Dear Pope Benny...

Today, our blessed and wonderful Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, resigns from his God-given position as the earthy head and father of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a day mixed with sadness, reverence, pride and joy for the Church.
Sadness, as we witness the resignation of a wonderful, holy man who lead, challenged and guided us in the wisdom of our Heavenly Father the last eight years.
Reverence as we respect and worship the voice of God in the Pope's heart that called him to this decision, and as He leads us to the next chapter.
Pride in the humility is took for someone of human frailty to step down from such a mighty position. It takes a lot of faith, trust and discipline to hear God's voice calling you to something of such great humility, and to follow God's calling with such grace.
Joy as we send off our dear Pope wrapped in a mantle of prayer, love and respect. And, joy as we await the voice of the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of His people as a new Pope is called.

So, join me today in praying, not only for dear Pope Benedict, as he begins his life anew, post papal commitments but also for the minds and hearts of God's people as the listen intently to the Holy Spirit as a new Pope is called to take his rightful place.

"The new Pope knows that his task is to make the light of Christ shine before men and women of the world- not his own light, but that of Christ."

Pope Benedict XVI

Prayers,

Emily xo

Quote of the Day

"To change and to change for the better are two different things."
-German Proverb

I hope that this Lenten season brings with it a time to change for the better.

Prayers,

Emily xoxo

Keep Calm, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Have you seen these posters? Who are we kidding. Of course you have. They are literally everywhere! But, have you ever wondered where they came from, or what the story is behind it? Now's your chance to find out!
This is the video posted by BarterBooksLtd that explains the story behind this inspirational poster that has taken the world by storm.

Ladies & gentlemen, Keep Calm and Carry On,

Emily xox

Quote of the Day

"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.  We love because he first loved us."

-1 John 4:18-19

Here's to the greatest love,

-Emily xo

To Be Humbled...

Since the beginning of Lent (ok, it's been less then a week, but still) I have been praying the Litany of Humility daily. I have heard of this prayer, and seen it numerous times in the past but have always had reservations about praying it. Not because of any legitimate reason, but because of fear.

It's funny what fear can do to you, isn't it? It can be totally crippling. See, I was terrified of praying this prayer because I was scared of emptying myself in front of God, and asking him to knock me down a few notches. I was (and still am) afraid of admitting that I need to be humbled. I mean, I know in my heart that I of course need to be humbled, but to admit it to myself, and to God is another story. That in itself is incredibly humbling.

What is so neat about praying this litany is that it offers a list of fears we would like God to deliver us from. The fear of being forgotten, for example. But, it also offers a list of desires we would like for Him to deliver us from. The desire of being loved, or approved, or consulted. It is hard to not desire praise for something we feel we do well. But it is even more difficult to be forgotten for what we've done, or to be humiliated when we try our hardest to succeed at something.

What is harder then both of those things though is to truly desire to be humbled. To truly want to be forgotten or disapproved of or to never be consulted. So, pray with me for the desire to want to be humbled. Because, it is in great humility that God can make "become as holy as I should."

Litany of Humility:

O Jesus! Meek and humble of hear, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled...
From the desire of being honoured...
From the desire of being praised..
From the desire of being prefferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted...
From the desire of being approved...
From the fear of being humiliated...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes...
From the fear of being calumniated...
From the fear of being forgotten...
From the fear of being ridiculed...
From the fear of being wronged...
From the fear of being suspected...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease...
That others may be chosen and I set aside...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should...

-Emily xo

From Ashes to Ashes, Thank you God.

Dear Father,

Thank you for Ash Wednesday and for the humility it brings me to wear dirt on my forehead. Thank you for how this day marks the beginning of the driest of seasons and a time for me to do some serious soul spring cleaning.
Thank you for making me uncomfortable so that I can find ultimate comfort in you alone. Lent begins today, and I am grateful for this season of selflessness, fasting and penance.

You are the best!

Love,

Emily xoxo

Thank you, God.

The other night I was thinking about a book I have seen recently. I can't remember the name or author of it now, but basically it was a collection of letters. The author had written letters to different things every day for a year, for example there was one thanking her droopy eyelids. She then went on to explain why she was thankful for them and what she saw as the silver lining, or up side, to what is usually another item on the list of things we complain about.

I decided that she was on to something. It is much easier to be thankful for what we have when we take time to sit down and think about the positive in otherwise negative situations. Would we not also be much happier? But, I am changing her idea a little bit. I decided that once a week I am going to post a "thank you God" letter on here. I decided on Wednesdays, because I find mid week to be when I struggle the most to see the positive. 

So, here is my first "Thank you" Letter.

Dear God,

Thank you for this awful 'lady sickness' that I get once a month. As terrible as I feel, it is a beautiful reminder that my body is doing what it should, and that I am healthy. The pain that is causes me is a reminder that I have an ability to feel, and that isn't a bad thing. Because, it means I can feel butterflies in my stomach every time I see my handsome boyfriend. It means I can feel laughter on my lips when I spend time joking with my family. It means that I can feel tears and how the cleanse my soul. 

