It's My Pleasure

Do you have any idea how much of a difference you can make, just by being nice?
Seems we don't give much thought to our words and actions. Most of the time we are focused our personal agenda, and we just do what we need to do to get it done.
Am I right?
But every now and then somebody gives us a glimpse into their heart, and we realize that there's a whole lot more to the situation than meets the eye.

That's what happened to me at the counter this week.

I was going about business as usual, chatting with guests as I took their orders and payment and got their drinks. But one particular woman was a little different, in that she seemed a bit more eager to talk about what was going on in her day. So I paused a few seconds longer to listen. (Honestly, I didn't consider my actions to be anything remarkable. I was being polite, and giving her the attention she wanted and deserved.) Not a big deal, right?
That's what I thought.
Until our interaction was ending and she looked at me and said, "Thanks. You've made my day better."
I what? How?
Just by listening???
And I realized the answer was, Yes. Just by listening.
That woman was hungry for more than good food. She needed somebody to pay attention to her, and God gave me the opportunity to be that person. And when she acknowledged how my act of noticing her made a difference in her day, I suddenly became aware that a little thing isn't necessarily a little thing.
What a pleasure it is to be an instrument of love!

May you find yourself with an opportunity to make a difference for someone who's hungry today.

Let Me Tell You

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

What happens when we tell other believers what God has done for us?
Today, let's take a look at a few verses from Second Corinthians to read about a time when Paul testified regarding God's hand in his life.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-11

How is God described in verse 3?
According to verse 4, what does God do? Why?
How does verse 6 describe the relationship between Paul's (and his companions') experiences and those of his readers?
According to verses 8 and 9, how bad were Paul's troubles?
Based on verse 6, how do you think the testimony in verses 8 and 9 would have impacted the Corinthians?
How do these verses personally impact you, in whatever circumstances you find yourself today?
Why does verse 9 say this circumstance happened?
What is Paul's confidence in verse 10?
According to verse 11, what role were the Corinthians to play in helping Paul?
How do you think Paul's words in verse 11 would have encouraged the Corinthian church?
If God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God," how can you offer yourself and your story for the benefit of others?
I would love to encourge you to spend some time praying, asking the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to His nudge in each time He wants to use you as a comforter.

Praying for our Nation

OK, the need to pray for the United States of America is not a new phenomenon.
I get that.
But in recent days, the Holy Spirit has been pressing me harder and harder with the urgency to pray.
I'm reading stories of terrible conditions for immigrant children, and seeing "the sides" arguing with each other over who is at fault for said conditions.
Headlines keep popping up around me regarding Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her various encounters with Twitter, and an invitation to visit a concentration camp. I cannot help but notice how many people have it in for her, and want to see her brought down.
Not to mention the continuous stream of stories about abortion laws and law makers, LBGTQ battles, and attempts to discredit our president.
It seems every time I turn around somebody is fighting somebody else. Throwing out insults, belittling personhoods, denying compassion, and nearly ignoring the humanity of those whose ideas are "out of line". I see this behavior coming from both sides of the argument.
And it is breaking my heart.
I believe it also breaks the heart of God.
Because we're all here on earth fighting with each other - seeing other image-bearers as our ememies, forgetting the identity of our real adversary.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

~Ephesians 6:12

The Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse yesterday as I was praying for our nation - for these people and circumstances - and I am convinced HE was informing me in the way we are to pray.
Make no mistake, friends, the devil is our enemy. Rather than fighting one another, let us unite in prayer that we the people may be united under God through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit for His glory.
Let us pray for a nation of unity and holiness.

