a force of beauty.

Earlier this week I got an email from my dear friend Shawna about a commercial that I just had to watch. It's part of the new Bare Escentuals ad campaign, Be a Force of Beauty. The message?

Pretty is not enough. Pretty is nice. It's fine. Pretty can turn heads. But beauty? Beauty can change the whole world. Pretty is what you are, but beauty is what you do with it. Pretty lifts spirits. Beauty makes them soar. So smile. Be bold. Show your beauty. Because when you put pretty into action, there's no limit to what you can do.

What steps can we take to move from our obsession with pretty into a pursuit of real beauty?

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contract signing & bible study planning.

On Friday Allie, Christie, Kayla and I met at the W Hotel in Westwood to plan our outline and assign chapters for the bible study we're writing this fall for Wonderfully Made! We signed our contract, prayed for guidance about the study, and worked through all of the logistics, like what voice we'll use in our writing, what each chapter is about, and who will be responsible for each chapter.

Though we planned to spend the whole day planning and discussing the study, we didn't anticipate watching a photo shoot in the middle of the hotel! We had the honor of meeting the nice photographers from Life + Dog Magazine, actress Mary Lynn Rasjkub, and her cute pups Ginger and Emily. What a fun surprise!

We'll be asking for your input as we begin the writing process, so keep your eyes peeled for your opportunity to be part of our bible study in the coming weeks.

When have you seen the Lord open doors in your life in ways you hadn't imagined?

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hello, fall.

Well, it's official. Fall has finally arrived! Happy Friday and happy fall to you! This is my favorite season of the year for so many different reasons. Some of those reasons are superficial--like the opportunity to wear boots and scarves and drink hot beverages twenty-four-seven--but I assure you that my true love for fall is rooted in more than just personal style preferences.

What makes fall so special to me, something worth eagerly waiting for all year long?

It's a time of redemption. Fall is a season of renewal, where decay turns to beauty. The tired summer trees--though shedding their leaves to conserve energy for winter--become beautiful pieces of art for us to admire. It's one of the many ways God exchanges the ashes in this world for His beauty.

It's a time of newness. New Year's Day, in our culture, has become the token time to make resolutions and become the person we've always dreamed we could be. But in my book, fall is where all of the newness and change comes in. September means back-to-school-time, which for the majority of our young lives has been a brand new year. Now more than ever is a time to consider our lives--our habits, quirks and tendencies--and to ask ourselves if we're becoming the women we've been created to be.

It's a time of unity. Now is not just a time for pumpkin spice lattes, layered clothing, and colorful landscapes, but also the beginning of the holiday season. Soon we will be carving pumpkins, drinking hot cider, gathering with our families to give thanks, and opening presents under the tree. Fall marks the beginning of a long season of togetherness, community and celebration, which are really what life is all about.

Are you glad it's officially fall? Why or why not?

P.S. Here's a first-day-of-fall challenge for you to discover, grow and be renewed during this season: Take 15-30 minutes this week to look at your life. Who are you becoming? Notice the areas that are contributing to and the areas that are taking away from the woman you aspire to be, and make a plan for growth. Share it with a friend and ask for accountability in at least one area. New year's resolutions are so last year. comments

coming tomorrow...

...is the official beginning of the best season of the year! Although fall in San Diego is pretty pathetic, I still appreciate the cloudier skies, almost-noticeable change of the leaves, and slight drop in temperature. In the morning I'll share more thoughts on the partially superficial, partially profound reasons why I love fall, but until then all of you fall-lovers can admire the beauty below.

Stay tuned tomorrow morning for more in-depth thoughts on what makes fall so special...

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wisdom from bobbi brown.

I love, love, love this little top ten list by beauty guru Bobbi Brown. It's so simple, so true, and so inspiring. In addition to being the founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Bobbi is also committed to empowering women of all ages toward healthy self-confidence (as you can see below)...

I don't even think I could pick a favorite from this list, so I'll share the top three that I strive for in my life at the moment...

• Spread beauty. This is something I'm deeply passionate about. Life is beautiful, and we should notice it. YOU are beautiful, and you should know that. Spreading real beauty is the reason I write a True Beauty post every month, and it's one of the things I strive for the most.
• Laugh out loud. Laughter is medicine for the soul. It makes everything good, even for just a moment. Although there was once a season in my life when I had no joy, now I enjoy a good belly laugh nearly every single day. My laugh-out-loud inspiration? Rachel Johnson. That girl has a laugh to admire.
• Focus on the positive. I like to think of life with a glass-half-full mentality. I admit, I often end up seeing the positive because I start off by thinking through all of the negatives. I set my expectations low (which is totally pessimistic of me I admit), and from there I can see nothing but the positive in the situation. It's round-about, but it keeps my mind on the positive nonetheless!

Which one of Bobbi's top ten do you strive for the most? How so?

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food, enemy or friend?