So, thank you for my cramps, discomfort, sick tummy and grouchiness, because ultimately it means that someday I can probably have a wee baby!

Love forever,

Emily xo

Dress to Impress?

Does how to dress impact those around us?

This is a valid question, that we often make more complex then it has to be. The answer is yes. Yes, how we dress does impact those around us. People, women in particular, will often argue that it isn't their fault that men can't keep their eyes to themselves, or that others shouldn't be so shallow as to pass judgement based on what a person is wearing.

But, here's the thing. We are human. The issue is not whether or not it should impact those around us, but whether or not is does impact them. The first example I will use is woman dressing in a suggestive manner. This can mean low cut, cleavage showing shirts, short dresses, skirts or pants, tight clothing, see through tops, etc.

Are men effected by this type of dress? Of course! Who isn't? If you see someone dressed liked that you more often then not take a second look. Not necessarily because you want to, or because you're interested, but because it catches our attention (be it positive or negative). Men, more so then women, are physical beings. They are more effected by the physical appearance of people (women in particular). This is not because they are shallow or perverts, but it is because that is how they are made. Yes, they sometimes should try to fight the urge to stare at people, but that is not made easier when woman dress in a suggestive manner. They should try to avoid looking, but the temptation is there and difficult for them to resist. So should we really try to lead them to sin by how we dress? We don't want others to lead us to do something we are uncomfortable with, or that could cause us to sin, just as we shouldn't dress in a way that may draw unwanted attention from men or lead them to sin.

The second thing I want to touch on it how the way we dress can present to the world who we are. Although we should always strive to get to know a person, and not judge a book by it's cover, or a girl by her dress, the reality is that we often do. How we clothe our bodies shows those around us how we see ourselves. Do we respect ourselves? Do take care of our bodies? I am not saying that this is the right way to go about life, but it is how a lot of people live. That is why presenting ourselves in a way that is respectful can teach those around us to also respect us. Ultimately, people often perceive us and treat us in the same way we see and treat ourselves. And, that should be with respect, should it not?

I hope you found this enlightening in some way!

Blessings,

Emily xo

Milk n' Honey Face Mask

If you're anything like me, your skin is probably so very dry in the winter. It has been really windy and cold here in the last couple weeks and I have noticed that my skin has been extra dry, especially my face.

I had been in search of something to aid the dry patches on my face, and all the moisturisers and facial cleanser I had found didn't seem to be helping. After some research on home face masks and the likes I tried  something that really worked, and was really easy!

What you need:
- small bowl
- spoon
- honey (1 tsp.)
- milk (1 tsp.)

All you need to do is combine the milk and honey in a bowl. Mix it really well until it is all combined and looks like a pale honey. Once it's mixed, use your hands to apply it all over your face and neck. I left mine sit for about 40 minutes. I found the simplest, least messy way to wash off the mask was to shower.

My skin felt so smooth and silky after the mask. I applied my regular daily moisturiser to my face afterwards and, voila- a perfect way to remedy that dry skin.

Hope it works for you as well as it did for me.

-Emily xo

3 Step Dress

So, as promised, here is my take on what dressing modestly looks like.

I think so many young woman take modest dress & wearing a potato sack are the same thing. The real question is, is it possible to look lovely AND dress in a way to respect our bodies. The answer is yes!
Does it take more time, and more work? Yes, but all good things do. Is it going to cost me more? It can, but doesn't have to.

Dressing modestly does not mean all your clothes have to be loose fitting, baggy and gross. There is a line between wearing something too tight and wearing something baggy. Here are some quick, easy questions to ask yourself when you are getting dressed to help you find the perfect line:


1. Can you see my underwear/bra line?
 -If the answer is yes, chances are the pants/shirt are too snug. It doesn't mean just throw on a thong or camisole and you're good to go. It means, strive for something that doesn't hug every curse so tightly.

2. Do they flatter my body type?
 -Just because you're not wearing something that resembles a second layer of skin doesn't mean you can't wear something flattering. Find something that fits your form. I don't mean stuck to you, but that flatters your body shape, and compliments your curves, and size.

3. What are your motives (conscious or not) behind the outfit?
- Who doesn't dress to impress a guy? Everyone does it, and there isn't anything wrong with dressing nicely, and putting a little extra time into your appearance for him. But, when you're putting on your shirt are you trying to attract a guy by the amount of cleavage it reveals? Or, are you wearing leggings as pants to attract his eyes to your legs, or butt?
Try dressing nicely, and appropriately and a gentleman will notice. He will notice they way you carry yourself with dignity and how your body looks lovely in nice clothing, but not like a sex symbol.

Anyway, I hope that these are helpful!

Have a beautiful weekend

-Emily xo