Category: Uncategorized

Chai Shortbread Cookies

These cookies are quintessentially Christmas-y. 
They are like Christmas Stars saying, “Be Merry! Be Bright!”

Oh my goodness they’re yummy, yummy.

And pretty. They are everything a Christmas cookie should be. 
Chai Shortbread Cookies
by Good Girl Style

Cookies:
1 package Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free shortbread cookie mix OR 1 recipe of your favorite shortbread cookie recipe
1 1/2 sticks butter (for cookie mix)
1 large egg yolk (for cookie mix)
2 TBSPs. water (for cookie mix)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 to1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 TBSPs. corn syrup
4 TBSPs. water (more or less as needed)
1/2 tsp. almond extract (it’s clear so it keeps the icing white; OR 1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract)
To decorate:
Cinnamon
Star Anise
Cinnamon Sticks
To Begin: Follow the package directions for the cookie mix OR for your favorite shortbread cookie recipe, stirring in the spices to your own liking. Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; give it a few good but gentle kneads until it comes together. Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour. Once chilled, cut the dough in half and work with half of it at a time on your lightly floured work surface. Roll to desired thickness (I made some thick and some thin…they both taste great, but the thin ones were very fragile). Cut your cookies with lightly floured cookie cutters. Since this dough is fragile, take your time and use a thin spatula to help you move the cookies if need be, flexing the cookie cutters to gently release the dough onto the cookie sheet. If the dough becomes too warm, chill the cookies and dough before baking. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies. Repeat process until you have used up all of the dough. 
Carefully, carefully, carefully slide the cookies onto a cooking rack with a thin spatula. Once completely cooled, make the icing. Sift the confectioners sugar into a medium bowl. Add the corn syrup and flavoring. Slowly add the water while mixing until everything is incorporated and you have a stiff icing for piping the edges. You want to be able to pipe it, so it should be stiffer than regular icing. Put a quarter of this icing into a pastry bag with a very thin round tip, or into a Ziploc bag with the top twisted and the tiniest corner snipped off. Outline the stars with this icing. 
Now add the rest of the water to the leftover icing to get the consistency of a normal or “flooding” icing. Fill the pastry bag or Ziploc again and flood the inside of the stars to fill them in with icing. Let dry. 
Sprinkle some with cinnamon, leave some plain, and add Star Anise to some.

ENJOY in good Christmas spirits!

PS> I served these with Pumpkin Spice Eggnog.  

Mail Call Monday

I LOVE these inRL (“in real life” from (in)Courage) postcards. They feature inspiring quotations from the inRL community on inspiring community and living life with God’s perspective. So many good ones to share (and put up on my bulletin board!). Check them out here: (in)courage Postcards from God’s Beach House – Encouragement – Set of 20 and  (in)courage Postcards from God’s Beach House – Friendship – Set of 20.  I love postcards because they are quick to write out  they cost less to send.
I also sent out a beautiful card for a co-worker whose husband is in poor health, and a few more moving announcements. Sending mail is one of my favorite little ways to encourage friends.

Even though I don’t live near them right now, I have SUCH good friends, and I am blessed that they like to send me mail, too! My best friend sent me this package with hot pink and leopard tissue paper. Better yet? The package was filled with ballet leotards and legwarmers so I can get back into ballet once I finally settle into my new routine. She knows me so well and it inspires me daily. being on the receiving end of packages makes me all the more anxious to send them out, because I know how exciting it is to receive real mail, filled with love and goodies.

Martha Stewart Living, a package from another friend (with pink/green/glitter polka dot tissue!) and Christmas present supplies! (sorry, had to block out my address with the heart, hehe)

So many good things amidst the bills and junk mail.
Next up? Sending out Christmas cards and Christmas presents.
How exciting 🙂
Have a good Monday!

Holding Patterns

Have you ever been on a plane that’s been put in a holding pattern? You’re ready to land, the plane has reached the destination, and all you want to do is hit the ground running in your destination city. Instead, you are still strapped into your uncomfortable seat on the airplane because someone “up there” in the control tower put you in a holding pattern. Why? Well, who knows: the airport might not be ready to accept your plane yet. There may be a bad storm beneath the clouds. You may need to use your gas before you can land (I never understood that one). So they have you fly in a circle over your destination.

