LATE IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

If you're familiar with the title of this post then you know the song from which these lyrics come and it's stuck in your head right now. 

Your're Welcome.

This song is so uplifting to me. I often find myself singing it when I need to encourage myself. Speaking of midnight hours, I've been on the phone with a friend for the past three hours and I swear I'm not even tired. In fact I'm hyped. So much so that after I post this I'm going to the elf website to look at their new products and to qvc.com to look at the Dooney bags I'm currently craving. 

Anyway, our conversations were so that I felt the need to put some of it in writing to share with whomever wonders upon this site. We discussed a plethora of topics. Mostly, however, she's having relationship issues and I'm having every other kind. I told her to focus on herself and be less unavailable. She reminded me to have faith and to faint not.  

All good advice; all very hard to do. Often we don't want to do the hard things. Usually because doing the hard things are really hard to do. We are human. We want ease, comfort; instant gratification. When these things don't happen we get discouraged, stressed, hurt, and we give up or give in. But God. He says His grace if sufficient. We must believe that because we will fall short. 

My friend, talking about a romantic relationship, told me that when she got up the other morning to attend an event concerning her romantic relationship, a thought popped in her head: fish bowl; "you are like a fish in a fish bowl", the thought said to her. "You are being feed, every few days/weeks, by romantic relationship, and you just stay there and eat and wait to be feed again." "You are living in that fish bowl and accepting that processed food he is feeding you when your Father owns the ocean".
This was so profound to me. You are accepting little when you are the heir to great.

I am accepting little from myself. I am looking at the smaller picture because my comfort is being threatened and I am afraid. But I am the heir of great things. Why am I accepting little?  Well, because I am still doubtful at times and still have not fully realized that even when my faith is not sufficient God's grace still is and everything will work out for His glory. 
Late in the midnight hour, God turned it around. 

MORNINGS

....I think I hate them. I mean, I want to like them but I just can't seem to get it together. I would love to get up early, have a soothing cup of hot tea, read my Bible, meditate, and do all the other things that supposedly lead to a more productive day, but my mornings never seem to work out like that. 

Here's how they typically go down:

4:30: Alarm Sounds
4:30: Hit Snooze
4:40: Alarm Sounds Again
4:40: Completely Shut Off Alarm
         
5:40: Jump out of bed
         Rush to the bathroom

5:42: Scream for everybody to "get up!!"; Twice

5:50: Husband gets in shower

5:55: Wake up my baby (okay, he's 7. What's your point?) with kisses and sweet talk

6:00: Fuss at my husband for staying in the bathroom too long

6:15: Hug my baby all the way to the bathroom so he can brush his teeth and wash his face

6:20: Wake up my daughter (15) with another scream
         (she screams back that she "has an alarm" (I don't hug her all the way to the    bathroom))

6:25: Iron my baby's clothes. My teen thinks ironing is "like, tots lame"
6:30: Kiss the hubby goodbye and stop him from squeezing my butt right before my baby walks in
6:40: Get baby clothed and get his book bag and snack together
6:45: Fight with baby about wearing his "stupid big coat" because its 30 degrees outside
6:50: Pretend to cry because "I'm going to go to jail for sending him to school without a coat"

6:52: Help him put his coat on and be completely shocked that he's still falling for this trick*

6:55: Kiss, hug and tell my baby I love him at least 10 times as he gets on the bus

7:00: See if my daughter wants me to iron something for her (of course she doesn't)

7:02: Go back and forth with daughter about clothes, hair, ironing, outerwear, etc.

7:05 Surf the net/watch tv until daughter gets on the bus

I know, I know. I could get my ironing done the night before and go to bed earlier. But, in my defense, night time is the only real TV my kids definitely should not be watching (House of Lies, Girls, anyone?) time I have. Plus, even when I do get to bed early and prep the night before, I still have a hard time getting up.

Any suggestions on getting up earlier and getting the morning started in a calmer, less rushed manner?


*Hubby says my baby doesn't actually believe I'll go to jail but because he's such a momma's boy**he can't fathom the thought of anything, real or pretend, making momma cry. I personally don't see the problem with this.

**I can tell you for a fact, if he's a momma's boy he definitely inherited the gene and since I'm not a boy, I'll just let you guess who he got it from.

