Short & Sweet








I think this is one of the hardest lessons to learn.  It makes us realize that we are replaceable and that we really aren't as important as we think we are.  We are just one person...one person in a sea of billions.

And even though we are just one in a sea of billions, we are still loved.  We might not be able to do it all, but God can.  Not only does He have the ability, He has the will.

Find strength and rest in knowing that you don't have to do it all because you can't do it all.  But also remember that there is a God who can.  And more than that, He wants to.
1

{lavender} sugar scrub


I have extremely dry skin.  I've tried lotions and creams.  However, all seem to have failed.  My skin just remains as dry as ever.  The only product that has every helped have been scrubs.  Normally, I'd by the most abrasive scrub I can find setting for hard sea salt or coconut skins.  But the refinement that sugar brings is much more complete...just gentle.

I decided to make my own recipe.  It's very easy and you probably have most of these ingredients in your spice cabinet right now.

1 1/4 cups of sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 few drops of lavender essential oils
lavender flowers

From here it's really quite simple.  Mix all those ingredients together and you're done.  You're ready for that hot shower.  Do be careful though.  Any type of oil will leave a residue in your bath and you don't want to slip.

Happy bathing!
0

Short & Sweet

0

$ 1 0 0 C A S H G I V E A W A Y

For this month's giveaway, not only are we giving away $100 cash, but these gracious ladies also contributed other items to giveaway. The best part is that there will be 12 separate winners, so you have 12 chances to win one of these great prizes! Some of the ladies have also included discount codes for their sponsorships that you can use so be sure to enter below and take a look!
OTHER PRIZES:

US-1075-00

PROMO CODES:
Living Lavender: use code "LAVENDER30" FOR 30% off all sponsorships
Marry Mint: use code "AUGUST" FOR 50% off all sponsorships
A Sorta Fairytale: use code "FAIRYTALE40" for 40% off all sponsorships
A Time For Seasons: use code "lavender" for 50% off all sponsorships
a Rafflecopter giveaway
0

Oklahoma Blogger Meet Up

credit: Artworks Tulsa Photography


For the last several years I have been involved in one of the coolest event ever.  As the wind starts to change and the colors on the leaves turn from green to orange, red, and brown, I make my way over to the place simple called The Barn.  On the rolling hills of the former Southern Hills Country club I find a refuge to slow down and refuel.

What is this place?  It's the Brush Creek Bazaar and it's happening this year on October 10th-13th.

Brush Creek is a benefit craft and boutique show that benefits the adolescent Teen Challenge programs for the state of Oklahoma.  Teen Challenge is a faith based program that helps teenagers and adults find an escape from life controlling issues.

At the craft show there will be speciality handcrafted vendors including paintings, jewelry, antiques.  There will be fair food and wonderful entertainment.  There will even be a kids area
where you child can play, paint pumpkins, take pictures.  They will love it and so will you.

I love this event as it is...the shopping, the food, the entertainment, the fun.  This is an event for the entire family.  But this year I'm even more excited because we are adding a blogger event.

This blogger event will be a great time to network with other bloggers.  We'll have crafting tutorials on the main stage.  We'll have special interviews.  We'll have swag bags.  Who knows? Perhaps we'll even have macrons.  I'll guess you'll just have to come to find out.


And you're invited.

In a few weeks, I'll be releasing more specific information about the event. For now I will tell you that it will be on Friday, October 10th in the mid-morning.

If you're interested in more information on the Blogger Event, fill out the google form below and info you will soon find in your email.



0

Short & Sweet




Guilty.  So guilty.  Why make more problems for yourself than necessary?  It's really not worth it.  Just let it go and go to bed. 

Have mastered this and probably never will, but I'm working on it.



1

Perfectly Pear ~ Shop Hop

Have you visited our sister blog Perfectly Pear? We'd love for you to stop by.  Here's a look at what you'll see there...



As a fellow Pear, I understand, more than most, the complexity of finding stylish beautiful pieces that fit my body.  It's a challenge the say the least.  While I love shopping at Lane Bryant, Dillard's, and Nordstrom's sometimes they just don't have the right look for an event.

But I have good news, new resources are being developed everyday.  Maybe you know about them.  Maybe you don't, but this new segment, Shop Hop, is designed to help you find the latest and greatest places for Pears.

Here are a few resources that you might will find helpful.


Wet Seal Plus
Wet Seal, the juniors store, recently purchase Arden B and is beginning the process of changing the inventory.  You'll find this store to have looks that are a lot younger.  The fits are a little small, but not too bad.

Forever 21
It's hard to find an on trend woman who doesn't covet the looks of Forever 21.  Inexpensive, trendy, and sharp.  The skirts are a little short so us pears should probably avoid those, but everything else is spot on.  Check out the accessories while you're there too.  Very cute.

Torrid
I've never purchased anything from Torrid, but I'm anxious to.  There's so many great buys on this site.  I think you're going to like it.

SimplyBe
SimplyBe is another site that I've never purchase from, but I do love explore it's many looks.  I love that the sizing is so vast too.  Sizing is for 8-28.  Most likely you're going to find the perfect fit.

H&M
Need I say more?  Price point perfect.  Designer friendly.  Still a little short, but over all H&M still has some great buys.

