Winner Winner!

And the winner is....

Julie!!

Congrats friend! I'd love to hear what you think after you read it. I'll put the book in the mail this week! I'd say tomorrow, but you know me...five years in Syracuse did not change how much I dislike driving in snowy weather!

Thanks to everyone who did sign up and and choose to follow. I love to share things, so you never know what's next!

Friday Favorites

Some of my favorite things just week...

1. For your home: Ever Thine Home is the holiday and home collection from FamilyLife. For those of you who don't know, FamilyLife is the ministry Joe and I are currently serving with. When I learned about Ever Thine Home and saw their products, I instantly loved the beauty of each piece, but more so loved the meaning behind each item. The Ever Thine Home collection wants to help women add the things that last forever to our home and family. Their holiday and home collection helps us to infuse our homes with purpose even in the ordinary. 

The Gathered Round is one of my favorites. It can be used for every holiday, celebration and event on your family calender. I love the idea of having a beautiful and versatile decor piece that can be used for all of those occasions and minimize the clutter of decoration storage throughout the year. The creative uses are endless. You can imagine my excitement when a dear friend surprisingly (and with no knowledge of this item being on my imaginary wishlist) gave me the Gathered Round as a gift last week. After an especially hard week, it was such a clear reminder to me that God cares and loves me personally. He knew I needed some extra smiles last week. Made. My. Day. The girls and I decided to put it to use the next day and decorate for Valentine's Day. 

2. To learn: I would love for my girls to have the chance to grow up with the Hungarian language being spoken all around them like I did. My grandparents and my dad were born in Hungary. I learned enough to understand and have basic, small conversations, but also learned the Hungarian alphabet, how to read the language and of course all the sweet poems, sayings and songs that my grandparents always shared with me. The country, the people, the culture and the language all hold very special meaning to me. 

Because Hungarian isn't a mainstream language (like Spanish and French), there aren't a ton of resources available to teach the girls. They don't even have a Hungarian Rosetta Stone to teach myself. This is why I was beyond excited to find out about the app, Gus on the Go.  The app offers interactive lessons and fun vocabulary games to learn over 90 words. The quality of the app and the rarity of finding a Hungarian version make the $3.99 worth every penny. Gus on the Go comes in a bunch of different languages. AND you don't have to be a kid to learn from it. Check out the list of languages offered here.  My girls are learning so much already. 

3. For a good laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0qXjRRvpQE

4. What you didn't see in the headlines and tabloids: I'm an especially big advocate of the importance of remembering that people (famous or not) are REAL people with REAL heart issues and a REAL need for the same hope and truth. It is too easy for us to judge those in Hollywood, to put them in a glass bowl and critique every area of their lives. At the end of the day, when everything is stripped away, we have a whole lot more in common then we want to believe. After lots of media training in school, I learned that marketing and PR are powerful forces, which makes it especially important to sift through the messages sent our way before believing it to be the truth about someone. You've most likely heard many stories about the ABC's previous Bachelor, Sean Lowe. This is what you may not have heard. I'm thankful for his influence and testimony. Watch it here. 

5. Beauty: By now I'm sure you are familiar with the idea of monthly box subscriptions popping up everywhere. I think the idea of surprise boxes in the mail are a lot of fun, so I like to test them out when I get a promo code for a free box. I have never kept a subscription, but a a free box of goodies sounds like a good deal to me. My most recent box was from Julep. You know this is especially fun for me if you know my love for nail polish. After taking the quiz, they labeled my beauty style, bombshell (a confident frill-seeker with magnetic appeal, adores bold, glam colors and anything that sparkles) and put together my beauty box for me. Two nail polish colors and some cuticle repair oil. The polish is high quality, like Essie and O.P.I. The colors were fun. I only had to pay $4 for shipping. Now, I can simply cancel my subscription and not pay for anymore boxes. 

Do you want to get a free box of beauty products worth $40? Click this link and enter the code: FREEBOX at checkout. If nothing else, get your free box, then wrap it up and give it as a gift! Sweet deal! 

6. 

7. Photos: Groovebook is a free app that allows you to quickly create a photo book with up to 100 photos taken directly from your smartphone. The GrooveBook app prints your monthly camera roll into a 4.5” x 6.5” Photo Book for FREE and mails it directly to you every month. The photos in your book are printed on glossy photo paper and are even perforated for easy removal so you can share them, frame them or stick them into photo albums. Each photo even includes the location and date for reference.

If you are like me, you take a ton of pictures on your phone and have a hard time getting them printed. I love knowing for only 2.99 in shipping every month, Groovebook does all the work for me! You can get your first book completely free. Just use the coupon code: CASSEL15. Start by downloading the free Groovebook app. Follow the signup instructions. Enter the promo code at checkout. Then, begin reviewing and uploading your pictures! 

