Friday, May 31, 2013

Fun in the Sun

Sunshine is such a blessing! It reminds us of the warmth and light that Jesus Christ provides for His children.

But we must remember to protect our skin while we are enjoying the sun -- whether it be by the pool, on the beach, or in the garden. Below I have listed several sunscreens that are safe for even the most sensitive skin to use, and are also free of dyes and chemicals.







Be sure to look at this website: Environmental Working Group. They have listed every single sunscreen under the sun (please excuse the pun) and rated it according to how safe it is for your skin.

Have fun in the sun this weekend!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Buy of the Week



The summer bug is upon us down here in the South! Having an over-sized beach tote for those days by the pool, on the lake, or at the beach will give you a way to carry everything from towels to your ice cream money.


**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

Monday, May 27, 2013

Remembering...

   

Every year we remember the many men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of their country. It is estimated that nearly 10,000,000 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives fighting in the various wars that our young nation has fought. They were our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers -- all united under the driving force of love for their country and their God. Their strength in times of adversity is to be admired and commended, for they took everything they had and laid it all down for freedom.

   As the Lord says in John 15:13, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for his friends." These precious people have shown awe-inspiring love to us and should be remembered as the heroes they are. But on Memorial Day, we oftentimes forget the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made -- a sacrifice made not just for the United States, but for all mankind. God sent His own Son onto the battlefield, knowing that He would die an unimaginable death, but His Greatest Love overcame that. With nails in His hands and love in His heart, Jesus willingly left this world, dying for the hands that tortured and killed Him. His sacrifice was even more noble in the fact that the people He saved rejected Him and ordered His death.

 The greatest part of Jesus' sacrifice is that He rose again. His resurrection secures eternal life for those who follow Him. Just like we will never forget the soldiers that fought and died for us, we must always stay true to the One who has saved us. Today and every day, we should think of each and every one of our heroes; whether we know them personally or not, they'll remain in our hearts. So remember the fallen and be thankful for our Savior. Because what may be only a Memorial Day now will be a face-to-face celebration when we get to heaven.

Happy Memorial Day!!!
       

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Everyday Style ~ Color of the Year











As I considered the best thing to capture for this month's "Everyday Style" post, I decided to go with something green since emerald is the color of the year. So, I threw together this outfit with an A-line, chevron emerald skirt, paired with a chambray blouse, coral scarf, filigree earrings, gold bangle, and simple gold flip flops.

If you own a chambray blouse, you know how extremely versatile it can be. I LOVE mine and wear it with almost everything!!!! I guess you could say I've pretty much fallen for the whole "chambray craze" thing!

Several ways to mix up this particular outfit would be to throw on a cardigan or jumper over the chambray, add a statement necklace, or make yourself an "arm party" (lots of stacked bangles/bracelets). I really like this combo of coral+green, though. I think it's classy, stylish, and perfect for a lovely summer day!

How are you going to wear the color of the year?

Friday, May 24, 2013

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

Try this smoothie for a dessert-like breakfast!


~ 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
~ 1 cup almond or rice milk
~ 1 scoop protein powder of choice, optional
~ 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
~ 3-4 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Buy of the Week




Do you have a trip to the seaside planned this summer? Here are some fun summer dresses that will inspire your trip!


**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

Monday, May 20, 2013

The Woman in the Church

The church was packed that Christmas Eve; candles lit the whole room with illuminating vibrance. Carols rang out to shout the glory of our God becoming a baby to save the world. Hundreds, maybe thousands, gathered of different sizes, color, and culture. It was magical.

A woman with a child walked in and sat down in the pew. She tried to convince the child to sit still. She was not dressed in homely clothing; she didn't look poor. She wore a dress so high on her legs it was shocking and enough plunging neckline to make the dress look more like a towel than a dress. She had the highest, glittery, spiked platform heels one could imagine and the loudest hair and makeup to complete the look. A Proverbs 7 woman was what she portrayed, the woman who beckons attention and arouses lust.

Men were having to turn heads and the squirming people around her were obvious. There was one woman sitting to one side who started rolling her eyes; she whispered and made subtle gestures toward the highly immodest woman. 

Yes, this story is true.
I saw the whole thing play out and was angered -- not at the actions of the woman with the child, but at the actions of the woman in the pew. Now we talk a lot about modesty and it's important, and I hate that women are viewed as objects of lust rather than the magnificent artistry of the Lord, but, Sisters, are our judgmental actions pushing women away from Christ?

Jesus had the same issue.

