Repost: When Satan Runs Amok in the Streets

I received an email yesterday from a modest clothing company called Kosher Casual.  According to their website: "The Kosher Casual mission is to make high-quality clothing basics that are modest, affordable and comfortable - to not only look good, but to live in."  The email said, "Happy Purim!"  This reminded me of a Sunday school lesson that Les taught.  I blogged about it in 2015, but wanted to re-post it today as Purim begins at sundown.

 

Our adult Sunday school class has been studying Feasts and Celebrations this quarter.  This past Sunday, Les taught a fabulous lesson about the Festival of Purim.  This is the celebration that was instituted after the Jews were delivered from Haman's wicked plot in the book of Esther.

This feast is still celebrated each year in March. It covers two days, the first being the Fast of Esther, followed by the Festival of Purim. This particular fast has one purpose - to remember God’s deliverance of the Jews from Haman’s attempt at extermination.  We don't usually fast to remember, but to ask God for something.  I know I have never fasted in remembrance of what God has done for me.  The next day, during the Festival of Purim, is a time of joyful celebration.

Les concluded the lesson by sharing a story of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.  400,000 Jews were rounded up and 300,000 were eventually killed.  It was a dark time.  There was nothing to celebrate, but Rabbi Kalonymos Kalman said:

"In the Zohar it is written that Yom Kippurim means Yom ke Purim, ‘a day just like Purim’. That is to say, just as on yom Kippur – whether you like it or not – you must fast on orders of the Holy One, blessed be He; so you must rejoice on Purim. Even if Satan runs amok in the streets, you have to be happy, it is the will of God."

If anyone had a reason not to celebrate, it was these Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto.  It is said that young Gerer Hasidim courageously emerged from their bunkers in the Warsaw Ghetto on the festival of Purim in 1943 and danced in the spirit of this joyous festival.

It often seems like Satan runs amok in the streets of America, but we must rejoice, it is the will of God.  We serve the God of deliverance and He will come through for us! 

Friday Fashion

A headline on USAToday.com grabbed my attention this morning - "Queen Elizabeth II tops 'Vanity Fair' best-dressed list."  The writer of the article seemed to be poking a little bit of fun at her, "Yes, the British queen. She's 90, and hasn't really been a fashion icon since ... well, maybe the 1950s or 1960s."

Her "resolute sense of style" across a century is worthy of admiration, says Vanity Fair special correspondent Amy Fine Collin.

“She has consistently represented who she is and what she stands for, without wavering from a standard she set a long time ago,” says Collins. “Politics, culture, and class structure in the empire — all of that shifts constantly, but she doesn’t. She’s a beacon.”

I'm not one who closely follows the royal family, but I do appreciate the classy way the queen has dressed through the years. 

How about it, ladies?  Do we represent who we are and what stand for in our attire?  Fashions come and go, but modesty is timeless.  And don't forget, a smile is your best accessory!

Quick Reminder

The coupon code for Mod Sportswear is ending soon!  If you want to take 10% off your order, do it this week.  Code ends July 1st.

Go get your skirt today and save 10% by using coupon code MOMENTS (code ends July 1st.)  Go to Mod Sportswear - HERE!

What are you waiting for?  Do what the cool kids do - dress modestly and save! 

MOD Sportswear

 

Most of you know that I've been active for many years.  LOTS of running (including 4 marathons) and lots of cycling.  I've worn a skort by Dressing for His Glory for all of those marathons and the many miles of training that go with it.  With all the time that we spend in Hawaii, my one complaint has been the color - Black.  Not exactly the color you want to wear for a 10 mile run when it's 80 degrees out!  Enter my new favorite running skirt from MOD Sportswear:

I got my first one in February and I've been running in it ever since.  There is a matching short attached.  It is super light weight.  It also has a snap at the bottom, which was perfect when we went kayaking.

I wore it this past Sunday morning during the Bill Beauchamp Memorial 10k.  The race director was standing on a corner where we needed to turn and said into his megaphone, "Best dressed runner out here!"  I also placed 2nd in my age group!

MOD recently made some revisions ~ two highlights are zippered pockets and it comes in purple!  (Yes, I already have one!)  It also now comes in two lengths - 24" and 27".  The 24" is perfect for a shorty like me.  I did size up so it would fit comfortably in the hips.  (Have I ever told you that I don't own any pencil skirts?  Well I'm not shaped like a pencil, you know!)

Hannah, the owner of Mod Sportswear, has been a sweetheart to work with. Guess what?  When I reached out to her about featuring her here on my blog she offered YOU, my readers, a 10% discount!  These skirts are already very reasonably priced, so snap 'em up!  Just enter coupon code MOMENTS at check out.

I asked Hannah how she got into the modest sportswear market and her story is just too cool not to share!  I've condensed it a little, but hats off to Hannah's mom for getting the ball rolling:

"I went to a Christian school and loved playing sports. To gather me a few cool points, my mom made me SportSkirts out of men's basketball shorts. My mom's hobby really took off and became a ministry. She named her ministry Apostolic Sportwear and set up a Facebook page and website. She would sometimes advertise, but when sales got to be too high, she would pause advertisement because it was "getting to be too much." A LOT of people wanted what she was putting out.

