"She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue." ~Proverbs 31:26 Aren't we are always growing as women and how we speak to others? I cringe when I think about my younger days and how I know I needed to be more mature and careful in my speaking. I lacked discretion and spoke too freely about how I felt sometimes! But the Lord got a hold of me and started convicting me about areas that I needed to work on and He is still working on me today too in different areas. I am so grateful for that. "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." ~James 3:5-12 I want to be even more diligent in this area as I speak God's truth to my children over all the various life issues that they are going through because I know that God can use it to speak profoundly in their lives. "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ..." ~Ephesians 4:15 I know I don't have many more years with them, several are already adults, and I want to take advantage of the time that I have left with them. As I thought more about it I want to be a woman that: PRAYS BEFORE SHE SPEAKS We need to get wisdom from God. He will direct and guide us so we need to take the time to pray and seek His face. MAKES SURE HER WORDS ALIGN WITH SCRIPTURE We need to be in the Word of God so that we can share it and make sure what we are sharing aligns with it. Not just speaking our "mind" or speaking from the flesh but giving wise counsel as we should. SPEAKS IN LOVE We are told to speak the truth in love- but we need to do it also with GRACE and MERCY putting others before ourselves. SPEAKS WITH A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY We need to talk to others with a spirit of humility and not be prideful because we are sinners just as they are. We need to practice self control and not act out in anger or self righteousness. SHE SPEAKS TO BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO CHRIST We need to not let the focus be about ourselves (for example: always wanting to be right or winning an argument) but our ultimate goal needs to be to bring people closer to Christ. The Bible also exhorts us to be a peacemaker at all costs so if we are stirring up dissension, especially among believers, we are not doing His will. SPEAKS SO THAT CHRIST IS GLORIFIED IN THE END Can we look back and say that Christ was exalted through this conversation? If not, we need to ask for forgiveness to God and/or the one we offended. It takes humility to do that, but it is what He has called us to do. Remember that no one is perfect--we have all sinned with our tongues one way or another in the past. Ask God for forgiveness and help to do better in this area. If we obey God He definitely bless us and help us along the way! Here is a list of Bible verses for further study on this topic. Dear Lord, please help us to be wise as we speak the truth to others. We need your help to do this your way and not our way. Thank you for forgiving us when we have failed and showing your grace to us. Help us to love others the way you have faithfully loved us. In Jesus' name we pray--Amen. What would you add to this list? Please share in the comments below!

Inspiration från Jotun Lady där väggar och snickerier är målade med 12127 Earthy Brown Hej! Veckan som gick fullkomligt sprang iväg. Jag hade ett uppdrag som tog min uppmärksamhet till 100% så bloggup

Welcome to the home of Jillian Harris! Stay in the loop with exclusive content, while shopping Jilly's style in curated collections & collaborations.

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A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this stunning apartment in Copenhagen, designed by Natalie Dubrovska. From the classic details, the environment, the beautiful design and the view of the city, this apartment has it all. Below you can find various aspects of the bedroom and the bathroom, yet I could not find photos of the […]

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ART NOUVEAU Master Berthon produced this masterpiece. Lovely lady with long, flowing reddish, orange, brown hair. Browns, golds, orange, green colors in this lovely print. One customer said: "I grew up with this image in my home. When I saw it at this Etsy shop, I was so excited to order it and have it hanging in my home once again! The print turned out perfectly." Very similar to the work of Alphonse Mucha This listing is for a choice of 3 sizes listed in the drop down menu above. 10 X 14 (actual image 8 X 12 with one inch white borders) 12 X 16 (actual image about 8 X 12 with 2 inch white borders to fit) 16 X 20 (actual image about 12 X 18 with white borders to fit) with Premium Luster Giclee Photo Paper or Premium Matte finish. Mat and frame not included.

Thank you to JCPenney & ShopStyle for sponsoring today’s post. Hello friends and happy Friday! How was your week? It was a long one here. But, I have some good...

