Do You and Your Man Look Like a Couple?
Years ago, I wrote a very romantic post about considering your husband’s style idiom, with the recommendation that you take your fashion personality and add a nod to his.
This is something that’s been on my heart again recently. Married ladies, when you go out, do you look like a couple? Are people surprised when they find out the two of you belong together?
For me, that’s an uncomfortable feeling.
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Summer Social Survival
Here we are at the end of the ‘everything year’: the school year is nearly over, which coincides with the ministry year and most regularly scheduled activities. In a return to what has been an often-repeated topic here, I pose a series of questions:
- How do you meet your need for regeneration? (Social interaction, sleep, time alone, a new goal, or perhaps creative activity or outdoor recreation?)
- How much social interaction do you need?
- How do you manage to get your social needs met in the summer when everything is on break?
Although this has nothing to do with social, it does have to do with summer: I am very excited to begin Professor Horner’s Bible-Reading Program, which I learned about from a MOPS friend who had Professor Horner for English, I believe, at The Master’s College. From the facebook group page:
* PROFESSOR GRANT HORNER’S ‘TEN LISTS BIBLE READING SYSTEM’*
Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. THAT’S RIGHT — *TEN CHAPTERS PER DAY*!!! Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. (LOOK BELOW at the Wall for several posts on Feb 1 2009 and you will find links to handy bookmarks made by users.) On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. Since the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again! Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. Since the interweaving is constantly changing, you will experience the Bible commenting *on itself* in constantly changing ways — the Reformer’s principle of ’scriptura interpretans scripturam’ — ’scripture interpreting scripture’ IN ACTION!
After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually *doubles or triples* because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently — because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27. Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. Moderate but consistent speed is the key. This is “gross anatomy” — looking at the whole body; you’re *not* closely studying organs or systems or tissues or cells — it is *not* microbiology. BUT
– microbiology and the study or organs makes more sense when you know what the *whole* structure of the human body is like, and how all the parts, large and small, relate in perfect interdependence. After just a few days the reading gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. And then — you’ll tell others to start the system!
Whether or not you believe the Bible is God’s Word, you are not fully educated unless you have read it for yourself. I invite you to join me in reading the Bible through this summer.
Now, back to summer social survival. I’ll let you in on a well-kept secret: they don’t check ages for taking senior classes. All this time, I’ve been waiting to turn 50 or whatever, so I could take affordable, day-time classes. This year, I believe I’ll try taking an art class.
And hopefully I’ll be back to blogging a little more consistently as well. 
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What Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day
Shoes, of course! - just kidding.
What Mom really wants probably relates to two things:
- Her love language.
- What, if anything, is out of balance according to the basic needs of her temperament.
For example, very often mothers of young children need more time alone. Or the homemaker who is tired of the tyranny of the kitchen may want to have a meal prepared for her. Or the woman with an absurdly tiny wardrobe budget may really appreciate that pair of shoes.
So what do you really want for Mother’s Day? And who do you want it from? I confess, with my children, I’m delighted to receive ANYTHING which demonstrates they thought of me in the tinyest way. It’s still my hero I really want to feel appreciates me.
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Mother and Grandmother of the Bride
Finally I got around to posting a picture of my outfit. I even found one that shows the shoes.
BTW, most of the grandmothers of the bride wore pants. I realize that isn’t the globally correct term for that article of clothing, but I just can’t bring myself to call them trousers unless they are of a certain quality of both fabric and fabrication (that is, construction). Although, I would never have considered wearing “trousers” to a spring wedding, it didn’t seem out of place. We are, after all, in The Great Northwest. 
So, do you think we look alike? If so, what is your reason, coloring or something else?
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What’s Peace of Mind Worth?
I am re-running this post today, because
- I’m beyond ready to get back into the swing of blogging, but not to tackle writing an entirely new post.
- Sadly, when I dropped by the most awesome eyewear shop to get my glasses adjusted, I discovered they are gone. A victim of the economy, supposedly. Yet, in the back of my little know-it-all mind, I wonder if there’s a connection with the fact that they had no online presence. Nor interest in obtaining one. Had they taken me up on my offer to blog them, at least when someone googled, “________, Spokane” something positive would have come up.
- On a happier note, the first retailer I mentioned in this post has sold their shop to someone who is planning on offering even more classes, etc.
