Fun, Food, and enjoying the Lord's Presence

Thank goodness its Thursday! Only one day left before a long weekend! 

What are your plans? Going to the cabin? Hanging with friends? 

My plan is to hang around and make no plans LOL.

This week has been crazy and LONG to say the least. But I was thankful today because I got to get a break with my work team and head out to the MN State Fair for some fun and food! If you dont know about the MN State Fair, its a two week long fair full of fried food- on a stick most likely. Its a great place to splurge on some goodies, spend time with friends or family, listen to good music and enjoy nice weather. I always make sure to go once a year. 

I have made such good friends at work. I am excited to meet many more! It was great spending time with people I get to work with everyday, but not necessarily learn about them everyday. So it was nice getting to know my team on a more personal level- and they are all great!

What I ate: 

- Foot Long Hot Dog: a must! I LOVE hotdogs so adding another 6-7 inches of hot dog is a must have for me! LOL

- Lemonade: I love the State Fair's Lemonade- squeezed with lemons and limes (sometimes) and there's even sugar free so you don't have to feel so guilty!

- Cheese Curds: I can never eat it by myself, but they are oh so good!

- I usually get the deep fried candy bar, but after all of that, I was sooo full! I couldnt eat any more!

You know when you go to any sort of fair or carnival, you have to dress comfortable in case you get bloated from eating to much or you have to walk around a lot! Here is something that would be good to wear to the fair where you will be cute & comfortable:

A maxi skirt or shorts with a loose top work well because they are comfortable and keep you cool- but they can also be really fashionable. Pair it with a comfortable pair of strapped sandals and you are good to go! Best to wear a wristlet or over the shoulder bag so you can have two hands open and not worry about theft! Sunglasses and sunscreen are good to have to protect you from the sun. 

I was really happy to get to spend time with my team at the fair today, because this week I was starting to get very burnt out. I couldn't help but thank Jesus for the great people I work with and a break from my hectic work schedule. 

I love enjoying Jesus everyday. 

I got to talking to someone today about different problems in the world, but I told them that I trust in God for everything! They said " oh, you believe in angels and heaven in the clouds and when you get up there an angel is playing a harp welcoming you and all is so happy?". They were being sarcastic and told me they hope they get re-incarnated into a hawk... ANYWAY, I could've taken that offensively, but I couldn't help but be joyful because Jesus chose ME to save and do His Will and has helped me every step of the way to truly live for Him and be the light and vessel for Him. 

I am not ashamed of believing in Jesus 

and I know there is no other way to live- or to have true life. Jesus has been talking to me a lot about what it means to have a solid foundation in Christ and how to be the light of the world and for people who don't believe. He wants us all to be the light to people that don't see it or may not have the light themselves. And the most important thing you can do to be a light for Jesus, is to love EVERYONE- even if they curse you or say nasty things to you. Because it shows them love and compassion- and thats what Jesus showed the world. Love, compassion, joy sacrifice and so many other wonderful things... He paid the price for us and I consider it an honor to live for my Father. To show the world that there is so much better for each and everyone one of us than the world has tricked us to think. We have become so conditioned to what the world says we should be like or what we should do- but I thank God for continually breaking me free of that conditioned mindset and molding me into what HE wants me to be. I am SO thankful for that.

We all have our flaws,

 and sometimes are not the light that we want to be or that we think Jesus would want us to be.. but there is forgiveness and Jesus is the best Encourager to help you continue to be a bright shining light. 

Lets all try to hold in the nasty words we can say, forgive those who have done wrong to us, and pray for them- hope for them. 

What does it say about someone who instead of seeking revenge or growing hate, they grow love and seek to forgive people.. and hope for those who may not hope for them?

I would say that is a supernatural gift and a supernatural kind of love. Jesus always hopes for us when we may not hope for ourselves,  encourages us when we mess up or feel down, blesses us when we don't ask or don't deserve, and loves us unconditionally and more than anyone ever could love. Its a process, but 

God is ALWAYS with you to cheer you on :)

" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Have a good rest of your day! 
xoxo,
Aisha

Comfortable day out

Comfortable day out by aishalc featuring a sheer blouse

Happy Monday

Happy Monday!

It is super hot in Minneapolis today at 97 degrees! It is supposed to be like that all week too… I will be sweating when I head out to our state fair this week! But it’s worth it for all the good food you get there.  :)

When it’s hot- I know I just want to wear as little as possible. But because Target probably wouldn’t accept shorts and a tank top as appropriate dress code for work, I chose to do my favorite maxi skirt with a tank top.. It is always cold in the building so I wore a cardigan over my tank all day. But this was great for when I got off. Surprisingly, my maxi skirt isn’t hot at all. The light, flowy material make it comfortable and cool.

