A Talk with God in an era of Covid-19

 

Have you ever been in the presence of greatness but realised it too late? 

It wasn't util that the person was no longer around that you understood their role and the capacity in which they somehow managed to bring a sense of understanding to every disagreement, sighted the wrongs, spoke truthfully-calling out injustices, and liars trembled in their presence. Their ability to educate and reform without insult or elevated tone was unmatched.

Now that they are gone, you never grasped their purpose, the lessons they taught, which you now try your hardest to honour their legacy by holding onto the nuggets of wisdom they shared as naturally as their smile. 

What chaos life is and how tumultuous the days are now in their absence. Darkness seems to overpower what little light remains. 

As I stood at my kitchen sink taking advantage of this dizzy-free moment that I was blessed with, I found myself conversing with the Lord. I replayed every day since my birthday in 2020. I relived 152 days in all of 15 minutes. Conversations with patients and nurses, each interaction with the Covid positive patients I had the honour of admitting and caring for, life-saving moments and moments where I wished some patients were able to see more than my masked, gowned stature before their last breath left their body. 

I questioned whether or not what I did was enough. When the fatigue persisted and exhaustion became chronic, I wondered did I act in time in regards to my well-being? After having to make so many adjustments to what would be perceived as basic activities of daily living all because of lingering symptoms I questioned God. What is the lesson? How ill am I? Will I be able to run the distances I once did easily without needing a twelve hour nap afterwards just to have enough energy to shower? Are you seeing this? Persistent, continuous dizziness, palpitations at night, chest discomfort and debilitating fatigue after simple activity (I'm talking 3 sets of 10 elastic band horizontal abduction exercises). 

When will I get some answers that will prove to my naysayers, that this is not anxiety, and I am not depressed. 

It was in this moment my mind was taken to the triumphal entry of Christ, where the Jews were excited that the Messiah came, however they misinterpreted his purpose. They were seeking the Messiah's arrival so that the Roman Empire would be overturn and him to rule. In reality, His coming was to be so much more than a destructor of a present worldly power, but a provider of a wonderful life void of injustices in the future. I wonder if given the chance to be in His physical presence whether or not their focus or ours would be different? Would we be so distracted by the pain we are experiencing now that we want to end, or the promise of living eternally and accepting salvation to ensure we are in the number in the future? 

This was my reminder that hurdles are often necessary for God to complete and perfect the good work He began in me and you; I am just to be still, fret not and to daily cast my concerns at His feet. 

His descension from royalty  to live in sin but not of sin, was so that we would have the perfect example of what it means to daily be in the presence of greatness. 

You see, He was always in His father's presence and that made everything He endured "bearable." 

That was the reminder I needed. Despite it all, whose presence am I engulfed in? Is it my own self-talk or am I diligently seeking divine guidance? 

The Best Ways to Transition Slip and Body Con Dresses

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” ― Lauren DeStefano, Wither

 

SEASONS: A voluntary opportunity for a new beginning. 

Sometimes I wonder what life would be like without a calendar, time or our track of changing seasons. Would we automatically recharge or seek a means of doing so? 

While I lived in the Midwestern U.S.A., I grew to look forward to the change of seasons and loved when fall approached. 

Running outdoors became more enjoyable as the air grew cooler and the leaves graced the canopy with various hues before their finale right before winter; new wildlife immersed while others prepared their nests and burrows for the colder months ahead. Me on the other hand, I found myself evolving creatively in style as I shopped my closet for outfits that could be layered and not just look nice together but was practical and functional as well.   

Temperatures may not be as drastic on this part of the globe, but cooler days still afford the opportunity to dress up minor staples for when the weather permit. 

Here are some simple ways to transition a simple dress from summer to winter or in my case "cooler winds." Hopefully these simple looks can help you to step out of your comfort zone and try new fun pairings with items you already own. 

Easy Ways to Transition Any Dress from Summer to Fall

1. Monochromatic Look

Keeping items within the same colour spectrum for a monochromatic look can take the guess work out of what to wear when layering a dress for the fall. 

