The Beauty Buzz

Hi, friends!

Are you ready for summer?  I am soooo ready... but my summer style is not.  If you're lagging behind on summer fashion and beauty trends like me, then check out these links to help get you in the summer mood!
Have a beautiful day!


Paint Your Toes on the Go  Some ideas to get your toes painted while you're on the run.

Facial Contouring with Mineral Powder Foundation  Look your best by contouring with mineral powder.


Great Summer Skin at Really Great Prices Skin care doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Upcoming Eye Trends for Summer and Fall  Great eye looks for summer and fall.

Tips to get the perfect haircut  What you need to do to get the best haircut for you.

Daddies and Daughters

From the skinned-knee tomboy on the monkey bars, to the budding artist at her easel, and the darling diva with her karaoke machine, it seems to me that little girls always want the loving approval of their daddies. Not just a "Way to go!" or a pat on the back, little girls -and even us grown up little girls - want an adoring gaze, a loving hug, or a hand held in appreciation. We never get too old to bask in the love of a father. Instead of showing my Dad my dance moves or my drawings, I send him my grad school papers, text him with theology questions, and call him for parenting help. I still get to be his half-pint, even when I feel like a gallon-full!

But we live on earth and not all father's here are perfect. I like to think that mine is pretty close, though (Dad, are you reading this???) Sadly, some are downright lousy. If you've experienced pain or hurt at the hands of your earthly dad, then my heart goes out to you. Maybe you are still be seeking his approval, even if you never got it as a child.

Thankfully, we have a Heavenly Father that we can always run to with booboos, and heartbreaks, mistakes, successes, and hurts, and lots of need for approval. We don't ever have to earn His approval. We've already got it. And if we accomplish nothing else in this life, we can bask continually in the love of our Heavenly Daddy who wants to heal our hurts, show us His unfailing love, and give all of us little girls - big and small- His total approval. Won't you bask in His love today?

 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:9, 16-18 NIV)

Toys and blessings. Which will you choose?

My living room is filled to the brim with toys.  In fact, it is pretty much overflowing with oodles of age-appropriate, fascinating, full of buttons, topped with whirly-gigs, and replete with noises, and totally fun - toys.  Lots and lots of toys.  Toys that we spent many hard earned dollars on, that we joyfully gave to our small children for their own amusement and enjoyment.  Toys to bless our loved ones.
  
And yet,at times, my sweet,dear children would rather 'get into things' (you know, things like flushing entire rolls of toilet paper all at once, pouring juice on the piano, or climbing on the furniture) they shouldn't and earn for themselves a very boring time-out, when they could be playing with their toys and just having fun.  Why?  I ask them.  Why would you rather get mixed up in the things that are not meant for you, that could make you get hurt or cause you sadness, when there are plenty of wonderful, fun, and just plain delightful things available that were hand picked just for you?  Why would you rather earn yourself a timeout, I wonder, then have freedom with the things that are just right?


I suppose God could ask the same of us.  Why would we want to dabble in the dangerous, toy with negativity, or burden ourselves with the consequences of sin when we could live freely and abundantly among the blessings that God has hand-picked just for us?  Why, when he has given us so many good and wonderful things to enjoy, do we reach for the things we know will cause us angst or unhappiness or pain?  Why do we choose consequences, when we could live freely and abundantly in God's perfect will?  


How can I choose the abundant blessings that God has handpicked just for me, instead of the allure of sin and temptation?  


Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whateveris noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whateveris lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:7-9, NIV

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30, NIV

Take a long, slow drink.

I love this little plant. 

I've had it for years.  

It looks half dead.  And it's pretty small. 

It should be lush, and full.  And overflowing its little pot.

But I forget to water it.  Most of the time. 

So instead of getting long, slow drinks of life-giving water, it gets a dribble here, a dribble there, a deluge if I'm really thinking about it.  It's been chewed on by the cat more than a few times.  And yet, this little plant carries on.  It basks in the sun.  And it tries to grow.  Just as a new branch sprouts, an old one dies, because this plant needs a drink.  It doesn't ask for much.  A drink of water is all it needs from me.  

It would be a beautiful plant.  If only I gave it enough water to drink. 

Aren't we thirsty?  Aren't we starving for God's Word?  But rather than take big long drinks and getting my fill, I find myself getting a dribble here, a dribble there, and a deluge if the guilt of not having a disciplined devotional time overtakes me.  And I get chewed on by life, scalded, and parched, and yet I limp along when I know that all I need is a drink. I feel half-dead at times, burned out, and worn, with my spiritual limbs falling down and my roots barely clinging to the dried out soil.  But all I need is a drink. 

 A long, slow drink in God's Word.  

I love this little plant.
I think I'll give it a drink.
And maybe I'll take one, too.  A nice, long, slow drink.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

 ¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 

 ² He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

 ³ he refreshes my soul. 

He guides me along the right paths 

   for his name’s sake. 

⁴ Even though I walk 

   through the darkest valley,^[a] 

I will fear no evil, 

   for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, 

   they comfort me.

 ⁵ You prepare a table before me 

   in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; 

   my cup overflows. 

⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me 

   all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD 

   forever.

A great discount for you!

Good morning, Friends! I just received an email with a great discount for you! You can receive 20%off of my book, Clef Hangers or any other other book at www.lulu.com. Just enter the code SPACIOUS305 at check out. You can purchase Clef here:Clef Hangers Shop around for other great books, too. Have a great day!

Beauty Buzz for January 11th.

Hair trends for 2012.  What's new for hair in 2012.


Best Makeup for Valentine's Day  Need some makeup ideas for your Valentine's Day date?  Try these!


10 best hairstyles for Valentine's Day  Hair ideas for your Valentine's Day dinner. 


What to Wear on Winter Dates  It's hard to dress for winter dates - here's how to look cool and stay warm.


Best makeup for winter dates.  Get your makeup ready for your winter date night.


Get your hair ready for winter dates Tame the frizz for your date night. 


10 easy manicures you can give yourself  Some easy DIY manicure styles for you to try.


10 body parts you can slim instantly.  Look slimmer right now with these tips.


How to grow your hair for your wedding day.  Want to grow out your hair for your wedding?  Here's what you need to know. 


Five steps to faster hair styling.  Get ready faster with these hair styling techniques.

My sweet husband, knowing that I'm always looking for beauty topics to write about, picked up a magazine for me the other day.  The magazine is In Touch, and the headline is "100 Stars without Makeup."  It was pretty neat to see all the faces of these gorgeous, glamourous women stripped down to their bare skin.  Some of them still looked beautiful.  Others looked like a normal, every day person, many of which I didn't even recognize.  A few didn't look too great.   It's amazing how much makeup can alter your appearance.  And it made me start thinking about how appearances are so deceiving.

Right now, my life is on a little bit of a roller coaster.  I can't go into detail, but I can tell you that I have a lot of ups and downs.  Some days I am convinced that things are going to end up how I want them to go, and other days I just feel disappointed and scared that they won't.  The reality - the part that I'm really trying to grasp and learn - is that God is at work in my circumstances whether I see it or not.  It doesn't matter how it appears to me, He is working it out, just as He wants it to go.  So even when things aren't looking good for me, when I'm feeling low, or scared, or disappointed, I can at least have  peace knowing that even though it seems bleak, God is still at work.  And He will continue to be at work, no mater what I'm feeling.

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.