Life can get really busy for mothers, especially around the holiday season. Mothers need to be reminded to slow down and enjoy life around them without getting too caught up with the frenzy of shopping, decorating our homes beautifully, making the season perfect and not forget the things that truly matter. This is a great reminder for us all through the year: Each moment I have with these children. Each moment I have to honor and submit to my husband. Each moment I am given to love and serve another. Each moment I pray or sing or praise. Do I realize that each and every moment in time is ripe and full with eternal destiny? Am I going to continue on with my frenetic pace or am I going to slow down, be aware of the moments? Is it worth speeding through the moments of life just to get one more thing accomplished? I’m tired of missing out on the awareness of the eternal destiny in these moments, because there is so much to do. Whose voice am I listening to when I hear, ‘accomplish more, be better, get more?’ Go, go, go!? Have I bought into the American lie of ‘you can have it all?' I wonder at what cost? What does it cost me to have it all? Does it possibly cost me my health, my children, relationships, the eternal destiny of each moment? Does Jesus drive and push me to do more? Or is that the voice of the enemy? Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry. He walked everywhere He went. He wasn’t too busy for ‘interruptions’ like people needing healing or teaching. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters . . . In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved in quietness and trusting confidence shall be your strength . . . Come to Me all you who are weary, I will cause you to rest. No, I don’t believe Jesus is behind this crazy pace. Am I willing to listen to the Voice of my Good Shepherd instead of the voice in my head, or the the voice of our culture? Lord Jesus, I don’t want to accomplish so much that I miss the ‘eternal destiny’ in each moment. I really don’t know how to slow down. I don’t know what to just let go of. So Jesus, teach me, lead me, cause me to rest. Open my eyes to the eternal destiny in each and every moment. -This article is entitled 'Each Moment Is Ripe With Eternal Destiny' by Michelle @ She Looketh Well and was also featured At The Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2. A special thank you for sharing! (emphasis mine)