Speaking of fashion and outfits of the day… What did everyone think of the VMA’s? I unfortunately didn’t watch the whole thing but I did see the whole racy Miley Cyrus performance. I guess it’s safe to say that Hannah Montana is long gone, LOL. Although I didn’t watch the VMA’s- you know I kept up with the fashion! Who were your favorites?? Here’s a couple of my favorites:

Taylor Swift- she always knows how to look elegant but she had a nice edge with the black and red last night at the VMA’s.

Selena Gomez: Her dress was rockin' and so was she. She is definitely growing into a beautiful woman and I loved the straight hair with the long dress. The color looked great on her too- I loved the accent of green in her earrings!

In other news…

I am starting Focus T25 today! It’s a workout plan that is only 25 minutes!  I received it in the mail a while ago and did one or two workouts but just couldn’t get the motivation. But over the weekend I made a conscious decision to get back on my pursuit to lose weight! I have about 15 pounds I would like to lose but mostly, I just want to get in the habit of living a healthy lifestyle. Eating included. I did the Insanity workout 2 months ago and with the aid of a good diet, I lost 12 pounds and 3 inches everywhere! I have gained some of it back, but thanks to the knowledge I gained from my insanity workout and eating plan, I feel pretty confident with what foods will get me the best results. 

For breakfast, I drink a shakeology shake.. they are soooo good! I just blend ice, a scoop of shakeology, and almond milk… and that’s all I need to do to get a yummy breakfast.

For lunch I had a turkey burger ( no bun only mustard) with a homemade salad with balsamic vinegar for the dressing… so good!

For Dinner my boyfriend went out to dinner and splurged on some Noodles & Company- but thats okay! With the workout and the rest of the week, I should be able to make it up. (hopefully lol) 

If you want any information on the two workouts I mentioned, just ask! I am actually a team beach body coach ( it’s the company that make those workout videos) and can help you decide which workout would work best for you and also if you are interested in trying shakeology you can go through me too! (It’s from the same company!).

Here are my past results doing insanity:

Anything you put your mind to you can accomplish :)

Talk to you soon! 

xoxo,

Aisha

Already getting ready for fall....

Happy Saturday Everyone! 

How was your week?? 

I am so glad its the weekend! Time to relax and do things for you!

Although its still summer, I am already thinking of fall colors, fashion and trends (its my favorite fashion season). So today I had an appointment with my hair stylist and and decided to bring fall colors into my hair- so I did rich red/purple lowlights with a rich dark tone color. I am excited too because I decided to sport bangs again! 

What do you think??

I love sporting bangs in the fall/winter time because the you don't have to worry about sweating or humidity like you do in the summer so they are easier to manage and style!

Tonight is date night with my love so we are going to our favorite spot again, Benihana! lol

I love spending time with him. He makes me laugh so much! After 8 years he still knows how to make me laugh so hard- could you imagine how many inside jokes we have? lol

For date night, I wanted to do something similar to this pictured outfit. I think I got pretty close from what I had in my closet. I like it because its a perfect summer outfit. :) Take a look.

Here is my copy... 

Dress & belt: Forever 21. Shoes: Target. Bracelet: Charming Charlie. Watch: Michael Kors.

Its not exactly the same, but I am glad that picture could inspire this outfit- because I never wear this dress! But its so cute! 


I hope everyone has a great rest of their weekend and Ill be posting soon! 

Muah,

Aisha

Walking by Faith

How was your weekend?? The weekend always flies by, doesn't it? 

Mine sure does.

This weekend was great.. 

I hung out with my sister and nephew, hung out with my dad, saw my girls after not seeing them in awhile and welcomed my favorite aunt in town from Wyoming! A weekend full of many people I love! 

This weekend, something special happened and I have felt compelled to share my story of how God is showing me how walking by faith and not by sight can do wonderful things. Here is my testimony..

My mom and dad have been split up since I was 4, so growing up with separated parents was always normal for my sister and I. But growing up, my dad has always been really harsh and it has effected my sister and his relationship a lot. Well anyway, they havent really had a good relationship for about 10 years, and havent spoken in about 2 years. My dad hadn't met his grandson who is now 13 months and my sister was getting to the point where them meeting just wouldn't happen at all. I understand why, but God has showed me that with people, you need to forgive them and need to be the light to people who don't see it. Jesus told me when I first got saved that I would be that light to my family and that I would be the bridge to reconnecting my family together and bring them to salvation. Seems like a tough job, right? Believe it or not, Jesus has been working everything out, all in His perfect timing. 

