Support My Fundraising Efforts for LIFE!

Dear Friends,

I am so excited to get to participate in a Walk for life again! I was always in the wrong part of the country at the wrong time to be able to participate the last 4 years, but now that I am in Santa Clarita I just happen to be here at the right time to participate and I would love to get you excited about partnering with me to raise money for the pregancy center near my new home!

that said please read on.... :D 
 
I am participating in this year's 2014 Walk for Life to raise critical funds in support the ongoing LIFE IMPACTING work of the SCV Pregnancy Center.  Can I count on your support to assist me in my fundraising efforts?
 
Please help me reach my fundraising goal by making a secure online donation today by visiting my Personal Fundraising Page using the link below:
https://secure.qgiv.com/hobnob/account/339691

CLICK THE LINK ^^^^^^ YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!! :D :D :D 
 
While visiting my Fundraising Page, please don't forget to leave me a message via the included comment section as I would LOVE to hear from you!

I really miss you all and Would love to hear from you :D 
 
Also please note that when you make an online donation you will automatically receive an e-tax receipt from the SCV Pregnancy Center and I will be notified by email of your support. 
 
If you can think of others who might be interested in making a donation, please forward this email to them or share it via Facebook!  You would be surprised to know how many people will be happy to give… if only asked. 
 
Thank you very much for helping me in this endeavor!  If you have any questions, please email me at lucasje@mail.masters.edu.
 
Sincerely your friend and Fellow Pro-lifer,
Joelle Lucas
 
P.S.  For additional information about the SCV Pregnancy Center or this year's 2014 Walk for Life, please visit https://secure.qgiv.com/hobnob/event/73346.


Visit my page at https://secure.qgiv.com/hobnob/account/339691

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The Swimsuit Dilema

 Before I get into this post I want to say three things 1) I do not wear T-shirts when I swim 2) I do not wear fully body drag suits and 3) I do not particularly like to wear a plain old one piece. (There is nothing wrong with these things, I just wanted to let you know where I am coming from).




Okay, I love swimming! I practically grew up in the water. Both my parents were lifeguards, so my brother and me learning to swim was pretty important. I even did a few summers of Swim Team. Needless to say, we have been around the water a lot. But, as I grew older I became faced with the question "how does modesty address swimwear?" Now that we are heading into summer this question has been on my mind again. To address this question I would like to look into the past first.

Over the Centuries women have been conscience about modesty and would try to maintain their modesty as much as possible when swimming. The first swimsuits were very modest but also very cumbersome and I would admit I would not be too thrilled at the prospect of wearing one. However, as the years progressed, swimsuits changed to both maintain modesty but allow for more comfort and flexibility. Sadly, in the last 50 years we have crossed the line when it comes to swimwear, and we are no longer achieving either modesty or comfort. Our bodies are not meant to be flaunted, but to be valued and protected. Many (I would hope to say most) Christian women and girls have thought about modesty and do try to be modest in their day to day lives. We know the verses that talk about how a women should adorn her body; how we are to be beautiful on the inside and out; but, many times we seem to think that all those rules and restrictions somehow vanish as soon as we want to go swimming or to the beach.


I was thinking about these things and asked myself the question, "Would I go out in public in my undergarments?" Ask yourself that question. Would you go to the store in your underwear? Probably not. How about an ice cream store by the beach? I would say no. What about the swimming pool; would you leave the changing room in your underwear? I know I would not! And, most of you probably would not want to either. So let me ask you, what is the difference between a bikini and undergarments? They are made of different material, one we wear under things the other we don't… one is actually more immodest than the other (bikini being the more immodest). If you would not go out in your undergarments why would you go swimming in them? Especially if they are more revealing than your undergarments!? I do not understand it at all. How is it that we as women want to be valued as people and treated as such, but then we go and dress in a way that is provocative and alluring. Wearing a bikini is not going to help guys see you as a person; all they will see is what you have to offer. You are making yourself a thing not a person. Why do we allow the culture to tell us it is good to look that way? I get uncomfortable just thinking about it. It cannot be comfortable to wear a bikini, maybe not just as clothes but, how it makes you feel. Girls, we are supposed to feel awkward when we are not dressed properly. I just want you to think about that. When you wear a String bikini (or any bikini for that matter) what is it, covering? Not much, only what is absolutely necessary. It still fully portrays what is under the little coverage, leaving you with literally nothing on to anyone who has an ounce of imagination. One pull of that string, one pull, and everything is gone! I do not want to seem harsh, but that bikini is one pull away from your total exposure. It is a sensual outfit meant to entice, and just another way to enable your friends, and your brothers in Christ to stumble. We are hurting ourselves by wearing immodest baiting suits and we are harming others around us too.