I’ll be back next week.
Freshly off my hunt for the new (reading/computer) glasses, I had lunch with a friend, a small retail shop operator. If her shop didn’t exist, people would have no one local to help them understand what to buy or to teach them skills in this particular arena.
Similarly, there is no eyewear shop locally that surpasses the one I ordered through in both stylish selection and the knowledge necessary to fit a pair of glasses on a person’s face and into their lifestyle.
When I found the frames I wanted, I made my buying decision without asking the price. Price wasn’t the point. I had received help that is almost unheard of these days, with a level of expertise that has virtually disappeared. What is the peace of mind of being done shopping and the confidence that my choice supports my goals worth to me?
I suppose I may be stepping on some well-manicured toes when I say that it would not only be unethical but absolutely foolish of me to have written down the style number of those frames and gone home and bought them online more cheaply. If our local retailers provide a service, we should be compensating them for that service. If we don’t, we may come to find that service unavailable at any price. Or we will be forced to replace their service with highly paid consultants.
Thinking about what I value enough to pay for above the lowest possible price reminds me of the idea, from the 1993 book The Overworked American by Juliet Schor,
So my question to you is this: for you, what values trump frugality?
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25 Things, the Facebook Meme
In order to spend a few thoughts on sharpening my personal style idiom, I’m breaking with tradition to do a meme. And for my facebook friends have no idea what a “meme” is: it’s one of those viral projects for which “tags” are issued. Since my current policy is not to do memes, I will not be tagging anyone. But consider yourself invited!
25 Things About Me, Mostly About Style Preferences
- Before I developed metal allergies, I wore mostly larger earrings.
- The holes in my earlobes are uneven enough that I will never be caught - dead or alive! - in studs.
- I never buy myself fine jewelry, because my hero enjoys buying it for me as gifts.
- Somebody better remind him that Valentine’s Day is coming up. Number One on my list: silver-colored earrings (he knows exactly what size and style). I’m nearly to the point of being willing to go out and buy them for myself.
- My favorite print is paisley. I also love argyle, and anything else groovy.
- I wish to never again wear a skirt that doesn’t reach below my knees. It has nothing to do with being conservative or the way my knees look; rather the precise proportions of my body look most elegant with a hem just below the knee.
- Which leads me to think I may do better with vintage for my mother of the bride dress.
- I seriously considered wearing my mom’s wedding dress. Unfortunately, it would not zip.
- I am barely sentimental (or romantic) at all.
- At the risk of sounding conceited, I don’t really think I needed a “comeback”. It was all more a part of an ongoing process.
- Also at the risk of sounding conceited, I have decided that I have the option to look either plain or pretty. Ugly would be hard for me to pull off.
- However, I concede that effortlessly gorgeous is utterly beyond my grasp.
- And I was not born with the body to be a model.
- That said, I admit I don’t spend alot of energy being disappointed with my body and have decided that, since it’s so easy for me to stay the size that I am, I’m not going to spend alot of energy trying to lose just a few more pounds. So — if I pull it out of my closet and try to put it on and it doesn’t fit? It’s gone!
- Almost every day I wish I could sew. I spend the time I would be working on learning to sew either blogging or learning to paint watercolor.
- Also on my list of things I don’t like (for me): boot cut pants.
- Sometimes I have very costumy ideas about what I’d like to wear. But I don’t have the confidence to get past the opinions of family members who don’t like that stuff.
- The biggest barrier to achieving my most authentic personal style is probably unwillingness to spend $$$.
- The second biggest barrier is probably my unwillingness to wear the same thing(s) as everybody else.
- The third biggest barrier might be my unwillingness to settle for wearing black.
- Whether or not to wear black is probably the most controversial topic I have blogged.
- Also controversial: v-necks are out.
- And: girls should dress like girls.
- I have a real problem with people-pleasing, so posting controversial topics takes alot of courage.
- IMO, having all age segregated programming in the church is neither biblical nor sustainable.
Ugh! I’m glad that’s over!
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Out with the Old (Budget), In with the New
Moving on, it’s time that my 2008 spending page disappears and one for 2009 appears in its place. Hopefully, I will be a little more timely in keeping it updated (but don’t hold your breath).
I confess I went over. I’m not worried about it because:
- The extra money I spent came out of my pocket money, rather than being put on a credit card or taken away from family needs.
