Clean Fashion

Online I am known as a blogger/ writer. 

In real life I am known for MANY things. 

One of those things include what I do for work: cleaning house.

I never thought I'd clean house for a living when I was younger. Cleaning houses... just doesn't seem like a career.

The thing? I love it. And it makes more money than many careers. Plus I am in control of my schedule.

I love it. So much that I started an Instagram page. Part satire, part work-aholic A Cleaning Gal is one of my favorite social media sites. I've even made up my own # for my posts... #amcleaning 

Check it out if you like laughing. Or if you'd just like an excuse to roll your eyes more at me ;) 

But as for fashion.

As I clean a lot, most of what I wear throughout the week has to be practical for what I'm doing. Cleaning.

• Must do well with cleaners/ bleach
• Skirts aren't too practical as I can't worry about my clothes falling down.
• Dresses can't be too long. I want to clean, not trip over myself.
• Not too tight, not too loose. Cleaning must be comfortable.
• Pockets are a plus as I like to listen to music and my device has to have a place to be.
• Color makes cleaning all the more vibrant!

I wore this a lot all summer. Sadly, this dress is no longer wearable. 

Lately this has been the dress I wear the most. I made this dress several years ago, but never actually liked it enough to wear until recently. I love that it has pockets!

I wore this skirt for years. It too just passed on recently.

This is my current second most worn outfit for cleaning.

 I used to never wear or like jumpers. But as I clean more and more I find myself liking them for some odd reason.

They can be practical and pretty. Or so my mind is now convinced.

If you'd like to see other things I wear/ do as I clean make sure to check out my IG page.

What about you? Do you have a special fashion style for your work life?

if

If.

What a tiny word. Yet it holds so much. It means so much. It is so much.

Some mistake this tiny word as evil. Some live by it. But most do not understand it.

If brings up the idea of possibility. It can cause change. It is the reason the saying "Curiosity Killed the cat" exists.

But did curiosity kill the cat? Or was it the lack of wisdom in choosing what to question and pursue that killed the cat?

Why hate something you can't understand when you can easily question and search it out?

That is what the word if allows us to do.

Instead of fearing something or allowing something to stay the same, we can ask "What if I did this?" And the more you think on it the more you can decide whether or not it can be fixed or changed or replaced.


If is the inspiration of more.



Inventions.
Imaginations.
Revolutions.
Peace.
Change.
Originality.



These all start out with "If I did this what would happen?"

If can change the world.

But it can also break it. That is why it so powerful.

Yes, if can lead you to making something better - but it can also bring us away from what is best, towards things that were not meant to be questioned.

That is when curiosity truly kills the cat. When ever if or curiosity rule us it will become our master or idol, and kill us.

But when we use it the way it was meant to be, with wisdom, open-mindedness, we can change the world and all that is in it.

Don't be afraid to be curious. 

Ask the if question. Pursue what may happen, to make in a creative way instead of staying still, stuck in what won't happen.

But also remember to use wisdom - for nothing is worth doing without reason, and curiosity out of itself is no more than curiosity.

If exists to make the world a better place for all - not just "me". 

Use it to do just that!

What sort of things have you been doing lately that involve the question "If?" How has your imagination been working to make something better, or make someone's day?

Snow, It's Fashion Time Again

Hey, you fashion readers. 

I can't believe I'm still at this. I've never really been a fashion blogger. Yet, here I've been doing it since who knows when.

And I'm still not that much better at it. Ugh... well, hopefully it's still enjoyed. 

I plan to change things up some.

First off I'm not going to tell you all where I get things anymore. Because:

• It's all either thrifted.
• home-made
• gifts
• or from sale's racks.

So, it doesn't help you much if I write it. And for me it's a nuisance and waste of time ;p

But I do have some other fun things planned for these posts!! Laughter, creativity, and thoughtful ponderings!  

So,stay tuned. This should be a fun year for fashion :D

My dress was too long, so I cut off a couple inches, creating a scalloped hem :D

From this picture you'd think I don't like cats. I actually do ;p 

I love doing my hair this way! 