HONESTY

While I have been experiencing internet connection problems, they haven't been the sole reason for my lack of posts in almost a month. The truth is I've been going through some thangs. For one, the job I told you about here, well it has ended and now I'm faced with unemployment yet again. I had an interview at the end of January that seemed very promising but I haven't heard back. It's probably safe to assume I didn't get the job. So, the hunt continues. The whole thing is taking a toll on me and my ego and confidence are really taking a beating. Although I'm trying to keep the faith and stay positive, I must admit, it's getting harder to do each day.

Another reason I haven't been posting is that I've been busy planning for and hosting parties: Pity Parties that is. Lately, I've been having plenty of 'em and they've taken up a great deal of my time and energy. Bed lying, TV watching, binge eating, and spontaneous bursts of ugly crying can really take a lot out of a girl. Before I knew it, 8:30 am quickly turned into 3:00 pm and I'm up waiting on my baby to get off the bus and getting started on dinner. The time I could have spent being a productive blogger, among many other things, was lost and I just went with that.

Also, since I'm being honest, I must mention that lately I've been a little intimidated by many of the blogs I've been reading. It seems so many bloggers are posting either new items, high end designers, and/ or DIYs on a regular basis. Their posts are filled with large hauls, swatches of all the new and latest in cosmetics, room redesigns, etc. I, on the other hand, haven't really done any real shopping in a while, I don't own any high-end designer items, and my DIYing is minimal. Needless to say, I've been feeling a little like I don't have anything worth contributing to the blogosphere.

So, there you have it: the real reasons I haven't posted anything lately.

Now that that's over, stay tuned and/or tune in, I think I've got my mojo working again.

HUMP DAY QUICKIE





O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD

Psalms 34:8

 



SORRY

I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I would love to say I've been on a vacation, but that's just not the case. I have been working and my internets have been hating me. I had posts set up to publish that never did and then I couldn't get my laptop to connect to my network. I'm getting it looked at but in the mean time I'm at the library down the street doing this post. I don't like this because I'm cold and need to go to the bathroom really bad but hate using public facilities. So, I'm packing up to go home. Hopefully, I will have something new posted soon. Also, if any of you can give me some advice on scheduling posts to automatically publish in Blogger, please do so in the comments below. I really cannot get mine to work.

Thanks for understanding.

NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT?

Hey Ladies, (all two of you) I've decided to make some changes around here. Okay, okay, only one change, but a change nonetheless. First, some background: a few weeks ago I did a Google search for "Life and Lipstick" just to see how my blog would look to others when they pulled it up. Well, this is what I got:

 

 

and guess what?

 

 

None of them were mine, well at least not for the first three to four pages. I stopped looking after that. I didn't need to see anymore to know I needed to change the name of my blog. Though this blog is not much different from many other lifestyle blogs out there, I do want to be able to distinguish it from the masses. There is no better way to do this than with branding and the start of any good brand begins with its name. To that end, I've decided to go back to the name I originally loved in the very first blog I stared in 2011. Remember, I mentioned it here.

 

So, without further ado, allow me to reintroduce myself:

 

INVENTING IRIS

 

The mission is the same, only the name has changed.

 

Stick around.   



SUNDAY SWAG

Oh how I've missed you guys. I feel like I haven't been here in a month of Sundays. But I'm back. I been working y'all; a lot. For the past week I've been working till 7 almost every day. One of the attorneys I work for has been inundated with filing deadlines for the past week, but because she's always late getting started and has never met a brief she can't revise, we (the paralegals) have to suffer the consequences. On the bright side, more hours/more money for me. On the not so bright side, when I do finally make it home I'm usually exhausted and feeling a little guilty cause I haven't seen my babies all day. So, instead of getting on the laptop I spend time with my family; and I don't feel guilty about that at all. 

Good night.

HUMP DAY QUICKIE

What is a Hump Day Quickie you ask? Well, one thing's for sure: it's probably not what you naughty invisible readers are thinking it is. To the contrary, the Hump Day Quickie is a segment I'll be hosting each week in an effort to share with you some of the many random thoughts regularly running through my head. Hopefully, it will encourage you to share some of your random thoughts with me. So, without further ado, I present to you the inaugural Hump Day Quickie.
 

As I was getting dressed the other morning:

 

Lord, please don't let me be put in a situation

where my underwear area will have to be breached today.  

