Proverbs 31

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Back in October, a documentary called "Miss Representation" aired on OWN. I think you can still catch it in segments on YouTube, and I really recommend taking the time to watch it. It has so many great bits of truth about how the media has severely skewed our ideals of worth and true beauty, and how women need to take a stand against the lies society feeds us.

One quote from the film really stuck with me: "so much of what the media is about is making you feel anxious and uncomfortable."

Think about it. That ad for whitening toothpaste makes you uneasy about your own smile. Commercials for the latest, greatest foundation stir emotions of insecurity in your looks that get you off the couch and down to the local make-up counter.

That discomfort is exactly what drove girls to their Facebook and Twitter feeds after watching last week's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Girls took to social media to complain about their bodies and imperfections, or to make public professions of plans to hit the gym. It's also what led Baylor student Alex Eklund to start a movement. A movement to encourage girls to strive for worth according to the Bible, and to spur Christian guys on toward pursuing girls with the character spelled out in Proverbs 31.

It's so refreshing to see godly guys of my generation rising up to reassure the girls in their lives that they're beautiful and worthy of love. Check out the movement's Facebook page, follow @Live31movement on Twitter and view the video below. With more than 2,500 fans (and counting!) committed to "live 31," lives are sure to be changed.

"I'd rather have a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret model."

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
'Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.'

Proverbs 31:25-29

True Beauty

Anyone who has heard my story knows that I'm a huge advocate of campaigns and organizations that take a stand for teaching girls about true beauty and self-worth. Because of our media and the society we live in, our definition of beauty is often skewed or unattainable. Just like any other girl, I wake up and scrutinize my appearance in the mirror, but I'm so thankful for women who are voices of confidence in a world of negativity. We all need a little reminding.

In researching successful corporate Facebook pages for our marketing team, I stumbled upon the page for the Bare Escentuals makeup line. I was so impressed by their recent movement, "Be a Force of Beauty," and felt led to share their inspiring campaign!



What a way to prove that beauty is more than what you see in the mirror! You can check out each of the spokeswoman's stories here!

Beauty is more than clothing, hairstyles, body types and fashion trends. True beauty is defined by ambition, compassion, humor and purpose. A truly beautiful woman is confident in who she is and lives her life in a way to make a difference.

We Never Walk Alone

Ten years ago today, I was in 7th grade. It was a beautiful Tuesday morning, and I bounded down the stairs to say goodbye to my mom before walking to school. Mom was usually bustling about the kitchen in the mornings, packing our lunches and making us breakfast, but on that day I found her standing open-mouthed in front of the TV.

"What's going on?" I asked her, turning to see a burning building on the screen. It took her quite some time to answer, caught off guard by my presence in the room, uncertain how to respond.

"I'm not sure sweetie, but it's okay. Have a good day at school. I love you!"

Her answer was not at at all reassuring. I knew something wasn't right, so I lingered for a little longer. I soon realized she had placed the phone in front of the screen with my dad on the line so he could hear. Whatever had occurred, it was big enough news that my dad called from work, desperate for any information the news had to offer.

I walked to school and by the time I got to the cafeteria, every television was tuned to the news. Teachers looked terrified. Students were confused. Before I knew it, the TVs were turned off and we were shuffled to class. At that point in time, I thought it was just a terrible accident. I didn't know what the World Trade Center was. I had no clue that a second plane had hit, that a plane crashed into the Pentagon, or that another hijacked plane went down in Pennsylvania. It wasn't until Mom and Dad sat us down before dinner that I started to understand the gravity of what happened. To the best of their abilities, they held us and tried to explain what took place that day and what it meant to our country.

Today on the tenth anniversary of September 11th, I feel sad, angry, hopeful and grateful. Sad for the innocent lives lost and the pain we feel still today. Angry at the men who caused such tragedy. Hopeful for our nation's future as we stand together united. Grateful for the men and women who fight for our freedom, and for God's peace and comfort in the face of such horror.