That sounds like the most pointless thing in the world, right? To you, on the plane, ready to go, of course it does. But the airport controller has his reasons. He can see the other planes on approach, knows how busy the airport is, and knows what is safe on the ground. While the pilot may have actual control over where the plane goes, he trusts the controller and listens to the advice, which unfortunately means you get another round of stale peanuts on the airplane.

Sometimes it may feel like God puts us in a holding pattern, especially when it comes to love. We cry out thinking, “God! I’m here! I’m ready to love!” just like we are ready to get off the airplane and hit the ground running. But as ready as we may think we are, it may feel like we’re going in relationship circles. We may be put in a holding pattern for any number of reasons unknown to us at the time, including the fact that God may want us to remain single. But here’s a big one I was thinking of today: We may be ready, but our future significant other may not have lived out the part of his story that brings him to us yet. Much like waiting for the airport to be ready, or for the weather to clear on the ground, we may be waiting for God’s work in our future husband’s life. The best thing we can do in that case is to Pray for him.  As we wait, God refines us constantly, takes care of us, brings us closer to where He wants us to be.

Rest and take heart in this fact: God has has the control tower’s view. He will let you land when it is safe, when it right, when all is well. And if that happens, you’ll never have been so happy in your life to run towards love.

PS. Just wanted to mention this is written specifically with the girls of our (in)Courage group in mind!

Monday Remedy

I’ve got a bad case of Monday Malaise. Which I just made up, but it’s real. 
In case you’re with me, here is the remedy:
Solange’s new single is just the right vibe for a day like today… 
{thanks refinery29}
Combine with delicious Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (the make-at-home version): 
Add a walk in the crunchy leaves:
And voila! Feeling a bit better.
Now it’s time to settle in with a Monday night movie. 
Here’s to Tuesday!

Weekend?

Oh how I spent today wishing it were the weekend! It was gray, rainy, and my heart just felt a bit downcast. So I decided to share a few of my favorite weekend things, even though it’s Wednesday…

Favorite Snacks

Favorite Snacks by fashionatalie 

Amazing tea I discovered on my road trip!
The BEST yogurt in the BEST flavor…anything strawberry rhubarb is kinda my favorite, but this is above and beyond.
Udi’s Cranberry granola is so delicious for this time of year.
Pamela’s Chocolate-Chip Coconut “Whenever Bars” are a delicious GF treat.
This chocolate bar was a gift…and man, was it delicious!
It’s that time of year again…I’m getting out my Urban Moonshine Immune Tonic, one of my favorite health products. 

And here’s the outfit I desperately want to be wearing right now….
Weekend Cozy

H&M print dress, $40 / H&M , $48 / H&M , $13 / H&M , $13 / Wallis low boots / Muk Luks military glove

Sweatshirt DRESS = GENIUS. Pair it with a cute vest, polka-dot tights, tall fair isle boot socks, cute ankle boots, and some great gloves. 
Now I think it’s time for tea and reading…that oughtta help me through till the real weekend!

Good Morning

Hello, Monday!
Hello, lovelies!
My heart feels so encouraged this morning. 
HE IS WITH US. 
And He has filled our hearts with greater joy. (Psalm 4:7)

Empty Hands

Here I am, in Minnesota. It started snowing as we unloaded my car 🙂 An appropriate welcome.

Here I am, with empty hands.

Empty hands because I am beginning again, and beginning again means opening hands that held so many good things and memories to make room for new things. I have no idea what those new things are….no idea at all.

And then I got to thinking, what if my hands are empty, not to receive again, but so that I can have two empty hands for serving. For helping. For literally digging in to community.

What if my hands were filled with goodness, love, friendship, growth, and all of those good things, filled to overflowing for awhile to give me the strength and courage to live with empty hands for awhile. It isn’t easy to keep hands open and empty. We are always wanting, always reaching and grasping and taking. It is human nature. I am no exception. But God showed me the image in my head: a beautiful and lovely image of hands reached to the sky, touched with grace, mercy, and strength… held up day after day in front of God, on bended knee, offered to Him for His use and good purposes.

