Nude & Neon.

I'm a hippy girl, so to find clothes that wear well on my frame becomes a bit challenging. 

Being the avid Pinterest-er and magazine subscriber (via e-mail updates,) however, I took some of their tips to the test. 

I tend to stay away from skirts, especially ones with pleats because they tend to make me look bigger in areas that I'd like to streamline more, although I've read that pleats are supposed to help us hippy girls. 

In finding what works for me I've found that it's all about knowing your body, trying the blogger/magazine tips, and ultimately concluding what works best for what look you want to accomplish. 

Stuff I've discovered (mostly) on my own:

• I wanted to highlight the highlights--neon yellow (I love it!)--so I kept the top simple and dark to contrast with the neon and neutral skirt.

• High-waisted pleated skirt. Being hippy, I love higher-waisted bottoms!! Plus such bottoms subtly hide the lurrve handles!! 

• Nude heels. (Okay, I'll admit I read this somewhere) Having short legs and big calves, I tried the nude heels to see if they'd lengthen my legs and they DID, which is always a halleluyerr! 

Word Vomit.

Life places us in quizzical positions sometimes. It is when I stumble upon a conundrum of my own when I really, desperately cry out to God.

Why is that?

'Cause I really have no idea what to do/how to make the situation different/better for me. So I found myself reading 1Peter5:

And all of you clothe yourselves with^[c] humility toward one another, because

God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.^[d]

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,^[e] 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

I was honest with God and asked Him WHY such things are happening. 

He cares about me. He hears me. 

It frustrates me when things are out of my control and people involved don't want to change/have an open mind. God is the one who changes people. I may be being "extra" about the situation, but when God's Word speaks, it speaks. I'm not alone: He's with me. 

New Music Tuesday.

FINALLY! A new record!! 

Paramore was the background to my later high school years. Their lyrics with faith-based undertones, catchy sing-along melodies, and guitar whalings that you wanna vocally copy is what got me hooked. Not to mention the front woman--girl power! 

Needless to say, I am a parawhore. I like each album and believe that they're all different and showcase where they were at in their lives. 

All We Know Is Falling will always hold a special place in my heart with "Franklin," a song about change and missing the simpler past and"My Heart," a love anthem to our Maker or significant other.  

RIOT! is when the rest of the world figured out these guys were good. "We Are Broken" captures the sadness of the world with the positivity of hope and "Hallelujah" is another positive track about not backing down 'cause the end means victory! I'd also like to note that "Miracle" is where we got our band name from [Hope Embraced.] tehehe.  

Brand New Eyes was like their diary. As with any group of people, the band faced conflict with one another and they wrote about it. "The Only Exception" is what plays during the epic scene in your life when you know that the one is THE one, the one that somehow heals every heartache you've ever experienced and "Turn It Off" is relatable with the line "and the worst part is before it gets any better we're headed for a cliff and in the free fall I will realize I'm better off when I hit the bottom." It goes with the idea that pride comes before a fall but that when you're at the bottom, the only way is up. 

Paramore--I think is the title of this one, is also different. I haven't listened to the record enough times to choose favorites and brag about the messages just yet, but I can't get enough of "Ain't It Fun," so give it a listen, will ya?! 

I miss the Farro bros but what can we do? We all wish them the best with The Novel American and are glad they are staying true to who they are and growing creatively and musically.

As for Paramore, they still rock. The album is loaded with a bit of everything so listeners can have at least one favorite. Keep doin' yo thang, Hayley, Taylor, and Jeremy. 

VANILLA ICE.

The tracklisting for Vanilla Ice:

01 Suit & Tie | Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
02 Independent Women Part I | Destiny's Child
03 Simple Life | Casey Abrams
04 I Wanna Be Your Lover | Corinne Bailey Rae
05 Pusher Love Girl | Justin Timberlake
06 Now Is the Start | A Fine Frenzy
07 Abracadabra | Jessie J
08 That Girl | Justin Timberlake
09 Schoolin' Life | Beyonce
10 Domino | Jessie J
11 Mirrors | Justin Timberlake
12 End of Time | Beyonce
13 Who You Are | Jessie J
14 Feel Again | OneRepublic
15 Beautiful Life | James Morrison
16 Gospel Medley | Destiny's Child
17 Celebrate | Whitney Houston & Jordin Sparks

That Thing You Do!