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this exquisite painting is by Greg Harris Today I want to share a few things about wearing pretty clothes daily, and at home. I always get inspired by the sight of a field of flowers, or the way the light plays on a meadow, making the grass look like it has white flowers growing in it. I might study a picture from a beautiful book, or maybe just a "well-dressed table", to design clothing to "go" with it. In the winter I always want to make a coat with snowy white fur borders and cuffs, or a dress made of festive fabric with a silver sheen to it. It is always interesting to create a matching fascinator headband, or some other accessory with left-over fabric. This lovely painting is by Greg Harris Another thing that gives me the over-all idea of ladylike fashion, is art. I have looked at the art of many eras and found that good artists rarely if ever, paint pictures of ladies in masculine or unflattering clothing. This is something to think about when dressing your best and feeling good about your clothing. When I look at little girls in their church dresses playing outside after church, it seems like a painting. It seems sad to me that while there are lovely little-girl-dresses at places like Costco, it is harder to find the same thing in ladies styles. The girls must think it is odd to wear such pretty things themselves, while their mothers have to dress so differently. This idyllic serene scene is painted by Greg Harris In past times, the ladies I knew enjoyed dressing to match the nature and the scenes around them. They seemed to know that a pink gingham check or a nature print with cherries on it "went" with a picnic, while a light blue sailor style dress with white soutache trim on the collar was the perfect outfit for a walk at the seaside. A trip to a rose garden meant choosing a dress with a rose print, because of the photo that would be taken. As soon as any hedgerow or tree or rose bush came into bloom, they found a dress that matched the color and had their picture taken in front of the foliage. When I go through old photographs of the women in my family, I find this sort of thing in a lot of the pictures. There are just as many indoor, homey inspirations for dressing. Many people have beautiful homes with lovely new furniture and do not realize how this can be a source of ideas for the kind of dresses to make or buy. If houses are beautifully furnished , why should the homemaker not compliment it by dressing just as fine? Women who really love being home love to change the rooms and rearrange and clean them and give the area a new look. Think of this in terms of the lady of the house and her mode of dress. If you can dress up your house, you can dress up yourself. When we present our homes to others for a special occasion, we have bright focal points and vases of flowers, while we try not to call attention to the areas that are private or need some work. Another astonishingly bright and beautiful painting by artist Greg Harris Indoors, ladies would change from their work-apron and don their lace apron when it was time to sit down to dine. If they went to someone's home for afternoon tea they dressed as if they were going to afternoon tea! In fact, you could fairly judge what the ladies were doing or where they were going, by what they were wearing. Today it is hard to know if a woman is going to attend a wedding or a race.There were traveling clothes, church clothes, vacation clothes, and wedding clothes. They did not need a huge closet for the kind of clothes they wore, because they could use one outfit in different ways by adding a little bolero or a shawl, or a change of shoes. A house dress was no less pretty just because it was worn at home for house keeping. Clothing was, to me at least, exciting and inspiring. It made me look forward to getting up in the morning. We enjoyed the seasonal catalogs, which provided sketches of ladies clothing that was available to order. It made each season special knowing when there was a summer dress or a winter coat arriving in the mail.Trips to town were approached with enthusiasm because it was a chance to wear dressier clothes and enjoy the shops. People showed respect to the proprietors and other customers by the way they dressed, and most ladies wanted to look nice and appear to be ladies. Clothing was the easiest way to show dignity and to express that they were doing something they considered quite special. Even the poorest person knew how to look dressed up! art by Greg Harris One thing that made ladies clothing so different and interesting is that it was not the same as men's wear. Today, much of the manufactured womens clothing is a female imitation of men's clothing; a slightly altered version of jeans and shirts. There were colors and prints and textures exclusive to ladies clothing that made them feel ladylike. There seemed to be an awareness among ladies that they represented their families by the way they dressed, and they did not want to dress in a careless way and reflect poorly on their kin. This seems to be a lost value today. It might take a long conversation to explain it to someone in this culture of T-shirt dressing. art by Greg Harris It is possible to dress in a ladylike way every day, but there are some things you need to be aware of. The first thing that