8. Orange: It might be a fundraising strategy, but I genuinely look forward to the Valentine's Day card Syracuse University sends Joe and I every year. I love that SU is the beginning of our love story. #OrangeLove 

9. And because it is Valentine's Day after all: I'm extremely thankful for my favorite guy. His love goes way beyond Valentine's Day, but I'm thankful that he celebrated yesterday by bringing home two of my favorites: flowers (hot pink roses and gerber daisies) and iced coffee. :)

Girls Like Us

Last year, I picked up a fiction book (A Walk Across the Sun by Corbin Addison) that told about the underworld of Mumbai, India. The book told the story of two children who were kidnapped and swept into the international sex trade. Reading this book and knowing it was based on a very serious reality pricked my conscience in a new way. While Addison's book has a happy ending, I am very aware that not every woman's story does. God used this book to break my heart for women all around the world who are in similar situations. 

My friend, Joyce, has been sharing with me for years about the passion God has given her to do her part and help victims all around the world who are suffering such human injustice. When I shared with her my new found interest in learning more and doing my part, she recommended I read Girls Like Us: Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not For Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself by Rachel Lloyd. 


Rachel Lloyd is a survivor of the commercial sex industry who has devoted her career to activism and helping other young girls escape a life of pain and abuse. In the book, she shares stories from her own personal experience, as well as the stories of girls she has helped. This is one of the most informative and unforgettable memoirs I've ever read. 

I was enlightened as the author shared the difference between a teenage prostitute and a commercially exploited teenage girl. I was shocked to realize there were twelve year old little girls on the street being sold for sex. I was reminded of the reality that many girls don't even have a category for real love because since birth the people who were supposed to take care of them have abused them and called it "love". The consequences of broken families and abandoned children being drawn into a relationship with a pimp who calls himself Daddy didn't surprise me. However, my world was turned upside down by the truth that this is not just an epidemic happening to girls internationally or in third world countries (which is a huge problem by itself), but this is happening right around us to women in our own cities. 

I learned about how broken the system is and the intricate web of people and societal issues that contribute to it. The truth is the commercial sex industry wouldn't exist without the demand for it. Girls Like Us paints an accurate, real world picture of the horrific problem that is on the rise in the United States and around the world. 

Rachel Lloyd founded GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services) to meet the needs of girls who share her history of being commercially exploited. She supplies a safe environment for girls to find counseling and support, as they break away from "the life" and begin the healing process. 

When I was done reading, I wanted to know what I could do to get involved. You can learn more about GEMS, the services they provide and the ways you can contribute at their website. There are ways to join the campaign and help to educate others. You can organize a book group and host a viewing party for the film Very Young Girls to introduce others to the issue. You can raise funds for the cause in creative ways OR you can make a purchase from the GEMS shop to help raise awareness (100% of all proceeds go to GEMS). Even if we each purchase a set of notecards for $8, we can make a difference. 

If nothing else, read the book. It isn't an easy read because of the nature of it's contents, but it is a page turner. It's sad, but it is reality. I didn't want to put it down because it was so interesting, but had to at times for an emotional break and to give my daughters hugs. I read it and wanted to tell everyone about it. 

For that reason, I want to give a copy away to one of my friends. If you are interested in a receiving a free copy of the book, here's how it will work. You can enter in four ways (which means your name can be put in the pool four times). Do any or all of these things for a chance at a free book. 

1. Leave a comment. 
2. Become a follower of the blog (if you already are that counts as one entry). 
3. Email subscribe to the blog (if you already have that counts as one entry). 
4. Follow Embracing Grace and Glitter on Bloglovin' (if you already have that counts as one entry). 

On Monday, 2/17, I will put everyone's name in a bowl (some of you multiple times) and randomly pick who I will send it too! 

Free books are another love language of mine. So, I'm excited to LOVE you and send you a copy for free! That's also how much I care about this topic. 

Thanks for reading! I'll let you know who wins. 

xoxo.

Friday Favorites

Ready for the weekend? I am! Here are some of the things I've been loving this week:

1. New recipe: A couple of weeks ago, I walked into my friend Megan's house and literally started drooling at the amazing smell coming from her kitchen. This is the norm at her house, that and the fresh plate of baked goods always popping out of the oven while a fire crackles in the fireplace. She really knows how to make her home welcoming and cozy. When Megan recommends a recipe, I listen. You should too.
Alabama Pulled Pork Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce
I feel like I've betrayed BBQ pulled pork and fallen in love with this vinegary, spicy, sweet goodness. Not only that, but it is a quick version of pulled pork and it is served over homemade sweet potato biscuits. Yum!

2. Truth:  "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:4-6
I've been spending my mornings going through Beth Moore's Whispers of Hope: 10 Weeks of Devotional Prayer. 