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
John 8:2-11

Imagine this adulteress brought to Jesus. If she was caught in the act of adultery, she probably had lack of clothing when cast in the midst of the crowd. The people would have been staring and casting judgment, even to death. What does Jesus do? He starts writing in the sand. We don't know what He was writing, but in the high tension of the moment, He just bends down and scribbles. Think of the crowd and how the eyes that cast judgment on the adulteress turn to Jesus and change to eyes of wonder. When He speaks, everyone listens. And when their hearts are penetrated, they leave. Jesus took the focus off the woman and onto Himself so that He could speak to the hearts of the people.

This is the point, Sisters! 

The woman who was in church that day I might never see again until Judgment Day. I mourn because I don't know her story. I don't know if she is a follower of Christ. I didn't get to meet her that day and none of the people around me got to meet her, either (as far as my observance).

That woman could have been the "adulteress woman" like the one cast in front of Jesus. And I was not the reaching hands of Christ to her to tell her that none condemn you and to sin no more. I was more concerned about guarding my brother's eyes than saving a soul.

So dear Sisters in Christ, we are faced with the adulteress woman every day. She is dead in sin and has the fate of eternity away from Christ. Jesus may have directed His eyes to the ground, but He did not divert His attention away from her soul. My prayer is that you will help me reach out to these women, looking beyond the exterior and looking to their hearts who need Christ.




Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Buy of the Week








I love this idea. Everything on this site is $10 or under.

Check it out!

**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Dreams Change

    Let me let you in on a little secret.
Dreams Change.
And it's not a bad thing, either. I'm sure if you think hard enough, there's some dream you had a few years ago that isn't something you'd consider important to accomplish now. Now I'm not saying to just give up all your dreams and be done with them. Each dream you have, each goal you want to accomplish, is all just a part of the bigger picture. And, whether or not you actually meet all of your goals, the skills you obtain while striving for them can mold you into the person God wants you to be.

I'm going to share with you a dream I once had, one that God did not allow me to accomplish. When I was eight years old, I wanted more than anything to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I spent hours studying over lists of words, most of which I didn't know the meaning of, and in third grade, I was 4th place in my county spelling bee. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get as far as I wanted to, but I knew there was always next year. I continued to study, but for the next three years I never did as well as I had done the first time. For some reason, every time I tried, I got so nervous that I wouldn't make it past the first few rounds because I'd choke up on an easy word. At first, I was so frustrated with myself that I didn't know what to think. But now, I believe that the reason I got so nervous and made mistakes was because it wasn't God's will for me to win. I never realized that God was just as much on my competitors' side as He was on mine, and that winning was His will for someone else. In 7th grade, I became interested in other things and decided not to compete, and in 8th grade, my last year to be eligible, I truthfully just didn't even think about it. Now I'm sure you're thinking, why did she give up on herself? She had a chance, but she didn't take it, and now she'll always wonder what could have been if she had just kept going. But this story is not a sad one, and here's the reason why.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and to give you hope and a future.'" 
  
Winning the National Spelling Bee was not God's plan for me, but those hours studying were not wasted. I realized how much I love words, and that instead of a speller, God wants me to be a writer. If I had not competed in spelling bees when I was younger, I don't think I would be writing this to you today. The four years I spent on a dream I never realized were four wonderful years that I wouldn't trade for the world. Because they contributed to my bigger picture. So don't think of any forgotten dreams you may have as heartaches. Because dreams change for a reason, and an old dream is just another component to make the masterpiece that is completely you that much more beautiful.
 

Monday, May 13, 2013

A Mile in Those Shoes

I love these charts. It can be so helpful to know the names and styles of shoes.

What is your favorite style shoe? 




Friday, May 3, 2013

Waffles, Anyone?

Today is Friday, which means that tomorrow is Saturday! Is anyone else excited about the weekend? What a better way to start out your weekend than a quiet time with Jesus and a big, healthy breakfast of waffles (homemade to be exact)!


Gluten/Dairy-Free Waffles

~ 1 cup corn flour
~ 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
~ 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (or other)
~ 2 teaspoons baking powder
~ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
~ 2 cups almond or rice milk
~ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
~ 3 Tablespoons ground flax meal
~ 3 Tablespoons oil 
~ 1-2 Tablespoons honey or agave
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla
~ 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
1. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients. 
3. Lightly mix together until combined. Do not over-mix!
4. Cook waffles on a hot oiled waffle iron.
5. Top waffles with maple syrup, fruit, or peanut butter. The ideas are endless!
Note: To keep waffles warm until ready to eat, place in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Buy of the Week





What time is it? You'll know with these pretty timekeepers.


**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**