Good morning, girls! How was everyone's weekend? Brian and I just got back from what seemed like a month-long vacation, and strangely enough, I feel glad to be back into the routine of daily life. I loved relaxing lakeside and poolside as well as seeing friends and family, but I've missed being home. It's nice to sleep in our bed, go for a walk around our neighborhood, and sip coffee on our balcony again. I love home sweet home.

Today's post is about having a healthy relationship with food. A while back I read an article from Women's Health Magazine called "Why We Love Food", which shed some light on the social, cultural and biological factors that impact how we eat. At the end they share some helpful tips for befriending food again and I wanted to share it as an encouragement to any of you who have struggled with food issues in the past, or are currently struggling with them. Below is an excerpt from that article:

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You can't alter your DNA, change your cultural background, or turn back the clock and make your pregnant mother drink vegetable juice. But now that you understand how these and other factors influence the way you eat, you can work toward making each new experience with food a pleasurable one. It's a matter of giving yourself permission to enjoy what's on your plate instead of fretting that you're not eating the right thing, the right amount, or the right way, says Lombardo. Here are some other tips:

Focus on your food.
You may not have time to savor every bite of every meal, but turning off the TV and sitting at a table will help you take more pleasure in your food.

But don't be hypervigilant.
"Being too aware of what and how much you eat can turn you into a food obsessive," says Wansink. "Not to mention that having a mind-set of 'If I walk two miles, I can eat this many chips' is a terrible way to live."

Don't tell yourself no.
Deprivation diets set you up for failure. "It's a lot more liberating to say 'I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, as long as I know how much I actually want,' " says Wansink.

Listen to your gut.
If you like steak, order it, even if everyone else is having salad.

Don't take on others' emotional static.
"Repeat this mantra: 'I choose to enjoy this food,' " says Lombardo. At the end of the day, each of us has to decide for ourselves if food is the enemy or a dear friend.

How does this change the way you view your food?

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funky frames: warby parker glasses.

A few months ago, Allie shared about Warby Parker on the Wonderfully Made Blog. Since then, I have become completely obsessed with getting my very own pair of their chic yet fairly-priced frames (which, thankfully, arrived in the mail yesterday). More than just another fashion accessories company, Warby Parker operates under a "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" model (much like Tom's Shoes).

They make choosing frames super easy with their home try-on program. You just pick out five frames you like, and they ship them to you for free. After five days, you ship them back (again, for free) in the same box. Easy peasy. My favorite pair from my home try-on was the Sibley...

Warby Parker seems to hit all of the marks: stylish, affordable, and charitable. All of the frames do have a similar, thick-framed look, but if that's the style you're going for, then I say they're a win! Check out all of their fun women's styles on their website here.

Would you buy frames from Warby Parker? Why or why not?

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kindness.

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"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."

Mother Teresa

How will you extend unexpected kindness to someone today?

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yearning for joy.

Over this past year, there have been quite a few tragedies in Brian's and my circles of friends. From death and sickness to tough friendships and trouble at work, so many people seemed to be having a rough season in 2011. The always inspiring C.S. Lewis once wrote,

Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

It's tragic but true. How often have you looked back on your life (or looked at the present) and realized that you are desperately searching for joy and happiness in all the wrong places? Your boyfriend, your family, your grades, your job, your clothes--none will ever satisfy the yearning for joy that is deep in your soul. That, girls, can only come from the one who created you to yearn for it. You may be one of those people who is in a rough season.

Maybe you are battling with lies about your self-image, maybe you feel dissatisfied with your daily work, or maybe you just feel apathetic about life in general. When I feel that way, I like to remember that we were made to live fully alive and to have life abundantly. If we aren't experiencing it now, we will experience it in time. God is a redeemer and a healer. He comforts us when we're down, and promises to renew all things in time.

"I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow." (Jeremiah 31:13)

What have you turned to (or are you currently turning to) in order to satisfy your soul's yearning for joy?

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love by observation.

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. "

Donald Miller
Blue Like Jazz

Have you ever learned to love something through observing or knowing someone else? What was it?

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things i don't do.

This post is 100% inspired by a chapter in Shauna Niequist's newest book, Bittersweet, which I read earlier this year and absolutely loved (see my review here). Shauna was the featured guest at a women's Christmas tea I attended, and when she spoke on stage she shared this entire chapter with the women in the audience. The beautifully crafted words of honesty fluttered through the air and we were all ears.

Shauna described herself as a list-maker who never could figure out how so many busy women could keep it all together. One day over lunch, her friend Denise told her, "What’s hard...is figuring out what you’re willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about." Those words stuck with her for a while until she realized what was necessary:

Deciding what I wanted wasn’t that hard. But deciding what I’m willing to give up for those things is like yoga for your superego, stretching and pushing and ultimately healing that nasty little person inside of you who exists only for what people think.

So, there's the question I'm asking myself. What am I willing to not do in order to be the person I really want to become? First, as Shauna did, I must consider what matters to me.

Things I do.