I've been stuck on this passage in 1 Peter since the morning I read it. Remembering God as my LIVING Redeemer, the Living Stone. Some of the Beth Moore's points that have stuck with me are: 

• "As living stones, do our lives expose an empty tomb and a living, thriving, personal God? Are we proof that Christ lives?"
• "What if people were convinced we worship a living Savior simply by watching the effervescent life of the spirit within us (not the rules we follow)?"

Praying that as followers of Christ, we would learn what it means to be "lingering proof of the resurrection." 

3. Pandora station: I LOVE the mix of songs on the Colbie Caillat Pandora station. Have you heard Alex & Sierra Say Something? I could seriously listen to it over and over again. Love it.

4. Midday pick-me-up: Anyone else wish Starbucks made home deliveries? Or that the really yummy drinks weren't $5? I love iced Caramel Macchiatos. When it's the middle of the winter and there's no time to nap, I enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up. I was surprisingly pleased by this solution.

5. YouTube video: Oh if God ever gives me a little boy...this WILL be us on his wedding day. If not and I have lots of girls, we will just choreograph our own mother daughter dance at each one.
Trying to figure out how I can marry Joe again, so I don't miss the whole fun organized dance craze this time! Watch for yourself here.

6. This candle:  I had to order something from Bath and Body Works the other day and they sent me a complimentary Eucalyptus Mint candle. First of all, candles are one of my love languages, so yay. It has a fresh and clean scent that makes it smell like you've been cleaning your house all day. It's a nice change from the seasonal holiday smells. Bring on the spring (and the spring cleaning)!

7. Books: As if I can't get enough of books already, this week I found these at the library...

Baby Lit- "the fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature" 

I love the concept and the illustrations are beautiful. Check out their site. They even sell the story playsets, prints and tote bags. What a pretty collection to have on the shelf. Adorable. 

8. 

9. Encouraging blog post: Let's Be Friends!

Stitch Fix

Have you heard about Stitch Fix?

It's not a surprise to those who know me that I love clothes, style watching, surprises and getting mail! Stitch Fix rolls all of those things into a fun package delivered right to your doorstep.

In case you aren't familiar, StitchFix is a personal styling service. To begin, you fill out a style profile (which is really fun and channels the inner teenage girl in me who loved monthly Seventeen magazine quizzes) and based on your results, your stylist sends you a box of five goodies to try on (while having the comfort of pairing it with things you already have in your own closet). You have three days before you have to make any decisions about keeping the items or sending some back in an easy-to-use prepaid envelope. Your stylist sends a card of style ideas with each item, which helps to pair the items with things you already have! (I loved that perk!) There is a $20 styling fee, but if you keep anything in your box, that money goes toward your total purchase. After you make your purchase, you go online to fill out a survey that indicates why certain items worked and why others didn't. This allows your stylist to improve your fixes each time and tailor them more and more to your liking (taste, size, shape, color preferences, needs).

For a girl who wished for a computerized Clueless closet since she was ten and has on occasion imagined what it would be like to have someone to personally style her, Stitch Fix sounded like a ton of fun! I've wanted to try it for a while to see how someone else would interpret my style and pick things for me I might not have without help. It seemed like a fun way to spruce up my wardrobe with some new items AND who doesn't love getting a package of new clothes in the mail?

I hesitated because I noticed the average price point of friends' items were higher than I would normally pay. I don't spend a lot on my clothing budget and when I do shop, I am always finding great deals at my favorite stores! However, while I am definitely a bargain shopper, I also enjoy some quality pieces in my wardrobe that will last a while and can be worn many ways or for special occasions. I knew scheduling a "fix" would be a bit of a special splurge, so I waited until Christmas when I had some gift money to spend and scheduled my first fix. You can schedule to have fixes sent to you monthly or just choose to schedule one when the time is right for you. There is even a space to indicate what you are hoping for in your fix.

I ordered my first fix in December and if only I wasn't so excited to rip it open and try everything on, I would have remembered to take pictures to share with friends who have been wondering. I'll remember to take pictures next time. I'm thinking maybe around my birthday, which is at the beginning of June (perfect timing for the start of a new season). 

So, how did it work out? 

Here is the note my stylist, Britney, sent with my package: 

Welcome to Stitch Fix, Jen! I hope you love your first Fix! I wanted to find pieces that stay true to your romantic, casual style while staying within your budget. All the pieces I have included can be dressed up for the holidays, but can also transition to the more casual days with your kids...Have fun mixing and matching these pieces and we would love to hear your feedback to help us gain a better sense of your style as we go! Enjoy! XO Britney

She sent me: 

• a pair of skinny jeans (LOVED. Unlike any pants I had ever put on before. But, I decided to send back because I had a pair that was the same color and couldn't justify another. If only they had been a darker wash...)
• a coral colored long sleeved striped shirt with a bow detail on the back (loved, but didn't fit me right)
• a floral print blazer (loved, but not the right size for me)
• a black silk detailed short sleeve blouse (kept!) 
• a short striped bubble skirt (the only item I thought really wasn't for me!)