Neutral tones afford you the opportunity to layer numerous pieces of varying colours be it a cardigan, sweater, coat or in this instance a cape. 

Choosing a shoe or boot/bootie is also easy as you can keep your colour palette monochromatic throughout wearing the same colour shoe or a colour in the same family. 

For my first look, I decided to pair this dress with my New York & Co turtleneck cape. To keep the look flattering, I took my brown belt and tucked the front part of the cape under the belt for a more defined and intentional fit. If you prefer a more baggy look, you can always let the cape or sweater hang down the front. 

To add a bit more of depth to the look, I added my tan fedora and brown booties with gold detail. 

This look can be worn for an evening out with friends, running errands in the day (if its cold enough) or even a date night with your significant other. 

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Booties | Slip Dress (similar) | Fedora (alternative) | Turtleneck Cape (alternative)

2. Colourblock 

Adding a bold coloured piece on top of your slip dress not only adds depth to your outfit but also drama. For days where an extra layer is needed, the basic denim jacket is the easiest ways to add a colour-blocking element. 

I decided to pair my neutral slip dress with my waist length dark washed denim jacket. For an even more dramatic colour blocking effect, you can pair a longer length  coloured cardigan-a cranberry coloured one for example, or a lightweight multicoloured kimono for a lighter days. 

On days when the weather is chilly, layer on other bold coloured pieces like scarves or even a bright pair of stockings.  

We often think of colour blocking in one piece, but this can be achieved through by choosing simple pieces that work well together as a comprehensive look. Think about adding a beret or fedora, a headband or turban or even one of the more overlooked accessories a bag. 

Booties | Slip Dress (similar) | Denim Jacket | Mustard Bag 

3. Embellishments 

Lately I've been drawn to pearls and pieces with unique appliqués. They have a way of dressing up the most basic pieces and not requiring unnecessary accessories.

Earlier this year, while strolling through the local mall, I found an ivory coloured sweater-very basic-to say the least, on sale for $15.00. I decided to jazz it up a bit by adding faux pearls of various sizes to the front of the sweater. 

I've paired this sweater with paperbag pants, skinny jeans with a pair of white sneakers and even dressed it up a bit with a pair of nude pumps. It's a heavyweight sweater with a chunky look to it. 

The simplest way of utilising this piece, was to pair it with my baby blue body con dress that I found at a local boutique The Velvet Hanger. This dress is such a pretty pale blue colour and it's thicker than most pieces I've seen in stores. The material is lightweight and has some stretch to it and is very comfortable for all day wear. 

For cohesiveness and a bit of contrast I paired this look with my mustard pearled headband and fall booties. 

On colder days or nights, I plan on wearing a thicker pair of stockings, perhaps I may try my hand and add an appliqué to them. 

Make use of any vintage pieces you may have and pair your bodycon dresses with them for a simple summer to fall transitional look. 

Booties | Pearl Sweater (alternative) | Bodycon Dress (alternative) | Mustard Pearl Headband 

If looking for the dress locally, try Body Beautiful or The Velvet Hanger for affordable options. 

4. Prints and Patterns

If your wardrobe is filled with pieces in various prints or patterns, why not pair them with your slip or bodycon dresses and wear them during the fall and winter seasons? 

The easiest way for me to pair a piece with a print is to choose colours that are incorporated in the print or pattern. For example, I started with the baby blue bodycon dress as my base and added my navy blue tropical 3/4 sleeve kimono with it. 

If I wanted to wear this look while running errands throughout the day, I would have paired a small pink crossbody bag with it with a navy bootie or a low top sneaker. 

As my look in the photos are more of an evening out and about look, I anchored it with a navy floppy felt hat and my new fall staple, brown booties with gold accents. 

Bodycon Dress | Tropical Print Kimono | Navy Floppy Hat | Booties

It's so fun to shop your closet to utilise pieces already owned to create new outfits for any season. If you try any of these looks be sure to tag me in your photos over on instagram. I'd love to see what you came up with. 

Are you going to shop your wardrobe this season? What was your favourite look? Let me know in the comments section below. 

"How-To" Series

 

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. - Tom Bodett