• I pray, study God's word, and grow in my faith each year. My faith is what makes me who I am, and what shapes me into the woman I am growing into each and every day.
• I invest in my family. My parents raised me to be who I am, and Brian will be at my side as my new family for the rest of our lives. I call regularly, I make time, I keep myself available. One day if kids enter the picture, I'm sure I'll be glad I practiced this one in my non-motherhood years.
• I keep my best friends close, even when we live far away. No matter where we end up or move to (already we're scattered around California and Texas), having friends that are like family is one of the greatest gifts from God. These people are what, in a later chapter in the book, Shauna refers to as the "home team." It's become my new favorite term.
• I honor my body with the way I eat and exercise. Too many years of abuse and judgement ruined my self-esteem and prevented me from living my life feeling fully alive. I am finally in a place of freedom, and I choose to live freely in love by treating my body the way it should be treated: as a wonderfully made and unique creation of God.
• I get a full night's sleep and wake up early. Morning is my favorite time of day, why sleep in?

Next, I have to consider what I am willing to sacrifice in order to keep doing the things I listed above. What would I give up so that I can maintain the values that are important to me?

Things I don't do.

• I don't over-commit my time. I fell into this trap too often in college, over-scheduling my calendar to feel important and keep busy. But in the past few years since graduation, I've come to value down time, rest time, time to be available to the family and friends who are so dear to me. Yes, there are times when I am tempted to sign up for every single group and club that exists in my town, but that doesn't mean that I give into the urges anymore. It's not worth the sacrifice.
• I don't stay up late. Like I said, morning is the best in my book! So unless it's New Year's Eve, I'm on vacation, or a friend is having a crisis, you can expect me to be hitting the hay around 10:00 p.m.
• I don't pursue close friendships with men. This is so simple, and maybe seems silly, but it's the least I can do to protect my marriage. I love Brian more than anyone in the world, and I couldn't imagine ever confiding in any man other than him. However, if we don't guard our hearts and we build up friendships with men who aren't our husbands (for those of us who are married, anyway), we create an opportunity for disaster in the future. When it doubt, leave it out...well, close friendships with men, that is.

This list will always be evolving, changing, and growing as the years go on. I'll add more things I do, and more things I don't do, but I feel like this is a solid start in the right direction. Listing what matters to me puts everything into perspective, and it makes saying no a whole lot easier when I realize that saying yes would compromise that which I hold so dearly.

What are you willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about? Or, in other words, what are things that you don't do?

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happy labor day.

Happy Labor Day, friends! I am currently splashing around in the lake with my best of friends (much like the photo above, taken exactly one year ago today). Enjoy the long weekend!

How do you like to spend long holiday weekends?

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the table next to the plug.

This just-for-fun blog post is for you girls who work on your own, or one day hope to.

It's only been a couple of months since I've left cubicle world and started working with Wonderfully Made, and it's already an exhilarating journey. I'm jumping in head first and learning so many things -- some ministry-related and some marketing-related -- but mostly a lot of little life lessons that one comes across when she leaves her office job and sets up camp at her local coffee shop (or even kitchen table) all day long:

• Sit near a plug. Computers only have batteries that last so long. Before you know it your battery sign is red and the percentage is decreasing by the second. Not so good for productivity.
• Bring a snack. Free office snacks are no more, and now you have to fend for yourself.
• Wear comfy clothes. It seems so obvious, but it's hard to get out of the dress-cute-for-work mentality. When working on your own, it's better to just dress for yourself. New uniform: yoga pants or shorts with a soft shirt.
• Meet up with friends. For lunch, coffee, walks, etc. The biggest lesson I've learned is not to underestimate the value of interacting with other human beings throughout the day.
• Take breaks. At the office, breaks are a given. You get up and go to the bathroom, you get another cup of water, you chat with your friend a few cubicles over. But when you're on your own, time warps into another dimension, and breaks can sometimes disappear into thin air. Don't get me wrong, I'm not productive 100% of the time; but there definitely have been days when Brian comes home at 6:00 and I can't fathom how the whole day went by already! Break time is a necessary part of producing good work, so don't skip out on it just because you aren't in the office.

Though I do miss the activity and buzz of the office, I wouldn't trade my current job for anything. I have never been more energized nor felt more like I was using my gifts and strengths than I do now.

Do you work in a non-traditional environment? What tips & tricks have you picked up along the way?

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know your value, unveiled.

Today is a very exciting day because we've just unveiled the new look and feel of the Wonderfully Made blog, now known as Know Your Value. This is a project I've been working on over the past month or so, and it's been so enjoyable I'm almost sad it's done. Ok, well, not really...I'm actually glad we finally get to share it. Hooray!!

If you have a minute, bop on over to the site and check it out for yourself. I hope you'll add it to your daily reads, and if you feel so inclined, add a link to it on your own personal blog. Happy reading!!

Did you take a look at Know Your Value? What do you think about the new look and feel?

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