Poise… and Other Time Tested Beauty Tips

Poise…I think that this word is not used much in our vocabulary these days. Perhaps it is because so few reflect on the importance of the word in our lives.  Since I wanted to create a picture for my friend who had chosen this word as her One Word Challenge for this year, I looked at dictionary.com to give me a bit more of an idea of just what this word was about.

Here is what I found:

Noun

1.  a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession: to show poise in company.

2.  Steadiness; stability: intellectual poise.

Verb

To rest in equilibrium; be balanced.

Synonyms:  aplomb, balance, bearing, diplomacy, confidence, cool, serenity, tact, tranquility, grace, elegance.

Those last two words, grace and elegance, bring to me the picture of Audrey Hepburn, after the transformation as Eliza Doolittle, in My Fair Lady (the film version of George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion, 1912).  She was transformed from a crude and brash Cockney flower girl into a beautiful woman who spoke with dignity and held herself with a dignified poise...there is that word…poise. 

Because of that mental picture, I chose to include in my One Word picture a quote that is often attributed to Audrey Hepburn, whom many women uphold as the ideal to true beauty in a woman…not only because of her physical beauty but also mainly for her inward beauty which showed itself in the way she interacted with her world.  She was known for her involvement in many charitable causes, in fact, in her later years, her acting became secondary to her work on behalf of children as she traveled the world making known the plight of children in need. Her beauty showed itself in the very way she carried herself. It is more like an aura of grace, elegance, and dignity…with a touch of playfulness. 

The quote that I used in my picture is actually just a part of a much longer quote; many parts of which I see posted online all the time quotes coming directly from Miss. Hepburn.  As I am a bit of a stickler for giving credit where credit is due, I will include the entire poem written by Humorist Sam Levenson. He was also the one who said, “Insanity is hereditary: You can get it from your children.”  Hmmm…wise man.

Soon after becoming a UNICEF Ambassador, Audrey Hepburn went on a
    mission trip to Ethiopia, where years of drought and civil strife had caused
terrible famine.
A.A. ©Derek Hudson/Sygma/Corbis

The following was written by the late educator-humorist Sam Levenson for his grandchild and read by Audrey Hepburn on Christmas Eve, 1992; Ms. Hepburn also used it on occasion when she was asked for beauty tips. [From Audrey Hepburn by Barry Paris, 1996, Putnam].

                      Time Tested Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his, or fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People even more than things have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives and the passion that she shows.

The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years. 

As I read this, I cannot but think of the words in scripture:

Let not your adornment be merely external but let it be the hidden person of the heart,  with a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ~1 Peter 3:3-4

We as women are bombarded daily with the message that our beauty is merely external. Don’t believe me?  Just spend some time watching commercials aimed at women. While God’s word does not forbid us to care about our external appearance…it does point out the fact that our outward beauty should reflect our inner person.

Just recently I shared with the girls in my Bible study that when I look in the mirror I am almost surprised at what I see.  That reflection is not quite the beautiful woman of God that I ‘feel’ and carry with me every day. You see…it’s not anything I have done to create that beauty. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, in my inner self, my heart, and soul. He has made me beautiful! Oh sure…there are times when I have marred that beauty with my own selfish desires and walked in disobedience to His Word and to be the woman I know God has called me to be. In those times, I am just…well…ugh...UGLY!  I can’t cover that up with makeup or beautiful clothes and shoes that ROCK! No…only by acknowledging that ugliness and repenting of my selfish choices…by turning and walking, yet again, in obedience to His Word does that mantle of beauty fall on me once again.  And I have to say…all the beauty treatments in the world cannot give you the inner peace, poise, and confidence that walking in obedience does. 

Poise...after reflecting on the meaning and related scriptures, I realized it is an excellent word...it says so much. There are depths of this word that pertain to how we are to be as God's women...I pray that God opens up doors of opportunity for you to plumb the depths and apply them to your life...as you are poised on the edge of all that God has for you in the journey!!!

Do you do the One Word Challenge each year? You can find out more here: One Word Challenge.

P.S.   From Amber (my friend for whom I created the One Word Picture, Poise)…

“My word for the year is Poise…and I have definitely been in circumstances that have required me to present. It was certainly the right word for me. And I smile and think of God's provision in this area”.

One Word…It’s Not a Resolution!

