Life Lately

Today I thought I'd share some things about life lately that I've shared on Instagram. 

1. Grant and I made this gingerbread house over the weekend and it was super easy and fun.  I was in charge of icing and Grant was in charge of decorations. : )
2. I got together with my small group and we decorated oranges with cloves to add the best holiday scents to our home, plus they are so cute!
3.  I love looking at the tree lit up in the evening, just another week (ish) and Christmas will be here!
4.  I recently got to sing in our church choir back up to Steven Curtis Chapman.  Two of my closest friends sang along with me and it was so much fun!  Brandon Heath was there too for the concerts, it was such a treat!
5.  Our Christmas cards came and have successfully been sent out.  This is the first time we've done "professional" prints (other than JCP) since Grant was born.  It was so fun and she did such a great job!
6. We've been having fun with Mr. Jingles, our "elf on the shelf." One day he dressed up like Spider-man and Grant could not get enough of it! I'm hoping Pinterest has enough idea left to get me through until Christmas!

God Chose the Shepherds

Last week I starting a series leading up to Christmas title, "God Chose..." I shared how God chose Mary, Joseph, and the stable for Jesus' birth.  Today I'm going to share how God chose the shepherds.  Luke 2:8-20 can be seen narrated in the video below by Linus:

                           

An angel appeared to shepherds and shared the savior's birth with them, then they went quickly to Bethlehem to find Jesus and worship him.  Those of us familiar with the Christmas story have heard about the shepherds many times, and they have a fitting spot in nativity sets on display too, but have you ever considered why God chose the shepherds?

Here's a little background on what it meant to be a shepherd during the time around Jesus' birth: Many shepherds lived like nomads.  They had no property or home and spent their time out in the fields taking care of the sheep.  They weren't the lowest on the totem pole, but these men didn't own the sheep, they were hired by the owners of the sheep to tend to them.  Their job was very important,  but didn't earn them much respect.  They tended to the sheep no matter the weather and slept with the sheep in "sheepfolds" which were little stone-walled where they kept the sheep at night with the shepherds literally acting as the doorway to keep the sheep in and the predators out.  There was nothing glamorous about this job. So why did God choose them?

Jesus came to be be a shepherd. In John 10: 11 Jesus states, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. "  Shepherds can relate to Jesus' words, they would leave their flock to find the one sheep that had wandered off.  The sheep also knew the shepherds voice and came when he called.  The shepherds realized the need for a savior and protector, as that's what they really were to their sheep.

Just like Mary and Joseph came from humble beginnings and Jesus was born in a stable, these shepherds weren't that different from them either.  The angels came to the people, the shepherds, because after all that's who Jesus came to save- all of us.

I recently learned my lesson about buying look a-likes from shops online.  I found an "inspired" J.Crew excursion vest from a online boutique recently.  I picked it up for $35 shipped and I was pretty impressed, because it was a 50% sale and sold for double that at full price.  Then, it arrived.  It was awful.  The zipper hardly zipped and was mis-sewn and was "wiggly" the whole way up.  I'm still working on getting a Paypal refund. : (  Then, I saw that Old Navy had this vest and I was able to pick it up for $20.  It may be a look a-like to the J.Crew and not the real thing, but it's well made and a brand I can trust.  

Vest: Old Navy same

Sweater: J.Crew factory

Button-up: Old Navy similar

Jeans: Old Navy same

Necklace: Purple Peridot

 Bracelets: chloe + isabel c/o same, same 

Booties: Wanted similar

God Chose the Stable

Today I'm continuing my series leading up to Christmas called "God Chose..." Earlier this week I shared how God chose Mary and Joseph and today I'm going to chose how God chose the stable. It's a pretty unlikely place for the Son of God to be born, so I wanted to dig into it a bit.

Luke 2: 1-7 shares the story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem.  This was actually prophesied nearly 700 years earlier in Micah 5:2. I personally find prophesy like this pretty amazing.  Mary and Joseph ended up in Bethlehem because there was census and everyone needed to return to ancestors home, and Joseph was from the line of David, which was actually another prophecy that was fulfilled from Jeremiah 23:5.

