On Monday evening a very lovely young lady wrote what I thought to be a very lovely blog post. I thought it so lovely in fact, that I immediately asked her permission to share it here. She was quite gracious and wrote me right back to say that I could indeed. So here it is:

Who do I aspire to be like?

Well, wandering around on HSA can get you into trouble. Did you know that? I read a post that said at the end, “Ok, all you who read this, your tagged, go and do thou likewise, who do you ascribe to be like?” So now I am stuck with having to write about it. Of course, if I really didn’t want to I just wouldn’t, and I doubt anyone could get a posse up to arrest me for it.  I suppose there is no harm in it though, so I will write about it. I do, however, think that aspire might be more the term to go with the idea, so I changed it.

If I could pick just one person, I would pick Jesus, because ultimately, every other person that I want to be like is just reflecting the wonder, beauty, and likeness of the Love of my life, Jesus Christ. Most of all, I guess it would be His kindness that I want to have, and His love for the oppressed and obnoxious human beings around Him – a love that sometimes makes Him ferocious, but never unkind. Have you ever stopped to think about how He will wound the oppressor in order to not only rescue the oppressed, but the oppressor as well? At other times it will look to us that the oppressor is getting away with everything, only to find out later that Jesus was using that to gently call them away from evil and into His arms and righteousness.

I also aspire to be like many of my friends, who speak of Jesus very naturally and often, as though He were actually… real – and real to them – like they would of any other friend! I aspire to be like the ones who can enjoy the beauty around them, within them, and within others without trusting in that beauty. I want to be a true friend, to love because God loves, and not for what I can get from others, or because they are so good, perfect, or easy to be around.

I aspire to be like Amy Carmichael, the ten Boom family, and so many others who risked everything for God and His people. I aspire to be like the wise woman in the “princess books” (as I call them) who gave her life to serve both rich and poor, wise and foolish, grateful and ungrateful, without demanding as she could have, that she be treated like royalty. She, like Queen Esther, understood that her royalty was for a purpose greater than herself.

I could write more if I thought more, but I guess that is enough for now. I think this project will remind me to think more about it.

There’s a discussion about modesty going on over at HomeschoolALUMNI and I jumped in last night to share a few thoughts. Here they are for y’all to read as well:

Modesty stems from the word moderation. To be moderate is to behave (or dress) in such a way as to not draw undue attention to ourselves. Wearing barely-there-clothing draws unnecessary attention that causes people (both men and women) to think certain things of us. But, on the other end of the spectrum, covering ourselves from head to toe in shapeless, colorless, unattractive garb also draws unnecessary attention and creates a notion in people’s minds that Christianity is ugly.

Here are a few more “random” thoughts on the matter:

• We are not to conform to the world, but we shouldn’t be so far apart that non-Christians daren’t come near us. We are to be a light.
• Christ is beautiful. We are to be His reflections. Therefore we should present ourselves beautifully.
• To be modest we must be moderate.

Below are a few frugal tips from a recent issue of A Lady in Waiting:

1. Limit your cleaning products to one or two that will handle all sorts of jobs, instead of having separate cleaners for windows, floors, showers, etc.
2. Don’t drink juices “full strength” - adding a little water will stretch the number of glassfuls you get without diluting the flavor.
3. Ask your grocery store for its policies on almost-out-of-date foods.
4. Use a debit card with a rewards program for all your big purchases. Points can usually be redeemed for gift cards that you can give as gifts or use to treat you family to a nice dinner out.
5. Use overripe fruit in smoothies.
6. When cooking chicken breasts, slice them horizontally in half to make two thinner pieces. The portion is still sufficient for most appetites and it doubles the amount of meat you can serve (and it cooks faster, too).
7. Buy refilled or recycled ink cartridges.
8. Don’t toss paper that’s only been printed on one side - cut it into squares to use for jotting down notes.
9. Use a clothesline for drying your clothes.
10. Stay home! It’s easier to be content with what you have when you’re not surrounding yourself with things you don’t have.

