This. Is. WAR.

As someone who has dealt with mostly acute acne since the age of eleven, may I just say "I've had enough!"

And that's what I said last night after washing my face and once again being confronted with the never ending battle in the mirror.

And when my roommate got home, that's what I said to her. "This is WAR! No more!" and she was all "um, what?"

So I did over an hour's worth of research on the internet last night, came up with a few new options I haven't tried, and then went to Whole Foods this morning.

Here's the new regimen:

Kiss My Face Start Up Exfoliating Wash


and Kiss My Face Olive & Aloe Moisturizing Lotion


Also I read somewhere that for adult acne you should stay away from salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide treatments. Which I already knew because they are both bad news for my skin. However, you can try using products containing sulfur. Resorcinol and sulfur are usually paired together and I found favorable reviews for Clearasil Adult Acne treatment, which is sulfur based. So, today was day one. Hopefully this will work. I plan to still use my St. Ives Apricot exfoliating face wash, because I love it, but also because my face seems to like to be exfoliated to within an inch of its life occasionally. Anyways, I'll be letting you know if this new regimen works or bombs. I know I'm not the only person in the world who struggles with it and I also know that it helps to know what works for other people.

I'll get around to posting Colorado pictures soon. If we're facebook friends you should have seen them posted already. I do have some favorites though which I'll share here.

OH! And we got a third roommate recently. Kara (new roommate) and I re-arranged the house on Tuesday while Marianne was out of town on business. I think I like it. It's hard to say because it's all of the same old furniture just moved about. However, I do like the new spatial layout, feels more open or something. Eh, you'll just have to see it. =)

That was a quick turn around!

This is from the God Calling book, for today, 3 September:

"I am your Savior. Not only from the weight of sin, but from the weight of care, from misery, and depression, from want and woe, from faintness and heartache. Your Savior.

Remember that you are living really in the Unseen - that is the Real Life.

Lift up your heads from earth's troubles, and view the glories of the Kingdom. Higher and higher each day see more of Heaven. Speak to Me. Long for Me. Rest in Me. Abide in Me. No restless bringing Me your burdens, and then feverishly lifting them again and bearing them away.

No! Abide in Me. Not for one moment losing the consciousness of My Strength and Protection.

As a child in its mother's arms, stay sheltered and at rest."


Did I not just write this: "...I try to lay things at the feet of Jesus because I know that he can take care of them and myself in a way that I never will be able to. But sometimes I turn around and run back picking things up like it's my load to carry. It's not. If I surrendered it, then I need to let it lie there and resist the urge to pick it up and worry over it," YESTERDAY?!

It is amazing to me the number of times that book has applied to exactly what I am dealing with. Last week I was being hugely selfish with my time and not wanting to drive someone somewhere because sometimes they just discourage me too much. I don't read the book everyday, maybe every third day and catch up on the ones I missed. I caught up on the days a few days after my day of selfishness, and the entry that would have been for that day or the day after was "Give, give, give. Unconditionally. Give of all you have" (paraphrased). Do you ever just get a response from God that quickly? Clearly I was out of line in my behavior, and he was not slow to make me aware.

Just a tick-tock

About a week ago I went and saw the musical Wicked with some friends, for the third time, may I add. It's just so exciting knowing that people are about to experience one of the best shows they've ever seen. I always get so giddy when I think about the first time I saw it in London. With the original cast who recorded the CD. I just like to throw that out there. Yes, it's part pride, but also I just like to remind myself of the awesomeness that happened on that stage with Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth. Wicked is just so clever and brilliant and hilarious! It's a beautiful, beautiful thing and I highly recommend it.

I've been thinking, as I so rarely do. Remember this post? It amazes me how quickly I surrender my joy to another and pick up a burden that is no longer mine. I try to lay things at the feet of Jesus because I know that he can take care of them and myself in a way that I never will be able to. But sometimes I turn around and run back picking things up like it's my load to carry. It's not. If I surrendered it, then I need to let it lie there and resist the urge to pick it up and worry over it.

IF I am who I say I am, then when will my actions match that? I know it's a process of sanctification, but sometimes a big part of me (that part that always fails, ha!) wishes there was a bippity-boppity-boo moment where the rags are turned into a nice, flowing, white ball gown (little Cinderella reference). Why do I let others question what I know to be true, take advice that doesn't adhere to what I feel God is telling me in my heart? I wish I could get over peer pressure. It's not time for me to start looking for a job yet. How do I know that? Because when I pray about it I don't have peace about it yet, about the job search process that is. I have peace waiting. For now. Now that I've laid it back down and stopped fretting.

Speaking of frets, and this is way off topic, I keep wishing lately that I hadn't quit trying to learn the guitar. One discouraging word from someone and I was too embarrassed to pick it back up. And then I moved to London, and then my brother took it to Chicago, and then it went to UofH with my other brother, and now it resides in Canada. Someday, maybe I will try again. But not the self-taught method because clearly that wasn't working. Ha!

I'm headed to Cypress for the Labor Day weekend. I'm hoping to get my quilt tops quilted before I go to Colorado (in 10 days or so!). I'm also hoping to get my hard drive wiped clean and then re-install some stuff. The number of viruses on this little computer is astounding! It's still working, but it's super slow due to the new anti-malware/virus protection I changed to.

And TEXAS FOOTBALL starts soon! I do so love me some college football! Though I'm definitely a watch it on TV kind of girl. The view is just so much better. But there's something to be said for a live game, I will give you crazies that much.