House of Dior

Feb 5th 2023

Just kidding, its now the 7th…that’s how I roll I guess.

According to Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris…..

In 1947 Christian Dior featured his first collection of fitted bodices, narrow waist and full pleated skirts. These exquisite designs were featured at the House of Dior and purchased by individuals to be custom fit to one person. Only one was made. He was a well-known great designer.

But then his designs were brought out to the world….to the ordinary people. Instead of the world coming to him and his designs…he offered his work to be purchased beyond his fashion houses. The fashion designs were saved and his name lives on. I mean, even I can pick up a Dior if I want.

If you don’t think you can afford haute couture (the creation of exclusive custom fitted high-end fashion design constructed by hand) or that you are not special enough…you settle for simple fabrics and patterns. You do, and wear what everyone else is wearing. It’s what you know..and it works.

Inspired by this movie…I sit and think. We stay where we know. We do what we know…we dream but we don’t move. We complain of Michigan winters but make no move to sell and repurchase where the sun shines more. We use the term “one-day” or “I’m going to…” but we never do. More than that we watch from inside. We desire for more….but don’t think we deserve or can have haute couture. We settle for simple fabrics…for what everyone is doing.

I know another great designer. He wasn’t always attainable either, as far as meeting up. Often you had to go to tabernacle or a temple to be in His presence….I mean, we can’t all be Moses, hanging out in a cloud with Him. BUT…He told us He would send a savior. And he did. Someone who was more like us (but not at all) and could relate to us and feel like us. Attainable. He is offered to us all. We don’t have to find an unblemished male lamb…and walk to the temple to sacrifice…He WAS the sacrifice so that we can recieve His gift and live an eternity with him. The great designer..haute couture. He are uniquely special to Him and we no longer have to live by the patterns of this world or settle for simple. Who wants ordinary anyways. In the end…I want to be the one or part of the ones who stand out. Who set boundaries…and convictions and lived by them. Who had to say no often to say yes to better things even if meant missing out on the “fun”. Im talking about a real, genuine relationship with Christ. Not just going to church, and going to home fellowship groups and even bible studies. You can even read your Bible daily and still NOT have a genuine relationship where He is a part of your thoughts and actions daily. Where His opinion matters to you and changes your heart. Its hard because the world is always coming at you. Satan wants so hard to callous our hearts and “go with the flow”. Don’t. Take everything and go to “Paris”….or as Jesus said, drop everythign and follow me.

Anyways. The movie had nothing to do with Christ but it was really good! Clean, humerous, dramatic, a little love story and makes ya think.

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I was able to go to Chicago with Hatcher and see Cora this weekend. It was Founders Day on Friday and so they have special speakers and worship. Its fun to see some of Cora’s friends doing their thing with worship and stage set up. I enjoyed being on campus and the speakers and I ralso eally liked worshipping with Shane and Shane. The love for that group came years ago and actually started at Kent City Baptist when they had some special music come in. I think they were some friends of Kelly Clum? (two gals) They sang Yearn for You…with an acoustic guitar I think. I bough tShane and Shane’s CD and would listen to it at night on the nights when Mark would travel and when he first traveled I was a little scared to be alone and so I needed to be distracted. (don’t you wonder sometimes…or know….that slowly God prepares you for the future) I ripped the CD and added it to my itunes and eventually Mark started listening to it and it’s funny…when he was sick..looking for music and scripture and such..he came across Shane and Shane alot!

One of the speakers kept talking about the 4th Man…the figure in the fire and I really liked that term and it’s stuck with me. God is in the “fire” with us….even when we feel alone. When we are dealing with marriages…kids….sickness..death…work issues…stuff that is heavy and we don’t know how we are going to do it alone…we have to remember we don’t have to. There’s a song…”theres another in the fire..standing next to me…”. I can’t remember the title or who sings it. OH HERE It is!! (click on “here”) and you can also go to Moody’s Website about Founders Day and listen to the messages and I think it was Jobe who talked about the 4th Man.

Hatcher enjoyed hanging out with Cora’s friends and I enjoyed hanging out with Cora. We took a Pilates class together Saturday morning before getting lunch and heading home. I wanted to go to church with her but also felt I needed to get home. My rental was having issues…like the door was open when my guest arrived??? (so it was COLD!) and then the venting system sent a whiff of a not so pleasant smell…(which went away) but then the next morning there was no water. The pipe underground had frozen. It was fine by the time I got home but I had to cancel the two night reservation which was a bummer for me and for her. When I walk around in the city I often think that I would want to live there for a bit and I always think about when Karson was little and I had a job offer from a design company on Navy Pier. I was afraid of finding housing and childcare in such a big city, I turned it down. I often wonder what it would have been like. I guess its not too late but its expensive to live in Chi Town! Always keeping my options open though.

Aly talked to her coaches and she was able to pull out from competing for the indoor season (or maybe for outdoor too, I don’t know but I hope so) and “red shirt”. I just really think her body needs to heal before she pushes the limits. Passing out, collapsing, and not remembering portions of a 5m:30sec race is ridiculous. It’s not okay and it’s not healthy. I think putting the racing off rather than putting her health off is a super smart move!

Speaking of Cornerstone…they are hosting the Pilgrim. You can get tickets HERE. Wow, all the hyperlinks today! You’ll love it! Bring an unsaved friend. Its free but you still need tickets.

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I wait too long to write and can’t remember what I wanted to say. When I was in Chicago I got a call from Terry Yoder and he is ready to up the anty at the Mark Linsley Memorial 5k this year June 17th!! Tell all your walking and running and strolling and woggin friends that want to help support future missionaries…to come support! It’s unique on a runway..you don’t have to dodge traffic and its an out and back. You get T-shirts and a pancake breakfast afterward!!

Febuary, to me, is the worse month! At least it started out with sunshine and has been pretty consistant. I also have gotten out to XC ski 3x so far. That’s great! I try to get out walking and hiking on the trails too like the Dragon Trail and sections of the North Country Trail. I literally have to force mysel to do things because this is the month that really brings me down. Cold and long and …cold. I hope to have enough fun things planned for this month that it will pass quickly but thoughts of spending my winters elsewhere often pass through my head..but I had one in high school still.

The re-zoning for my property has begun so I can officially “run a business” on my property. AkA rent out my guesthouse short term. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I guess that’s it. I’ve forgotten what I wanted to say. I’ll have a link for Cora’s fundraising soon and I think I’ll have a big sale in May (all the tings I thought I wanted to keep) to go toward her plane ticket etc. If anyone wants to throw stuff in the sale or help…I’d appreciate it. I dont’ have a date yet but she won’t be home for very long…probably 3rd week I’m thinking.

Oh I went rock climbing with Karson and Abby and Hatcher and it was hard (bouldering) but I really liked it, however, I really tore my hand up doing it.