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

People often mean well but their actions don't correlate. Sometimes I forget that sin is the enemy and become passive and accept it as a way of life. Don't get me wrong--we all do it. [shocker!] Because we love God--THAT is why sin is our enemy. God, being our first Love, is who we chase, sin not being part of who He is. 

Why is it so hard to obey?! 
It seems like such a simple concept when I was younger. You're either good or bad. As I've grown older, there are gray areas that emerge, including gay marriage apparently, that Christians are hardcore against or too loving and gracious about. 
Morality is earned and righteousness is received. I can't tell you how many times I've worked for my righteousness. It's pointless.  Let's stop working our butts off for people and work on trusting God. The obedience will follow. The "intention" will become reality. We need to get out of this thinking that we earn our righteousness. Our debt has been paid. 

It is finished. 

Still Not Dead!

But barely hanging on! Yes, life as grown even busier! Ahh! 

This blog was supposed to be our lovechild--and we should be reported for neglect--but it's here to stay. Blogging is therapeutic, no? I should be an avid one, the aspiring English teacher that I am. I'm excited to experiment integrating technology into the classroom, more specifically the use of blogs. Kids have a lot to say and they're more creative than society gives them credit for. TOTES EXCITES! 

The credential program--TPAs--are no joke, yet here I am, NOT doing it! Huzzah! 
Spring break is next week! Palm Springs and Santa Barbara for some R&R... with the TPA, an unwelcomed straggler, hanging like a cloud over head. BOO. It better let me get some sun. I need to get my taaaaaan onnnnnn..

Enough!

I've been listening to Beyonce a lot. And JT. Even made a mixtape for N called--wait for it--

VANILLA ICE. 

[Kool-Aid Guy voice] OHHHHHYEAHHHHH. 

There's something about most of Beyonce's songs that get me going and "dancing through life." I hate that phrase. But there it is. I enjoy JT's album--even bought a physical copy out of excitement--but I was expecting more. I assumed The Tennessee Kids would be in every track, but of course, what is a JT album without the usual Timbaland beats and production? I still love the guy and would love to see him live. I guess I'm just a sucker for throwback sounds and live, big bands. So sue me. 

Also, my name is Ashley, and I'm addicted to snapchat. 

We Were Made to Be Awesome

Roots.

The Parable of the Sower

(1) Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. (2) He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: (3) "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. (4) As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (5) Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. (6) But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (7) Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. (8) Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." 

(9) Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (10) When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. (11) He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables (12) so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise them might turn and be forgiven!'" (13) Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? (14) The farmer sows the word. (15) Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. (16) Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. (17) But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (18) Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; (19) but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (20) Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce crop - thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

(Mark 4:1-20)

 

Where are your roots? How deep do they go?

Ten Years from Now

Ten years from now I’ll be 30.

Ten years from now college will seem like a trip down Easy Street.

Ten years from now I’ll be living on my own, knee-deep in a career that at times, will seem like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew (‘cause, let’s be honest, that’s just how I roll...or eat...or whatever).

 

Marriage? Kids? Maybe.

 

Ten years from now I’ll be where God wants me to be.

I have a plan but, He has a better one.

 

I don’t know what life will be like 10 years from now,

but I do know that 10 years from now, 

I’ll look back and remember

how blessed I was...

how blessed I am.

Aching like a Lola.

My back hurts. And before y'all start it's not because of those freaking amazing bowling skills you saw at UTURN's Bowling Night (My high score was 65 tonight! Woot Woot! - To those intense bowlers out there, don't freak out. I know - flex those sarcasm muscles for me, hey?). My back started hurting before then.

Yes, I have terrible posture. Again, I know. 

Part of me is secretly hoping I growing taller. - I guess that's not a secret anymore...

 

Anyway, tonight, while rubbing away my terrible back pain and discussing recent developments in our family's life, I saw a golden opportunity - the reason for my back pain.

As much as I'd hate to publicly admit it, I (also secretly) loooove helping people. Sometimes to the extend as which I cannot say "no."

My thought tonight was: Maybe I'm growing a backbone!

 

In other news, Fall 2013 starts this week!

Oh HAY! Right now, I'm super excited. Super excited to read fantastic books and to participate in super fantastic conversations with smart people (again, friends, don't be offended. You are smart.)

But that's right now. We'll see how I feel after the first day...