And Just so I can say it....

This post will mark 10 posts in August! That's a record for me - I've never had 10 succinct thoughts in a month that I have wanted to share with the World Wide Web. And yes, I do count this as Number 10.

On Community

**I wanted to share a post from my other little blog corner of the world, Ruminations and Reflections. I loved this piece a lot and thought that I might as well post on here as well.**

I am still making my way through the gem that is "The Only Necessary Thing" by Henri Nouwen. I love this piece on community that I read the other day. It is so true - I often think that in each person is God's creation and therefore a reflection of Himself. Here is the piece for your enjoyment.

The Mosaic that Makes God Visible
Nothing is sweet or easy about community. Community is a fellowship of people who do not hide their joys and sorrows but make them visible to each other in a gesture of hope. In community we say: "Life is full of gains and losses, joys and sorrows, ups and downs - but we do not have to live it alone. We want to drink our cup together and thus celebrate the truth that the wounds of our individual lives, which seem intolerable when lived alone, become sources of healing when we live them as part of a fellowship of mutual care."

Community is like a large mosaic. Each little piece seems so insignificant. One piece is bright red, another cold blue or dull green, another warm purple, another sharp yellow, another shining gold. Some look precious, others ordinary. Some look valuable, others worthless. Some look gaudy, others delicate. As individual stones, we can do little with them except compare them and judge their beauty and value. When, however, all these little stones are brought together in one big mosaic portraying the face of Christ, who would ever question the importance of any one of them? If one of them, even the least spectacular one, is missing, the face is incomplete. Together in the one mosaic, each little stone is indispensable and makes a unique contribution to the glory of God. That's community, a fellowship of little people who together make God visible in the world.

~ Henri Nouwen

Pretty Awesome Music Video

Check out this pretty amazing music video by Coldplay for their song "Strawberry Swing" off of the Viva la Vida album...and then let me know how long you think it took them to make it?

Strawberry Swing Music Video

Oh Fall Fashions...

A bug has bit me. Something that goes by the name of "shopping" and "new fall fashions" and this desire to create pretty things. And then I got the new J. Crew September catalog. And, to borrow a phrase from Rachel Zoe (and yes, I feel a thousand times dumber for doing so), "I died".

I L-O-V-E what this fall season is bringing to the table. I was not really inspired by the spring or summer collections from any catalog, retailer, or designer but I can't say the same for fall any longer. All of the sudden the right mixture of layers, textures, colors and accessories are coming together and I LOVE it! It may also have to do with the fact that these things are hitting me at the same time that I have been aching to do something creative, and seeing all the new things out there has made me want to just use myself (or other people!) as a canvas instead of a big white square.

I do want to throw out there that I'm not saying I'm a huge fan of everything - I'm talking to you suede booties and neon anklet socks - but as I see outfits put together, I see the separate pieces and my own creations coming together. And I love what's coming out!

Maybe I should have never left my job at Wet Seal.

PS - for some fun fall fashions coming out, check out one of the blogs on my blogroll, Camp Comfort. Loving most of the things that she has been posting lately - been my inspiration thus far for new ideas!

**PPS - My awesome and best friend T just helped me discover an amazing new fashion blog, The Sartorialist! Check it out! The pictures are amazing!

Where to Go?