Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wardrobe Perk-Up

I have been over winter since mid- January.
Yes, officially it's spring and Easter is this weekend, but here in Denver we just got out biggest snowfall of the year, and it stuck! Finally this morning there was more green grass on our lawn than snow. Yay.

It's not the cold that wears me on winter as much as the fact that I get sick of wearing the same clothes! I just want to wear something different and the cheapest way to do that is to change the weather!

I went to Las Vegas the first week of March, wore a swim suit and tank tops and got sweaty. It was awesome! ( yes it was with a guy, no we didn't get married! )

I planned really poorly for the trip. Weather forecasts said it would be 70 degrees - and I guess my mind couldn't wrap around what 70 felt like while I was sitting in 40 degree weather! I thought it would be a bit chilly.
I packed skinny jeans, and cardigans, because I'm cold everywhere! Luckily at the last minute, I tossed a cute summer top into my already too-full bag. I was dying of heat in my skinny jeans, and it was too hot for the fashionable boots I'd packed, expecting to wear them with everything.
I had packed a pair of sweet slip ons... but had no idea that Vegas required so much walking! My feet still haven't recovered. I mean it. I'm in a lot of pain, and realizing that I have to start buying those really expensive, not cute, supportive shoes that don't go with any of my outfits.

Since I've been back though, I made a point to sort my closets. I've purged the things I really am not going to wear, shouldn't wear, and just can't fit into any more. Sigh.
It is an accomplishment though. Now I know what is in my closet, what I'm missing to create better outfits, and most importantly, the inventory is fresh in my mind and I'm reaching for clothes that I haven't worn in months!
That makes the next few months a bit easier as I transition into my spring and summer wardrobes.  Hopefully without having to buy too much new stuff.

The exception is shoes right now. My feet won't tolerate any of the gorgeous, lovely shoes I already own. And the shoes I need, start at twice what I am accustomed to paying for shoes. SIGH.

Oh, and the best BEST part of purging my closet? Giving away some lovely things to my friends. Two of them who have had similar bad luck in the job market as I suffered a couple years ago. It's nice to be able to perk up their wardrobes. New or new to you can go a long way in spring cheer!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Yes We Call Him Father

Admittedly, I was a bit terrified when Pope Benedict IXV announced his abdication of the papacy. Immediately, I wondered what kind of threats the Vatican might be receiving. Then I realized that the Pope would prefer martyrdom to cowardice. Whew. That eliminates that theory.

I think we've all taken the papacy as a "til death do us part" agreement. But that was so before people lived as long as we do now. I certainly think its reasonable to set a precedent now, that our Holy Father not be expected to serve into such old age.

And Wednesday, oh how moved I was when the white smoke in Rome, signaled we had our Pope! Then Pope Francis greeted the crowd with his humble little wave, and asked us for prayer... And he chose to be named after Saint Francis of Assisi! The perfect papa!

We Catholics love him already! Somehow we know this is just the man to lead us at this time in history. Oh how I love my Church! Always true.

What's interesting is, now I'm dating a wonderful Christian man - not Catholic - who questions what I believe about the Church, ( not in a hostile way, just trying to understand) and I don't have sufficient answers for him. Yes, I know what I believe. I know why I believe. But I've believed what I believe for so long, I can't even understand why he questions it.

For example, he asks how we can call someone on earth "father", in contradiction to the bible. I explained that the Pope, our bishops and priests are vicars of Christ, His presence on earth. But that's not enough explanation. I accept it, he doesn't.

Oh, how do we do this? I even work with our RCIA class, and know the truth to share, but it's so rarely enough for someone who is not open to it.
Sigh.

Yes, we call him Father. And it is right and good.
I wish that could be enough.

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