I want to take it the next step. I never wear bikinis, but, I have worn one-piece suits and I got to thinking, "this is much more modest than a bikini or even a tankini, but would I wear this out?" Never! I do not wear short shorts or short skirts because I believe they are immodest, so why would I wear a one piece that exposes all of my legs and much of my back? I really had to think about that. I had to admit to myself that I know bikinis are wrong to wear, but I did not feel that a one-piece was wrong or immodest. Why is that? I might know it is wrong and immodest, but why do I not feel it? One word: Culture. Our culture has numbed our sense of right and wrong, modest and immodest, when it come to the swim suit. Because of this I am encouraging myself to take that next step and go though my swimsuits to see what should stay and what should go. Please ditch the bikinis, and think about maybe even tossing some of those other questionable suits. I promise that you can find very feminine, cute, and modest swimwear, which will make you more comfortable and keep you up on the lastest styles without having to forgo your modesty and pure winsome allure.




It is sometimes hard to find modest swimwear that is cute (cute is a must!!!) but it is out there! So, as I finish this post I want to leave you with some ideas of how you can get a modest cute swimsuit that you will love and will make you comfy and modest, and also give all the guys around you a break from temptation and help them see you for who you really are.

Try a swim tank top and board shorts. This kind of outfit is my favorite and is totally cute! Also, you could try a tank with a skirt, or a one piece that come up higher in the back with a skirt.
I would also encourage you to read this blog article by Shelly Hitz http://www.teen-beauty-tips.com/index.html

LandsEnd mix and match can be a good option: http://www.landsend.com/ix/swimwear-swimsuits/Swim/Women/Mix-Match-Separates/index.html?seq=1~2~3~4&catNumbers=644~645~650&visible=1~2~1~1&store=le&sort=Recommended&pageSize=12&tab=6

ChristaTaylor.com is also a good place:http://www.christa-taylor.com/c/modest-swimwear/

Aslo Check out these sites:

http://www.diviinemodestee.com/divinitasole/xmlVersion/xmlVersion.php

http://www.slimperfect.com/?main_page=index&cPath=1

This site is good for tops: http://www.limericki.com/browse.cfm/tankinis/2,2.html

http://www.shadeclothing.com/womens-clothing/modest-swimwear.html

http://www.swimmodest.com/modestbathingsuits.lasso

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://modestlyyoursswimwear.com/images/jennie_nelson_-_Copy.JPG&imgrefurl=http://modestlyyoursswimwear.com/testimonials.html&usg=__8D9VKXvKaoZBbPARX0QteeI0iy8=&h=3072&w=2304&sz=2807&hl=en&start=74&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=mFOkhteqpIpO9M:&tbnh=150&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmodest%2Bswimwear%26start%3D72%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Board shorts: http://www.swimoutlet.com/Board_Shorts_s/383.htm

This one is a bit different but I think it is cool! http://www.becomingswimdress.com/

Music

I wrote this a while back and I wanted to share it with you girls, because it reminded me that no matter how old you are, you can play or sing for the glory of the Lord. At church this week we had only one Grown up on the worship teem the rest were kids, not teens, but children! It was so beautiful. And after remembering this article I wrote I was reminded that you don't have to be a Beethoven, or a Mozart, to play your instrument and give God glory, you just have to play your best and give your music to Him and that is what makes true worship. So this week don't be afraid to lift your voice to Christ or play for Him. You will give Him glory and you will be learning more. So take heart as you read this and be encouraged that many people gave their music to God, and He blessed that, and so can you.