For more frugal tips and ideas, visit Biblical Womanhood.

I have seen a lot of blog and forum posts on marriage lately that appear discouraging to single young women, so I wanted to share a few thoughts . . .

It seems that a lot of folks have an idea that if a girl’s over 18 and not married yet, it’s her fault. What I’ve been noticing is a bunch of people saying that girls who aren’t married are A) too picky or B) not trying hard enough to meet “eligible young men.” Although likely true in some circumstances, I don’t believe it to be the norm.

It saddens me to hear so many negative comments regarding why young women are still single. Being single is not an evil!

Young women who state that they are enjoying their singledom and not actively seeking a husband are told that they’re simply not trying hard enough to meet young men. This is just absurd! The New Testament specifically notes that single folks have more freedom to serve the Lord. Why give that up for a “husband hunt”? Trusting in God to bring along the right person at the right time doesn’t mean that we sit alone at home 24/7, or that we hide from men. It simply means that we are living in the Now. If we are trusting in the Lord to take care of us and bring our husbands in His time, He will prompt us to respond when we need to.

Enjoying singledom does not mean that we don’t desire to be married. And trusting the Lord for our husbands doesn’t mean we don’t have or begin friendships with guys! But what Christian young man wants to make friends with a young lady only to find out that she really only wanted to see if he was good husband material? Additionally, attempts to make friends and to be social are not always as easy as they’re made out to be. We’re often told to just, “go to church,” “go to dances and events,” etc, etc. Trust me, sometimes a girl can go out seven days a week, meeting new people, visiting friends, and still not meet anyone marriageable, or at least not anyone who would be a good “fit” for them.

Certainly there are some young ladies, especially conservative, homeschooled young women, who just have their standards set so high that no mortal man could ever expect to meet them all. What is more often the case is that many of us simply know what God has called us to do in our lives and can understand when we will not be a good complement to a young man. And here is where young ladies are often told that they expect too much. (Oh, what fickle advice we receive! First we’re told to set our standards high and not to settle. Then when we meet young men that don’t match those standards we’re told that we expect too much. ) But often it’s just that the right guy isn’t around yet. It’s not pickiness - it’s prudence.

So, perhaps it really is our fault that we’re not married yet. But if it being my fault means that I’m serving the Lord, have great friendships with a variety of folks, and didn’t marry someone that I couldn’t complement, just to get out of being single, then I will happily accept the blame for my singleness.

Hello, ladies!

I’ve been talking with some different campgrounds here in Virginia, trying to make plans for a retreat this fall. The details haven’t all been finalized yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as they are!

It looks like the retreat will be either October 21-24 or October 22-25, near or in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I’m hoping to keep the cost around $175 - that will include lodging and 8-9 meals, as well as 3-4 Titus Two Workshops.

My mom will be leading one of the Titus Two Workshops - a hands-on whole foods workshop. We’ll also have a Titus Two Workshop on paper crafting and I’m hoping to have someone lead a workshop on making dairy products (cheese, ice cream, etc.) from raw milk.

In addition to the workshops we’ll have devotion times with one another and there will be lots of free time to fellowship, enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage, and relax.

If you have any suggestions, comments, ideas, etc., please feel free to pass them along! You can leave a comment here or send a note to rebekah@aladyinwaiting.com. I’m excited about all the possibilities and getting to meet many of y’all this October!

~Rebekah

Laundry detergent, toothpaste, sticky notes, coffee, granola, shampoo, markers, lip gloss . . . free product samples are everywhere! But what can we do with all these trial-sized packs of stuff? Here are a few ideas for using those sample packs:

Use them! You may discover a toothpaste that works well, a cereal you really like, or a laundry detergent that you’re not allergic to.

Save them! Put aside packets of homemaking supplies in an “emergency” box for when you run out of fabric softener or shampoo. Just reach in and grab a freebie to tide you over till you get to the store.

