Fashioned for God

Long Lost blog that I never posted... Had to share..

Fashioned for Him

I had the privilege of attending a Womens conference this weekend. One word to describe it- AMAZING!! I was reminded that God has fashioned each one of us for him...Yes even the things about ourselves that we gripe and complain about, God sees as beautiful and purposeful. We were all fearfully and wonderfully made by a purposeful Creator- doesn't that make you smile?

I want to leave my sin at the cross, but this weekend God had me leave my insecurities there-embracing and loving every part of me. We were fashioned to live a life that honors, glorifys, praises,and reflects the gentle love of a gracious Saviour. What a charge that is!!!

Today , I challenge you to lay all of your insecurities at the feet of Christ. Love every curve, wrinkle, and imperfection that you see in your reflection, and know that you are marvelous. God's thoughts of you are more than the grains of sand in the ocean! I am so elated to know that today. Now say it with me, " I am a Marvelous Workmanship of My Saviour"

Jen XO

Beauty Best Section

Beauty Best Section- How many of you have a taste for the finer things in life? I definitely used to be that person, the person that thought the more money you spend the better the product must be. This was EVERYTHING for me,like makeup, hair care products, Facial care- everything. You name it and I had the name brand stuff. I only wore MAC makeup, I only used Paul Mitchel product's, and I only used Origins.

Here I am at 18, in college far away from reality at times with my ticket to name brand Heaven- a Dillards credit card (equivalent to Macy's or Nordstrom). I was living my life in a name brand Paradise. My Mom was way too good to me and paid my bill EVERY month... I was so delusional as to what kind of price tag came with my obsession with only name brand stuff. I then graduated from college went on to graduate school and married the love of my life. I should preface the story with the fact that my hubby is 3 years younger than me. Here we are living in MO crazy in love but with only one income- mine.

I was quickly catapulted into reality. My obsession with name brand things was no longer the way I could live. The reality of the debt I racked up was overwhelming and even embarrassing. The worse part about it all, was that I had nothing to show for it. All of the name brand bottles and containers were used and gone, probably somewhere in a junk yard...I quickly had to adapt to my new reality. If we didn't have the $$ I wasn't getting it...This lead to me dying my own hair-That is a whole other story in itself- one time you would have thought someone tried to kill me (I get really upset when I don't like my hair-seriously ask Jared), and many other quick "beauty regimen makeovers"...

Thus began my journey of being delivered from my only "name brand" sickness. The products you see under my "Beauty Best" section have been tested and tried by a former "name brand" slave. These are the products I now use. I promise you the St. Ives exfoliate is just as wonderful as the Origins one. The CG mascara works better then the Dior one (trust me I used to use it). The John Frieda shampoo works wonders on color treated hair. The Cetaphil cleanser is marvelous- your face feels so clean when your done and my hubby loves the way my face smells at the end of the day :)

There are some products that I spend a little more on but they are my favorites and they usually last me a year or 2. Nars blush- I haven't found a color that I love as much. MAC Studiofix- still my favorite I have tried CG and a brand that Kohls carries but I went back to MAC after about a year. I am willing to try anything cheap but I do believe in those few beauty essentials that you love and may not be willing to compromise on.

The moral of the story is don't get bogged down on only the "name brand" stuff. Don't let our Hollywood culture sway you right into bankruptcy. Find the products that you can save a buck or 2 on and then spend that money on something that will have eternal value... Something that will last way beyond our beauty bottles and inevitable wrinkly faces...

Jen Xoxo

P.S I will continue to update my Beauty Best List

Are there any products you can't live without?

Have you found cheaper alternatives that work just as well?

Who doesn't love a Bargain?

Do you have any "seasonal" favorites that you wait for all year? Maybe its a special flavored creamer for your morning cup of Joe or anything cinnamon flavored or scented (like me). I was given a lovely gift from one of my students this year- a beautiful candle from Bath and Body Works. It was a "Winter" scented candle by Slatkin and Co. The second you opened the lid it was like the smell of snow covering a deep wooded forest with hints of vanilla, lavender and spices...The scent is lovely...

I would only burn it on the weekend or when I had company as I was trying to preserve the last bit of wick left. Of course the time came for the last burning of my winter wonderland candle. I was crushed... So, of course I could not sleep until I attempted to go back to B&B works for my last wiff *sniff* *sniff* of my Winter scented candle (it was only February after all). I walked into B&B and searched every bit of shelf for just one candle- to my dismay there were none.. As I was walking out of the door I had this genius idea to ask an associate if there were any around that maybe my eagle eye had missed. She told me to hold on a moment and she would check in the back (something that hadn't occur ed to me, I mean they had only Spring and Summer scents in the store)

She walked toward me and in her possession was a "winter " scented candle...I started to beam like the sun on a hot summer day. The candle cost $19.50, I approached the register to pay and as the lady was ringing up my candle, I heard a beautiful word that every thrifty shopper loves to hear "how much of a discount should I give" I am waiting to hear 10%, maybe 50%...Then I hear ummmm ummm... 90% WHAT????? I ended up paying $1.95 for my candle!!! So the moral of the story is- Don't be afraid to ask for what you want...Maybe the discontinued thing you can't live without will be the next bargain in your life...

From one thrifty shopper to another,
Jen XO