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Friday Morning

Goooooooooood morning, loverlies! I was up and at ’em early this morning, something my heart delights in in the summer. Though I wouldn’t call this chilly, windy morning “summer” quite yet. What better morning treat for a Friday than a creamline Orange Creme organic yogurt made with milk from 100% grass-fed cows, along with some “hippie” cookies I made last night, spread with the leftovers of the maple cream cheese. Then there’s my newly thrifted 1970s Norwegian mug over on the left. Some local half and half, and a french press of coffee waiting in the background…

“Cookies” for breakfast. Hey, they have applesauce & raisins in them! And millet! And chia seeds! Whatever those last two things are! (just kidding…I know what they are, that’s just the coffee talking.)

And some morning encouragement…



Have a beautiful day, you lovely readers with beautiful hearts! 

xo

GGS Goes Shopping: Spring at Kohl’s

I very rarely go shopping. Actual, real, new-clothes shopping, that is. I go thrifting…well, we won’t discuss how often I go thrifting. So when I went to run an errand in a shopping plaza that had a Kohls, I couldn’t resist the allure of checking out the new additions to the LC Lauren Conrad line. While I haven’t been to a Kohls in absolute ages, they have really upped their game, I gotta say. It was a breath of fresh air to look at the colors, textures, styles, and cuts that are current. I’m so used to sifting through dingy colors and ratty old t-shirts at the thrift store! I wanted to share a few of my favorite faith-based fashion finds for spring (modest, budget-friendly, and adorable) from shopping in-person.

Let’s pretend that we’re shopping together! Here are my favorite things that I would pull from the racks and hold up to show you:

Shopping @ Kohls

You saw that adorable Elle lace peplum top in my last post–it was the most expensive of the things I actually purchased, but I am so excited to wear it all sorts of ways this summer. I also picked up the black/white/hot pink top. It is just so darling! The orange skirt was so cute, but I’m not sure midi-pleats and I get along (someone with more delicate ankles than me, please wear this!). Gray cropped trousers don’t look like anything special, but they were quite adorable on–and the little belt is actually a bow. The blue floral top is just about the softest thing you’ll ever wear (and cute to boot!). A little chiffon peplum vest could go over just about anything..and go from work to weekend easily, too! And who doesn’t love stretchy mint jeans or vintage-inspired sunnies? 
I hope you enjoyed “Good Girl Style Goes Shopping”! Let me know if you like this concept for a series, and maybe I’ll take you shopping with me next time, too. But it will be your turn to get the coffees 😉

It’s OK to Cry

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, 

that He may exalt you at the proper time. Cast 

all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 

I thought I had a stomachache tonight.

Turns out it was more of a heartache.

I cancelled babysitting based on what turns out to be a terrible case of…gas. That’s right, I said it. The sausage I ate at lunch didn’t want to let me go play with my friend’s adorable little guy. I absolutely hate breaking commitments.

You see, I’ve had this hurting heart I’ve been ignoring. Ignoring it felt fine at first. But then it brought out anxiety. It brought out insecurity. It made me feel like the worst person in the world for cancelling a commitment. Basically, holding in a heartbreak surfaces all of my faults and failures, and makes them seem insurmountable. A gray Sunday night with rain on the tin roof, a cancelled commitment and a stomach ache just felt like too much.

I don’t have to HIDE the fact that my heart is broken. Pretending I have it all under control robs me of God’s comfort and healing power: the very things my heart needs! I long to pour myself out at the feet of Jesus. I desire it so deeply now! To pour out all of those insecurities and fears that were welling up behind my heartache. Then move on to pouring out the heartache. God can be trusted with these things. He cares for us. But first, we must humble ourselves under His mighty right hand. We come to Him, humbled, broken in spirit, and say, “God, I hurt. I am hurt.”  He will hold you in His mighty right hand, and He will say, “My dear, my dear. Find your rest in me. I will uphold you. I have a plan for you in my proper and perfect timing. Give my your cares, because you don’t need to trouble with them.”  

The opening verse, from 1 Peter, is really powerful in The Message version, too…. 

“So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs.

 God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right 

time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.” 

1 Peter 5:6,7

The “putting on airs” part really got my heart—pretending to be OK is putting on airs. And what good is my testimony if I am constantly putting on airs? I share this tonight, to remind myself, and maybe to remind you, too: It’s OK. You will be OK, but it’s OK to have a broken heart. Bring it all to God, humble yourself at His throne, and cast your cares on Him. He cares so utterly deeply for us, and He has plans for us in His perfect timing.