Tote them! Sample-sized products are great for traveling. Use small containers of toothpaste and lotion when you fly. Keep granola and energy bars in the car (along with a few toiletries for emergencies).

Give them! Just imagine the wonderful gift baskets you can put together - using only free stuff! If you have a stockpile of freebies, give some to single moms or other low-income families you know. Or use them as hostess gifts when you go visiting!

There are a lot of possibilities for utilizing freebies, so don’t skip over offers for products you can use in creative ways. Just make sure you really do use what you request!

For more frugal tips and ideas, visit BiblicalWomanhood.

Here are a few photos of the wedding I photographed last weekend. (Keep in mind that I shot the wedding as a friend, not a professional photographer - these aren’t photos from a pro! )

I’m photographing a wedding for a friend tomorrow, so weddings are near the front of my mind right now. Here are a few ideas on not-quite-so-costly wedding flowers:

Friends with large gardens can be great assets here!

In-season flowers and those that are indigenous to the region will be less expensive than those that aren’t typically grown in your area or are out of season. Stick with the color scheme, but don’t be particular about the specific types of flowers.

For tables - single blossoms in bud vases can be just as effective as, and sometimes more elegant than, large bouquets. Shallow bowls filled with water and colored stones with one or two blossoms floating atop are another option. Long mirrors with tealights and flower petals. With a little creativity, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Bridesmaids don’t have to carry bouquets. They could carry something different such as fans, candles, small lanterns, single blossoms with ribbons, etc., etc.

Corsages and boutonnières aren’t mandatory.

Finding a horticultural student to arrange your bouquets can be cheaper than having a well-established florist arrange them. Or enlist a little help from friends and arrange them yourself!

Hold your wedding sometime other than peak florist seasons…Mother’s Day, prom, Valentine’s Day, graduation, etc.

If you (or a friend or relative) are crafty, you can make gorgeous bouquets with paper flowers. Paper flowers can be simple or intricate, made with a variety of papers and can look quite realistic if they’re done well.

Visit Biblical Womanhood for more frugal tips and ideas. And check back early next week . . . I’ll be posting a couple photos from the wedding!

I’ve started taking ballroom dance lessons again. It’s been quite awhile since the last time I took classes . . . about 10 years! Since then I’ve done a little bit of swing dancing here and there, but nothing “official.” This class is five Fridays through the summer (but we get to dance for nearly 4 hours each class night!) and it’s an established ballroom dance program run by Christians, held in a church, attended mostly by homeschoolers, etc. It’s especially nice because I’m in the College & Career class with a mixture of people I already knew and folks I’m just meeting . . . so I’m not being overwhelmed with new people, but I do get to meet other Christians around my age.

That Dance Thing (the class I’m taking, also called TDT) has been especially nice since I wasn’t at the dance studio this year. A year with no dancing was rough! I’m looking forward to see what God has coming up for me next in the dance realm. I’m ready to get back into dancing and teaching regularly.

This past Friday was the second night into the class and was just fabulous. So far we’ve gone over the foxtrot, waltz, samba, hustle, rumba, cha-cha, and swing. We’ve learned the basic steps in all six styles and have added some ad libs and turns in most of them. Maybe next time I go I’ll take along my camera and get a few photos to share.

It’s Frugal Friday! Visit Biblical Womanhood for more freebies and great ideas for living your life frugally.

Call your local A&W to find out if they’re participating in Free Float Day. Participating A&W’s will be giving away free floats (choose your favorite soft drink) from 2:00-8:00 on June 16th.

Print this coupon for a Free Frutista Freeze at Taco Bell, with any size purchase. Get more coupons here and here. Each coupon can be printed twice, for a total of 6 coupons, good until June 19th. (I used one of these last week and really enjoyed the Mango Strawberry freeze.)

It’s almost time for National Flip Flop Day! Wear your flip-flops into any Tropical Smoothie Cafe on June 21st and you can get a free 24 oz. Jetty Punch (strawberry-banana) smoothie.