ModCloth
Have a flair for an original?  ModCloth's your place to shop.  Unique pieces are the majority on this site.  And the prices are very affordable too.  Only problem because the pieces are mostly original the sizing will be slightly different.

ShopRuche
Beautiful, beautiful pieces.  And Ruche always has a sale.  You'll find inspiration for new looks in their beautiful look books.  All of the pieces are vintage inspired.

ASOS
Wow!  What can I say?  This site is the coolest ever...ok, maybe not ever, but close.  On trend. Price point perfect. Vast selection.  You're going to love it.

eShakti
As far as I know, eShakti is new to the scene, but I'm really finding this store interesting.  Each piece is available to be personalized.  Don't want a cap sleeve, then make it a 3/4 length.  Recently, eShakti sent me a dress.  I'll be sharing it with you soon.


I hope this resources aid you in your fall shopping.  Do you have any favorite shops that are just perfect for Pears?
2

this should not be




Let's face facts. Relationships are difficult. Friendships cost us something. People can be mean and selfish. People can hurt us. But, to quote the epistle of James, "...my Brothers {and Sisters} these things should not be" {James 3:10b}.

James is right. We should bless our brothers and sisters. We should love them, encourage them, strengthen them, fight with them, fight for them.

I grew up in a home with two other sisters.  We love each other very much, but we can tear one another down more than anybody else. Maybe it has something to do with living in the same bedroom for the majority of our lives, or maybe it was sharing the bathroom (ugh), but there are few people that can hurt me worse than my sisters. 

The same is true for me. I've hurt my sisters many times. Sometimes I knew I was hurting them.  Other times it was a complete accident.  But every time, our relationship was strained and painful to resolve.

Ultimately, our discomfort has always lead us to resolve our problems, but I think it was mostly because we did share the same bedroom and same bathroom for the majority of our lives.  We couldn't escape each other. When it comes to relationships outside of our family, resolving issues becomes increasingly more difficult.  It's much easier to ignore the problem and hope that it will go away.  It's much easier to not invite someone to the party.  It's so much easier to criticize and tear down than to build up and love and help.  

I am guilty of this.

But as James said, "this should not be..."

When we exclude people from our lives we are isolating them from community.  We're leaving them to try and make it on their own.  Worse, we are isolating ourselves from community.  We are not allowing the Holy Spirit to use relationships to mold us into His image.  We are limiting our influence all because it's easier...it doesn't hurt as much.

Here's the problem with that, "Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgement" {Proverbs 18:1}.  So when we exclude ourself or someone else from community we put our own desire for comfort ahead of what God's desire is for our life.  

God wants us unified, sharing in love and grace and mercy, with each other and the world around us.  This action alone makes us a city on hill that cannot be hidden.  And it gives our lives saltiness that flavors the world around us with good. In a world that desperately needs good, this action demonstrates, more than anything else, God's great love.

So, my friends, this fighting--these petty arguments--this back biting--"should not be."

But how can we move forward from here?  How can we move past this?

We have to humble ourself. We have to say we're sorry. We have to recognize that there are two sides and whether we realize it or not we are part of the problem. Here's the fun part. If we're part of the problem, we're also part of the solution.  

Look at what Paul wrote in Romans 12:
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceable with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Let's look specifically at Romans 12:18.  "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."  In other words, do everything you can to live at peace. Peace is important to God, so important, in fact, that Jesus addressed this issue in the Sermon of the Mount. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" {Matthew 5:9}.  

I love being "right."  I highly value my opinion.  I honestly think that if people would listen to me I could help them. (Egotistical, I know, but just go with it.) But, for myself, I can say that being at peace with God and man is more important to being "right."  I can learn to accept another point of view.  I don't have to agree with it, I don't have to condone it, but I need to hear it and then I need to choose live at peace.  If God Himself lets let's us have the free will to decide what we want to do with our lives, how in this world do we think we--humans--are ever going to control someone else's decisions?  

That's foolishness. 

If you want to be upset because someone thinks you're wrong, then do that, but I just have say it's better to let God do the changing and you do the loving.  That's how you become part of the solution.  That's how you find peace.

Unity is a gift.  It's a gift that we have to work for, it's a gift that we have to sacrifice for, but there is no greater gift that we can give to each other.  

I challenge us. Let's live the life God wants for us and quite isolating each other from community. Let's encourage one another through our words and actions and stop tearing each other down because of opinion. Let's walk in grace and mercy and love and divorce ourselves from all forms divisions. Let's open our arms and our hearts to each other and realize humility is a sacrifice worth paying.  Let's accept that we have different opinions and recognize that God doesn't care about our opinions anyway.  If we will, we will become the city of the hill, the light that cannot be hidden, and the salt of the earth.

My friends, this should be.
0

Short and Sweet


Do you ever have those thoughts that you just can't escape?  Maybe they're regrets...maybe they're just hopes, but you just can't seem to run away from them?  I do.  And they haunt me.  Day and night I live captive to their pull.

But here's the thing.  I can't change them.  There's nothing I can do to go back.  I can only move forward.  And that's all you can do too...keep moving forward.

I haven't made it and I probably won't for some time, but for now I'm working on it.




Thanks for stopping by All My Love for All My Days.  You can stay up to date with all that's happening here by signing up for Lovely Letters, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter.
4

Search This Blog

Powered by Blogger.

Labels