 

 

 

Your turn. 

BACK AT IT

 

 

 

Y'ALL!! I'm tired. It's my first day back in the workforce since October 2012 and it was rough. To say I'm rusty would be an understatement. Today was like I was fresh out of school and had never worked a real job a day in my life. Let me just say this, 13 years experience in state government is like nothing in a private practice. I expected it to be a little different but I had no idea I would feel so incompetent. When I tell y'all I just wanted to get back in my car and go home......

I don't want to seem ungrateful, and I feel really bad for saying this, but I have come to the realization that I just don't want to work for anyone else. I want to have my own business, I want to make my own money, I want to be my own boss, I want to have dinner ready when my kids and husband get home, I don't want to spend 40 minutes in traffic for a job that's only 10 minutes from my house. I just don't. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for this job but just know I won't be making it a habit. I'm working towards getting my own and I feel good about what's to come. Until then, I'll be at someone else's business, waiting on them to pay me, letting them boss me around, cooking dinner after I get home (after everyone else is already home), and spending 40 minutes in traffic for a job that's only 10 minutes from my house.

Tomorrow will be better though.

Goodnight.

                                                                    

WELL...............

..... (my invisible friends) your good luck wishes worked. I (kinda-sorta) GOT A JOB!! I start work tomorrow and I've put together my first week's worth of outfits. I haven't been in the workforce in over a year so I'm a bit nervous, but looking through my closet helped calm me.

 

I may do a little twerking to the line up but these are pretty much the basics for the week. I keep thinking I need a blazer to pair with the tan outfit. What do you think? The black slacks and gray sweater are a bit casual but that's my casual Friday outfit. I was told jeans are allowed but I don't want to jump right in before I actually observe a Friday. My plan is to do an outfit of the day each day this week but that really depends on how my mornings are running. I mean, I'm a lot more concerned with getting up and out on time than anything else.

 

Anyways, see you tomorrow. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Goodnight.    

SUNDAY SWAG

Tunic: Target (similar) 

Pants: JCPenney (similar)

 

 

I really enjoyed today's service. It was a much needed respite for my spirit. The sermon was about waiting on the Lord, walking by faith, and not growing wearing in your well doing. The reading came from the book of Isiah which contains one of my favorite scriptures:

 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 

they shall run, and not be weary; and

they shall walk and not faint.   



Isiah 40:31

 

I hope everyone had a wonderfully blessed weekend and I pray you have a peaceful, productive, and prosperous week filled with only good surprises.

I NEEDED THIS

via (date of post tied to this pic is my birthday; didn't know this when I saw it just knew I loved it)

I had just become frustrated from arguing with my daughter about her hair when I threw my hands up in surrender and returned to my bedroom. As I closed the door, I continued to fuss to myself about her stubbornness while, simultaneously, telling myself that I needed to let it go -although I'm right and know what's best, and blah, blah, blah. This went on for a few seconds until these words stopped me in my tracks:

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Philippians 2:14-16 KJV   

I had just clicked the link to BibleGateway and was immediately convicted by the first line from their Verse of the Day. This conviction was not just about the argument with my daughter, but about my tendency to fuss in general. I am a fusser. I do a lot of back and forth with the kids and the husband when they don't do what I think they should, when I think they should, or how I think they should. Don't get me wrong, I don't go around nagging and screaming all day, but if I'm honest I do it way more than I should. I used to think it was everyone else but over the years I've slowly (and painfully) come to realize that it's mostly me. You would think at my age I'd be in a place where I'm not so easily roused but, I'm just not there yet. Why is it I can't be more gracious towards others when God is always so gracious towards me? The Bible says that we are to be merciful so that we may have mercy and be gracious so that we may obtain grace but that's hard to remember when I'm picking up behind everyone after I've cleaned the kitchen and cooked a huge meal. I suppose this is why God commands us to study the Word. He knows we will need its instructions to help pull us back from the brink when things start to bubble over. Clearly, I don't have these instructions down pat, but I really need to make a more concerted effort to study the Word daily. Although I know I'm too old to completely change and too human to be perfect, I won't stop striving for either.