Psalm 66:16

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

It's My Pleasure

So Monday I was at work - making eye contact, smiling at guests, speaking enthusiastically, and making connections. I was moving as quickly as I could while still doing my best to not rush people or make them feel pressured. My recollection is that I was even being successful in order accuracy and efficiency.
From the outside, I imagine everything looked splendid.
But I knew it wasn't.
That is, on the inside of me I didn't feel enthusiastic. The words I spoke came at the expense of a whole lot of effort. The smiles weren't necessarily sincere. And I frequently found myself glancing at the clock to see how much longer I had to work.
I couldn't put my finger on any one thing which was causing me to feel this way. It just seemed like I was in a funk, and I wanted nothing more than to get out of it.
Then something wonderful happened.
A woman came to my register and ordered a salad.
Nothing else. Just a salad.
Which totaled $8.89.
The majority of people pay with credit cards, so I was anticipating she would do the same thing. However, when she pulled out her wallet and reached for a bill I readied myself to accept payment and collect her change. But when I saw her retrieving a $20 bill my heart skipped a beat. The smile on my face became ultra-sincere. I nearly let a tear roll down my cheek. And as I was tending the money a loving voice echoed in my heart, Yes, dear one, I am with you.
Then I looked my guest in the eye, I smiled at her brightly, and I said, "You're change is $11.11."
She got her salad. I got kissed by the King.

Being a Cheerful Giver

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

As I mentioned in the video Monday, according to Leviticus 1, burnt offerings of fat were an aroma pleasing to the LORD. And in Psalm 66:15 we see a man joyfully bringing such offerings to God.
I'm arriving at the conclusion that the psalmist was joyful based on a few things:
*He spent the first half of the psalm giving instruction to praise God (and reasons to do it).
*The big BUT in verse 12.
*His recollection of God's faithfulness in the midst of trouble. (v.14)
*And the understanding from Leviticus 1 that this offering was a delight to God.

The thing I would like to do with you today is spend time examining our own hearts, in light of what scripture says regarding the way we make offerings to God.
And to do that I want to have a look at 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.

6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.”

What is the first thing you notice in verse 6? What correlation?
According to verse 7, what is to be the motivation for the amount sown in verse 6?
Who does verse 8 indicate is the One behind everything we have to sow?
Verse 9 is a quote from Psalm 112 which examines the life and behavior of a righteous person. If you have the time, I would encourage you to read it!
OK. Now that you have a general familiarity with this passage, I want to focus in on verse 7 and ask God to speak to us about our hearts when it comes to the way we make offerings to Him.
First, let's look at the word "purposed." It comes from two Greek words which mean "before" and "choose". And when the two are put together it means "to choose for oneself before another thing."
That is, to purpose something - to decide that you're going to do one particular thing.
Now let's examine "grudgingly". The transliteration from Greek is lupe (Pronounced loo'-pay - as in, You'd have to be crazy to let this be your motivation for giving! *wink*) and it actually means pain of body or mind. It could be used to describe the kind of heart-sorrow that brings a person down.
Next up? "Compulsion". This word in Greek carries with it the idea that an action must be performed. It describes a situation often brought on by pain or distress, and may even imply the use of force to get something done.
And, finally, let's look at "cheerful." As a stark contrast to the previous two words, this one means "joyous". It describes a person who is "cheerfully ready to act" because they have already decided - without outside influence, compulsion, or otherwise - to do a thing. And that - we are told - is the kind of offer-er in which God takes pleasure.
So, my friend, as you consider the joy of the psalmist bringing his offerings to God in verse 15, and in light of what you see in these word studies from 2 Corinthians 9:7 - how are you doing with your giving?
Not only in the financial/material realm, but also with regard to your time and talent, your attitude and intent? What is God saying to your heart?

In the Garden

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."

~Mark 4:26-28

As I walk in my back yard toward my flower garden, this verse comes into my mind. Because every night and day since I have scattered my seeds - whether I have been sleeping or getting up (or laying in be wishing I was sleeping *ahem*) - they have been sprouting and growing.
Except, well, I know how.
That is, because God is faithful and He is a miracle-worker!
And that, right there, is the greater reason I love my flower garden. I mean, the beautiful blooms I am anticipating delight me. But it is the constant and consistent reminder of God's faithfulness and power that makes my spirit soar.
Especially this season, when I wasn't even sure the seeds were "good" or that they would grow, I am wonderfully encouraged to remember that God is in all and over all and working all things out.

Even since last week, my little garden is progressing beautifully.