This morning at Hill Country, we gathered as a congregation to reflect on who our God is when tragedy strikes. And September 11th wasn't the only tragedy we paused to remember. With last week's wildfires in Austin, many in our church family have lost their homes. Pastor Tim used the sermon to point us back to the God of comfort by reading Psalm 23. Yes, we will face hardship and unspeakable pain in this world. But God promises that we'll never EVER walk alone.

And there wasn't a dry eye in the sanctuary as this video was shown...

We live in a world full of great sadness, but we serve a God who is quick to comfort and restore. I don't know about you, but I'm sure thankful for that.

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Familiarity

For the most part, "hometowns" are places we long to revisit, places of warmth, love and support. There may be not-so-happy experiences and trials along the way, but hometowns make us who we are, which is why we feel so connected to them.

My hometown is a place of happy memories. As an Austinite, being home is comfortable. I love being in an environment where things are familiar, where I don't have to think twice about where I'm going.

But if things are always familiar, when does growth happen? If I'm always comfortable, am I really challenging myself to enter this next chapter of life with an open mind, ready to learn?

Though my surroundings are the same, recently I've been thinking about trying to see my hometown through different eyes. If there's anything I've learned in my short little life, it's to never stop learning.

"Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object." -Joseph Addison

"Admiration and familiarity are strangers." -George Sand

I don't want to grow so familiar with life that I lose sight of my joy and admiration. I don't want for familiarity to stunt my growth, to lead to complacency, or to blind me to the beautiful things and people around me.

For these reasons (and maybe also because I forgot to bring spare change for parking meters downtown), the other day I chose to walk eight city blocks to really get a feel for my new workplace community. [Back story: My office building has an attached parking garage, but wouldn't you know that all the reserved spots for employees are accounted for. Luckily, the company is giving me a monthly allowance to reserve parking elsewhere, but on Wednesday I had to go to the parking company's office on Congress Avenue to pay for my permit.] When I realized that I didn't have any money for parking, I jokingly thought "Where the heck can I park for free downtown... Whole Foods, more than half a mile away?!" But then I seriously reconsidered and said to myself, "Absolutely." I parked my car, donned my sunglasses, and took off for a stroll down Sixth Street.

Walking in search of my destination, I took time to reflect on grown-up world and the exciting things to come. I acted like a tourist, taking pictures of my office building on my iPhone and sending them to my proud parents. I scoped out little lunch places I could walk to from work, I imagined the lives of business people I passed on the sidewalk, and I paused on street corners to watch busy lunch-rush traffic pass me by.

To reconcile my guilty conscience for being a parking mooch, I made it a point to eat lunch at Whole Foods. I may or may not have walked through the freezer section to cool off from my walk through the summer heat. As I sat in a busy cafeteria enjoying my sushi and Sweet Leaf Peach tea, I couldn't help but think how sweet life is when you take the time to notice it. I love familiarity, but I want to be a girl who lives life wide-eyed, ready for the next challenge.

Need for Fellowship

In the wake of the Google+ launch, every techie and journalist in the country is blogging about the future of social media. Will everyone give up Facebook and flock to Google's (third attempt at their) social network? Will Twitter be dropped like a hot potato as people create their friend "Circles" on Google's new service?

Google+ did a great job of creating a sense of anticipation for their product. I'm a PR girl at heart, so I know a good marketing idea when I see one. The small number of people included in the original "test audience" started the buzz, and when word got around that someone was on Google+, you can bet their friends were begging for an invite. Sure, the test audience was good for working out system kinks and ensuring everything worked properly, but those Google geniuses knew it would work in their favor.

I got my invite from a fellow marketing gal, and I'm not too impressed just yet. I'm going to play around with it for a few weeks, and you can expect a future blog of my amateur analysis. Thanks for adding me, Ruthie!

One of my friends re-tweeted this article that makes light of the "phenomenon" of social media. I laughed out loud as I read it! I even forwarded it to my parents and my grandparents since I knew they'd get a kick out of it.