Anyway, this weekend I had so much going on, but my dad called me last minute to go out on the river with him. I didn't want to go- but I felt compelled to go. He had been talking about meeting Michael (my nephew) for about a month now and while out on the river, he brought it up again- and he even bought him a carseat earlier that day. God has been telling me through this whole process to show my family his goodness, and only speak the goodness of people because He has showed me how one negative comment can cause a negative domino effect of thoughts and emotions. So, in these months of sometimes feeling like a messenger between them, I would speak as many good things as I could to them. I went along Saturday thanking Jesus for another opportunity to talk to my dad about God, how family is a gift, and praying for their reconnection. I then went home and told my sister that my dad got Michael a car seat. Not knowing what Jesus was doing behind the scenes, I didn't think about what was to come from talking to my dad.

I woke up today thinking I was going to go to Sunday school then to regular church service and it would be a regular day. But something told me I wasn't going to go. To be honest, I did not think it was God at first because He wouldn't tell me not to go to Sunday school, right?? (so I thought in my head) but then he clarified to me that He had somewhere He needed me to be instead of Sunday School this morning. So I was going about my morning wondering if anything would happen to make me not go to Sunday school. All of a sudden when I was eating my breakfast, my sister walks out of her room and says " I think I am going to take Michael to meet dad today." I paused and in my mind was saying WOW Jesus! So I said, lets get ready and go this morning. I prayed a quick prayer of it being a pleasant meeting and off we went. 

My dad finally saw his daughter after 2 years and met his grandson for the first time. Two people who refused a relationship with one another- were now face to face. I couldn't help but tear up because you could feel the joy they had. And it was beautiful how my dad fell in love with his grandson the moment he saw him. God is so good, isn't he? I am so proud of my sister, because as much as she could have held a grudge, she opened her heart to show compassion and love- and forgiveness. I have seen how God is working in her and it is truly beautiful to see and I am so excited to see what He has in store for her.

The moral of the story is, that walking by faith and not by sight ( 1 Corinthians 5:7) truly makes a difference. 

When you have faith, nothing is impossible. 

Jesus says that if "you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." ( Matthew 17:20)

Although it may not seem to the human eye that my dad is close to salvation, or that my dad & sister would have a good relationship again, but when you look at it by faith, you see Jesus working and having things come to pass and answering my prayers. But faith is just that - 

"..being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  (Hebrews 11:1)

And even though they may not see what I see, I trust Him with all my heart and this is one of many prayers He has answered. But to think how fast He can make changes for us is truly amazing. I continue to have faith because I rust Him,  it reaps many benefits and lets Jesus work. 

I am all around grateful and overwhelmed with how AWESOME He is to my family and I. His love knows NO bounds and I cant help but want to share how God continually changes my life and the lives of those around me. HE IS SO GOOD! So good. And I lay my head tonight in awe of his faithfulness and grace. I am Thankful!! 

I thank my sister for allowing me to share a personal testimony. 

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Goodnight!!

xoxo,

Aisha

Summer Beach Day/Night

I was on the lake all day with my dad- SO fun! I used to not be a fan of printed pants but I am slowly falling in love with them. What do you think? I also think the tie tops are perfect for the beach or boat because that way you can show a little skin but not feel overdressed while soaking up the sun!

I am back!

Hey Everyone! It has been so long! I apologize for being gone so long but now I will be back with a new revamped blog! My "new" blog will still focus a lot on fashion, but it will also be about my journey and every day things that I (and I am sure everyone else) experience. 

So many things have happened in the last year and since the last time I posted on my blog. So many AWESOME things and then some not so awesome things. But one thing rings true: I have stayed thankful through all of it. From leaving college to starting a full time job, having to say goodbye to a dear friend, to so many other things in between- I am excited to share my story with you. 

From the last year, I would say the most exciting thing that has happened is that I have given my life to Jesus Christ. Last fall, many things were happening to me and with me that were just all around negative. From bad choices I had been making to bad things happening around me. I felt lost even if no one else knew it. It was around the Thanksgiving time frame that I felt God really pushing me to make changes. So, come January, I decided to start being more involved with my church and really search for a deeper relationship with my Creator. At the time of this, I didn't understand how the things I was doing would really effect my relationship with God. I thought going out and partying and drinking and doing whatever I wanted would still allow me to have a great relationship with Him. But as I learned more about it in the last year, I realize how obeying God is not only pleasing to Him, but its pleasing to me. As I was seeking a way to be closer to God in January, I doubted if He was there- because I had never had an eye- opening encounter with Him. 