I have been on a journey with words for quite a few years now.  It all began in 2008.  The hubs and I were ministering in a church in Washington D.C. We had just gone through the second traumatic brain incident with our son, Brad. The first being a stroke when he was 13 and now this one, which was just as if he had had another massive stroke. This second event had begun the summer of 2007, shortly after we had moved to D.C. for our new ministry. We were in the hospital(s) with Brad from July to October of that year followed with many months of Physical, Speech, and Occupational Rehabilitation.

I had just begun to get back into a routine of work, ministry, and lots of trips to the rehab hospital with Brad for his ongoing therapies, when I wrote these words in my journal on February 3, 2008:

Write.Write...Write!  This one word has been playing over and over to me now for weeks now, maybe even months.  Almost audibly I hear the word. I believe God is telling me to write. I have shared this with Rod, Lyndsay, and my ladies bible study. Now I feel accountable, but I still don't know WHAT I am supposed to write.

 That was the million dollar question. What am I supposed to write??? 

 Journal entry, January 7, 2012:

We are a week into the new year and I have been thinking about a word for the year ahead...a word from God. So far several words have come to mind, even the thought 'follow through' keeps coming back to me as I seem to be failing miserably in that area; most especially in the area of my writing. I still believe the word 'write' came to me from God years ago. I still have not fully explored that word. Another word that keeps popping up is 'obedience'. This just may be my word for 2012. ??? I want to wait for confirmation. I have been reading Debbie Macomber's book, One Perfect Word, and she is talking about her experience in choosing(or rather God choosing for her) one word to focus on each year. It has really made me think that God has led me to her book so that I would have a better understanding of why He is giving me a word for the year.

I waited and prayed the next few days about this whole One Perfect Word thing. I waited and listened and then I wrote this...

Journal entry, January 11, 2012:

When I stepped out of the shower yesterday morning one word came clearly to mind that seemed to encompass all of the other words that had been floating around in my head. DISCIPLINE. Of course all of those words could be summed up in the one word...focus, follow-through, obedience, and write...all of these things take DISCIPLINE! Later in the day as I was talking to God (out loud) in the car, I found I couldn't speak the word without being deeply moved to tears. Later that evening I found myself sharing with Rod about how God has been working with me for several years now giving me one word that keeps coming up over and over and how reading Debbie Macomber's book had now given me more direction on how to focus on that word for the year... how to glean from it all God wants to show me and how He wants to grow me.  I found that as I spoke the word discipline aloud again, tears sprang to my eyes. I knew this was confirmation that this was the word.

 Well...God has brought me a long way from that day in February of 2008. I have been a contributing writer in two books which are due to be published later this year. This may seem small potatoes to some, but I am still amazed at how God has brought all of this about and that He has enabled me to sit and write long enough to finish an entire chapter for one of those writing projects! I  also began this blog on October 2, 2008 in  response to that one word from God to write. I have hopes that it will be an encouragement to many others.  

I have a new word for this year...yep, you guessed it. NURTURE. I created the pic at the top of this post from one of my backyard bird photos. I think if you click on the word you can get a better look at the words on the picture. It's a bit small here.  After creating this graphic I challenged other women in my small sphere of influence to take the challenge to find the One Perfect Word, as Debbie calls it.   I began creating one word pics for friends who are doing the One Perfect Word challenge for 2013. I want to share with you all the paths that God has been leading me down as I do research on each word that I have worked on for others, so as I add the photos and the short posts about them, I will link them all back to the page, One Word Challenge. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoy the creation process!
Here is the challenge I laid out for them:

Instead of a New Year's resolution, just pick one word (with prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit), for 2013. This one word will be your personal word for the year...dwell on it....meditate on it....work on it...by the end of the year let us know how it has become a part of your life. Here is the link to Debbie Macomber's video on One Perfect Word... Just click on it to watch Debbie's challenge...One Perfect Word . 

You can also check out her book here...Debbie's Book 

I will also be posting about the word that God has led me to for 2013...Nurture.  Already I find that I am learning to focus in on the word and have an open heart to receive all that God has in store for me in 2013.

Oh...and I'm still working those two words...discipline and write! I have a feeling those words will stay with me for a long, long time.

 
What about you?  Have you taken the One Word 2013 Challenge?  I would love to hear about it!

The Good News...So Grand!!

So it seems I have taken an incredibly long sabbatical from the blog world, unintentionally.  Sometimes life just gets in the way and taking the time to sit and write takes backseat.

 Thank you to all who have continued to visit my blog and read my past posts.  I plan to begin blogging regularly in 2013!  Really!

The good news is that I have a beautiful new grandson!

Judah David Terry. I am learning the new role, privilege, and joy of being a Gigi(Grandma Gay).  What a wonderful Christmas gift he is to all of us!! I don't think I need or want anything else for Christmas...just to hold this precious bundle of joy in my arms!!

