My Prom: The Makeup, Hair, Dress, and Date

 

I usually don't do personal posts, but I finally uploaded my prom photos from the end of the year and thought it'd be fun to share a few with you. This was my school's first-ever prom, and it was a blast. Food, dancing, dresses, more food and more dancing...and did I mention food?

Oklahoma Vacation Photos!

I went to Oklahoma last week for what my mom called "camping". Honestly, I don't think staying in a cabin nicer than my actual home is considered camping, but whatever. I promised to share some photos with you, so here they are! This is pretty much the first time I've ever shared pictures of me or my family with y'all, so I hope you enjoy!

What's in My Suitcase?

Tomorrow after church, I will be huddled into a compact car with an array of loud family members, heading out-of-state for a vacation in the mountains. (There are mountains in Oklahoma? Who knew?) I thought I'd give you a glimpse into what I'm bringing along to keep me occupied while I chill in a hot tub in my new swimsuit. (Such a chore, I know.) Wondering what to pack for your trip? Check out my top tips.

Let's Chat: Send in Your Questions!

Hey, girls! I thought it'd be fun to give you a chance to get to know me (and pick up some extra beauty/fashion/faith/relationship advice, of course). So send me all your questions and I'll answer most of them in an upcoming post. You can ask about my makeup/hair routine, my style, my favorite movies or food, etc. (Like truth or dare...but without the dare, because I'm a wimp.) I encourage you all to do this on your own blogs, too, and see what your readers want to know about you!

Pop me some questions at girlsforgodblog@yahoo.com

(If you don't have an email address, just leave a comment, or post something in the chat box in the sidebar.)

xoxo,
Melissa

Tests, Worries, Mongols, and Why God is Not a Vending Machine

I have a question for you: Is it ok to ask God for help on a test? Specifically, the World History AP exam that I am taking tomorrow that deserves a bit more studying than I've put into it?

Melissa: Dear God, I love you.
God: That's great. I love you, too.
Melissa: Does that mean you'll help me on my test tomorrow?
God: You're funny.

Melissa: If you don't, I won't get college credit. Which means I won't be  successful in life. Which means I'll have to join the circus or something to get money for food. Which means I won't be able to change the world, adopt orphans, and serve your kingdom...all that good stuff. You don't want that, do you?

God: Quit blogging and go study.

I'm fairly certain that's what God would say to me right now. Not that I haven't studied. I have doodles of soldiers, kings, and Queen Elizabeth all over my notes, outlined in pink scented highlighters. But I can just picture myself sitting in front of the test tomorrow....

Melissa: Hey, God. You created the Mongols. What influence did they have on the culture of Southeast Asia?

God: I'm gonna go with C.

So back to my question: Is it ok to ask God for help on an incredibly significant, life-changing test? I thought I'd consult my Bible on this one.

 So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to answer.... (Luke 21:14)

 If that's not a sign from God, I don't know what is. In all seriousness, though, I'm the one who's taking the test, not God, and it's up to me to come up with a good grade. Yeah, yeah, I know. God never promised us he'd make up for every stupid mistake we've made, or pick up for our lack of study skills. But God did promise us something that can help:

Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. (Matthew 11:28)

So the fate of my grade (and my abilty to change the world, etc.) is in my hands, but I'm not completely alone in this one. I've done the work, so God's got my back. Although that would be SUPER, (hint hint, Lord), God's probably not going to feed me answers or even help me write those three killer essays. But I know that I can count on him to clear my mind, help me focus, and maybe make sure my stomach doesn't growl too loudly during the test. Wish me luck!

Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

New Email

You can now email me at girlsforgodblog@yahoo.com

It's not my personal email, so if you want to simply chat, just use the chatbox to your left. However, you can email me if you want to:

• get answers to your beauty, fashion, relationship, life questions
• suggest a future post you'd like to see here
• submit a post, beauty tip, fashion tip, or related poem of your own
• participate in possible interactive surveys, interviews, etc.
• submit your own photos to be used in future posts (high-quality photos of teen girls & young women)
• learn more about making Christ the King of your life
• and much more!

Living Life

I know you've read all kinds of books about some of the stuff I tell you on this blog, but I want to be totally honest with you. I understand what you're going through. I understand how your brain works. Why? I am a fourteen year old 100 pound brunette who wears size 1 jeans and less-than-perfect skin. I am not a beauty queen. I am not an older person (or a guy) trying to tell you about how you think. I am a real girl in a real world. I like belts at my waist and mood rings. I like black nails but I'm not goth. I love spaghetti (in fact, I ate that for dinner tonight). I like clothes that show of my figure without showing off too much skin. I sometimes lose sight of what's important, just like you. Sometimes (OK, a LOT of times) God feels distant, but I know He's there. I wear size 8 shoes and am not happy about that fact. I have big dreams but I'm not exactly sure how to get where I want to be. I am not who I would like to be...but at the same time, I am content with myself for the most part. I love fashion and have a great sense of style, but sometimes I ask my mom if something looks too bold (it's hard for me to remember that runway fashion is NOT wearable.)
I've read tons of great books buy older women and even guys who have a lot of cool things to say about teen girls. But I want you to know that I am learning to live and to love with you. Most of you are my age, so I'm usually not giving "big sister" advice. I'm just sharing with you what's going on with ME, and I want to know what's up with YOU. I want you to know that I want to invest in your lives and grow up with you. We can swap style secrets, beauty bites, and faith facts. But most of all, we can live life together. Because that's what being a girl is all about.