Two of my sisters. The one on the far left is my photographer, Jerushah. We had just sang a song I wrote at church.

I love color! But white and brown are two of my favorite complimentary colors. They go with everything!

This button up shirt reminds me so much of Asian fashion. I don't usually wear button up shirts under dresses... but it looked great with this one. This is one of my new favorite outfits for church.

It's been a bit cold here, as you can see from the pictures ;)

Have you ever wore a button-up under a dress or jumper? How is the weather where you live? 

Sin Defined

In my post, Am I Safe in My Sin?, I talked about whether or not we as individual Christians ought to sin.

But that brought up the question "What is sin?"

This post was  originally posted on Keturah's Korner. 

According to the online dictionary sin is:

"An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. 

'A sin in the eyes of God' 

Synonyms: immoral act, wrong, wrongdoing, act of evil/wickedness, transgression, crime, offense, misdeed, misdemeanor."

It's funny, that even though the Bible has set rules and examples of sin, it's hard to understand what sin really is.

That's because sin and evil aren't things or made-up rules. They are ideas - theological  and philosophical concepts.

Once you understand that sin is not a thing but an abstract reality, it's easier to answer the following questions;

1. "What is sin?"
2. "Who made sin?"
3. "Who decided what sin is?"
4. "Who punishes sin?"

1. As sin is not a thing, but a concept, what is the concept of sin?
Sin is not only the opposite of good, but the result of good missing.
Logically, we can come to the conclusion that sin only exists because of lack of a perfection or good-doing.

2. Who made sin? Or more like, how can one sin if it is an idea?
If sin is the result of taking away good - then sin is made by the offender and no one else is to blame.
Also, the idea of sin forces for there to be one to sin against. This is partly why those that do not believe in God can not believe in sin either.
This is why we punish the one committing the crime - never anyone else. And it's also the reason we are each responsible for our own actions and consequences - because WE are the ones that create our sin.
It's a choice matter.


3. Sin is of itself a "religious" thing.
It's rare that an unbeliever will actually admit to having "sinned" even if they happen to have that sense of guilt that means they have sinned
Sin is that which violates good, and in essence of His nature, God is good. Thus sin is that which violates God.
And what ever violates Him and the nature of good is sin.
So, it's not so much that God or the Bible has made up what is sin, but He has defined it for us.
God has revealed to us all that would disrupt or cause good to be gone.
And that process is called sin.


4. Only good can punish sin. Why?
Because evil punishing evil would only create more evil. But good can bring both justice and mercy to the offender.
When one is totally incorrupted it has the authority to continue pushing goodness onto sin, and vanquishing it.

The idea and concepts around sin are very important. They prove God's existence, and also demand our continual steadfastness to His goodness.

Even though sin is something we'd like to forget about, I believe that we should at least understand what it is so that when asked hard questions or facing temptations we will be prepared to say and do the right things. 

1 Peter 1:16: Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Matt 5:48: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect

Colorful Skirts That Dance

Hello! I just love full, brightly colored skirts. I love unique, I love color, I love soft fabrics that fly and dance about.

And sometimes I like matching them with crazy shirts ;)

I grew up knowing stripes and patterns DON'T go together. 

But every now and then I like to rebel against the rules ;) 

Because it was almost as funny as embarrassing... 

My new facebook profile :) 

This following skirt has been a favorite of mine for years. But it was time to say goodbye... the pull string at the waist broke, and it was covered in holes. 

I had to hold it up for these pictures... it was trying to fall down the whole time ;p 

Anyways... we had to get "last pictures" with this skirt before I finally had to throw it away. 

It looks like I'm holding my stomach... I'm really keeping the skirt up. ;D 

My little sister wanted to get in on the photography... she has a weird sense of humor. Like me :D 

Everything in these pictures was thrifted. The first skirt is actually a vintage skirt I found at a small thrift store in Washington spring of 2017. I was beyond thrilled :D

I just realized... I'm wearing the same necklace with both outfits. A lady I clean for gave it to me after I house-sat for her for a couple weeks. The cross is made from the Red Wood trees of California.