“OK to Cry” by Phillip LaRue

Proportional Priorities

(I didn’t make this saying up, it’s been floating around. But I did add the last part and then make it pretty 😛 also, it doesn’t entirely make sense with my post, but just go with it, k?)
Sometimes, we spend time a priority-amount-of-time on things that should only be options. We’re spending the most amount of time on the least important things. Ya know what I mean? This goes for people (been there, done that with boyfriends), clothes (can’t I get another pretty impractical cocktail dress even though I never go to cocktails ever?), and commitments (just one more TV show, that’s all!). None of these things are pulling their weight for priority status (they shouldn’t demand all of our time/closet space/energy).
Case in point: I started writing this “deep” blog post about priorities. And then I proceeded to spend OVER an HOUR creepin’ on Facebook photos. I’m not even kidding. Raw honesty. Things be gettin’ real. Ahem. 
Life and closets have a lot in common, metaphorically. I alluded to this idea in the Life:Beautiful article: create a closet that is mostly filled with pieces that work well in the space/place in life where you spend most of your time. Spend the majority of your money on pieces that will serve you well day in and day out. 
Then, too, we should spend the majority of our time on the most important things, and less time and energy on the less important things. Mind-blowing, right? If by mind-blowing I mean, incredibly simple and face-palm-worthy. Which I do. Why is it so easy to let our priorities become disproportionate with our time and energy? 
Consider this, also: The less-important things are not BAD things, in general. They are just LESS important. Facebook is not a bad thing, in and of itself. Have a Facebook check-in now and then with a cup of tea to relax. No biggie.Have a few fancy frocks in your wardrobe that are incredibly impractical for your workaday life. They make you happy.
 But when the majority of your closet becomes impractical frocks, your morning becomes a frustrated routine of “I have nothing to wear!” drama while staring into a packed-full closet. 
Likewise, an evening filled with Facebook-checking leaves a time-crunched, unfocused girl who says, “I don’t have time to write blog posts!” 

Silly Natalie. Of course you have time to write blog posts! But you might not have as much time for Facebook.
And so it goes with other areas of my life, too.
Where are you investing your time? 
Where are you investing your clothing budget?
Do they both line up with your priorities
or are you facing some of the same struggles I am, and needing to differentiate between the things I am letting be priorities, but are really more “option” level?
xo

Three Thrifted Things Thursday

Say that ten times fast! Ha!

You’ll never believe these three things I thrifted that coordinate so well! I got such a kick out of it!

Mod 1960s-esque dress (but it’s H&M)

West Elm tray for my apartment

Coordinating clip-on earrings
I have a feeling my mom is going to want to steal all three of these things. Because she’s coming to visit today!
We shall see, we shall see. 🙂
Happy Thursday!
xo, 
Natalie

Easter Sunday

Petals in my hair and wind in my skirt! Ha.
Colors, colors, COLORS!

I entertained a few friends after church for Easter dinner, and the tablescape made me feel so happy! 
Good food, fun, and fellowship. What a fantastic way to celebrate our Risen Savior. 
He is Risen, and He is coming again. Amen!

Coffee on the Cheap-0

Coffee, tea, or a mocha latte frappucino thingy with too many words. Hot, delicious beverages get us through our day (especially Mondays like today), and I certainly wouldn’t want to deny you that pleasure for the sake of a budget. Pssh.

But! I do have some ideas to share on how I personally cut my coffee/tea/fancy drink spending.

How I save money on my coffee….

*Get a resusable to-go mug that you ACTUALLY like and USE. 
Be realistic: is it dishwasher safe? Does it fit in your car cup holder? Will  it get knocked over on your desk? Does it hold enough to get you through the morning? Is it visually striking? I have had many to-go cups and only liked a handful of them. The rest languished in the back of the cupboard, missing tops or warped or having ruined too many of my white shirts to ever be taken seriously again. Ask friends, read online reviews, and be picky. Spending $25 on a coffee mug is worth it in the long run. Or, you can just use canning jars with an awesome Cuppow top! I LOVE my Cuppow top and canning jars. Caveat: they do not keep your beverage warm for very long. I made a quick cozy for mine (see the post here)

*Buy dollar store disposable coffee cups with lids. 
Sometimes, your coffee mugs are all dirty or nowhere to be found and you just want to get out of the house without too much fuss. Or you want to send a good friend home with a warm beverage, but don’t want to run the risk of losing your favorite mug to her cabinets forever. Or if we’re being honest, sometimes you just want to walk into a meeting with a to-go cup instead of your standard reusable commuter mug. Sigh.