Growing up I always thought it was so strange that Jesus was basically born in a barn.  I remember thinking it was kind that the innkeeper let them stay in the stable, but as an adult I think it's so interesting that God chose the stable as the birthplace for the Savior of the world.

It seems to me that God is making a point that it doesn't matter if you come from humble beginnings, you can still be extraordinary.  Mathew 6:20 comes to mind too.  Years later Jesus stated "But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven..." we can be so focused on "stuff" we sometimes fail to focus on the things that matter.  How we treat people matters, but the "stuff" we accumulate doesn't.

I'm also reminded of something else Jesus said years later in Mathew 6: 25-34 in regards to worrying about tomorrow.  He mentions the birds in the air and the flowers in the field; God takes care of them, so how much more will he take care of us?  It all goes back to the stable, God took care of Mary and Joseph; there was a place for Jesus to be born. God chose the stable.

So, I've already worn this outfit three times.  I'm an obsessive outfit repeater when I wear something I really like. Last year I dragged my feet about buying a pair of brown riding boots.  I already had some great Born ones with a heel, so I was having a hard time justifying flats.  Then I won that DSW contest and got to pick these beauties out for free...I've been wearing them almost daily.  I'm also super crazy about this jeweled sweatshirt from Gordmans.  I had my eye on a few last year, but never bought one....I don't want to take this one off!  Add in the best black pants ever and I'm one happy girl.  I really want them in every color, when it gets cold I don't even want to think about skirts, these are definitely my go-to pants. 

Vest: West Seal similar / Sweat Shirt: Gordmans c/o same / Pants: Target same / Boots: Unisa c/o DSW same / Necklace: Target same / Bracelets: chloe + isabel c/o same, same 

Linking up with:

What I Wore to Work Link-up

God Chose Joseph

On Monday I started a series here leading up to Christmas titled, "God Chose..." I shared how God chose Mary and today I'm going to spend some time sharing how God chose Joseph.

Here's a little background on Joseph for you from Mathew 1: 18-24. He was engaged to Mary and found out she was pregnant.  His first assumption was that she had cheated on him.  Joseph was a man who was faithful to the law, however, had a mind to divorce her quietly.

I wondered what "faithful to the law meant" and found though study that it was common to stone a woman to death for cheating.  Joseph knew this, but did not want this fate for her.  God chose a man who was kind, honoring, and who didn't wish harm on another person.  I feel like this speaks volumes to who we should be as well, even when "wronged," as Joseph assumed he was, he didn't try to be vengeful. He was willing to walk away, and I'm assuming forgive what he thought were Mary's indiscretions.  

I think it can be so easy to want to get back at someone who has hurt you, to retaliate, to "get even," but that's not what God calls us to do.  During Jesus' ministry he taught people to turn the other cheek.  Don't repay wrong, with wrong. That was Jesus' and God's desire, and it turned out that was the character of Joseph too.

Before Joseph divorced Mary an angel came to him in a dream and said “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Yep, probably a pretty good reason to trust God here.  God was Jesus' heavenly father, but he chose Joseph to be his earthy one.  Joseph's character in regards to Mary shows the kind of man he was and the type of person we should strive to be as well.

Jacket: Ann and Co. similar

Sweater: J.Crew factory similar

Jeans: Old Navy

Necklace: Target same

Bracelets: chloe + isabel same

Booties: Wanted 

Linking up with:

What I Wore Wednesday

Random Wednesday

Save Vs. Splurge

There are a few trends on my radar right now that I love, but the price isn't always right, so I went on the hunt to find some affordable options.  I'm loving Sorel boots, but I'm not sure I'm willing to invest in the price tag, however these boots from Target are super cute and the price is a third of the Sorel boot.  I'm also loving everything Fair Isle and J.Crew has some amazing pieces, but Target also has some great Fair Isle affordable options, as does Old Navy.  The other things I'm loving right now is the buffalo check trend, specifically the J.Crew vest version, however J.Crew Factory has a more affordable option (on sale) and that 's right up my alley.