Shoes: Yeah, bare feet are the best... for pictures especially.

Do you ever love to wear full, crazy skirts? What is your opinion of stripes+patterns? Have you found any neat thrift stores finds recently? 

Am I Safe in My Sin?

Originally posted on my blog

"Once saved, always saved." 

 What a controversial statement. One that contains so much meaning - and causes so much arguing. 

 It mostly is based from the following passage, Romans 8:31-39 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Is this passage saying that we can not SIN against God? 

Is it saying that no matter what we do we shall go to heaven? 

Does it say God will forgive any evil we do with out repentance?

  Some believe so...but I think it more says that God always loves us and won't change His mind about us. 

 He loved us before we loved Him. 

How could He ever stop loving us if He loved us so much while we were still sinners?

 He loved us so much that He died for us in the the hope that we might love Him back.

 It says that evil things done to us aren't signs of His lack of love. No one else can change His mind towards us. It says all this. 

 But never does it say that "God loves us so much that even while we SIN we have our names written in God's book." 

 No one else can make God stop loving us, but is it possible for us to stop loving God? I believe the answer is "Yes." 

 And for those that don't love God anymore? God will still love them - but the God of love is still a God of justice and those that WON'T BE with Him must go where He has said those that don't love Him go. 

 Hebrews 10:26-31 NIV "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 

 Yes, God loves us. And He proves His love to us in actions. And if we truly love Him back we will prove our love  in actions - doing that which doesn't hurt Him or go against him. 

 Imagine two best friends. 

 Basil and Joey are best friends. 

They do everything together. But Joey is changing. 

He no longer treats Basil with respect. He talks bad about Basil. Lies, steals from him. Basil soon discovers that Joey is no longer a true friend. 

He believes that they once were - but now? People tell him to just get on with life. Forgive Joey and be friends, but how can he when Joey is constantly using and abusing him? 

What would you do? 

What should God do? 

 What happens when we turn against God? Disrespect Him? Misplace our love and devotion? His righteous judgment is released upon us. 

 What happens when we confess yet do not prove our words with actions?  

Romans 1:18-23 NIV "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." 

 And on a side-note - yes we all sin (Romans 3:23). 

But never should we use accidents or mistakes as an excuse to continue hurting others and God. Even in friendships, one or the other will make mistakes at times. 

But do we continue to hurt the other? 

Or do we apologize and start afresh careful to be the best friend ever? 

 I believe it is very important to realize that sinning is not good nor acceptable. Repentance exists for a reason, yes, but never should we make up reasons to repent. 

 For we all should run from all appearance of evil, avoid sinning, strive to love God above all (2 Timothy 2:22). 

  1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Henna

At our local fair this last summer, one of my good friends did some henna for me... I was pretty excited about it.

And enjoyed it while it lasted - as I clean houses, plus didn't take care of it like I should, it lasted almost a week.

Jerushah thought this was a weird picture - but I loved it just for that reason. 

Still very new ;p 

Setting in :) 

You really can't see it.. but still an earthy picture :D 

Let's be green!!!!

Classy - yet not? Kinda trying to figure this style out ;p
And this is a blouse I knitted last year. Haven't worn it much, but really love it. 

Henna is darker :) 

Selfie with my photographer (sister). I think I was singing, even though it looks like I'm crazy.

Favorite watch of mine - have had it for years, but it's been broken awhile. Finally fixed it - thought it looked nice with the henna.

I like this picture, because I think I look like my Aunt Mary (a little). 

Outfit #1: 

Shirt - Ross's

Outfit #2:

Skirt - some dollar store ;p

Necklace - I made it 

Outfit #3:

Lace blouse - I made it

Everything else was thrifted :D 

I really enjoyed the henna - it was pretty and unique and classy. And didn't last forever - why I would never get a tattoo. I know how finicky the human mind is. And doing something that drastic that's permanent and trivial to our bodies just seems foolish to me.

But I do enjoy art :D 

What do you think of henna?