"Practice Makes Perfect" - Outfit Post // Green, Brown, & Boots

   Hey y'all!   I don't know about y'all, but we've had a very busy week or so over here, with things like digging a ditch to run water to our house site (for any of y'all that don't know, my husband and I are building a log home), making and posting new products for our Etsy Shop, running our sawmill business and our online resale business (both of which are constant ongoing tasks), preparing our yard to plant grass, fixing the chicken coop, and so much more!

   And this list doesn't include all of the normal, daily home chores that must be done like cooking, washing dishes (never ends), laundry, teaching and guiding our little son, etc..  It is such a blessing to have so much to do!
 
   Something that I've personally been thinking on a lot lately is, practicing on purpose, joyfulness and gladness when the going gets rough.  It's easy to be joyful when nothing is hard and life is going smoothly, but what about when everything goes wrong, or when everything gets stressful?

   Something I heard the other day is the saying "practice makes perfect" and that what you practice is what you'll perform.  They used the example of musicians, which I understand well having played piano since I was barely six-years-old along with many other instruments.  When you start learning an instrument you practice playing the notes over and over and over until, without even thinking about, your fingers just do it.  It's become such a habit that you really don't think about anymore at all.

   It is the same with your attitude.  If you are practicing thinking thoughts at everyone and everything of irritation, discontentment, bitterness, or "oh poor me" then, when you are put under pressure, those are the notes that you'll hit without even thinking about it.  But if we practice thinking thankfulness, joyfulness,  and merriness, not just when we feel like, but on purpose all the time, and replace our bad thinking with joyful, thankful thoughts, then when put under stress we will respond in a calm state of mind and the little things just won't annoy us anymore.

   We are what we practice.  Proverbs 23:7 says it so clear, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he". None of us want that "ugliness" to fly out of our mouths, but if we are constantly practicing a habit of unhappy thoughts, then that is exactly what will come out.  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

   So let's start practicing, on purpose, to have a thankful heart which produces joy.  Be thankful. Count your blessings. Smile.  Randomly throughout the day just put a big smile on your face and say "thank you God for _____ ".  You'll be more happy and joyful in no time!  Cheerfulness is very attractive; nobody wants to be around a moping grump (and for us wives, no husband eagerly awaits being around a grouchy complaining wife), but a lady with a glowing, cheerful countenance is very beautiful, lovely, and quite attractive (and our children love to be around, and want to please, a smiling, joyful mama).  Two of my very favorite verses are,

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by the sorrow of the heart

is the spirit broken" (Proverbs 15:13) 

and

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations"

(Psalm 100).  

  Joy is a fruit of the spirit; so as Christians joy ought to be very visible in our lives! "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23.  So ask yourself, what are you practicing?

This is an outfit that I wore to church a couple of weeks ago

and is one of my favorites!  It was a rather rainy day, so the boots

were a perfect addition, but of course, in my country girl opinion, boots

are always an awesome addition to any outfit. :-)

French braiding the front of your hair to the side is a really nice

way to wear your hair down, but away of your face.

// outfit details //

Shirt: thrift store

Tank: Walmart 

Skirt: thrift store

Ariat brand boots: local boot store

What did y'all wear last Sunday?