Avoiding Work

The last week of work in 2012 and unfortunately work is the last thing on my mind right now. With my cousin's passing and school results coming out , reflecting on 2012 in general and daydreaming about Christmas bonuses , I am finding it hard to focus on work.

This is a outfit I wore to church last sunday.
The dress I've had for a while and it's from Woolies, the shoes I got 2 weeks ago from Truworths ( I think I should get another pair, I love them so much).

Time

It's 6 pm I am still sitting in my office at work...I received the most terrible of news today. I didn't lose my job or have my car stolen or any of those things that always seem to make me so anxious.
...Someone I love so dearly passed on and I did not tell them about Christ. I did not tell her that he loves her beyond measure and that he knows her intimately.
She is gone from this twisted world which used her and then spit her out in her prime. I didn't tell her that all she needed to do was to believe and accept him as her saviour , repent and he would have forgiven her of everything.
I pray to God that someone else spoke to her...I thought I had more time and I failed you young one.

Father Please Forgive Me...

Ezekiel 33:6
6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away [a]in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’

Modest Clothing

I recently had the opportunity to study and meditate on 1 Tim 2:9-10;


9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.. (NIV)


I have read this scripture before but this time reading it led me on a search to find out what modest, decent aand proper clothing for a christian woman would be and what the bible says in general about how I should look.
Other Scriptures that I found include: 1 Pet. 3:3-4

 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. (NIV)

Pro. 31:22 b


...she is clothed in fine linen and purple.


 Soooo....for most of my life I have dressed in a way that may be described as modest, unfortunately this style of dress wasn't based on the fact that I wanted to please God. My aesthetic is just generally geared towards simplicity and modesty.
However during the past few months ( When I've been going through a couple of things involving relationships with the opposite sex) jeans have been becoming tighter ( Wayyyy tight in some cases) , hemlines are being raised and make-up is perhaps being over applied.

In my previous church modesty was preached extensively and I always thought that I was on the safe side of things and never took a chance to honetly examine myself. After this search and going through videos on youtube and articles , I think I have more of an understanding of why I should be modestly dressed and as such can look at myself objectively. My clothes are not always reflective of the fact that I am a christian.
I plan to change this in every area of my life; this includes the beach, swimming pools, the gym, school , church and especially work.
Words that I wish to portray in my new style of dressing are; simplicity, modesty , discretion , beauty and frugality. The idea is that my clothes frame my face but not frame my body and leave it up to inspection. I got this dose of wisdom from one of Paul Washer's videos on biblical womanhood.
From my study and the counsel of others I do not believe that dressing modestly would exclude me from wearing pants, make-up or earrings, instead I believe that I should strive to dress in such a way so as to not bring attention to my body and promote sensuality.

Soooo I know this is a long post about somewhat of a controversial subject but I am convicted to do this, right now I am sitting in one of my old pair of jeans (Which is too tight) and a t-shirt, I have not yet begun this 'adventure' but I plan to. I am not sure of my motivations right now , I am not even sure of how I'll go about basically revamping my entire wardrobe but I will learn and it will happen.
 I'll upload outfits once in a while just to maybe show myself that I can be modest, decent and discrete whilst still being stylish.

Ciao

I will wait for you

It's long but worth the read:

I Will Wait…for You” — Janette Ikz

So it seemed, that it was cool, for everyone to be in a relationship but me.
So I took matters into my own hands… and ended up with him
Him who displayed the characteristics of a CHEATER, a LIAR, an ABUSER, & a THEIF So.. why was I surprised when he broke into my heart?
I called 911, but I was cardiac arrested for aiding and abetting,

Cause it was ME who let him in…
Claiming we were “just friends”..
It was already decided for me by the first date, that even if he wasn’t!
I was gonna make him ‘The One’..

You know… I was tired of being alone,
And I simply made up in my mind, that it was about that time so I decided to drag him along for the ride,
Cause I was always the bridesmaid & never the bride..
A virgin in the physical, but mentally just a grown woman on the corner in heat!
Who was tired of the wait!