It wasn't until mid January when I was praying late at night and asking God to truly show me His presence that He did! And I will tell you, it was the most overwhelming and joyful thing I had ever experienced. The feeling I had after lasted for a full week it felt like! And i was consumed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus had explained to me that I was so focused on what I wanted and comparing myself to others, that I wasn't allowing Him to be heard. But He always works in mysterious ways and found a way to reach me. I will forever be thankful for His faithfulness and true love for us. And that is when I gave my life to The Lord. And ever since, I have never lived so good. The negative things have turned into positive things, I have never been so happy and full of joy, and the good things just keep on coming! 

It is a journey, and I am still learning every day. I am no way near perfect, but I strive to be the best I can be for Him and everyone around me but the great thing is- He accepts us ALL for our imperfections and mistakes. Now that sounds like a relationship that I wouldn't want to miss out on! 

Other great things have happened this year, big and small. In May, I said hasta la vista to the University of Minnesota to start a full time job at Target Corporation HQ in downtown Minneapolis. I left the University of Minnesota with a degree in Retail Merchandising and Management and great, GREAT memories. I have now been at Target for two months and enjoying every moment of it. I am so thankful for having a job outside of college because with this economy, it causes many people to struggle finding a job. But Jesus is faithful and has blessed me with a job that I love in a field that I love. I am currently still training but I cannot wait to be in my role- hopefully in electronics where I have been and have come to love!

This past July, my family and I got to celebrate my nephew's first birthday! Its crazy how time flies. I feel like it was just yesterday that he was welcomed into the world. He has truly been a blessing to our whole family. Seeing him grow up is so exciting and how smart he is really blows my mind! He has made me excited for the time that I will be able to have kids (not for awhile!) because I never knew how much I could love a human being. I have so much fun with him and he truly brightens my day. Its SO hard not to spoil him and give him everything he wants because his smile alone melts my heart! LOL He is walking now and I cant wait to see him continue to grow and continue to make memories with our growing family :)

If you know even a little about me, you know I LOVE Beyonce. And in July, she came to minneapolis on her Mrs.CarterShow World Tour! It was so fun. She is such a great performer there was no dull moment that night. I went with my boyfriend's family and I also got to meet up with my best friends! It was an all around great night and we made many memories!

As I mentioned, there has been some lows in this year. Just a few weeks ago, my family and I had to say goodbye to our pup that we had for 12 years. Although we knew it would come eventually, you fall so in love with these animals that you wish that they would be around forever! It is amazing how a small four legged creature can add so much joy and fun into your life. She truly became like another person in our family and brought so many laughs I cant even begin to remember them all. I am thankful for the time I got to spend with her and for how much joy she brought to us. Although we miss her, we know her suffering is gone and we thank everyone for their best wishes!

In more recent news: although I am a full time working lady now, my mom has been kind enough to let me stay with her to save money and get on my feet. I am SO thankful for that because imagining paying $800 for rent makes my stomach clench! But not only has she let me stay in her house, but she has also allowed me to have our whole basement! Once I got the permission, I re- did the whole thing. I pulled out old carpet and put in new flooring, and bought all new furniture. I am still not finished with furnishing the other half, but the most important part is done: the living room. Before I did the remodel, the downstairs was more of a storage area for us. It was a huge room full of boxes. Well I cleaned it all out and here is my results:

What do you think??!

On other recent news, my boyfriend's family and I recently went to Chicago to go to six flags and go on a big shopping spree and this past weekend, I finally got to wear something I bought! My boyfriend and I went out to Benihana for a dinner for two and to celebrate him opening his own productions studio! I am SO proud of him! I knew there were blessings to come for him but Jesus really shows out! LOL I will be posting pics of his new production studio when he's finished (It looks GREAT!), so stay tuned for that! Here is my outfit for our date night:

I am wearing a beaded top ( Unfortunately I forgot where I got it :( ), Target Jeans, a pair of strapped sandals (got them in chicago!) and my favorite leather purse from Venice, Italy. Accessorized with gold accessories from Michael Kors, Charming Charlie, and Francesca's! What do you think? 

All in All, Life is good! So many good things happening in my life and the people around me. I will be posting throughout the weekend so stay tuned! Also, thanks for your loyalty and pushing me to continue to blog. Its so great to hear people ask me to continue blogging even when I havent for awhile. Your pushing has paid off! :P LOL Thanks again everyone! :) Leave comments and if you want to see more pictures, many of these pics come from my Instagram. My username is AishaLC :)

Have a great weekend!!

xoxo,

Aisha