An Essay on the History of the Piano

By Joelle Lucas

Bach once said, "Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit."

Music is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind. It is a way that we can express our great love and devotion to our transcendent Creator! The piano is one of many instruments used for such a purpose. So, to better understand music and the piano, let us first explore the invention of the piano.

The ancestor of the piano is the harpsichord. Since the 1400's the harpsichord was one of the most popular instruments used. Because organs (used only by the king or the church) were very expensive, the harpsichord was affordable for most well-to-do families.

Though the harpsichord looks much like the piano, there really is quite a difference. The harpsichord is similar to what it was named for… the harp. The harp is made of taut strings of different lengths. That alone is not very different from the piano. However, the way the harpsichord was strung made it so that it would only play at one volume and instead of holding the note for a time the harpsichord would just "pluck" the string giving it that very distinct sound. The word pianoforte means soft/loud because it can change its volume level. This is the accurate name for what has been shortened to piano. According to the dictionary of musical terms pianoforte means, "a keyboard stringed instrument of percussion, the tones being produced by hammers striking the keys". Much of the music played on the piano today was originally written for the harpsichord. We know this from the dates the music was composed. This helps pianists know how the piece was intended to be played.

The piano was first invented in the early 1700's, though there is some debate if there was one that was made in the late 1500's, or if it was just a type of loud/soft harpsichord. One of the additions to the pianoforte was that there are now (usually) three pedals. The one on the right is used for sustaining notes, The left for diminishing the impact of the hammers, making it softer, and lastly the middle pedal is used for either sustaining some notes or really quieting the piano for practicing (this last one is usually on uprights only). There are now three types of pianos commonly known today. They are the Grand, the Square, and the Upright.

Some of the earlier Christian composers who wrote pieces for the piano were; Handel, J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. All of these men had committed themselves to God and wanted to honour Him through their music. Whether it was through their church, through consorts or composing music their aim was achieved. Today we enjoy the fruits of their labors on pianos of all different varieties.

"God is ever before my eyes. I realize His omnipotence and I fear His anger; but I also recognize His love, His compassion, and tenderness towards His creatures." –Mozart.

Lets talk about friends

So have any of you ever had friends who just did not seem to get it? Or a friend who was not there for you? Perhaps your friends turned their backs on you. Or maybe you have never had this experience. Whether or not this has happened to you, you will face "friend problems" one day, for some of us more than once. I want to address this issue today. Now the topic of friends is more than a 1 post topic, so I will not get to every aspect, just the part about when you feel somewhat friendless.
I have lots of friends, most people do from my observations. But your friends can let you down. This has happened to me more than once, and it is hard when this happens.
See, I myself feel like I am in a transitional period between friends; I have some old friends going and new friends coming, and so I have a dilemma. Friends I do not hangout with much and friends that are too new to really have good communication with. Thus I can feel friendless if I allow myself. (when the fact is I have both old friends and new friends with is lots of friends). I admit I was feeling down today, but then I God reminded me that I have a friend who will never leave me. So you know what? I put my phone away (I was going to call a friend who lives far away), and just talked to God, my never failing friend.
So just remember that when you feel down and rejected and think no one cares about how you feel; remember the one who came to earth was rejected by those who once praised Him, was beaten and killed. Remember that He is the one who counts as your forever friend. And don't forget to always be a friend. I think if we all tried to be more like Jesus we would all be better friends, and that is what brings better friendships.
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
We do not need a mt. high pile of friends, we only need a few good friends, and Jesus, our closest friend. We also need to remember that God is in charge of our lives and we need to trust Him. If He starts closing doors to friends ships, don't try and hold it open, and if He opens new doors walk through them because He always has our best interests at heart.

I hope some of these ramblings made sense.

Love always,
Joelle