Christmas 2014, mom was telling me again about how her business was just booming. Feeling very Shark Tankish, I asked her what she considered to be the valuation of her company. She said she didn't know. This dialogue got conversation going quickly. She and my dad had talked. They wanted to give me the business. When I drove home from Christmas, I drove back with 90 lbs of product, enough thread to reach the heavens, and the sewing knowledge of three tutorials. 

We decided that at the beginning of Q2 of 2015, I would 'officially' take over Apostolic Sportwear. I did. And right away I faced a lot of obstacles. Transforming men's shorts into skirts was quite the ordeal. And during the winter, those shorts are scarce in the North!

I initially charged a local seamstress to make the SportSkirts. She pretty much chuckled, called me cute, and told me that there's no way I'd make money if I went that route. So I took to the world wide web and found a factory overseas that would custom make the SportSkirts I envisioned and designed. 

My design knowledge and experience can fit into a Tall coffee cup at Starbucks. After lots of awkward body measuring of different friends and coworkers, countless research of what's practical and comfortable, reaching out to friends of all hobbies and body types, I finally submitted to the factory the 'winning design'. 

The skirts hit production in September 2015. I pressed them to be done early so I could take product with me to my first big show - General Conference in Nashville, TN. Heeding the counsel of a high-end marketing guru, I changed the name of Apostolic Sportwear to MOD Sportswear. In the month of September, ASW became MOD. We rebranded, re-logo'd,  kicked off the new website, promoted our new product, and had our first BIG show in Nashville. It was quite the month.

Things haven't slowed down since then. There are always kinks to work out and customers to serve, but the Lord has been gracious during every part of this journey and has blessed this company.  This year's life verse is Zechariah 4:6 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit." and that's truly been the case here. God has been breathing into this project from the very beginning. 

As of tomorrow, I will have officially hired my first part-time employee. My heart is bursting with joy and thankfulness as I consider what the Lord has done and what he's doing. MOD will always be for His Kingdom."

I truly love this story, Hannah's passion, and MOD Sportswear's product!  If you're looking for a modest skirt to be active in, this is it!  You don't have to run marathons like me, these are great for water activities, going to the gym, walking, cycling, hiking, pretty much anything!  Go get your skirt today and save 10% by using coupon code MOMENTS (code ends July 1st.)

A Modest Definition

Pastor White preached an awesome message last night entitled "The Regret of Samson's Parents."  Samson was to be a Nazarite from his mother's womb.  This was a vow that normally was not taken until adulthood, but God had a great plan for Samson's life and he needed to be consecrated from an early age.

Pastor White had one of our young ladies come up front.  Destiny and her siblings started coming to church on our Sunday school van.  This summer her parents started coming and it is wonderful to see them all in church together.  Destiny is in 8th grade.  She wrote a letter to her school principal explaining her beliefs about modesty so she could dress accordingly during her P.E. class.  Destiny didn't say "my pastor" or "my church" said, she told her principal that is how she believes.  She is learning to stand for God at a young age.

Pastor White then demonstrated from an iPhone the definition of modest.  I didn't know you could do this, but go to the Notes app and type in the word Modest:

Select the word and choose Define:

 

Here is the iPhone definition of Modest:

 Point #3

 

Just in case you can't read it:

3 (of a woman) dressing or behaving so as to avoid impropriety or indecency, esp. to avoid attracting sexual attention.
(of clothing) not revealing or emphasizing the figure: modest dress means the hemlines must be below the knee.

This didn't come from a Bible dictionary or a Pentecostal handbook.  This came from the iPhone!  The next time someone asks why your skirt is so long, take them to your iPhone!

Must Read Blogs

Three posts in one day!  I guess I have a lot to say today.

In the past week I have read many blogs.  I enjoy reading about the lives of my friends, seeing pictures, reading encouraging words, etc.  Three have stood out to me and I want to share them with you.

The Drama of The Waiting Room - Bro. Ballestero's blog is always a wonderful read.  This post was exceptional. We've all been in the waiting room of life, many are there now. " 'According to this log,” she said, “not very many get discharged the same day they come. The good news that I see here, is that the Doctor has an amazing success rate. I am not really in love with the idea of waiting, but I don’t plan to leave here until my baby gets well.' "

Pure Worship - Echoes from the Elms is the blog of Sis. Linda Elms, the daughter of my first pastor, Bro. Murray Layne.  Her words about worship in the church are right on. "If there's a song that feels a little "strange" when we sing it, or something in our spirit doesn't feel right, maybe we shouldn't be singing it. If we're living close to God like we should be the Holy Ghost will lead us in what we should and shouldn't sing."

I Could Swing My Ponytail, Too - Kelley Highway is the home of Sis. Kelley Dibble, missionary to the Philippines.  This post is a must read for every lady.  "There is so much more to wrap around modesty than a ponytail holder."  Please also read the article that is linked there - When Women Draw Attention to Themselves.