So I was gonna make him ‘The One’.
He had a… form of Godliness… but not much..
But hey, hey I can change him! So (honey) I’ll TAKE him, I mean he’s close… enough
Ready to sell my aorta for a quarter, not knowing the value of its use to me

Arties so clogged with MY will, it blocked HIS Will from flowing through me
So, I thank Christ that His blood pressure gave this heart an attack,
That flatlined my obscured vision, put me flat on my back
Through my ignorance He sawed,
Through my sternum He sawed & cracked open my chest
TO transplant Psalm 51:10
A new heart & a renewed right spirit within!

So now I fully understand,
Better yet I thoroughly comprehend,
How much I NEED to wait… for You.
See, the bad thing is that I knew he wasn’t you from the beginning..
Cause in the beginning was the Word
And he didn’t even sound or shine like Your Son

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,
And all he could whisper was sweet, empty nothings –
Which meant NOTHING.
He couldn’t even pray when I NEEDED him to
Asking him to fast would be absurd!
So forget about being cleansed & washed with water through the Word…
But I know You..
You were already praying for me
Even never having met me
Let me assure you, I will wait for you
I will no longer date, socialize or communicate with carbon copies of you
To appease my boredom or to quench my thirstiness I have for attention

And short-lived compliments from ‘sorta kindas’.
You know…. He ‘sort kinda’ right, but ‘sorta kinda’ wrong?
His first name LUKE,
His last name WARM.
I, I won’t settle for false companionship
I won’t lay in the embrace of his arms,
Attempting to find some closeness,
But never feeling so far apart cause, I just wanna be held

Cause ♫”all I gotta do is Say” No!
NO more ‘almost sessions’ of ‘almost coming close’
Passing winks & buying drinks,
I’ma, I’ma, I’ma flirt!
Who flirts with the ideology of,
‘Can you just tell me how much I can get away with & still be saved?’

NO more.
I’ll stay in my bed… alone, and write poems, about how I will wait for you,
He won’t even come close,
Our fingers won’t even interlock
We won’t even exchange breath
Cause I have thoughts that I’ve ‘saved as’ in a file that God has only equipped you to open.
I will no longer get weighted down,
From so-called friends & family talks,
About the concern for my biological clock
When I serve the Author of Time.
Who is NOT subject to time,
But I’M subject to Him,
He has the ability to STOP, FAST FORWARD, PAUSE, or REWIND at any given time…

So if we could role play,
You would be Abraham & I would be Sara Or you can be Isaac & I can be Rebecca – a servant’s answered prayer
I am bone of your bone, flesh of your flesh,
Made up of your rib Adam!
And once we meet, like electrons
I will be bound to your nucleus, completely indivisible atom.
We even speak the same math: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, which really equals 1 if you add Him.
We were all created in His image,
But you have the ability to reflect, project & even detect the Son.

If I were to explain what you looked like,
You would have to look like a star,
A son of the Son..
I would gain energy simply from the light on me.
I would need you , in order to complete my photosynthesis
I await your revelation, but once again from the genesis, I will wait for you ♥
And I will know you… because when you speak I will be reminded of Solomon’s wisdom,
Your ability to lead will remind me of Moses,
Your faith will remind me of Abraham,
Your confidence in God’s Word will remind me of Daniel,
Your inspiration will remind me of Paul,
Your heart for God will remind me of David,
Your attention to detail will remind me of Noah,
Your integrity will remind me of Joseph,
And your ability to abandon your own will, will remind me of the disciples,
But Your ability to love selflessly & unconditionally will remind me of Christ.

But I won’t need to identify you by any special Matthews or any special Marks,
Cause His word will be tatted all over your heart.
And you will know me, and you will find me,
Where… the boldness of Esther meets the warm closeness of Ruth.
Where the hospitality of Lydia is aligned with the submission of Mary,
Which is engulfed in the tears of a praying Hanna.
I will be the one, drenched in Proverbs 31… waiting for you.