See? I don't need to draw green lines in order for you to see where the zinnias are sprouting.
(I have even thinned them out, so they will have more room to grow and flourish. And, believe me, pulling sprouts was not easy for me to do because I didn't want to harm those innocent little plants. *gulp*)
Yet another lesson from my Father about pruning and planning and hard times being used for good.

OH, and do you remember the suspicion I had that the alyssum have returned?
Confirmed! Check out the tiny flowers which have already begun blooming!

When I was weeding I came across some leaves of which I wasn't sure.
I decided to let them be "just in case" they were alumni from a plant my friend gave me last summer.

And when I compared them to new plants of the same kind she gave me to plant this year, I found my just-in-case actions to be justified. (Do you see the resemblance?)

And, speaking of alumni...
The Everlastings (For which the ladies from my Precept class gave me seeds last year.) are back!

These beauties are on the side of the house and are situated right next to two rows of zinnia sprouts. Looking forward to lots of colorful blooms!

I wish that was all I had to say about my garden and the flora around my house. But the truth is, while I am simply delighted with the plants that are growing I am also quite annoyed with an animal, or two.
Remember my tulips that lost their heads this spring?
Well, I'm thinking this chomping was done by a larger scoundrel.
So, yeah. While some wonderful growth has been happening around my yard, this has occurred, too.

Yet, even as a look at my chewed-on plants (And as I realize the scoundrel animal didn't have it in for me. It was just hungry and was happy to come upon these morsels.) God reminds me that He is the author of life - and new life! I can trust Him to bring these plants back again.

It's in My Genes

Some time ago Brian and I did one of those ancestry test kits, and now I receive occasional emails with exciting information and new reports (Yes, you may read those words with a hint of sarcasm.) which I usually ignore.
However I just got another of those messages, and this time I couldn't ignore it. Because I thought I had caught them in the wrong. That is, the message said:

You have a new Trait report available: Fear of Public Speaking.

And I'm all, Hold on a minute there, Sam! I am NOT afriad of public speaking.
So I clicked on the link to see how they came to the conclusion they had reached.
And this is what I found.

Oh, so that's the report. Not that I have a fear of public speaking.
Turns out, genetically I am less likely to have a fear of public speaking.
And there you have it.
My gift of gab?
It's in my genes!
Can't wait to tell my mom that all those years when she said I was talking too much I was just doing what I was made to do. *wink*

Psalm 66:15

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

It's My Pleasure

Do you know what I really love at Chick-fil-A?
I mean, I love a lot of things at and about Chick-fil-A. But one of my favorite things is when young kids come through and I get to help them place their order.
(Moms and dads, my intent is not to ignore you. But I do love to speak directly to your children to ask them what they want - and let them feel a little "bigger" by placing the order, themselves. The sparkle in their eyes accompanying the "I did it!" satisfaction is priceless.)

So, yeah. I delight in opportunities to help little kids feel a bit "bigger".

More than that scenario, I love, LOVE it when parents let their children place an order AND pay for it. That is, I treasure seeing the kids take pride in doing a grown-up thing. And I think it is so important for kids to learn life skills which will lead them to independence.
(It's a little thing. However, I believe it can make a big difference.)
But even more than that scenario, when a child is paying with cash - and I get a sense from our interaction that I can press them just a little bit - I like to ask if they can figure out how much change I owe them. Sometimes it takes a short minute for them to do the math, but when a kid successfully figures it out and tells me the correct change they should be receiving - oh - the look of accomplishment and delight on their face. I just love it!
Because in a world where children are too often told they're in the way and they need to be quiet (Yes - this happens at Chick-fil-A, too, sometimes.) it's my pleasure to give them special attention and let them know they are seen and loved.
One order at a time.

When We're in Trouble

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

The first 13 verses in Psalm 66 have certainly given us many examples of trouble.
*Being stuck between the Red Sea and an army of angry Egyptians.
*Being in prison. (Whether that was literal, or figurative...)
*Being laden with burdens.
*Having men ride over ones head. (Again, the literal or figurative question.)
*Going through fire and water.
I know we can add our own troubled circumstances to this list.
And now in verse 14 we see the psalmist making reference to those troubles again - as the springboard for vows he made to God. So today I would like to go a little deeper into how we can respond to God in the midst of the troubles we face.
Because we will face them!