What great blogs have you read this week?

Observations at LAX

My brother-in-law, Lance, is here visiting this week. He's come to thaw out after a horrible Indiana winter. When we picked him up at LAX on Saturday night, we were a little early and got to watch a plane full of people de-board. I love people watching, don't you? Let me tell you about a few of the folks we saw:

There was a three-man band. All guitarists. I assume they're hoping to make it big in California.

There was the lady with about four suitcases, trying to pull them all together.

There were numerous reunions. Sweethearts, friends, and families.

There was the "germ spewer." When I said that, Les said, "What?" Germ spewer: n. a young child, sitting in a stroller, coughing and sneezing, spewing germs everywhere.

Germ spewer's dad figured out how to not pay any luggage fees. He wore all his clothes! I watched as he pulled his jacket off. He had a sweatshirt tied around his waist, with a short sleeve t-shirt over a long sleeve shirt. "Can't charge me for my luggage - I'm wearing it all!"

There was an abundance of muffin tops. And can I just tell you, the "second-skin-showing-everything-from-my-belly-button-to-my-back-fat" top is not a good look on anyone. I mean, really! Don't the stores sell larger sizes anymore? Oh, denial, you are not pretty. It really is okay to leave a little something to the imagination.

I'm sure there were others that I can't recall right now. But it was a great way to amuse ourselves as we waited.

Sycamore Canyon Adventure

The adventure I was looking for on Wednesday happened yesterday! We loaded up our bikes and drove to Newbury Park. Carol, my Weight Watcher leader, had suggested we ride Sycamore Canyon so we decided to give it a go. Here we are in the parking lot, ready for our adventure!



I'm in my awesome Dressing for His Glory flared skort! It was the perfect riding skort for two reasons: 1) it was extremely comfortable and 2) I never had to think about being modest!

We made our way down "Blacktop Hill" and on to a nicely packed dirt trail. Most of the ride was gently downhill and we kept a steady pace. There were a few dry creek beds that made for a little excitement as we would go down, then have to quickly pedal back up. There was one creek bed that was NOT dry! According to Ventura County Trails, "The only hazards are the stream crossings of which there are about a half dozen near the south end of the trail. Most of the year there is at least a little water in the stream so people can expect to get their feet wet." I not only got my feet wet, but a nice splatter of mud on my legs!

Forty minutes and eight miles later we were at Point Mugu State Park with a view of the Pacific Ocean! I'm a little muddy, but still smiling!


We knew the ride back was going to be tougher, but after a short break and a Hammer Gel, we were on our way. We saw three deer cross the path right in front of us. Then it was back through the stream, which did not go as smoothly for me the second time around! I'm not even sure what happened, but on my way out of this foot deep stream, I couldn't pedal and just about fell over. I got a little muddier, but got back on my bike to pedal on!

With about a mile to go we were at the bottom of "Blacktop Hill." Ventura County Trails describes going down it this way: "After climbing a small rise you will find yourself at the top of the "Blacktop Hill" where you can enjoy the view into the canyon and rest on a park bench (dedicated to the memory of a mountain biker who suffered a heart attack pedaling up the Blacktop Hill)." I could relate! After 15 miles of riding, hitting a 15% incline was not easy! We rode in "granny gear" for almost a mile before it leveled off. I was very happy to see the top!

Back to the car and still smiling!


We had two VERY dirty bikes!



While we were loading up the bikes, Les said, "Is that mud or blood?" After a little examination, I definitely had blood on my right leg. I'm pretty sure this happened during my stream adventure!


The final stats: 16.5 miles with approximately 1300 feet of climbing in 1 hour, 38 minutes. My average heart rate was 137 beats per minute with a max of 169. Average speed 10 mph, max of 19.5. And I burned 881 calories!

It was about 2:00 when we decided it was time for lunch. We stopped at the newest Five Guys Burgers and Fries and I'm sure we consumed more calories than we had just burned!


I don't need Five Guys - Les is the One for me!

Dressing for His Glory

In my continual quest to be fit, I find that clothing can often be a problem. Modest clothing that is. It's not easy to stay modest while going downhill on a bike at 25 mph! I've tried a variety of skirts and finally found something that works! I ordered a skort from "Dressing for His Glory."


This statement is found on their website:

We believe it is important for the Christian woman to be a good example to the world by the way she dresses. Dressing for His Glory is a website that features modest clothing for girls and ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes.

I was extremely pleased with my experience with this company. It was easy to place my order. They communicated with me about when to expect my item and a follow-up email arrived the day it was shipped.

I'll try to post a picture after our ride tomorrow - we've got a fun one planned!

Modesty At Work

I got this little tidbit via email:

The Florida Power and Light crew putting in lines for an addition to the Orlando International Airport found the following in a culvert they were using...






The gator is/was 18 feet, 2 inches long. The rattlesnake roundup totaled 87.

Gators and rattlers give me the willies. But you know what I noticed first? The lady in the first picture - she's wearing a hardhat and a SKIRT! You go, girl!