A Weekend in Chincoteague

  About a week ago I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany some friends on a trip to Chincoteague Island. I had never been there before so I was pretty excited to take an adventure. The Island itself is so tiny and cute. It reminded me of a place that would be used in a Nicholas Sparks movie. It has that small town vibe, but with a beachy feel. Below are some pictures and commentary from my wonderful weekend adventure!

 This is what the streets of Chincoteague look like. They are very quaint and cute.

 On our first day in Chincoteague we ate lunch at this cute little cafe called the Sea Star Cafe. They had the best sandwiches and they make their own lemonade that is to die for! 

After eating our wonderful lunch we went on or first little excursion. We climbed to the top of this light house and then took a hiking trail in one of the parks. 

 This lighthouse was built in the mid to late 1800's and had a total of around 160 steps. It was fun going to the top, but we came out  a bit dizzy and a little sore in the legs.

This photo is of the lighthouse views. So pretty!

 

 After our little hiking adventure we saw some ponies on our way out and then we treated ourselves to some ice cream.

I tried their soft-serve swirl ice cream in a homemade waffle cone. It was absolutely amazing. There is nothing like ice cream at the beach. 

 This was our adorable hotel we stayed at. The pool was a little small, but you bet we took advantage of it.

 That evening we set out for a sunset boat cruise on the Chesapeake in hopes to see some ponies and explore the island a little bit more. It was so relaxing and we did see some ponies in the distance.

 The sunset was also very pretty that evening. I just love the way a sunset looks over the water.

 That night they also happened to be having a carnival. It turns out they do it every weekend throughout June and July. So after eating a nice seafood dinner we went over to check it out. It was fun and we got to ride the Ferris wheel and one of those carpet slides. 

 For lunch the next day we went to one of my favorite restaurants before heading into some shops and taking a walk on the beach. This place has the best food ever and I definitely recommend going there if you are in Chincoteague or Ocean City.

Each Ropewalk restaurant has a painted mural on the outside. The mural is typically specific to the location. Therefore, this one had some ponies, the lighthouse, and a boat.

 While we were out shopping we saw this adorable sight. Mamma duck and her babies were crossing the road.

Lastly, before we made our way back home, we stopped by the beach to take a little walk and see what it was like. It was definitely crowded, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I apologize for such a picture heavy post, but I wanted to share a little snippet of my wonderful weekend in Chincoteague. 

XOXO
Sarah

The Comparison Game

Amidst my studies and wrapping up my final projects and papers I decided to take a little writing break. I wanted to focus on something that many people seem to struggle with, myself included. That struggle is what I like to call the comparison game. Whether you want to believe it or not the comparison game is something we are all guilty of. It is the world we live in, but what we don't realize is by playing this game we aren't allowing ourselves to be the person God intended us to be.

     How often have you stood in front of the mirror and judged yourself? Wishing you could have a smaller nose, bigger eyes, longer hair, straight teeth, a slimmer body, etc. Typically the reason why these thoughts even cross our minds is because the world has conditioned us to believe that beauty looks a certain way and in order to be worth anything, accepted, or liked we must be what the world says is beautiful. I'm definitely guilty of it. I often find myself seeing the beauty, inside and out, of everyone else, but I fail to see it in myself. This happens because I am comparing myself to others. I want to be as smart as the girl who gets all A's, as pretty as the girl who constantly gets recognized, as confident as the class clown, or as talented as the best musician I know. By doing this sort of thing we are feeding ourselves these lies that we aren't worth anything and we eventually begin to believe those lies. These lies turn us into a person we aren't meant to be. We lose our uniqueness when we want to be like everyone else. And you know what? Those people we make comparisons too, who seem to lead a perfect life, they have flaws too! We all do and that's okay because that is how God intended it to be. Our flaws give us an edge or a character trait that others might not have. Our flaws separate us in a good way and when it is all said and done it doesn't matter what we looked like, how wealthy we were, or how talented we appeared to be.

     The comparison game often begins with this ideal sense of what beauty looks like, mainly in the physical sense. I struggled with this for a long time until I recently came across something that struck a chord with me. I was reading a book titled Who Calls Me Beautiful and in it the author talks about the women in the bible who were seen as, or mentioned as, beautiful. It is just that though, they were mentioned as being beautiful, but we don't actually know what they truly looked like. Their looks aren't actually described at all. We take our own ideal of beauty and what the world has told us is beautiful to imagine what these women in the bible look like. For all we know they could be short and stalky, tall and lanky, average height with blue eyes and brown hair, etc, you get the point, but regardless all of them were beautiful in the eyes of God. Many of them were considered beautiful, not because of what they looked like, but because of who they were inside. Who are we to decide what is considered beautiful and what isn't? There should be no ideal standard of what beauty looks like. It is so much more than the outer physical appearance, but is about what comes from the heart and God is the only one who can truly define beauty and to him each and everyone of us are beautiful.