It makes me think of that very first Christmas so very long ago. The best good news...when God became man, in the form of a baby, totally dependent on His mother for all of His needs.

It is mind-boggling to think of this...Jesus Christ is God and Jesus Christ is man...fully God, yet fully human, in fact, so fully human that He subjected Himself to be born of a virgin. The Virgin Mary, the mother of our Savior also in need of a Savior, just as we all are in need of a Savior.  Born...traveling down the birth canal just like every other human child...and without the assistance of a doctor or the cleanliness of a hospital room.

The birth of the Messiah, the savior of the world occurred most likely in a cave in which livestock was kept. In those days the custom was to build homes near caves when it was possible to use as a stable.  He was wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger, a trough used to feed the livestock when they were unable to graze in the pastures surrounding the city. This birth was nothing unusual, except perhaps that they were forced to be in the cave instead of a family member's guest room, because of the census no one had room to spare.

This birth in a Bethlehem stable probably went unnoticed by many. But out on a hillside, all of Heaven made it known to lowly shepherds, of all people, that the Messiah was born. I could not tell the story any better than God Himself...this is one of my favorite passages in His Word...

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
                                                                                     Luke 2:8-19

That last verse gets me every time I read it. I used to think, I wonder what exactly was Mary 'pondering'?  Was it just an overwhelming wonder of all that had just occurred back from the time of first hearing from the angel that she was going to conceive and have a baby...and not just any baby but the Messiah!  For surely Mary knew from the words of the angel that this baby was to be the Savior she had learned about from the time she was a young child, the Messiah they were all awaiting.

Or as she looked into those tiny little eyes as she held Him in her arms, did she think about what He would grow up to be?  His life purpose? His greatness? You know, those things all mother's wonder about as they hold that precious child in their arms for the first time.  Feeling that overwhelming love come over her...I cannot imagine the overwhelming love of the mother holding LOVE itself.

But I can almost, in just a shadow of a way, imagine it as I hold my grandson in my arms...knowing that I love this child because of who he is...not for what he will be when he grows up.  Love so overwhelming...so grand!

I love that God gives us little glimpses of heaven on earth...those little glimpses of His love for us.  Because of those hints of His love for us, we can almost comprehend the sacrifice He made in sending His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins...His blood covering our sins so that we could have a relationship with Him and spend eternity in Heaven.

Overwhelming love...so GRAND!!!


So...now I have to ask...what will you be pondering in your heart on Christmas morning?

     

(Gigi)

For God so loved the world the He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16

You had me at, 'Without Coupons'

It seems we are all looking for ways to slay the "no money at the end of the paycheck" dragon.  I, myself, have struggled off and on for years trying to find WORKABLE solutions to make the grocery budget fit within the household income. I always seem to fall just a tad short of the mark in doing great meal planning, price comparisons, pantry stocking...which makes no sense to me...I'm a list maker for crying out loud! You'd think these things would be easy for me!  How about you?

I am so excited to tell you that I have a blogger friend who has not only mastered the art of cooking on a shoe-string budget , she has written a book about it!! 

Kate was very gracious to send me an advance copy of her new  e-book to review. Her book, Cut It Out! How I Feed My Family of 10 for $500.00 a Month Without Coupons, is coming out July 30, 2012. 

Kate, I have to say...You had me at, "without coupons"!  Couponing has always been a bit of an on again-off-again affair for me...not a fan!  So when I saw the title, with those words, I was intrigued. I knew I had to read your book! 

I found the book to be easy to read, and packed with very user friendly information! She begins by applying the concept, "measure twice, cut once."  I have heard this old proverb used in carpentry, but never applied to meal planning.  If you are not familiar with the phrase, it's literal meaning is that you should double-check your measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, waisting time and material. In her book, Kate shows us how to apply this concept of careful planning and thorough preparation in order to feed our family within our budget, enabling us to be good stewards of the financial resources with which we have been blessed.

Kate spends $500 a month on groceries for her family of 10. She allocates an additional $50 a month for toiletries and paper products, but there are some months where that additional $50 is not available.  She'll teach you how to create a price book (includes a downloadable price book template), how to use your computer to help organize your meal planning and your shopping, and how to cut back on your grocery spending WITHOUT the hassle of cutting, sorting, and using coupons. 

You don't have a large family to feed?  No problem! Kate gives tips on how to make it work for even just one or two.  I think the appendix alone, with it's recipes and detailed instructions, is worth more than the price of the entire book. 