Style: I loved 4/5 items. So, Britney did a great job capturing my style. 

All that to say, while this isn't something I would/could do monthly, for me it is a treat a couple of times a year. I would recommend Stitch Fix to you if it something that sounds fun to you. I would simply make sure you communicate your desires and personal style as clearly as you can (including your price point). Then, take a risk and wait excitedly for your package to arrive in the mail! 

Wanna give Stitch Fix a try for yourself? Use my personalized referral link and place your first order. Then, tell me all about it! AND you can even invite me over or Skype with me while you decide what to keep and I'll give you my input because then we'll feel like old friends popping our heads out of the fitting room again!

Happy Endings

I'm a sucker for happy endings.

In life. In love. In the movies.

While I've always loved the idea of fairy tales, I learned at a young age that things won't always go the way I hope they will. Yet, despite the inevitability of "hard" all around me, I can't remember a time when conflict and pain didn't make me want to curl up in a ball and hide until it all passed. I can't remember a time when my stomach didn't tie up in knots at the news of a failed marriage, a broken family, a lost loved one or a heartbreaking headline. Death, breakups, loss, grief. I don't really know how to do it well. 

Even in the midst of painful realities, I've always craved more. I long for perfect, happy, whole, complete. I long for closure, reconciliation and second chances. I long for stories where love wins and evil loses. I long for happy endings.

It doesn't even have to be real life. Just the other night on Parenthood, Joel and Julia were telling their children that Joel was moving out and the parents were separating. That night, I couldn't even stay in the room to watch the kids' reactions. I felt those knots start forming in my stomach and knew I wasn't just feeling deeply for characters on a show, but for all the kids living through these moments, for my 15 year old self. That night, it felt like too much for me.

even the picture...

You know you've felt it. It might not be the same scene that wrecks you, but you know "that" scene where you think,"Why am I doing to myself? Like there isn't enough going on in life. I'm just going to take the emotional roller coaster for one more spin." I'm tempted to just sit out the rest of the season until the finale when I hope the writers will make it all better. Life does not always feel like fairy tale, so when I sit down on the couch to watch a movie or curl up with a good book, I'd really like it to be.

Movies and TV story lines with happily ever after endings reflect something deeper. They reflect the desires of all of our hearts, don't they? A story with a sad ending seems incomplete and leaves us wanting more. I believe that's how God designed us. Something inside of us yearns for resolution because God created us to yearn for a love that is complete, a never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. (Thank you for the word picture, Jesus Storybook Bible! Have you ever read it? Seriously, kids or no kids...pick this Bible up.)

I may be able to turn the TV off or choose another book in my attempt to avoid unnecessary sadness for a moment. But not in real life. I'm learning that while every part of me wants to curl up and hide until it all passes, it's important to press into the hard places because it's there that God's love heals. When the pain and heartbreak all around me seems like too much, I'm learning to rest because God knows the whole story. He sees what I can't. He knows what I don't. Oh how the Lord wants me to truly "get" this in my life.

For this light and momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor 4:17)

When we put our trust in Jesus, He promises to work all things together for the good of those who love Him. His love makes us whole and gives hope where hope is needed the most. Even in situations when we don't see His goodness prevail in our lifetime, it does, because His Word promises it will. Love wins. Evil loses. There is a happy ending even if we have to wait until eternity for it.

Free printable here.

What I continue to learn is that I can't place my hope in happy endings on earth and I will never fully understand God's will. But, I find hope in knowing that God is good (always, no matter what) and He protects us. He brings us through.    

Jesus is our happy ending because He is the answer to all the brokenness in the world and in our hearts. When "love" around us seems to fail, His love never does. Having a relationship with Jesus doesn't take away hardship, but it changes despair to hope. He is a God of reconciliation and second chances. In the midst of the pain and suffering, Jesus renews, restores and makes us whole. In Him, we find beauty in the brokenness. With Him, we find the strength and courage to walk through pain. He helps me to stand, instead of curl up and hide. He is gracious when life feels like too much. Our souls don't just long for a happy ending, our souls long for His grace. We are all made for a happy ending and that happy ending can only be found in and through Jesus.

The writers may never bring Joel and Julia back together (insert sad face) and Mockingjay might not end the way I hoped (I may have skipped ahead in the midst of my tension to see). Hardships will come that I never wanted to experience and people I love will face pain that I can't make go away. In the midst of it all, I cling to my happy ending. I cling to my hope in Jesus, as he teaches me to love and believe in a better love story. His happy ending.

c/o PBJ stories Etsy shop

What makes you want to curl up and hide?