Journaling-Guest Post By Desiree

About a year ago I received a lovely journal and after a while I started to really enjoy journaling and scrapbooking.  I have been able to record so many special events and thoughts; and will continue to do so for years to come. 

 Journaling and/or scrapbooking are great ways to remember all the lessons God had taught you and His faithfulness in your life.  And one day if the Lord wills you will get married and have children and then you will have a record of all God has done for you.  Psalm 145:4 says “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”   Why not start “declaring” Christ’s mighty acts in your life by journaling and/or scrapbooking?!

These are a few ideas to get you started; but there are so many more ideas for journaling and/or scrapbooking, just be creative and keep your eyes openJ!

-First, you will need a journal or scrapbook.  Either you can buy one or make one.  Whichever one you choose make sure it will be large enough for all that will go into itJ.  The best paper to use in this situation would be acid free paper, which will keep nicely thorough the years and also any pictures you put in it.  The first page tells what you would like this journal to mean and how you would like it to be used.

-Next, the fun part, filling it!   There are so many ways to do this and these are only a few ideas: wrapping paper from a birthday or Christmas, stickers, photos, poems, quotes, thoughts, prayers,  magazine clippings, dried flowers, your favorite books, letters to future generations, special letters you have received, Bible verses, and Godly images.  Keep in mind to keep all entries God honoring, you want this to be a light for future generations and also remember to include why each entry is special to you, seeing as future generations might not be able to tell.  I also have a page to write everything I am thankful for.  From Jesus to the Bible to my family to pink!  And it is growing by the dayJ.  Make up a page for each of these and fill it with quotes and Scripture pertaining to the subject.

- When a special occasion happens have an entry just for the time.  A special occasion would be: a birthday party, a shower, Christmas, a sibling’s wedding, your weddingJ, etc.  Make sure to include pictures and any little object that had something to with the occasion.

- Choose a Godly lady from the past or still living and read a biography about her or look her up in an encyclopedia or the internet.  Then write an article about her, tell about her life, how she demonstrated Godliness, what you think she is a Godly role model, and Bible verses that describe her life.  Some ladies to choose from would be Amy Carmicheal, Elisabeth Elliot, Susannah Wesley, Gladys Alyward, Florence Nightingale etc.  There is so much we can learn from ladies in the past and why not help others learn these lessons that taught us so much?

-Write about your home and why you love it.  If you have a favorite room, tree, bush, your spot at the dinner table, or anything else that it special in your home; write about it.  Include pictures or draw a picture.  If you have a special family tradition that you enjoy and want to carry on, write about it.

-Have a kitchen section where you can include your favorite recipes or recipes that were a favorite in your family.  You can include stories on how they came to be a favorite or any other reason you can think of to include the recipeJ.

-Have a page for each of your siblings.  Tell about memories you had with them, about their good character qualities, Bible verses that they lived out, why you think God gave them to you as a brother or sister, and what you will miss about them one day when you are both older.

-Finally, write some letters to God, your father, and your future husband.  First, write to God, telling Him you are placing your future in His hands.  Ask Him to help you guard your heart and purity for the one he has set apart for you.  Then, write a letter to you father, telling him that you are entrusting to him your heart.  Ask him to help guard and keep you pure for your future spouse.  Another idea would be to buy a symbolic heart or a heart and key to give your father, which he will later give your husband (since Father’s Day is coming this would make a wonderful gift).  Ask your mom or sibling take picture of this moment and then include them in you entry.  Lastly, write a letter to your future husband telling him that you will remain pure and guard your heart for him and him alone.  Tell him you are trusting God to write your love story.

I hope these are ideas are helpful in either starting a journal or keeping one.  What a beautiful remembrance this will be one day for your children and who knows maybe be your great-great- grandchildren! 

Note: After I wrote this I thought that recording all this can be a little overwhelming.  But take your time with each of these projects; don’t rush when writing and recording all of these.  Each of these projects may take years, when you think you’re done there might come up another project.  Be sure to take all of a time as you need to make this a wonderful memory book.  One day looking, back you won’t regret it!

                                                  

Desiree is the,almost 17 year-old, daughter of The Kings of Kings.  She loves to be with her family of 10, sew, crochet, read, make people smile, study her Sword (aka.the Bible), and live for Jesus.  She blogs at Ransomed Princess.  

Raindrops in Oregon

When Blythe contacted me, asking that I guest post for her blog, I heartily agreed.  I love guest posting!  It's always so much fun.

I asked her what she'd like me to write on and she said: '...fun things about the rain (since you live in Oregon, that idea just kinda popped into my head)...'

