Oh Dear...

I am a fashion pack rat. 

Now what I'd like you to think is that I am a neat pack rat; that I have bins of clothing neatly tucked away in my closet full of outdated and under-worn pieces. But, sadly, that is not the case.

   

In my defense... I am moving soon. So there is an element of "why bother" when it comes to putting things away. I'm just going to pack this stuff up and cart it over to my new home (in a tidy and organized fashion, obviously). But let's be honest. This has been a pattern with me for many years. And what's to blame for such disarray?

My closet, of course. I have had a series of nausea prone closets that seem to consistently project my clothing all about my room. It's not my fault! If only there were a cure for my ailing closet...

Ah, but there is.

The Wonder Hanger. It's like the "Dramamine" of closet organization. Michelle's mom, Linda has generously offered to give me a dozen or so of these miraculous hangers. My plan is to color code and arrange my clothing by season. My closet, roommates and those attempting to navigate the once vast fashion terrain of my room, will forever be indebted to the Wonder Hanger.

But I have been thinking about this pack rat problem and what the root cause might be, and I think I've come to a pretty solid conclusion. Anxiety. I worry that if I get rid of a worn and well-loved article of clothing that I maybe haven't dawned in the last year, that once it's gone it will be the ONLY thing that goes with something I want to wear. 

Point & Case:

This, of course, is an earring. One of two that, before today, I had not worn in at least two years. I have gone back and forth on getting rid of them several times, but this morning, in a moment of inspiration I saw these earrings with new eyes and coupled them with the perfect outfit. What if I had passed them along? What if I had said goodbye? My ears would have been left unadorned (or at least inferiorly so). This cannot nor ever should be.

How do I reconcile this with my need to purge and cleanse my wardrobe (and accessories)? How do I know that the perfect complementary item to some future fashion must-have doesn't, at this very moment, lie crumpled on my floor? The stakes are too high, my friends. And I just don't know that I have the courage it takes to part with such potential. 

What's a girl to do?  

Bagpipes & Faith

Before I get all theological on you, I just need to say... 

I saw a man playing the bagpipes in his front yard today (the photo to the left is a google images reenactment of the scene). I was driving too fast to tell if he was wearing a kilt, but can we just pretend that he was?

I'm not saying I would purchase bagpipe music, but there is something kind of glorious about it. It makes me think of Braveheart and Scottish funerals - both glorious in their own right. 

Speaking of glorious, I just finished up writing a paper on justification by faith. I am sometimes surprised by the things I write and I like to think I'm humble enough to acknowledge that God is probably responsible for those surprising tidbits. Here are a few I thought I'd share:

"Our culture has forced man to justify himself. It demands that he let the world know why he’s good enough, capable and worthwhile enough to even give a second glance. Why wouldn’t these patterns carry over into man’s relationship with and expectations of God? If everyone else requires him to prove himself, why wouldn’t God also?" 

"Our faith in the crucified Christ and the atoning power of His blood has made a way for us to stand before the Lord and receive perfect and absolute acceptance. It’s hard to believe that this is all God would require. But He knows us so well. He knows our frailty and He loves us so much that He remedied our inability to keep the Law by abolishing its requirements."

"Where culture has imposed justification upon man, God has bestowed it. We are no longer mandated to prove ourselves. There is no code to follow, no ladder to climb, no lifestyle or mantra to lay the path toward righteousness. Just God - just faith in Him and the work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Justification by faith means I can rest in the promises of God. It doesn’t mean I kick up my feet and ride out this life, but it moves me to respond in obedience and gratefulness. I’m motivated by His gift of love and freed from my vain attempts to earn it."

"Justification by faith is mysterious. It’s something God came up with to completely rattle the mindset of man. But He knew it was the only way that we might share relationship and communion with Him."

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Romans 5:8-11

"That’s how much God wanted us. He took drastic measures to make a way for us and only requires our faith in return. He does not load us down with expectations. Everything He wants from us is just an outflow of His righteousness in us – our reasonable act of worship! Reasonable indeed, considering what He’s done!"

Britney Spears

I have a suggestion for anyone seeking to have a raspier singing voice.

A sore throat. 

No need for smoking. I'm sure Britney is rich enough to get her hands on some sort of virus she could apply to her throat right before recording. She would achieve the raspy quality without all the wheezing and pesky lung cancer. Win-win.

I sound like a diner waitress right now. "What'll you have, sweetheart?" I began my day with an incredible man voice and it has progressed now to the point where I'm quite certain I could sing along with Tracy Chapman and NOT do high harmony. Feel free to be impressed. I am. 

And I was fortunate enough to obtain my throat virus free of charge. I am so frugal. 

Genesis

I scarcely think my life is interesting enough to blog about. But at the demands of my best friend I have started this blog - both to satisfy her wrath, and the world's great desire to hear what I have to say. 

I will do my best not to disappoint.