Merona multi color boots / SOREL water proof snow boots / Striped Pullover Sweater / J Crew fairisle sweater / J.Crew Factory Buffalo Check Vest / J.Crew Vest /  

God Chose Mary

In this time leading up to Christmas I'd like to share a series with you called "God Chose..." I heard the Christmas story and birth of Jesus hundreds of times growing up, but it wasn't until I was a Christian that it really began to sink in, and I began to learn more about the people God chose as the birth of Jesus unfolds.

Today I want to start by sharing Mary, Jesus' mother with you.  Here's a little background on Mary (Luke 1: 26-35):  She was a teenager, estimated at 13-14 years old based on the culture of the day, engaged to be married to Joseph, and a virgin.  An angel came to her and said the following: 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary's replies, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” This response obviously makes sense. This has never before happened, as it will never happen again either.

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."

This would obviously be a lot to take in. Things we should note though. Mary had found favor with God. This teenage, who wasn't rich, wasn't a queen, wasn't married, and probably wasn't extraordinary in the average person's eyes found favor with God.  He knew her heart, He saw her for who she truly was, and He saw someone worthy of bearing the Son of God. Whoa.  

After this Mary goes to a Elizabeth (who was a cousin) and tells her the news. Here is her response from Luke 1: 46-55:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
 And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
 he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
 as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Mary exalted God. She was not scared about what her fiance' would say or what the townspeople would say about what would look like a scandal to the outside world.  Now, the Jewish people had been waiting for their Savior for generations, as foretold in the book of Isaiah, and now He was coming.  Mary believed God's truth and this miracle as well. 

I think it can be easy to tell ourselves that we're not good enough, or we don't have value, or how could God chose me, but God sees our hearts, just as he saw Mary's.  He finds value in us, and can pick the post unlikely or people to accomplish the most extraordinary things.  

As for my outfit, my 1993 self is pretty excited open button-downs are cool again.  Exchange these booties for Doc Martens and you have a pretty clear image of my sophomore in high school self. I really love this buffalo check shirt and it's taking all my willpower not to pick up this vest too. However, we all know I need another vest like a hole in the head. 

Vest: Sears same

Shirt: Old Navy same

Tee: Le Motto c/o  same

Jeans: Old Navy 

Necklace: chloe + isabel c/o same

Bracelets: chloe + isabel same

Booties: Jessica Simpson  same

Getting Ready for Christmas

This year we decided to have an elf on the shelf some to our house. Grant had an elf at daycare last year and loved it, so I thought we'd give it a try. Our elf has a little twist though. I found something here on Pinterest about incorporating Jesus into the idea. "Santa" sent Grant a letter with his elf, now named Mr. Jingles, to our house on Thanksgving evening. The letter shared that Mr. Jingles job is to remind Grant and our family that Christmas is about Jesus and not presents. He's to look for us being kind and helpful to each other, and other people as well.

I broke the "no touch" rule, seen here, which I didn't really get, we'll see as days pass if this was a good idea or not. I can't remember a time when Grant has been so excited about something and he and Mr. Jingles have been having a lot of fun together. I've had Mr. Jingles declare a family movie night, build a Lego Christmas tree, read a story to stuffed animals, suggest making cookies together, and race cars with another toy. Mr. Jingles will not be bringing gifts, and I have a few ideas for how to continue to incorporate Jesus into this idea. I'm excited about this new tradition at our house.

I'm giving my blanket scarf another try today, this time with a dress and cardigan. Lots of layers didn't work so well last time, so I'm hoping it'll work out better this time :) I also opted for my animal print flats, instead of boots like I'd originally intended.  My tall boots looked way to "bulky,"  and since the weather has gotten so cold these shoes have been a bit forgotten. 

Cardigan: Ann Taylor similar

Scarf: Style This Life same

Dress: Gap similar

 Bracelets: chloe + isabel c/o same, same 

Shoes: Aerosoles same

Linking up with:

What I Wore to Work Link-up