But to my Father, my Father who has known me before I was birthed into this earth
Only if you should see fit…
I desire Your will above mine,
So even if you call me to a life of singleness,
My heart is content with YOU – the One who was sent.
YOU are the greatest love story ever told,
The greatest story ever known
You are forever my judge & I’m forever Your witness
And I pray that I’m always found on a mission about my Father’s business

Oh, I will always be Yours!

And I will always wait for You Lord, more than the watchmen wait for the morning…

More than the watchmen wait for the morning… I WILL WAIT.

Just In case you had not seen it check it out here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igCj3jsbcqs

Random Internet Wanderings

50 books every black woman should read:

1.    Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

2.    The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

3.    Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry

4.    The Miseducation of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson

5.    Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson by George Jackson

6.    Cane by Jean Toomer

7.    The Prisoner's Wife by asha bandele

8.    Krik? Krak? by Edwidge Danticat

9.    Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

10.    The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman

11.    Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman

12.    Black Bourgeoise by E. Franklin Frazier

13.    Jubilee by Margaret Walker

14.    Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed

15.    The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

16.    Kindred by Octavia Butler

17.    One Day My Soul Just Opened Up by Iyanla Vanzant

18.    In Search of Satisfaction by J. California Cooper

19.    Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

20.    A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

21.    A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines

22.    Black Betty by Walter Mosley

23.    Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks

24.    I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

25.    for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is not enuf by Ntozake Shange

26.    Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman by Michele Wallace

27.    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

28.    The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. DuBois

29.    The Street by Ann Petry

30.    The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor

31.    Praisesong for the Widow by Paule Marshall

32.    This Bridge Called My Back by Cherríe L. Moraga

33.    Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde

34.    Waiting to Exhale by Terri McMillan

35.    Native Son by Richard Wright

36.    Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell

37.    Kehinde by Buchi Emecheta

38.    We a BaddDDD People by Sonia Sanchez

39.    The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes

40.    Fences by August Wilson

41.    The Debt by Randall Robinson

42.    Conversations With God: Two Centuries of Prayers by African-Americans by James Melvin Washington

43.    The Little Black Book of Success by Elaine Meryl Brown, Rhonda Joy McLean and Marsha Haygood

44.    Annie Allen by Gwendolyn Brooks

45.    Why I Love Black Women by Michael Eric Dyson

46.    The Wedding by Dorothy West

47.    When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost by Joan Morgan

48.    Tumbling by Diane McKinney-Whetstone

49.    What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage

50.    Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama

I haven't read any of the above but I have seen a few of the movies that were based on the books.

( Via: 

http://www.essence.com/2012/11/08/write-or-die-chick-50-good-books-every-black-woman-should-read

)

Humour...

26 Things...(Part 1)

I am turning 26 in about 5 months and I am kind of crazy about birthdays , they just make me realise that I am growing older (Duh) and therefore should be reaching for more . Usually I draw up a list of really elaborate and big plans that I plan to accomplish within that year. More times than not unfortunately I fail miserably.
This year however I've decided to take things much slower and just draw a list of things that I would enjoy doing or would find adventurous.
Sooo...a list of 26 things I want to do before I turn 26.
I'll cancel these things off the list as I go along and they are accomplished, I know some of them will be hard to do but I wouldn't do even attempt them if I don't set the goal, so I might as well try.

1. Watch a horror movie by myself at the cinema.
I know this would not be a big deal to most people , I am however the biggest scaredy cat I know and have never even seen a horror movie , true story.
2. Send flowers to my best friend for no reason.
She's just an awesome human being and deserves it.
3. Take my parents and little brother out for dinner at a nice restaurant.
4. Test drive a car I know I cannot afford ( 3 Series anyone?)
5. Dance in the rain ( I have actually done this a few times before and I love it sooo much)
6. Run a 10K race with the girls.
7. Take a pole dancing class with the girls ( I think we'll do this for my birthday next year)
8. Read the new testament from beginning to end.