There is really quite a lot packed into this 34 page e-book! I highly recommend it!

Cut It Out! will be available for sale on July 30. The cost of the e-book is $3.99 but for the first 5 days of the launch(July 30-August 3) it will be available for half price-only $1.99!! 

Want to learn more?

Visit Kate's website at,  Teaching What is Good...a book giveaway.   You can also enter a chance to win a free copy of her book! She is giving away 5 copies! (giveaway has ended)

 Kate is a dear sister in Christ and she and I both share a passion for older women teaching younger women in the manner of  the Titus 2 model.  For Kate, this book is just one small manifestation of the outflow of that passion. 

How about you? What are you passionate about? What are you doing about it?  I'd love to hear what you are doing as you follow your passion and purpose!

 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.    ~Titus 2:3-5

Update on Kate's book...she's in her local paper's headline!  

Here's the link to the article:Mom knows how to pinch a penny...frugal shopping

What's So Magic About Mike?

Since I am still on sabbatical this week, instead of posting that 3rd article in my "worry" series, I thought I would share a few thoughts spurred on by seeing my daughter's blog post about the movie, Magic Mike. (Click here to read her post...Why I'm not watching Magic Mike).

I agree wholeheartedly with her assessment, and I, too, have wondered at seeing so many women talking about this movie as if it were the next, "Pride and Prejudice"...and no...there is absolutely no comparison to be made there.

I find it interesting that this seems to be a movie that women tout as 'one to watch with your girlfriends'...not your spouse, or boyfriend, or parents...you know other adults in your life. Just sayin'....

My intent in posting this commentary on Magic Mike is not to pass judgment on other women. In today's culture it is so easy to let things slide..."it's not really that bad" or "I'm a Christian so this won't affect me". It's easy to allow forms of entertainment into our lives that slowly erode the moral code that is so clearly written in God's word and on our hearts. We are told to guard our hearts and minds. Why? Well…because...it's easy to give into temptation and then try to justify our choices…it's easy to be carried away by our own desires...It's easy.

James 1:13-16 says, “…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. ¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.”   When we give into temptation over and over again, we are putting a knife into the heart of our own intimate relationship with God.  That relationship is just too precious for me to willingly and defiantly take that risk.

We all need to be encouraged to be discerning about what we allow to enter into our hearts. You see...the things we see and hear tend to go straight to our hearts and lodge there only to manifest itself in one way or another(perhaps our actions or attitudes) at some time in the future. I just want to challenge you (and myself as well), to hold up all forms of entertainment to the lens of scripture to be judged whether or not it is harmful to your relationships... to your spouse, your children, and your God. Let's take every thought captive, that holds itself against the knowledge of God, so that we that we may be obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

I am one proud momma to be blessed with a daughter who knows what it is to view the world through the lens of God's Word!! She is wise beyond her years.

So if you haven't seen Lyndsay's post yet...grab a cup of coffee, click on the link below, and enjoy!

Confessions of a Disciple...Why I'm not Watching Magic Mike

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Linking up with...

Little Writer Momma

Lessons on Sabbatical...Mac vs. PC

I am  on sabbatical this month and won't be blogging much.

 I know... I am in the middle of a series on worry and some of you are checking back to see if the third article in the series has been posted.

So...worry has been postponed! ;-)

I am out of town without my own laptop and am having to use my husband's Mac to work from...arrrgghh!

I know...I know...all of you mac users are saying, "so what's the problem with that?"  The problem is that 'I'm a PC'... getting accustomed to this keyboard and several other differences are really difficult, especially when I know I will just go back to my PC when I get home.  Not to mention the fact that I like to use my own photos for my articles now and ALL of the photos I need are on my laptop at home.  My laptop is at home because the screen has been damaged and it is now 'toggled' to another screen, rendering it useless as a laptop but great as a desktop.

I  have a looming deadline on two book projects and long to get back to my PC at home. And yes! I do miss my kids and my puppy!

In the meantime, I am left to work with what I have and am thankful (she said, tongue in cheek).

Before this month I had been musing that my next laptop would be a Mac.  However, I am now seriously rethinking that, as I bungle around on my husband's Mac.

  So now begs the question...are you a Mac or a PC and why? I would love to hear your thoughts on the Mac verses PC war!

Update: 
 I made the switch to a mac. It took a little getting used to at first, just the way to copy paste, in the beginning was maddening. However, the photo drag and drop thing was AWESOME.  Now…not sure I would revert back to a PC.  I love my mac! (2014)