What Real Beauty Looks Like

I went to a funeral for my Aunt Shana today. It got me thinking about death, but also about our souls, spirit, and even our beauty.

Aunt Shana was a beautiful woman, God's closest thing to perfect. She was in love with family, friends, God, even strangers. Everyone she met was touched by her, and even those who had only heard about her cancer story but had never met her said they were inspired to live better, brighter lives because of her life. Yesterday, her husband said that when they were dating and he was wondering whether or not he should get serious about their relationship, he concluded that every time Shana walked into a room, it was as if she brought the sunshine with her. She really did light up the room -- and everyone's hearts.

Back to her beauty. My aunt was "famous" for her good looks. She was a striking blonde who never had a bad hair day. She had bright, intelligent eyes and a slim figure. No 50-year-old woman could come close to looking as gorgeous as she did. She had always been full of life and adventure and hospitality.

Today when I looked in her casket, it was almost like the person lying in the box was only a shadow of my aunt. Her closed eyes were dusted blue, her lips a pink coral, her hair impeccable as usual. In her hand was a crucifix and what I think were rosary beads. Yet it didn't seem like she was all there. She was cold, too -- stone cold and stiff. A thought overwhelmed me -- this wasn't my aunt anymore. She wasn't here.

A beautiful funeral poem contains a verse that reminds me of what I thought earlier today. "Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep."

Our outward beauty doesn't last. Aunt Shana's age didn't make her any less beautiful, but her death made her empty body lifeless as she lay in the coffin. Makeup can enhance or hide things, but it can't hide the fact that it's just makeup. Beauty without life is nothing. Life fuels beauty.

Our lives make us beautiful. Our experiences, the way we react, the people who change us, the love we share, the peace of God...that is what makes us beautiful. Our personality, character, life, joy...that's how beauty is really defined. Aunt Shana was beautiful and full of life, but today she wasn't the same. Because it wasn't her in that coffin.

We are made in God's image. He breathed life into us. When we begin our second life in Heaven and our souls leave our earthly bodies, our earthly bodies are empty. Lifeless. Dead.

This is perhaps the biggest revelation I have come to with beauty. My aunt was beautiful in her life because of the beautiful woman God made her to be. When that woman left us and went to wait for us with God, her old, broken body is just a shadow of her old self, a shadow of her life. Imagine how she looks now! She was beautiful on earth, and now, with the light of Jesus on her face, how will she look when I see her in heaven someday?

And how will you look when we get to meet each other in Heaven, both of us shining and filled with the joy and love of Christ?

Your beauty isn't measured by just your outward appearance. It's your life that really shines through.

A Note in a Bottle at the Beach

Hey lovelies! Checking out some interesting houses along the beach at the far side of the island. My hair is salty and my skin is so brown but no sunburns yet so that's good. I bought some Vitamin Water and some black liquid L'oreal eyeliner at Wal-Mart. It's been my dream for a long time to try liquid liner, and I can't even use it until I get home, because there is no point in wearing it to the beach; one wave and I'll look like a monster. I'm about to see My Sister's Keeper with Mom and Nana while Dad takes the cranky little ones to see Ice Age 3 (personally, it's time for the mammoth to die. I mean, the first one is really cute, but 3??) Ah well, who can resist another failed nutty adventure by that lovable er, small rabid acorn-eating thing?

Gone to the Beach

I’m driving to Galveston tomorrow (not to worry, I’m not behind the wheel) with my family so I won’t be here for a few days. Then my friends are coming over for a week, so I honestly don’t know when I’ll get to update my 2 blogs. So if you’re wondering where I’ve been or coming to the conclusion that I’ve been abducted by aliens, I plead, do not worry. Of course, I might be eaten by a shark or run away and join the pod of dolphins residing in Galveston; but if this happens, my dad will notify you so you can mourn my parting properly. While I’m gone, I have a few wishes. First, if you go on a trip, I want the details in my chat box! Second, feel free to leave me well-wishes for safe travel. :) Third, keep reading your Bibles and share with me what you’ve been reading when I get back, because I will most likely be feeling deprived of my readers. Lastly, when I come back to you, a few exclamations of, "OMB MELISSA WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH! OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN SO DULL WITHOUT YOU!" Yes, that would be nice. :)

Your Sister in Christ,
Melissa