:)

Yes, I live in Oregon. 

I live where it rains. 

I love it when it rains.

It's beautiful here.  I am constantly amazed that I was blessed to live in this amazing place.  So many blogging buddies have told me how they wish they lived here too:)  Well...how about I give you all a little taste of it?

I want to find this sign and put my own sticker on it.

Oregon is very green.  It's green almost all year round.  Well, except for the southern (and some parts of eastern) Oregon. 

...and when it snows.  But even then, you can almost always see some green:)

There are tall evergreen trees almost everywhere you go.  The rain keeps everything looking so beautiful...and fresh...and green...

Not to mention that it keeps everything smelling so nice.



A lot of people don't like the rain.  And if you do like rain (like me), you're considered 'kinda crazy'.

Okay, so I do like sunny days, of course.  Who doesn't?  It's just that I'm not a complainer when it does rain, because...well...there are advantages to rain!  I gave a few examples above ^, but also...there are so many things you can do indoors too.

A few personal favorites are:

>> making a hot cup of tea and cuddling up in my favorite blanket with a good book.

>> writing in my journal 

>> baking (who likes anything better than chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven on a chilly day?)

>> falling asleep to the sound of rain 

Portland {Ptown}, Oregon at night

Oregon is known for having some beautiful sight-seeing spots.  Such as this one ^.

Elowah Falls, Oregon

Or this ^

It's a beautiful state.  Despite all the criticism some people give us by saying that we're known for being the state with the most rain.  Given, that is very true.  But we also have the most advantages over other states. 

I was actually just talking to some friends of mine about this!  We were saying how Oregon has so many different places just about an hour from our reach.  The beach...the desert...the mountains...the forest...seriously!  And we don't have hurricanes...or tornadoes...or sandstorms... ::shrugs::  Oregon for the win.

{All photos via Raquel's Pinterest}

---

Miss Raquel is a love of words, beautiful photographs, twirly dresses, bowties, Converse, frozen yogurt all things Western and romantic sayings.  She blogs at God's Daughter, where she writes on a variety of different topics.  Feel free to stop by any time and leaver her a comment! 

Being a Photographer | Guest Post by Nela

One of the things that got me interested in photography was how clear and unique pictures can be. 

I remember going through countless blog posts, admiring each individual's style and how they presented their photos. And I guess that's what really inspired me to become a photographer.

                                                                   Source: paigeoverturfblog.com via Nela on Pinterest

When I received my first DSLR camera, (I'll be honest here) I thought the pictures that I took were out of this world. I really did think that I was one of the greatest photographers out there. *laughs softly*. But only because of how clear the quality of the pictures were compared to my old camera. 

Needless to say, I still have a long way to go on my photography journey. There have been days when I don't pick up my camera to take pictures, and times when I always use auto mode for the camera setting.

 So you see, I'm no perfect photographer, but I have the heart of one.

                                                     Source: smileethatbeautifulsmilee.tumblr.com via Nela on Pinterest

In order to become a photographer, you must have a deep passion for it. You can't just go buy yourself an expensive camera, start taking pictures, and start saying that they're the best out there. That's not how that works. It takes time, patience, and lots of practice to really set yourself apart from other photographer wanna-bes. 

                                                     Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com via Nela on Pinterest

The other thing about being a photographer, is having a big imagination. You have to use your wits and creative senses to be able to capture the perfect moment at the right place. It helps if you're an avid reader, because from all the book-reading that you did, your imagination gets bigger and better as time progresses. 

                                                   Source: gardenviewcottage.tumblr.com via Nela on Pinterest

To be a great photographer, you have to be creative and unique. Because everyone wants to see something new each and every day. Something that will make their eyes pop open and praise your photos. Figure out your creative style by taking lots of pictures, think outside the box, but most importantly be yourself when you're snapping a photo-shoot.  

                                                     Source: sayingimages.com via Nela on Pinterest

Remember, each photo is uniquely different. No two photos are exactly the same {unless you copied one from the original, but that's just cheating. ;) } Just because the photo turns out a bit blurry or something, that doesn't mean that it doesn't hold a special memory from that moment. So keep that photo as a reminder in your progress in your photography journey.

     Of course there will always be room for improvement, but as photographers in training we must never forget this:

                                                                      Source: megan-thelifeofagirl.blogspot.com via Nela on Pinterest

                                         
 Keep that quote in mind the next time you take a photo. ;)

Hi! My name is Marianela (but everyone calls me Nela for short). I'm a writer, baker, reader, blogger, martial artist, and a photographer in training. You can find out more about me on my blog, "Beloved Star" and my cooking blog, "Nel's Home Cooking". Hope you have a nice day, and I look forward to meeting you. :)

Modest Fashion Tips - a guest post by Bree

Hi there, I'm Bree.