I SHOULDN'T BE HERE

I hope the title didn't scare you. This is not a post about a near death experience; not even close. Nope, just wanted to tell you about my Wednesday. Each week, my church has prayer on Wednesday nights. We begin with a prayer lead by our pastor, then we have testimony, scripture reading, prayer requests, and finally a group prayer before we wrap up. I should be there now but instead I'm here, at home. One reason is because my car is not working and my husband had a service call to make tonight after work (he's an electrician). Another is that I'm not feeling well. I've had an annoying headache all day and more than usual, my nose has been running and my eyes watering. Although the weather has been pretty cold the last few weeks, I think I caught this bug last night but, more on that later.

In conjunction with Wednesday night prayer, we are also supposed to fast beginning at midnight. However, I'm not always obedient. Mainly because I have a hard time remembering what day it is since I'm not working anymore. So, I end up eating some crap I'm not supposed to before I realize it's Wednesday. Today I did go though. I remember today because this month we're doing a 21 day corporate "Daniel Fast" from the 11th to the 31st. During the fast, we don't eat meat, diary, or sugar and we pray every 3 hours. I'll have to do a separate post on this later so I can tell you about the first time I participated. 

Today, I really didn't have to remember it was Wednesday, I knew it was the 15th and that's all I needed to know. For breakfast, I had egg whites (is this diary?) with red bell peppers, red onions, and tomatoes added. I seasoned with the usual suspects- salt, pepper- but also added smoked paprika. It gave me life. It took the taste to a whole other level. I also had a vegan "chicken" patty from Bocca and carrot/orange juice from Bolthouse. The entire thing was delicious and very satisfying.

Lunch was good too. I made a salad of baby spinach, mandarin oranges, red onions, tomatoes, and red wine vinaigrette. It was both pretty and delicious. 

I also had hummus and tortilla chips (don't judge me) for a snack and another veggie "chicken" patty for dinner. The fact that I wasn't starving or craving junk all day was a sure sign that I must be sick. Fasting is usually a very hard thing for me to do without a million snacks to keep munching on between meals or without cheating by acting like I can't cook for my family without tasting the food to see what it "needs". But I had no desire to do that today even when the ingredients looked like this:

 

 

I made a combination of two recipes: this one from The Pioneer Woman and this one from BeautyFash. I initially planed on making the Pioneer Woman's recipe but I didn't have any whisky and I dropped my bottle of Worcestershire sauce last night trying to bring all my grocery bags in at once. This is how I believe I got sick. I ended up spending about 20 minutes or more outside in the cold sweeping up glass and washing the carport down with soap and water.

The combination of the two recipes was a hit. I know both recipes called for chicken but I didn't have any and the main thing was the sauce anyway. I think this sauce could be used on just about any meat. I made white rice and broccoli as sides and everyone loved it. I tasted the sauce before I poured it over the meat in the crock. Oh yeah, did I mention I let everything meld together in the crock for a few hours? Well I did. The result was fall-off-the-bone tender meat. Anyway, the sauce was savory, smoky, spicy, and sweet; always a great combination. The husbster loved it and even my picky eaters cleaned their plates. That was enough for me.

 

How was your Wednesday? What did you have for dinner?

 

 



 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW 'FIT

I had an interview today. While trying to decide what to wear, I realized I don't own any suits. I used to many moons ago but they have dissipated over the years. While I'm sure the lack is mainly due to weight gain, my 15 years in state government probably played a role too since formal career attire is rarely required, e.g., khakis and a button up is considered dressed for work. Now, I mostly own separates. Today, however, my interview was at a corporate firm with leather door handles so a dressier approach was in order. Since I didn't have a suite I opted to wear a dress and blazer.

 

 

This is always a great alternative since it only requires two main pieces and you don't have to worry about trying to mix and match separates perfectly enough to make something that's not a suite look like it is. I'll wait to do that once I get the job.

 

 

Blazer: Express (similar)

Dress: Target (similar)

 

Wish me luck!!



 



I NEED A JOB. STAT!!

Cause I really, really need want to go shopping.  Getting an email with all the new goodies from Piperlime this morning really didn't help. Have you all been on the site lately?  Le sigh.

I CONCUR

@sjblife

 

 

I'm a southern gal, and this right here:

 



is NOT my swag. I know for some of you this is nothing, but for a girl who can count on both hands the number of times she's seen snow in her 40+ years of life this is freeeezing!!
But what can you do?

Oh, I know......................

 

jcrew

Wear a cute coat!!