    My hope and wish is that one day this comparison game will end and that many, if not all, of us can reach the understanding and depth of our worth from how God created us to be and not what the world tells us we should be. I'm going to be honest, I definitely need to take some of my own advice, but I can tell you I have already started taking steps in the right direction. It took a long time and a lot of different realizations to get me where I am when it comes to self love. Not every day is easy and I still find myself in the comparison game from time to time. It becomes a habit and an innate tendency that can be hard to get rid of. I challenge you, the next time you find yourself trying to compare yourself to others, ask yourself what am I good at, even if it isn't perfect, and what makes me beautiful. Just remember that no matter what you are beautiful in the eyes of God, made in his image. To me there is nothing more beautiful than that.

XOXO

Sarah

What Next?

Photo from: Google Images

No truer words than those, in the quote above, can explain how I felt about graduating college. For four years college was my life. It was the time where I found myself and the person I wanted to be. It wasn't always easy, with many ups and down, but it was so worth it. Even though I knew what steps I was taking next I was saddened by the thought of ending my undergraduate years and leaving many memories and possibly friendships behind.

     Coming in as a freshman I was so lost and confused as to who I was. I didn't know that at the time, but looking back I can see it.  I knew I wanted to keep my faith going and possibly partake in choir, but I was also concerned with how others would view me. I still had that high school mindset in the college realm. Thankfully, I learned quickly that it didn't matter. College was a new place, a new start, and a new opportunity. I joined a bible study, which led me to be further involved in campus ministry, and I started singing in a group and in choir. I was slowly coming out of my shell and blossoming into the person that God intended me to be. 

       Life since graduating has been tough, to say the least. I felt like I left a piece of me behind when I crossed that stage. I wondered if I could still be this person that God intended me to be even without the same support I had and the wonderful opportunities. I became scared and had a flare up with my depression. I was overwhelmed by the stress of moving and settling into my new life, but God pulled me through it. He showed me that things would be okay and that my life wasn't over because my college years were done. In fact it is almost quite the opposite. My life is just beginning. 

       As I closed the chapter of one book I have opened another. This time it is my turn, to decide on my own, how it goes. I am happy to say that I have settled into life and graduate classes. I found a church I really like and want to become more involved with and I still manage to stay connected with my friends. Life isn't easy and being an adult definitely has its ups and downs, but I have decided to take it one day at a time and with God by my side. Together we will write the next chapter of my book and embrace this new season in life. In the words of Natasha Bedingfield "the rest is still unwritten." 

XO, 

Sarah 

My Top 5 Beauty Products of the Moment

Hello Lovelies!
Today I am coming at you with my current makeup favorites. In the summer you are lucky if you see me with makeup on, but when I do go for it these are the products I reach for. They all provide a lightweight coverage and can be built upon.

1.  Urban Decay Naked Palette
This palette has been my favorite for years, but occasionally gets lost in the rough with all the other eyeshadows I own. I recently rediscovered it and have fallen back in love. You can create a super simple look for the day or a dramatic smokey eye for at night. In the summer I typically just swipe sin over the lid and buck in my crease. It's super simple, but leaves you a tad more glamorous.

2. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush
My cheeks are naturally rosy, but occasionally I like to enhance them. I got this blush for a steal from Ulta when they did their month of beauty and I absolutely love it. It is a super elegant light pink that gives just the right amount of color without making you look over done.

3. Anastasia Brow Pencil
This was also another steal from the month of beauty and it's wonderful. My eyebrows are naturally pretty thick, but I have a few sparse spots that need to be filled in. This pencil is relatively light and creamy. The pencil is on one end and a brush on the other. If you want a cheaper version of this product I recommend NYX's version. They are basically the exact same product.

4. Kat Von D Eyeliner
On most days in the summer I typically just where a light coat of mascara and some eyeliner. This eyeliner has been my favorite thus far and really stays on all day. It doesn't wear onto my face or end up under my eyes. It is also waterproof so if you are daring enough you could wear it to the pool.

5. Tarte Maracuja Powder Foundation and Concealer
In the summer I really hate wearing foundation or really any face product for that matter. However I have been using this powder and concealer combo when I want to look a little more put together. The powder is just a nice dusting to even out complexion and keep my face from getting oily. The concealer is a bit thicker and definitely full coverage. I use it to tame my under eyes and any pesky pimples that pop up.

6. Covergirl Smoochies in Text Me
Okay, I must admit I bought this product several years ago and it basically sat in a drawer ever since. Just recently I wanted something lightweight to apply to my lips that would also moisturize and give a little tint. I rediscovered this bad boy and man I had been missing out. I love this so much for the summer and it makes me look a little bit more put together. Not to mention it smells amazing!

There you have it my loves! My top 5 (kind of 6) favorite products of the moment. I hope you all enjoyed and stay tuned for more.

XO, 

Sarah