“With PhoneBook, you have a book that has a list of all your friends in the city, plus everyone else who lives there,” says Danny Fruber, one of PhoneBook’s creators. “When you want to chat with a friend, you look them up in PhoneBook, and find their unique PhoneBook number,” Fruber explains. “Then you enter that number into your phone and it connects you directly to them.” ("Introducing the Hot New Social Network, PhoneBook" - via the Borowitz Report)

Andy Borowitz is a comedian who is famous for his satire and creation of fake news stories, and I loved how he poked fun at the social media obsession. I love my Facebook and Twitter, and if you're reading this, then you know how much I enjoy blogging. But what matters most is going back to the basics, spending time with people face-to-face. I love that my social networking allows me to keep up with family and friends, especially now that I've graduated. But nothing can replace the interaction you have with people in real life.

I'm learning this lesson as I've transitioned from college life to the real world. I made the choice to stay in Waco while searching for a job, and most days I'm by myself. ALL DAY. Waco is a different world when all the college kids leave, and I'm missing being around people 24/7. It was fun for a week or two to sleep in, lounge around in my pajamas, get lost in a good book or spend all day on the computer. But after a while, I was practically bored to tears.

Getting out of the house is what has kept me sane. I needed human interaction! Instead of reading on the couch at home, I'd drive to the nearest Starbucks to read. There's just something comforting about hearing conversations around you and feeling the hustle and bustle of people coming in for their caffeine fix. I've browsed random shops around town for no reason, gone for runs on our street, and hit up the grocery store in order to try new recipes. Anything that got me out in the world, interacting with other people.

My grandmother always laughs about social media, saying she doesn't quite understand why we kids devote so much time to it. While times have changed and we're hooked to our online newsfeeds, I don't disagree with her thoughts at all. We DO need interaction. We can't rely on social networking to keep us connected. It may sound silly, but it's something our millennial generation needs to remember. Step away from the computer screen, put down your phone, and take some time to fellowship with those around you.

A Lesson in Trust

I'm all about silly illustrations. I love when pastors use metaphors or real life stories to engage an audience and then prove a biblical point.

I remember learning in Sunday school about trust. You may find yourself nodding your head with this one as you recall the simple lesson about putting faith in God.

The teacher would call an unsuspecting student up to the front of the classroom and then ask them to sit in a chair. As they started to bend their knees to sit down, the teacher would stop them.

"Wait, wait, wait... how do you know that the chair will hold you up?! Do you know who made the chair? What if it's missing a screw? Is the plastic sturdy enough? How do you know it won't fall apart and you'll go crashing to the floor?"

The classroom would be filled with giggles as the unsuspecting child at the front of the room turned red in embarrassment. But the teacher would quietly shush them, comfort the child, and smile as she continued with the lesson in faith.

Many people think that because they cannot SEE God, He doesn't exist. But we put our faith in worldly things every single day, not second guessing their existence, qualifications or history.

Take for example my silly [emphasis on the silly] illustration. Yesterday I needed to get my eyebrows waxed. I pulled in to the parking lot of my favorite little nail salon and didn't once question the certification of the technicians inside. As the hot wax was applied above my eyes, I thought to myself, "how do I know she won't wax my whole eyebrow off?" I'm trusting her with my FACE here, people. If she messes up, I'll be self-conscious about my appearance for the next two to three weeks.

You may recall an earlier post about a phone interview I had. Well, God is faithful and on Wednesday I went to Austin for a second interview with the company. It was a wonderful experience and I'd love to be offered the position. And you know what? As I wait, I'm TRUSTING in my Abba Father. I won't know anything about the job until sometime next week, but I'm putting my faith in God, knowing that everything will work out if this is the job for me. And if it isn't meant to be, I know that He has something greater in store for me.

I go to the same nail salon because I've been so many times and I trust them to do a good job. In the same way, I go to my God because I trust him. Time and time again, He has proven Himself faithful. He knows what is best for me. He provides. He sustains. He gives me courage and confidence in the face of uncertainty. And though I can't see Him, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is at work in my life.

