From My Own Closet: Dress Over Skirt

Dress and skirt: JC Penney

Flyaway cardi and tights: LOFT Outlet
Belt: Kohl's, came with a shirt

Shoes: Steinmart

This dress is the perfect winter floral; it's just a little short. I really liked the tights with it, but something about colored tights and a slightly too short dress looks like more than slightly too much leg. The skirt came to the rescue. It's kind of swingy, just like the dress, so I think it works.

People always ask me quite sincerely if I'm feeling all right when I wear black (even though I'm really not as pale as these photos make me look). Any other blondes get that question? I've started fixing that in a few ways: 1) I usually don't wear cosmetics more than 2 or 3 times a week, but black outfit days are now for-sure make-up days. It's usually the only time I wear eye make-up. 2) I pull my hair up. I don't know why, but caramel blonde looks so much better out of sight than tumbling down over a black dress. 3) Usually I wear something with another color near my face. If I have a black top on, I wear a scarf or a necklace. In this case, though, the burgundy tights seemed to take care of everything. I don't have any necklaces that look right with this dress anyway. Any shopping suggestions for me?

And now a completely different subject matter, but I hope you'll read because it was an encouraging thought to me...

I came across a comforting verse in the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles (chapter 25) yesterday. The backstory may be hard to identify with at first, but follow me. King Amaziah of Judah was facing war, and he hired 100,000 mercenaries from neighboring Israel for 100 talents of silver. The kingdom of Israel had abandoned God long ago, and a prophet of God came to Amaziah,  telling him that if he took the soldiers from Israel into the battle, he would lose. Amaziah had an immediate argument, which sounds a lot like things I've said before, but the prophet had a great answer. Read this exchange:

9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”

And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”*

How many times have I felt like Amaziah? I pour money and time into pursuits that are what I want to do, not what God is telling me to do. I invest in relationships that I know I shouldn't be in. When I realize my mistakes, I still want to cling with both hands to the mess I've created, telling myself that I might as well see it to the end. I can make it turn out well, right? I've already paid too much for this; I can't lose it now! And all the while, God is saying, "Just let go." It hurts, but we can afford to lose anything in our lives, as long as we gain God. We will never reach the back of the warehouse of blessings God has is for us. God is our inheritance, and God is love. He is everything we need. Even when we squander something He gives us, there is no reason to lose hope. God is glorious; literally, that word means abundant. And He is eternal. Our failures can't diminish the God who can multiply fish and bread. God can't "run out" of what makes Him God. It's impossible. It is so good to know that my Father, God, is the Creator of everything and the source of every good and perfect gift. He's telling every one of us who put our trust in Him, "I'm able to give you so much more than this."

*"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

It's What-I-Wore-Wednesday!