- Having under-spent the year before, I was beginning to look scruffy and that REALLY doesn’t fit my idiom.
- I’m still learning. :) I also confess there are some things I bought over the past year which have not ended up working for me. But not many.
Annual total for 2008: $801.30
- $654.83 as of December 2nd.
- $14.44 to Jo-Ann Fabrics for clear bra-strap holder and bra cups to add to my new swimsuit.
- $17.81 for fashion jewelry.
- $4.07 at Target: half-sleeve, bow neck knit top in raspberry.
- $24.99 at Target: roll-sleeve, button-front, woven, with knit panels, shirt in dark blue.
- Alterations and dry-cleaning.
Total over-spent for the year: $70.30. Oh well.
Going into 2009 with a budget of $543, I expect some significant wardrobe challenges, especially finding a mother of the bride dress. So far, I’ve bought one item: a purple paisley cashmere v-neck ($42.39 at TJMaxx). Notice my most recent purchases are a bit more colorful?
So … what is the state of your wardrobe and annual budget?
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Why There Are Denominations
Why are there different denominations in Christianity? One way of looking at it:
Different groups tolerate different sins.
In my church, for example, gluttony is much more socially acceptable than, say, wrath, to just choose an example from among the “seven deadly sins” (Greed, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth , Envy, and Pride). What about your denomination? Because, well, we all agree that nobody’s perfect, right?
Which is the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas, beloved!
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These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
Before I start putting together color groupings a la Brenda Kinsel’s Fashion Makeover: 30 Days to Diva Style!
In addition to what’s pictured here, I have a bracelet or two and an emerald ring that I like. Currently not in use due to metal allergies, I also have a couple of pairs of earrings which are sentimental and I plan on having remade when I get to it.
First photo (my everyday left hand):
- I like my watch: cordovan leather band, face dark in the center with medium gray ring, bright gold metal.
- For years I only wore a wedding band, then I inherited the unique anniversary ring. I could not have selected a style I like better, this suits my personality in every way (maybe there’s a clue there).
- See how shiny my thumb nail is? That’s because the nail kits from Israel that they sell in the mall really work!
Second photo, things I like:
- The pearls my hero gave me for Christmas a few years ago.
- His grandma’s pearls. The two can be worn together.
- The medium/large, twisty, silver hoops. If these were better metal, I would wear them all day long, many days of the week.
- Instead, I wear these small, real gold twisted hoops. And I am quite comfortable about it.
- Any suggestions on how a woman can wear a tie pin? I think that’s what that next piece - which I
stoleborrowed from my hero - is. I’m keeping it. - Generally I wear the Mickey Mouse pin to evening (Disney) theatrical events.
- The long “pearls” twist together with the clear crystal necklace. I admit, I’m a little afraid to wear it for fear of looking dated, but I’ve always liked it.
- VW Cuff links were also “borrowed” from the hero.
- In the summer I wear the pink flip-flop, regardless of the possibility that it looks dated. It suits me AND was picked out by a daughter and purchased by the hero.
Okay now, since we’re on the topic of musicals and I want to alleviate the tension the topic of accessories causes me, here’s today’s fun question:
If you were auditioning for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, what part would you want and, being magically gifted the ability to sing it, what song (from another show) would you sing?
Of course, I would want to be the Fairy Godmother, but today I can’t imagine singing anything but I’m dreaming of a White Christmas …
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How We Handle Filling Our Stockings
After listening to a radio program on Christmas Traditions, featuring blogger Trish Berg, I thought to re-run this.
Inspired by Jenn, who has been blogging about Christmas on the cheap, it suddenly occurs to me that we have a fabulous tradition that must be shared with as many people as possible:
Drawing Names For Stockings
This is for when the kids are all old enough to start helping with the shopping, although we started before the youngest was in elementary school. Just match the teams up carefully, so nobody is shopping with someone who is shopping for them.
Draw names from a hat and form shopping teams. Each person gets a $10 bill; that is all that may be spent on the entire contents of the stocking for the person they are shopping for. Any change left is also put into the stocking. Everyone shops at the same time, at the same store, carefully avoiding one another, of course. We choose Fred Meyer, they have a wide range of items including clothing and groceries.
BTW, this book has a corny name, but it looks like alot of fun!