comes to my mind is the issue of modesty. Many people who understand the New Testament teaching on this subject in 1 Timothy 2:9, but they sacrifice beauty, femininity and ladylikeness by using dull fabrics and "dumpy" matronly styles that make them appear ungainly, overweight, unfeminine and unladylike.When women teach about modesty they need to show how modesty should be elegant and pretty, too, in a sense, elevating the mind. Modesty should be glorifying to God and compliment His wonderful creation, rather than looking drab and depressing. It helps if you try to remember what other people have to look at, and to be thoughtful of them when you choose your clothing. art by Greg Harris captures the true essence of ladies in flowing clothing of the 19th century Everyone agrees that fads, or "for-a-day" fashions which are dominate one day and unpopular the next, are not wise to follow. Have you ever considered, though, that some of the so-called modest clothing can also be a fad? Women often latch on to a modest style because some religious women promote it as modest, not considering all aspects of the total look. A long skirt can be modest but if it is not well fitted with a nice drape and flattering lines to your own figure type, it can draw attention to the wrong things. People will be looking at that ill-fitting skirt and it becomes an immodest distraction. You can wear a modest skirt and still look very unladylike and unhappy about your life. As for blouses, there are too many religious women saying that tops made of tee shirt material are modest, but these types of tops are not flattering or modest at all unless they are embellished with ruffles, pleats, gathers, pintucks and other decorations. Since I will not be able to spend a lot of time describing what blouses are pretty and appropriate and modest, I will let you determine it by some of the paintings I have posted on my blog over the years. It takes a trained eye to determine what is appropriate, because not all clothes are right for you just because they are modest. There are other things to consider, such as the color and print and the design. A tip that might help in determining how to dress: Since I found that skirts and blouses present quite a messy problem in my closet, I have sewn mostly dresses to wear. That way, the blouse and skirt are already matched up and it all hangs securely on one hanger. To choose an outfit in the morning is easier when selecting a dress, instead of deciding on what separates to pair up. I learned years ago that matching up separates tends to create a pile of clothing that did not work well with other pieces, and it all has to be put back in the closet, which takes up valuable time. The reason I suggest that some of the so-called modest clothes can be a fad, is because women will sometimes go overboard with the dull aspect of the fashion, wearing ugly head scarves, refusing to treat their complexions by covering blemishes, neglecting to dress their hair and keep it clean and healthy-looking, and totally ignoring how ungainly and unfeminine their jogging footwear looks with the skirts. Later on, they get tired of this purportedly modest way of dressing, abandon it, and go on to something else that is just another extreme way of dressing.The best thing to do is to like and admire things that are beautiful and refined, and be able to identify things that do not look good on you. You can get a very inexpensive full-length mirror for your room, and stand before it analyzing your appearance each day. Painting by Edmund Blair Leighton When my generation was younger, we were taught to look at the back, also, to make sure we knew what people would see from the back. If the garment was unflattering from the back view, we didn't leave the house. Stitchers and tailors are trained to create garments that look good from all sides, but not all manufactured clothing does, so it is important to use the mirror. While looking in the mirror, use this mental checklist: Does it adequately cover and skim your figure or is it too tight and to gaping in areas? Is it pretty and feminine (ruffles, lace, trims, fabrics different from men's clothing)? Does the outfit look professional and smart, or dull and dowdy? Does the color make your complexion look bright or dull? Is the entire outfit overall slimming in appearance or does it make you look fatter? Is the outfit too loose and sloppy? How does the color, style, fabric and fit affect your mood? This frock from Chadwicks has the right idea, with long length and slimming style, but it needs sleeves. If you had a pattern you could easily add any style sleeve. Does it make you feel optimism or pessimism? Are there parts of the garment too low or two short? Lovely style and I would add sleeves if I were sewing this. I like sleeves. Is it too short, too long, too tight or too baggy for the type of style? There might be more you could add to this checklist yourself as you discover the many aspects of dressing in a ladylike way.The most important thing is to glorify God and reflect the happiness you have as a Christian, by thoughtfully choosing clothing that is suitable. In my opinion, every day is a gift, and every day warrants dressing carefully. You will find, too late, how short life is, and will wish you had celebrated life daily by dressing well. Posted with Blogsy