*Go to 7/11 for Free Coffee Fridays.
7/11 gas stations have free coffee EVERY Friday morning between 7 and 11am. I admit I am not a coffee snob, and I am also more than willing to partake in a bananas foster gas station cappuccino. They are delicious, so don’t hate. Also, their regular coffee ain’t half-bad, and for us New Englanders, I’ve heard that it’s even better thank Dunkin’ Donuts (gasp!).

*If you live in New England, go to McDonald’s for coffee. 
In New England, all of McDonald’s coffee is Newman’s Own organic coffee, and it’s only $1! I actually love this coffee.

*Go INTO the bank, instead of driving through.
 Does your bank have a Keurig machine like I’ve seen several around here? I just love to pop into the bank for free coffee and my bank errands. It makes the whole morning feel like a real treat, and I’m not out a dime for coffee.

*If you are going to Starbucks or your favorite local coffee place, get a GOOD drink. 
Go for the five-word order. But just don’t go there often! That’s the trick! I personally don’t like to go to Starbucks for a plain old cup o’ joe when there are so many other places to get good coffee on the cheap! If I walk into a Starbucks, it is for a treat. Also, my mom just told me the CEO of Starbucks made like, $65 million dollars last year or something. So I don’t feel too bad about my curmudgeonly coffee ways.

I hope you’ll find these tips useful for saving a few dollars here and there towards one of your GOALS!

Good Friday/Holy Saturday

This is what I wore on Good Friday. Yes, including a veil. Because our Savior died. 

Now I know you’re probably thinking, “Yeah, but um, Natalie, He rose again, remember?”

And of course! But we can’t lose sight of the fact that HE DIED. He was sinless, blameless, spotless: the perfect lamb of God. This is the pivotal point in Christianity. “The most important weekend in the history of the world,” as my pastor said. He didn’t just die in vain. It wasn’t an accident–it wasn’t an oversight on God’s part Oops, man, how could I have looked away when Judas kissed Jesus? Darn, my plan A is ruined…


No. It was prophesied from the very beginning. This IS the plan.While we were yet sinners–still dirty and clothed in unrighteousness and our own selfish desires, God sent his only son to be nailed to a cross. 
We cannot forget the power and gravity of the fact that our Savior was betrayed, unjustly accused, beaten, mocked, flogged, spat upon, nailed to a cross, and left to hang until he died. 
And die, he did. 
For me.
For my sins.
In my place.
For you, for your sins, in your place.

ugh, someone move my hair out of my eyes
So yes, I wear a veil. A green polka-dotted velvet-bow one, of course, hehe.
And it might look a little strange, a little Catholic, a little old-fashioned and out of place, but
it reminds me. It helps me feel the mourning. The weight of my sins upon Jesus on that day. It feels right to cover my head, and bow before him.
I reflect on the cost of my salvation and freedom in Christ–a gift free to me, but Jesus paid the price. God paid it, by sending “his one and only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
I know He died for me, and I know I will live with Him. Do you?
Tomorrow, then, we shall rejoice!
xo

Friday Morning

Good Friday morning, beautiful people! 
I’ve gots me some coffee with almond-coconut milk, what about you?

And I am SO glad it is Easter weekend. It is my favorite holiday, and I am also very anxious for the Good Friday service tonight. Good Friday just sets my heart right. It is So powerful. I’m sure I’ll write a post on Good Friday later.

But for now…
A few little snippets…
{my ring that was missing for months and months and months!}
 
{you’ve been seeing these nail colors on the blog lately}

{my new motto: spray paint ALL the things!}
{delicious thrifting snack}
This is my absolute most-favorite lip balm right now. I canNOT get enough! It is thick and rich like buttercream frosting, and smells and tastes like the “Vanilla Chai” it is. The thick tube reminds me of the Lip Smacker BIG chap stick we all had in school. Plus, it’s Vegan and 70% organic.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and how long and how high and how deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
~Eph. 3:17b-19

Wow! What a powerful verse!

Have a beautiful, powerful Good Friday, my dears.


Brownies with Nutella

Just because it’s Monday afternoon and you’re probably sitting at your desk or school trying to stay awake…
My weekend treat weakness…fudge brownies with miniature chocolate chips, frosted with Nutella. 
Goodness, get in my mouth. 
These are super easy to make, and I’m sure you already have a favorite brownie recipe (GF or otherwise), so just bake up a batch, then let them almost-cool, and slather on that hazelnut-chocolate gooey delight. 
Eat, swoon, repeat. 
And you can thank me after you wipe that chocolate off your mouth 😉