That's it for now , I am thinking up the things as I go along.

xoxo

DayDreaming...( Home Edition)

  Love theses photos of some amazing lounges and Libraries. 

Nothing says Baws like a cute bookshelf and a faux fur couch

Big couch + Lots of books  = Heaven

Fitness Craze

Lately I seem to be obsessed with gym and fitness, I'm at the gym about 3 times a week ( Wish I could do more , but alas a hectic schedule) and run about 10 km every saturday.
Sooo enjoying the changes to my body, it's amazing really.

My friends and I at a breast cancer walkathon over the weekend.

2012 Olympics and it's starring men

Everyone who knows me probably also knows that I'm a huge sports fan...so events like the olympics are super exciting for me. I especially loved the London Olympics because South Africa got 6 medals ( Our biggest haul ever) an I could not have been prouder..

Now on to the business of the day , the 5 hottest men in the olympics:

5.Usain Bolt

Well my best friend loves him so he gets a mention, plus he's super tall which in my book is always a plus 

 4. Cullen Jones  

American Swimmer

3. Ryan Lochte

Fine, fine white man'

 1. David Rudisha 

Kenyan Running sensation

1.Yohan Blake

Love Him

Sigh...Fours years is such a long time but next stop , Rio de Janeiro.
xoxo

Time for new hair.

Sooo...I've been somewhere between very short and no hair for the past few years and I think I am finally ready for a change. I loved being bald but honestly a change is in order....some of the hairstyles I am considering. 

Loving the box braids

Hmmmm...Might be hard to maintain

Wondering whether  a hair dresser in Kempton Park can get this right...

My hair is still a little short for any of these currently , but you know I like to be prepared...

XOXO

The Motherland

I have this weird affinity and connection with 3 African countries, that always seems to make me wonder.

1. The DRC - ever since I can remember I have had a very weird dream to go and be a missionary there for at least a year, that dream hasn't come true yet ( mostly because I have been too busy pursing other things...#hangsheadinshame) but i am really praying that it happens before I turn 30.

2. Nigeria  - Nigeria, Lagos in particular, is the first place I would visit if i had the opportunity to. I mean 16 million people (mostly black people) in 1 place , this I got to see.

The central business district of Lagos Island

3.Angola  - Okay my reasons fo wanting to go here are a bit shallow...I think they have the hottest men in Sourthern Africa by far ( Do not judge me). They also apparently have some of the best beaches and natural landscapes around.

Angolian Beach

One day is one day

Photos courtesy of: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=650332

                                http://www.heyhotshot.com/

Some winter style inspiration:

Okay I love this look but bare legs and a highveld winter do not really mix.

Random things happening in my life right now:
1. I have moved from Pretoria to the East Rand ( I wonder i this means I'll have to rename the blog)
2. I joined the Virgin Active close to my house and am finally taking small steps towards fitness.

Winter Time = Hard Time

I am having such a hard time dressing for work lately, somehow my wardrobe currently does not cover both 'stylish' and 'warm' at the same time.
So what usually happens is I'll be warm but not be stylish or worse be stylish and be cold....Hmm I wonder if this is a good enough excuse to go shopping...

Therefore as far as I am concerned winter must just end already...

Things inspiring me right now:
1. My new car
2. Sara Bareilles' new EP ( She always seems to express all of the things I never have the words to)
3. My new pink , Chanel inspired journal
4. My trip to Limpopo this afternoon, no place like home

P.s I have found my new favourite website for things that are fitness related....http://getfitwithnic.tumblr.com/
If her posts do not inspire you to get fit then nothing will.

Photo courtesy of :  http://getfitwithnic.tumblr.com/

Ciao!!!
xoxo

If only I could afford this...