Musings on permitting myself to change my mind.

Members of the extended Royal Family have often appeared at major royal events and occasions over the years

The OG queens of British cooking.

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The Tasha Tudor Family was very kind to give me a private tour of Tasha's home and garden after I missed the Corgi Cottage Garden Tour, due to the problems I had with my flight.Tasha's grandson Winslow was my gracious guide. The family does not allow you to take pictures on the property, so all the pictures you see here are from several books or pictures that family has posted and used in their newsletter or during other tours. None of these pictures were taken by me. There are lovely Pinterest boards too if you are so inclined.Her lovely home was built by her son Seth in the 1970's without power tools. I thought that the house had been emptied after Tasha's passing and I was a bit in awe when I went into the house and everything was still there! I felt like Tasha had just stepped outside for a bit and I expected her to walk through the door any minute. It was quite magical! Her home is a charming maze of rooms with tiny narrow hauls and funny doors recycled from other buildings.It would take pages and pages to really share all the details of each room with you. The family is working hard to restore the gardens that Tasha once had. This picture above is looking at the front of her home when it was once filled with wonderful gardens and flowers. I really like this photo. You are looking at the barn in this photo and where my tour began. As in many New England homes, everything is connected so you don't have to go outside in the winter. A home in this part of Vermont knows all the seasons and winter brings snow. There is a marionette stage at the end of the barn with red curtains, just as you see in her art work! A treat to see that. The May day that I was there was overcast and misty, more like this photo. I love the stone walls in New England and stone foundations that you often see. I love the hand stenciling on the walls in the one of the kitchens. It was done by Linda Allen who stayed with Tasha for 11 years. They published several books together. You will find a buttery, a hen pantry, a summer or electric kitchen and a winter kitchen in this house. I was so happy to see all her sets of pink luster on the shelves by the sink! I have studied this photo for years, but to stand in front of the shelves and just look and look and look was totally amazing! The fireplace is yet another place that has been photographed often, but it's pretty exciting when you find yourself right there in person!!! This is Tasha's bedroom. It's a separate room that looks like it was added on, much like rooms would have been added in the past. There is a canopy bed and one of the three windows looks out at the dove cote. The dollhouse is in a glass case that Seth has just built and they are in the process of filling the three shelves with the dollhouse inventory that has been returned from Williamsburg. I didn't want to leave.Can you imagine looking at all the little miniatures and dolls that you have seen in books for years? I so wish I could have taken pictures. The picture below will show you some of those wonderful dollhouse items. The parlor is off of the kitchen and it's a lovely large room. I had to chuckle at the mark on the ceiling where the Christmas tree stands. This is the magical room that was closed off to her children as they waited for the doors to open to view the decorated tree with real candles burning. Off of the parlor is the little library, filled with many many books. We were taken up the small stairway upstairs to shelves fill with more books and several more bedrooms. We then went down another stairway and found ourselves in the kitchen! Seth met us to finish the tour as Winslow needed to return home. Seth took us out the door, around the side of the house by the bay tree and into the greenhouse. I love the greenhouse! We finished walking and exited the property. Yes, Tasha doodled on her walls and left messages as you can see in the photo below. So funny. You could spend all day just reading all the notes. She wrote on more than one wall too! Seth walked us to the car and the tour was ended. I will never forget the day and my visit. I didn't go into great detail with this blog post out of respect for the family.They are a bit guarded about the home, and rightly so. It is a real treat to visit Corgi Cottage.