Let's spend some time studying Psalm 27:1-6.
How does the psalmist describe the LORD in verse 1? And what is the psalmist's response to his own description of HIM?
Verses 2-3 speak of situations most people would fear. Based upon what you know from verse 1, why does the psalmist respond with confidence?
According to verse 4, what is the psalmist's greatest desire?
Does verse 5 indicate that the psalmist's life will be free of trouble if his desire in verse 4 is achieved?
What will happen instead?
What does verse 6 say will be the result of God's protection? Both for the psalmist and his enemies, and the psalmist and God?
We see in both Psalm 66:14 and Psalm 27:1-6 that God's help in the midst of trouble elicits a response from those whom He has helped. Maybe it is the fulfillment of vows, or passionate shouts of joy. I shared with you in the video Monday that my own response has been one of surrender - letting go of my attempts to control my circumstance, because I have recognized that God is the only One in whom I can trust.
In light of what we have seen today, how will you respond to God the next time you're in trouble?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read through Psalm 27:1-6 again, asking God to speak to your heart about His power in your troubles, and your response to it all?

Garden Hopes

Do you see what I see???

OK, maybe not.
Lemme help you out a bit with seeing what I'm seeing...

Those little specs above the green lines. Do you know what they are???
They're the beginnings of zinnias in my garden. And I'm so excited!
Not just because they're going to be beautiful flowers later this summer. But because of their history!
I mean, do you remember the flower garden I planted last year?
It was a labor of love.
I really loved it.
And somewhere in those summer months I learned that I could harvest seeds from the flowers in my garden, and use them to plant new flowers this year. So I did some research (That is, I watched videos on Youtube...) and discovered how to get those seeds.
Then I waited as patiently as I could for the petals on the flowers to dry out, and when the day finally came - I got the seeds! And they've been sitting in a little container in my refrigerator all fall, winter, and spring, just waiting for the right time to be planted.
I got the flowerbed ready and planted my seeds a week and a half ago, and waited nervously to see if my little seeds would grow.
Because, honestly, I wasn't sure I had harvested the seeds correctly. That is, I was so eager to get them that I feared I may have not waited long enough for the petals to dry. Thought maybe the seeds hadn't matured enough, or weren't ready for some other reason.
(Have I mentioned before that I am not the best wait-er on the planet?)
So, anyway, since last summer there has been a nagging doubt in the back of my mind, occasionally throwing out questions regarding the viability of those little seeds. And since I put them in the ground eleven days ago, those questions have been coming more frequently.
Until Saturday when I went out to water them, and what I saw delighted my eyes.
Sprouts! Little zinnia sprouts!
Offspring of the beautiful flowers I tended last summer.
And inspiration for years to come. I just think it is so cool to plant seeds and grow flowers from flowers I have already grown.
Oh, and one more thing!
I am not fully certain, but I think the alyssum I planted last year re-seeded itself. Because I've heard that can happen, and these leaves look very familiar to me!

So, I'm looking forward to tending the children of last year's flower garden.
And you can look forward to pictures!

When the Dog Came to Visit

Last week our emptying nest was a little fuller.

That is, when Josh moved into his apartment in January he took Mindy with him.
And, honestly, I didn't realize what a significant part of our family the dog was - until she was gone.
I mean I have had to stop myself from saying, "Bye, Mindy. I'll be back soon!" when I walk out the door.
And sometimes I still expect to be met by her when I walk back in. (As annoying as it can be to have a dog in your face when you're bending over to take your shoes off, I have found I was actually missing her enthusiastic greetings.)
Not the dog hair, though. I have NOT missed the dog hair!