The Unemployed Life

I've come to realize that "free time" is only truly enjoyable when you don't have it very often. Don't get me wrong. I have LOVED having time to sleep in, relax, watch TV and movies, blog, and make progress on my summer reading list. But it becomes a little monotonous after a few weeks. Dare I say, even boring. *gasp*

In order to keep myself sane, I've made daily to-do lists, regardless of how tiny the task. Laugh all you want, but I'm driven by accomplishment. At the end of the day, even if I haven't left the house, I feel like I've at least accomplished something! It may be running an errand for one of my roommates, unloading the dishwasher, sending out emails to wedding vendors, or searching for jobs. When Thomas, Alex and Allison come home from school in the evening and ask me "so, what did you do today," I can look to my list for the answer.

Speaking of the job hunt...

I'm reading through Psalm this summer and laughed out loud when I read the following verse:

"My soul is in deep aguish. How long, O Lord, how long?"

Psalm 6:3

I wouldn't describe my frustration as anguish in any way, but sometimes I think, "okay God, is a job ever going to come along?" I've had two or three "almost opportunities" and after weeks of waiting was told that another candidate was chosen. But another verse this morning reminded me that "He never forsakes those who seek him" (Psalm 9:10), so I'm trusting the One that knows it all!

I've sent out 10+ applications/resumes in the last three days, and GOOD NEWS - I had a phone interview yesterday. The position is a Marketing Coordinator job in Austin that would allow me to dabble in both marketing and PR, plus social media! Prayers are appreciated as I wait "a few weeks" for the possibility of a second interview at their office!

The other day, I accompanied Thomas and Alex to campus since they both needed to print things off for their lesson plans and schoolwork. This gave me the opportunity to visualize where they are and what they're doing during the day.

I helped Thomas with those pig vocabulary cards for his clients, and he found the sentence poster when we went shopping in Austin.

Thomas' therapy room! He has class in the afternoon, but in the morning, he has two "Camp Success" clients who are there for help with language and literacy.

Another one of my unemployment hobbies is cooking. I was so giddy after my phone interview yesterday that I decided to whip up a meal from scratch. Here are some snapshots of my creation - turkey lasagna roll-ups! [Recipe compliments of a fellow Pinterest user]

I used lean turkey instead of ground beef, and then mixed it with parmesan and ricotta cheese.

I covered the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with roasted garlic marinara.

Cooked lasagna with turkey filling; after this, I rolled the noodle (see below).

The finished product! I covered the noodles with the remaining sauce and baked it at 375 for 30 minutes.

I made a fruit pizza for dessert! Simple simple. Just buy pre-made sugar cookie dough (or make your own), bake the dough and allow it to chill, cover the cookie with frosting (1 package cream cheese blended with 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp of vanilla extract), and then top with your favorite fruit. I used strawberries, grapes and peaches.

Before going to babysit my precious cousins tonight, I think I'll spend the afternoon with my nose in a book. I've got to enjoy unemployment while I still can!

Held

Sometimes you're down and then the perfect song comes on and turns things around. That happened for me last night, and I am so comforted by the quiet reminder of God's grace through anything.

"This is what it means to be held

How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was that when everything fell

We'd be held."

-Held, Natalie Grant

My life is wonderful and I feel so blessed. I'm more than surviving. I just finished college, I have the greatest family and friends anyone could ask for, and I'm going to marry my best friend in a year. I'm not going through pain or turmoil or loss. I'm truly happy.

But life after college is so odd (can anyone else relate?). I suppose "normalcy" has been torn from my life, so to speak. The other day, I found myself thinking, "I can't wait for everyone to get back in August." Then it hit me - I may still be in Waco, but the people I graduated with have left and moved on. [I'm just glad that Baylor is such a close-knit family and that we'll be together again for Homecoming, football games, and Sing!] But everything is different. We're not in college anymore. Hello real world.

I'm using this time of unemployment to refresh and relax, but ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I'm kind of totally a planner. NOT knowing what my next step is, when I'll finally find a job, or where I'll be working is driving me crazy. I've applied, I've interviewed, and nothing has come of the job opportunities. I've debated back-and-forth if I want to live and work in Austin or in Waco, so now I'm searching in both places.

This transition is all about finding a new normal. I may call my mom crying a few more times until I find it. But with prayer, the support of those around me, and the knowledge that my God already knows the future, I know I'll find it.

He's holding me in His perfect will, and it feels so good to be held!