An image from 'Helping at Home' (Ladybird books series 563) by M E Gagg; illustrated by Harry Wingfield; First Published 1961

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Hello Dear Ladies, both young and old. This is a message about dressing with dignity. By the way, all posts here are part of my exercise of free speech. Although they may not seem controversial politically, there is an element of society that has a great knack for turning even the smallest things of life into a controversy, from birth to breathing. And so it has become, with clothing. When at one time, clothing was a matter of covering the body, now it is a matter of being "in style" so that women can "fit in." Clothing is now such a trigger subject, you can't say anything about it. People get very militant over their right to immodest, undignified clothing. It is for this reason we should create our own individual style that works with home and farm living. A Reason to Cover Up If you have grown accustomed to bare skin being exposed all around you by women of all ages, and bareness of the most inappropriate areas of the body, this post may challenge you to change the way you dress or the way you think about clothing. One of the elementary purposes of clothing is to cover and protect the body, not only from the harsh elements but also to protect skin from injuries. Protecting the Feet I have often reminded homemakers to avoid wearing flip flops or sandals in the workplace and instead opt for shoes or boots that cover toes, ankles and heels, protecting from spills in the kitchen or protection from getting hurt on furniture or other things. Further down the page are some pictures of short boots that are soft, comfortable and protective of the feet in all seasons. The same principle applies to the rest of the body. You must protect yourself from insects, animals and a myriad of things you might not even think about. If you want your skin to be injury free, avoid sunburn and windburns by covering yourself in clothing. Protecting Your Privacy From personal property to internet, people are obsessed with privacy, and yet, their mode of dress completely contradictory to obsession with privacy. Perhaps if we put a "password" to clothing, such as "weak", "medium" or "strong" in relation to the coverage and the amount of fabric; a "privacy rating", people would be more on board about covering themselves better. Just as winter coats in the cold climates are sold with a "temperature rating" (above zero, below zero, 20 below, etc.), you need to view clothing with a privacy rating: exposed, partial, or protected. Maybe a label would read: "Protection level: 1= no protection, 2=low to no privacy, 3= almost no privacy, 4= some privacy, 5= full privacy, etc. This is a kind of self discipline you can develop in determining how much privacy the clothing will afford you. Perhaps we could think of the movie ratings: Restricted, General, Parental Guidance, when it comes to how much flesh you want to reveal to the public, when choosing clothing. In the last few years I felt for the young women, especially teens, who could not find anything adequate to wear, and had to wear layers of things in order to cover gaps in the clothing. One shirt would cover the belly but not the chest, so another shirt which revealed the tummy could be worn over that one, and then there were shirts worn over that to cover upper arms and shoulders. It was a dilemma requiring many separates, which are always less simple to organize in a closet or drawer compared to the time and proven one-piece garment called a dress. That being said, the dress is by no means the answer just by being a dress, and often it will require separate pieces to go over it to cover different bare areas. These were also stretch knits, synthetics and tight clothing which add up to possibly getting overheated. I don't think it was a healthy way of dressing. Loose wovens moderate body heat better. A dress is one-piece and can, if designed properly, cover everything adequately. Modesty With clothing, protecting your privacy from other people's eyes, is also called modesty. Not every part of the body is open to the public. Clothing is supposed to cover the body areas that are private and not for everyone to see. More on Footwear I know some of you use the FlyLady housekeeping coach , and she recommends daily wearing lace-up shoes as opposed to slip-ons, so that you don't start being lazy and lounging about; the lace-up intended to make you feel put together and seriously at work. I do not recommend lace up shoes for the kitchen or anywhere you are working, especially for a busy person who is on her feet a lot at home. Although it is thought that being able to slip shoes off and on easily inhibits your ability to take your job seriously, and also has the problem of being more relaxed, I object to the lace ups for other reasons, one being that laces do come loose and can be a safety problem. Today with velcro and zippers, we don't need laces. Lace up sports shoes are incredibly heavy for some feet and hard to walk in, plus not pretty! These zip boots are just perfect, and also slip-on, with no laces. You can also trip over straggly laces that come undone unawares. Eventually I will post a picture of my own "boot wardrobe" --all three pairs, and show you which ones I wear at home for good foot protection. Some good footwear I have found comfortable and non-fussy; durable for homemaking and looks great with long dresses and long skirts. Now, for those of you who have tender ankles, easily injured, boots cover that area well, and protect from getting hurt. Many of us walk through the house and yard quickly and are more likely to get hurt, particularly in the country where I live. Also, there are some of us with less flesh on our ankles, and need some extra protection for the little bones on our scrawny feet ;-) The other thing to consider is that the lace-up sport shoes for women look no different than the men's Nike's or what ever brand it is. They aren't feminine or dignified, and women, no matter what their size or foot shape, should at least try to bring pretty back into their footwear and at least try to dress differently than the men, even with footwear. These boots can be ordered online at WalMart.com and some are available in stores. Dignity Now let me bring up the topic from the title of this post---dressing with dignity. Dignity is an old word that has many meanings, all pointing to being worthy of respect, not disgusting the onlooker, not bringing dishonor to yourself, not giving the impression of crudeness, low or base elements in people, or inviting attention to things that will not bring a person to a higher code of living. I have stated this all before, and some people began to shriek and cast dust in the air just like they did in the book of Acts after hearing the truth. I must tell you, time is not on our side, when it comes to spreading the influence of dressing for respect. Please look up the word "dignity" and leave a comment about what it really is. I feel that some of the conservative women who broadcast on youtube or the news, although claiming to be conservative in opinion, do not dress with dignity. Their clothing reveals more bare areas of the skin than revealing the cloth, and if you measured it, covers less than half the body. While these women speak about family values, their mode of dress is far less conservative. Granted, they do wear dresses, and I will use that as an example of how the word "dress" can be misleading. Just Because it is a Dress Does Not Make it Appropriate Just because it is a dress does not mean it is right for you. Dresses can be too short, too tight, have too many holes and revealing