah, and the tangents abound! This post is so random... :P

But anyway... to all the singletons out there... smile, eat candy, and have a good Valentine's Day. Don't let it be a disheartening reminder of what you don't yet have, but instead let it be a day to remind you that the person God has for you is out there somewhere. You don't need to scan crowds of people in search for your Waldo; it's God's will, and you can relax knowing that He'll bring you two together when the time is right. :)

And when you think of it that way, it's a little easier to sit back, eat some truffles, and watch "The Notebook" in peace.

Crazy Cat Lady

Runaway Groom

How To Become a Typical Teenager

Hello, there.

Are you a preteen, plunging into the wonderful world of young adulthood?

Are you a teenager struggling with your own typicality?

Then this instructional blog post is for you!

We want to make sure that you’re on the road to becoming the dramatic, lazy, messy, boy-crazy, video-game-playing, angst-ridden, rebellious teenager we know you can be! Now buckle your seat belts, because we’ll be racing you to the finish line on becoming the most mediocre young adult you can be!

Step 1: Conformity

Before we can teach you how to become the typical teenager, we need to teach you to follow MAP.

Say, what’s MAP?

Haha, No. Not that map.

MAP is an acronym that stands for

Media

Authority

and

Peers

If you follow MAP, you never need to think for yourself again! Let MAP guide you on how to think, act, and dress. As long as it’s legal and everyone else is doing it, you’re doing A-OKAY.

If you follow MAP, you’ll be seeing the Exit sign to Normsville in NO TIME!

Step 2: Expectations

Now that you know how to follow MAP, you might be shocked to discover that most adults follow MAP, as well.

The media sets the tone for how we’re supposed to act. If their version of the “Typical Teenager” is mediocrity, then by golly, we should all accept it! Since adults have made it the norm, then you should never surpass their expectations. No one likes a goody goody! Meet society’s expectations or stay below them, but don’t cross that line! You just might find yourself...

SHUNNED.

The next 3 steps will show you how to perfectly grace society’s expectations.

Step 3: It’s All About You

Nobody expects you to think otherwise! Let this be your excuse to sit on your butt for hours on end, doing absolutely nothing! You’re at the center of the universe, and everybody is around to please you. When you encounter any opportunity, make sure to ask yourself this simple little phrase: “What’s in it for me?”

Remember that phrase?

Swell! You’re one step closer to your goal!

Step 4: Emotions

Right now, your body is bursting with all kinds of hormones. These hormones make you more prone to breakouts.

Emotional breakouts, that is.

This is perfectly normal, so make sure to be a volcano of explosive emotions. Is your annoying brother touching your stuff? Yell at him! Are your parents totally ruining your life? Yell at them! Is Bobby totally cheating on Susan in that drama you like to watch? Yell at him!

When you’re letting your emotions get the best of you, attitude is the frosting on the proverbial cupcake of angst. “Whatever,” “Puh-lease” and the famous sighing/eyeroll combination are key. And make sure to slam those doors!

Step 5: The Opposite Sex

Are you single? Then you better look at that MAP again!

The media says that your teenage life should be absorbed by thoughts of the opposite sex. Let yourself fall into a metaphorical pool, if you will, of your own fancies. If you don’t at least have a crush on anyone, you suck at life.

But don’t worry! Finding a boyfriend/girlfriend is easy! All you need to do is find somebody attractive and flirt with them. If they respond positively to the flirting, ask them on a date. Then another, then another.

Have you survived a few dates?

Then congratulations! You are now officially in a relationship!

Remember the phrase from Step 3? Now’s the perfect time to use it! What is this person doing for you? Are they meeting all of your expectations? Are they making you happy? If not, then say goodbye and find someone else who does. Repeat.

Step 6: Rebellion

Are you ready for the final step? Good!

Being rebellious is just a display of what we’ve already gone through. You’ve learned to be selfish, lazy, and dramatic, so now it’s the perfect time to learn how to put them into overdrive with rebellion.

Society expects rebellion at some point in your teenage life, so do something outrageous! Get tattoos and piercings, date someone your parents hate, dye your hair pink and/or wear revealing clothing. You’re practically an ADULT now. You can do as you please, and no one can tell you what to do!

Have you completed this step?

Then CONGRATULATIONS!

You've arrived at our finish line and have become a truly average individual!

.........................................................

I feel like God was totally leading me to post this, not only for others to read it, but for myself as well. I found myself wincing a few times, thinking, "Shoot! I do a lot of these things..."

And of course, we're still human. Sometimes everyone gives into mood swings, laziness and selfishness. At the same time, though, we're being told there's nothing wrong with it. America doesn't expect enough from us. This has become the norm, and teenagers are becoming more and more "typical."

Do you want to be a "Typical Teenager"? If so, follow all the steps listed above.

If not, then I highly recommend "Do Hard Things" by Brett and Alex Harris. Go ahead and visit their website, too, and join the "rebelution"! ;)

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." ~1 Timothy 4:12

Photo Cred:

50's dude James Dean Yelling kid Sad vintage girl Shunned Girl I'm the MAP! Confused boy Cheesy thumbs up guy Cartoon thumbs up boy

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not...

Valentine's day is quickly approaching, and I'm loving the theme of Lucia Etc.'s photo contest: "Black and White Love." :) Here's my entry:

If you want to join the contest or check out Lucia's blog, click here!