Okay I am not a designer label kind of girl ( most probarbly because I cannot afford to be ) but if I had the money I would buy these babies...

They are Alexander Wang's and they go for $765 ( I do not even want to think about how much that is in Rands)...Eish One day is one day.
Ciao.

(Photos courtesy of: http://fashionbombdaily.com)

Most stylish black men...

Soo I keep logging in to check out Trey and Drake , but really now can you blame me?
So as a continuation of yesterday's post....my 2 best dressed black men!!!
( Honestly I cracked my head but could only think of these 2, I guess I am not as in the loop as I should be)

2. Kanye West
So he does not dress the way I THINK a man should dress, but undoubtedly a fashionisto of note.
Like i am not sure how many trends this man has sparked, from the Venetian sunglasses, that 'arabian' scarves trend that all the teenagers were into, the couture sneaker thing and of course the skinny jeans that have ( Unfortunately) become a staple for any fashion forward guy.

1. Usher
Effortless and comfortable style, my best dressed guy of all time period.

Too nice!!!

Black men looking Dapper...

Recent GQ photo shoots with Trey Songz and Drake. Very nice gents.

(Photos courtesy of: http://fashionbombdaily.com/)

I must have these shoes now....

I saw these on another one of my favourite blogs ( http://alittlebitoflacquer.blogspot.com/) and as soon as i saw them i knew they had to be mine.
So I am patiently waiting for month end ( 2 whole weeks away) to buy em from the one and only Zara. Not really sure where i am gonna wear them to ( I cannot do the walk it requires to get to work in these babies) but a budding fashionista makes a plan.
They go for just under $80, which is kinda pricey for me but hey it's March and my birthday only comes once a year...

(Photo courtesy of: http://alittlebitoflacquer.blogspot.com/)

Proverbs 31

My favourite chapter in the bible has to be Proverbs 31. It describes a virtuous and God fearing woman ( i.e The woman i wanna be). I have read it so many times and it's highlighted in the most fluorescent yellow highlighter I could find.

Some points to note about this amazing woman are;
1. She is industrous
2. She sees to the physical needs of her family ( Whilst having servants)
3. She is an investor.
4. She ministers to the needs of those less fortunate than herself.
5. She plans for the future and rainy days.
6. She is stylish ( I love this!!!)
7. Her Husband is respected and she brings him good not harm.
8. She is not lazy and is aware of the happenings in her house.
9. She FEARS GOD.

I challenge each of you ( and myself) to meditate on this and take proactive steps to emulate the Proverbs 31 woman.

Shoeeees!!!!!!

Foschini - R360

In my bid to become more of a fashionista (even in Jozi ), I realised that I needed to up my shoe game and dragged my little sister for a little shopping trip.

Some of the shoes;

Luella @ Foschini - R799

Foschini - R360

and ....

The shoes of my dreams...

Fashion Blogs that I love

Just a brief list of my favourite fashion and lifestyle blogs for when you are bored and looking to waste some time.

1. http://www.nusophisticate.com/

I love this blog and check on it almost everyday, Jillian is amazingly stylish and her clothing choices are  totally relatable ( Except for those skyscraper heels , I would fall flat on my face before I even got out the  door)

Those heels though....

2. http://fashionbombdaily.com/

Go to site for all things black and fashionable.

3. http://www.lifestylefabulosity.blogspot.com/
By far the most fashionable woman I know, her blog is fun, entertaining and opinionated. Just like the lady herself :)

Another Pair....

Happy Reading ;)...

Fashionista Inspiration

I just started at a new job in Randburg and I am finding it very interesting in terms of the culture differences between the Pretoria and Jo'burg.

One of the most noticeable things is the fashion game down here, the women ( and men actually) work it to the max. So as such I too have no other choice (ti hi hi) but to bring my fashion A game.

Some outfit inspiration for work:

I love the casual feel of this outfit.

Do i even need to say anything? Perfection!!!