cut-outs. Recently, prominent women have worn dresses too revealing for honorable occasions, even to visit the Queen of England. The dresses did not hide the women's privacy and the dresses gaped open in places where, the Queen, who is much shorter than her guests, was at eye-level with some of the most undignified clothing. I'm not criticizing the person, mind you, but the designer of the dress wasn't using the principle of dignity. On camera, the eye is drawn quickly to the barest parts of the body and that's the way it is for you and me when we go out to the grocery store. No one is going to look into your eyes and detect your personality, because their eyes are going to be covering the barest parts of your body. That is one reason I emphasize your hair and face and the way clothing can bring the eye of the beholder up to your face. The face and the voice and the eyes---this is what you minister from. Your clothing is also a great influence, so make sure it is a good influence. The style, the coverage, the length, the color, print, type of fabric---all this has a bearing in how you feel about yourself, how dignified you are.. Read about the man that was "fully clothed and in his right mind" in Luke chapter 8. See what you can analyze regarding the mind in relation to clothing. Where to Find Dignified Clothing The following is a list of online catalogs with fairly decent clothing. You can also request a catalog by mail, and after that you'll receive them seasonally or as the sales occur. As you browse each site, click on "dresses" to see the selection. I thought this April Cornell design was similar to the one I made the other day with the matching cotton coat. I'm making another floral dress like this with an aqua coat and a pink coat. April Cornell has a big selection of dresses. April Cornell (site can be transferred for Canadian orders) Clothing is usually made of cotton or rayon and can be easily worn at home. April Cornell April Cornell is by far the most expensive in this lot of catalogs, as every dress is $100 or more, and sometimes on sale, only a few dollars below that. However they are the dresses most like the ones many young women wore in the 1980's. At that time, these type of dresses were worn by women of all ages, and youth didn't have their own category. However, these types of dresses were favored by the youth, as well as the aged. Vermont Country Store Vermont Country Store has a "Lanz of Salzburg" collection, which was often featured in the original Victoria Magazines of the 1980s/90's. The one above, is Lanz. Most of their clothing is cotton, woven or knit. I prefer longer sleeves. I like the youthfulness of these dresses, which can be worn by women of all ages and sizes,. Some of the sleeves are too short for my liking but you know how I like sleeves, and if you need to raise the necklines, there are creative ways of doing that to store-bought dresses. Below, a peasant style dress. If you have difficulty finding appropriate clothing, the peasant style or "tiered" skirt is a good purchase. I like the sleeve length. You can wear this at home, and still feel confident wearing it to town for all your errands. The Paragon This is obviously formal but it might be good to have something like this. I like the sleeve length. The Paragon also comes in the mail and is an interesting catalog. I get some of my sewing ideas from this catalog. You may remember a sewing post I did which featured bold red roses with a gray/black background. I just noticed The Paragon sells something similar. And I thought it was my idea! I like the sleeve length. Below, another Paragon dressy-dress. Most of their garments are from natural woven fibres but some are synthetic, so be sure read the description carefully before ordering and get what you like. Would love to have a pattern like this! Sleeve length is nice but I prefer maxi hem length on the skirt, and that is why I sew. Where I live, ladies who want to lengthen the skirt on a dress, will just wear another skirt under it, as though it were a slip, making it longer, and it looks quite nice. Old Pueblo Traders Suit is nice, long and slimming but needs a modesty piece in the front. The Old Pueblo Traders catalog is a very old company. I remember it from the 50's, but it has great contemporary clothing, most of it modest. Although the dresses category seems to be very dressy or formal, they do sell denim and cotton skirts that are great for wearing at home. This is a great dress for a homemaker. With an apron, it can be kept clean in the kitchen and doing housework, and to go out, just remove the apron and you are all dressed up. I would say the above dress is very modest, although I'd like more length in the sleeves. If you have skinny arms, this would look good on you. As I said, these are probably too dressy for every day wear at home but this is a great style and very feminine for more formal occasions. It is always good to have one formal outfit on hand to prevent the panic of finding a dress at the last minute, for something more formal. I don't care for the v-neck line combined with the shape of the jacket. If I had sewn this, the dress neckline would have been rounded or straight across, not conflicting with the shape of the jacket neckline. Blair Catalog Blair has a collection of dresses this year but most of them are sleeveless. You could always wear a blouse underneath and turn it into what we call a jumper or over-dress. These three dresses are the only ones I could see that might be worn at home, and the sleeves don't look too tight. It is always a good idea to look at some of the photographs and paintings of the past eras to see how women were dressed . Compare pictures of summer visitors on Coney Island and other places in the world, on the beaches, etc. to what they look like today, and get an idea of how ladies dressed with dignity. Back in the 1960's people changed the meanings of words like "dignity" and "righteous", to mean something else. Once the language changed, the women's clothing designs took a similar path. I must say, though, the men's clothing has remained more dignified, and that could be why women want to wear it, rather than the kinds of choices they have today in women's clothing. But hopefully through posts like this, we can shine the light on dignified clothing for ladies that is available today. I find it interesting how the scripture, "With every temptation, God provides an escape," and we see that in every era, no matter how crazy the women's clothing designs are, there will be dignified styles available. It just requires looking a little harder. Even in the 1960's with the prominence of the mini-skirt, a company provided an alternative, called the maxi skirt. Since I sew my clothes most of the time, I don't have to agonize over the crazy bare styles for women, but I realize a lot of you are not able to sew, and that is why I looked up all these catalogs for you. Painting by Charles Warren Mundy, 1945 Can you imagine walking on the beach in this dress today? It seems to glorify the surroundings, doesn't it? Some of the get-ups women wear to walk on the beach today just don't "go with" the lovely surroundings. I have often said that if such paintings were sold as posters in all the shops, the women would be more influenced to dress in lovely clothing, even for the beach, and think of themselves, in a sense, as part of a natural scene. Generally people wear what they feel comfortable in, and if we can train ourselves to get used to something different, we will feel comfortable in that. That is one reason it is important to dress our children well, in dignified clothing. Later, the grown up will prefer that kind of clothing that covers and feels dignified.