Fashion!

(Photos not mine)

One of the ways I'm a total girly-girl is my love for clothes.

I find it funny that when I was little, getting clothes was so boring. Toys were so much more exciting. I think once we get older, clothes, in a way, become some of the new "toys" we can play with. We can change up our style and have a lot of fun with the things we wear.

My style has changed a lot over the years... I went through my infamous "dork" period. That was my lowest point. Like, low as in stirrup pants and oversized cartoon shirts low. Pair that lovely ensemble with my frizzy hair, braces and acne and you had my typical look at the age of thirteen (hubba hubba).

Then I became aware of my wrongs and went in the opposite direction, trying to dress as trendy as possible to "fit in" with everyone else. My self-esteem was pretty low then, and I figured that people would accept me more if I dressed cooler. :P Sadly with some people this could've worked, but I probably wouldn't have made the right friends that way...

Now I'm a lot more comfortable with how people see me, and I don't really care as much if my clothes have the name of the store stamped on it. (Although I really like American Eagle... haha :)

Although on typical days I have my regular uniform of t-shirts, jeans and hoodies, here are some of the styles I'm really getting into.

Shoes

Ballet Flats: I think all girls should have a pair of these babies. :) They're so versatile! You could wear them with jeans and a t-shirt, or you could wear them with your church clothes. :) They're pretty comfortable, too.

Heels: I've just discovered heels. I don't really wear them too often because they kind of hurt my feet and I'm still walking in them like a newborn horse... but they're definitely fun to wear

when you want to feel all "classy" and stuff.

Boooooooootttttttssssss!!!! Who doesn't love boots? I love boots. Army guys love boots. Celebrities love boots. Puss In Boots loves boots...

I don't have a pair of these boots, but I love how flexible they can be. They mostly look good with jeans, but I've seen people pair them with dresses for a more cool, casual look.

Also, I'm proud to announce that boots and heels got married and have given birth to a baby girl. Her name is Fioni. Isn't she beautiful?

Fionis are so cool. I think if you put them up to your ear, you can hear the sound of their awesomeness.

They're so unique and vintage, I love it. I've seen so many fun outfits put together with these.

And you can't forget Converse, which go with pretty much anything, as far as I'm concerned. :)

Accessories

So I'm not really huge on accessories. I rarely ever wear them. Buuuut, I think they're fun, so I'll still do a quick little section about them.

Peacock Feather Accessories: These are sweeeeet. I totally want some of these.

Scarves are probably one of my most-worn accessories. They're one of those accessories that are actually stylish and practical: they're pretty, and they keep your neck warm. (Come to think of it... what could possess anyone to poke holes in their earlobes and hang things from them in the first place...?)

I love any kind of Flower Embellishment! They're just another one of those things that

make you happy to be a girl. They're pretty, timeless and feminine, and they're welcome on my shirts, my shoes, and in my hair. :)

And you gotta love Tights. I've always done the "boring" (or "classic," depending on how you look at it) black tights, but maybe someday if I'm feeling adventurous I'll pick up some of these...

Outfits

So in case you didn't notice from some of the things I've shown you thus far, I love just about anything Vintage.

This being one of the examples.

It's just so fun! I love how clothes from the 40's-70's are coming back with a modern twist. You can see this the most if you try shopping at American Eagle, Forever 21, and H&M.

I think every girl plays "favorites" with one article of clothing. Karissa loves shoes. I love Dresses. That may come as a shock to some people, since I'm always wearing jeans. :P Buut, if I had the choice, I think I'd definitely wear more dresses if I could solve the dilemma of dress length. Does anyone find it annoying that most dresses now are either so short they could serve as shirts, or so long you wind up tripping over them? They're either minis or maxis... I want an in-between...y. :P *annoyed sigh* Moving on.

Ask my sisters, and they will tell you how annoyed they are with how much I love lace. Some

people think lace is ugly. Some people think it makes you look like a doily.

I am not one of those people.

I know the key words here for today are "pretty," and "feminine," but what other words can you use to describe lace?

I also kinda have a thing for Skinny Jeans. But, hold on a sec... you have to be a little careful with them. Because there are skinny jeans, then there are SKINNY JEANS. I've seen people who look like they had their skinny jeans painted onto their bodies. So... just keep that in mind. ;) Skinny jeans are fun to pair with a lot of different things, from t-shirts to blouses.

You no longer need a boyfriend to give you his Varsity Jacket... Now you can just go out and just buy one of these little pretties. (Pay no attention to the girl on the left... I'm talking about the coat on the right but couldn't find a better picture. lol) They're cool, and they look pretty warm, too. It's definitely on my list of things to get before it gets too warm out.

And last but not least, the Peacoat Jacket. I've seen a rise in these recently, and I think they're pretty freakin' awesome. Especially this one. (Isn't it so... green?!?!)

So we come to an end on our little journey through the wonderful world of fashion.

A couple morals here:

1. Don't make the same mistake I did! Don't wear things just to feel "accepted" by other people.
2. From a Christian viewpoint, we want to try and honor God in everything we do. What we wear is no exception. Try to be respectful to God and others in the way you dress. Keep in mind, though, that doesn't mean we have to wear turtlenecks for the rest of our lives! There are plenty of cute things that are still modest and cover all the things that, well... don't need to be seen by the public. ;)