Maybe “empty” hands aren’t empty at all.
Not empty at all.

inCourage Community: Christian Singleness

I talk a lot about community here. I talk a lot about digging into life and setting down roots and really embracing the fellowship of the family of God. But I don’t talk too terribly often about Christian single-ness. I don’t usually talk about being the one who sits alone in church, or who watches Netflix on Friday nights or how often I practice the art of buying myself flowers 😛

Christian Singleness. Even saying it makes you cringe right? There is so much stigma surrounding singleness in our culture: if you’re “secular” and single—it’s great and you are pretty much given a free pass (unless you happen to be Prince Harry. Ahem.) If you’re Christian and single, and “of marriageable age,” (whatever people seem to think that means these days) they are constantly asking you if you have a boyfriend/ring/wedding date yet. 


This is where (in)Courage Community sessions step in. (in)Courage is one of the ministries of DaySpring, and they rock! They are starting a series of 40 community group sessions on different ‘seasons’ of life, different journeys and places along the Christian road, and asking leaders to encourage others along the way. They paired me up with Julie. Julie and I…well, we’re single girls, and we have been for awhile. We’re different ages and stages in our own lives, and we live on opposite sides of the country. But we’re hoping to build a community of like-minded women who want to approach Christian single-ness, not on tiptoes around stigma, but by embracing it with a heart of compassion and purpose.

We understand that this season–it isn’t just a season of waiting. Yes, we wait, but we are also preparing, growing, encouraging, and…working on contentment. We’re single. But that doesn’t mean we have to be lonely, hurt, jaded, bitter, unhappy, stagnant, waiting for life to begin, or any of those things. God still works in single people’s lives, friends. God still gives us tasks to accomplish, people to love and nourish, lives to build into…he gives us tough lessons to learn and he gives us MANY, MANY blessings. We’re here to encourage each other in this time. Let’s make it a fruitful time, so that we aren’t wasting it wishing and waiting. We can wait purposefully and with intention.
The first session runs October 2nd-December 2nd and doesn’t require any commitment from you. That just means that Julie and I will be actively participating in our group, offering encouragement in our unique ways, and seeking to connect with you. This is all so exciting!

 Join our community on Facebook!
We can’t wait to get to know you.

Psst….If our group/season of life isn’t the one for you, find the rest of them here!


Autumn Thankfulness

I know it isn’t even close to Thanksgiving yet. But my heart, despite its see-saw of emotions about moving, is thankful. I wanted to take a moment to encourage you today. I know it’s a busy day…I am two steps behind, too! Let’s just take a breather together…
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if you have any grievance against another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
 And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body we are called to pursue peace. 
And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 
~Colossians 3:14-16
I LOVE those verses today. They speak to me on so many levels. First off, they remind me to be filled with the traits that make me beautiful in God’s eyes. They remind me of how we should behave, and live our lives so that others know something is different with us, and see Jesus in our lives.  They remind me to let go of petty things. And they remind me to be thankful. They remind me to sit at the throne of God, as if I were a little girl sitting at the foot of daddy’s La-Z-Boy, and to praise. To come to Him singing, with gratitude in my heart.
Remember that photo above? Here it is again just in case:
This summer, a block down the street from me, my neighbor’s house caught fire and burnt entirely to the ground. They barely escaped with their lives, let alone any earthly possessions. The pile of rubble remains and every time I walk by it, I pause, to pray and reflect. My eyes scan and I pick out pieces of their lives…a red tennis shoe, a tea kettle, books, flannel shirts. Useless now. 
And the burnt leaves of the trees are still scattered along my own yard, mingled with the brightly colored foliage too. Here I am, packing up all of my pretty things to move, contemplating the worth of my earthly possessions, weighing them in my head with the things God tells us to cultivate and to seek.
I am thankful, ever so grateful, for the blessings God has given me to enjoy on this earth. I am thankful that He blessed me with a heart that leaps up in excitement and joy over beauty.
 But I remember, too, that those things are temporary. 
Do not invest your heart in things of this world, my loves. Fires, moths, rust, and floods destroy oh so easily. What you keep in your heart is eternal.
Seek to fill your heart with kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness, forgiveness, patience, peace, love, and songs of praise and gratitude.