TIMOTHY WEST: The first time I noticed something amiss was back in the spring of 2001, while Pru was touring a new play.

D 2386. Mrs Day runs to greet her husband Lieutenant Kenneth Day at the door of her South Kensington home as he arrives home on leave.

This post is sponsored by Pet Naturals® of Vermont. All opinions are my own. It's true, I'm kind of a cat lady. I never thought it would happen. I've always preferred the company of dogs over cats, but these two fur babies won me over. Like all cats, they have the tendency to be as snobby as you would expect a cat to be, but these guys are the perfect additions to our family in so many ways. They snuggle up to the kids and don't leave their side when the boys are sick or in trouble, they sleep at our feet every night, and give us cozy warm bodies to snuggle up to on rainy days as we binge our favorite shows. They even let Indy give them huge bear hugs (read: choke holds) on the regular. As expected in a house full of boys, things tend to get a little crazy - whether it's the boys playing at full volume or both cats running back and forth through the house at the wee hours of the morning. Honestly, it's never a dull moment. I'm always looking for ways to add calm to the storm where I can. While I totally get that cats are nocturnal creatures I'm not always on board for their nightly chases and rough housing throughout the apartment while we're trying to sleep. It's hard enough getting a two year old to sleep, I definitely don't need them waking him up. So giving the "teenager" cat a natural calming supplement from Pet Naturals® of Vermont before we hit the hay is the perfect way to guarantee that he'll most likely stay put on top of the boys bed counting sheep while our older cat sleeps on our bed fast asleep. It's also great for days when the kids are getting a little too rowdy and the kitty is forced to retreat under the bed for a few hours, or even for one of our many road trips. They both are almost perfect in the car once we've been driving a bit but the first 30 minutes is filled with endless yowls as they stalk the cabin. A Calming Supplement to soothe their nerves when we first get into the car is super helpful. You can also use the Pet Naturals® Calming Supplements for thunder storms, fireworks and the dreaded vet visit - it's a feat to get both of them in a carrier and out the door so I'll take all the help I can get. Secret Weapon: Why I Love It: + Works Naturally Like Pet Naturals® of Vermont, I'm all for finding alternatives to drug or chemical therapies. The more natural the better. Each supplement is created with powerful ingredients in the form of a tasty reward (my cats are super picky so the real test was to see if they would actually eat it. They did and they went back for more. Note to self: hide the packaging). Each supplement is Free of WHEAT, CORN AND ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS. + Veterinarian Formulated. Pet Naturals® of Vermont's parent company FoodScience® Corporation has led the human and animal health industry for the last 40 years with extensive nutritional research and product development. As members of the National Animal Supplement Council, Pet Naturals® is dedicated to the education and development of the nutritional supplement marketplace. Keep an eye out for the NASC seal on all of their products as a guarantee that the formula meets the NASC standards for quality, integrity and labeling guidelines. For more information go to PetNaturals.com + Women and Family Owned Company I'm not going to beat around the bush here, I'm more inclined to buy from a woman and family owned company than a huge brand. For me, it's peace of mind knowing they really care about your pet and not just the dollar signs. +100% Satisfaction Guaranteed From raw materials of the highest quality and potency to the manufacturing procedures that ensure they always meet their own high-regulatory standards and all the way down to how your pet feels about each product, Pet Naturals of Vermont is so confident, they back every product with a 100% satisfaction guarantee Shop Pet Naturals® Of Vermont at Walmart.com JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.