I am a freshman in high school, and among other things, a fashionista.
Let me tell you, I love fashion. We go hand-in-hand. The thrill you get from piecing together a unique outfit is like when someone compliments an artist's work. It makes your whole day a little bit brighter, and I'm all for happy days. :)

My only problem with fashion is keeping it modest. There is a lot of cute clothing at stores today that is adorable and immodest at the same time. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has this problem. After a couple years of making the best of it, I've learned a few things, and that's what I'm going to share with you today.


Here's how this works: try the tests out, and if you have no problem with the first, move on to the second, and so on. If you do have a problem, view the solution in the solution section below the tests. :)


Tests:
(Note: these tests are just guidelines. They may or may not be right for you. Just experiment with them, and if you find something that works better, tell us!)

1. Fingertip test: Hold you arms straight down at your sides. Are your shorts/skirt at your fingertips, below, or above? If they are above, it's probably too short. See solution one.  
2. Mirror test: Lean down in from of the mirror, so that your back is parallel to the floor. Now look in the mirror - is any cleavage showing? This way, you will know how much someone will see if you are bending over in public. If anything is showing, it's too low. See solution two.
3. Jumping test: Do ten jumping jacks. Now drop and give me...just kidding. :P When you did those ten jumping jacks, did your stomach show? If so, your shirt is too short. See solution three.
4. Leaning test: Lean over and touch your toes, and have a sister or your mom stand behind you. Can they see your undergarments, or too much skin? You dress is definitely too short. See solution four. 
5. Transparency test: Look in the mirror at your shirt. Lift up your arms, and turn slowly around. Is anything visible from any angles? If so, it may be either too thin, too small, or just too open. See solution five. 
6. Tight test: Find the tightest spot in your pants, and see if you can hold an inch of fabric in that area comfortably. If not, they are too tight. See solution six. 

Solutions:

#1: Leggings are a great way to remedy this. And yes, I am talking about shorts too. :) Not only do leggings cover you up, they also are a great trend-setter. They are also rather inexpensive, and come in handy a lot. So this is definitely a good "investment", if you can call it that. ;)

#2: So your shirt is too low - is there really a way to fix that? Isn't it hopeless? No way! If you enjoy altering, (like me) then shortening the straps is a great idea, and very simple. Cut the straps to 1/2 inch longer than you want them to be in the end, turn the shirt inside out, and sew them up. (Note: this works the best with tank tops, but if you are daring enough to try it out with something else, I would *love* to see what you do!) Another way to fix this it to wear a higher shirt underneath it, or a large scarf.

#3: Find a good, long undershirt to wear underneath that top. You have to be careful with this, though. If your shirt is so long that it covers your bottom, it's overkill. I know it's a little awkward, but "divide and conquer" with your shirts. :) It works, trust me. 

#4: Once again, leggings. Read #1 for the benefits of leggings. If it's too warm outside, or your dress just wouldn't work with them, shorts also work, though not as modest. That way, if some accidentally sees beneath your dress, all they see is shorts. 

#5: Layer up! A tank top underneath, a sweater over top, a shawl around your shoulders and neck, there are a lot of different ways to work this. Be creative! ;)

#6: Get a new pair of jeans. Unfortunately, there isn't a better way to fix this, that I know of. (got a solution? comment, I would love to hear!) And it's unfortunate, because jeans aren't cheap. One of the best places to go when this is the case is the thrift store. I've found a lot of cute jeans there. And make sure you avoid the dryer, so they won't shrink on you. :)

Hope these tips helped y'all, and happy fashioning! I have found that I can appreciate fashion so much more when it's unique and modest. Got any tips of your own to add? Comment. :)

Bree is...all of 5 feet and almost 2 inches, wears pink, eats chocolate, drinks coffee, draws, blog designs, snaps pictures, listens to bagpipe music, plays with her russian pointe shoes, wears high-heels because she's cool like that, tries to piece together unique outfits, reads her Bible for inspiration, loves to spend time with Jesus, acts like a dork, likes to have picnics during the golden hour, drools over lovely and expensive cameras, sings horribly but has fun anyway, smiles shyly, and eats chocolate again. :) she blogs at tea & bree about her life, her writing adventures, and life as a southern "belle", and would be absolutely flattered if you would visit her someday. :) she also designs blogs because it's fun.