Anyway, Josh went out of the state last week on a fishing trip, and his roomie was also gone. So, Mindy stayed with us! And I'm here to say, things are sure different in her new home.
(Josh says she likes it better now he's in charge.)
For one, in her new home she's allowed on the couch.
We had to blockade our couch with the Swiffer to remind her what the rules are in these parts.
Second, in her new home there are no rooms which are "off limits" to Mindy.
We employed barriers to the basement and dining room to remind Mindy that she was only allowed on the wood floor.
Third, now that she lives on the second floor she gets taken for walks every time she needs to go potty.
The chain in the back yard was all she got during her stay with us.
(I mean, I did take her on a couple of walks. But I know it wasn't as spectacular as the treatment to which she has grown accustomed.)
And, fourth, she gets to sleep in Josh's bed at her new place.
Truth is, she got to sleep with him when she lived here, too. But she didn't get to sleep with US during her visit. And she whined quite a bit in protest.
However, for all her new-found freedom and the fun it is to live in the bachelor pad, I do believe I noticed one thing Mindy misses about living here.
That is, every time I started to make dinner that dog was right by my side. Just like I used to do, I tossed broccoli and cauliflower stems across the room for her to chase and eat when I was making salad. And - not that I dropped bits of food on purpose - but whenever I did drop something, Mindy was right there to clean it up for me. It was almost as if she was watching the clock, because Mindy seemed to know just when I was going to be in the kitchen making food.
And those were sweet moments the two of us shared there.
Yeah. I think Mindy misses my cooking.
Just sayin'.

Psalm 66:14

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

It's My Pleasure

And sometimes in the drive-thru you might have a brush with fame.
That is to say, Monday morning I was going through my usual routine. Passing out good food, chatting it up with guests, and doing my best to be sunshine in their day.
Then I encountered a man who had a day ahead of him unlike anyone else to whom I had spoken so far.
When I asked if he had anything fun planned for the day, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I'm going to be on a 7-hour bus ride to Kentucky. I think I'll just sleep."
The look on my face must have said something like, Oh, wow! Why the long trip? Because he followed up by explaining, "I'm in the 'Hamilton' cast."
(Hamilton, the musical, just finished playing at the Wharton Center in East Lansing on Sunday night.)
I'm sure my face lit up at that point, and I asked, "Oh, really! What role do you play?"
The breakfast-seeker at the drive-thru window smiled humbly and said, "I'm Hamilton."
Then I'm all, "What? You're Hamilton? How cool is that!?" And we proceeded to have a conversation about show business and New York City and how he got started in it all. At one point I admitted to him that when I was in high school I had a dream of "making it" on Broadway, and I told him about traveling to New York with my high school choir and singing in Carnegie Hall. And how the City had so much energy and excitement that I didn't want to come home.
He smiled graciously and told me he understood. (Or maybe he was holding back his laughter at this old lady in the drive-thru who was trying to make a connection with the star in the car.)
Regardless, I thought it was so fun that the lead actor from Hamilton drove through Chick-fil-A Monday morning, before he left town with the rest of the cast on their way to the next gig.
And I got to serve him!

P.S. In case you're wondering, Hamilton drinks Power Aid for breakfast. *grin*

What Shall I Offer?

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13

As I said in the video Monday, thinking about Psalm 66:13 has caused me to really consider what I am offering to God. That is, I know I don't have to bring Him physical offerings like the psalmist did. We don't have a temple building where God's Name dwells as in days of old, where we are instructed to bring sacrifices and offerings. Even so, this verse has been stirring in my spirit and leading me to ponder what I am bringing to God.
So today I would like to spend some time studying Romans 12:1-8, and consider what it looks like for us to make an offering on this side of history. (If you don't have your Bible by your side, feel free to use the link above to access the passage on Biblegateway.)
What, according to verse 1, is to be the motivation for our offering?
Does that kind of motivation seem to be a response, or a duty? How do you tend to think about offerings? As a response of love, or a duty to be fulfilled?
How does verse 1 describe the kind of sacrifice we are to be?
What does verse 2 say will make us that kind of sacrifice?
How can your mind be renewed?
Speaking of our minds, what does verse 3 have to say about the way we think?
And what do verses 4-5 tell us about our role in the body of Christ?
What do you learn about spiritual gifts in verse 6-8?
Sooooo, if we are to offer our bodies to God without thinking too highly of ourselves - rather by recognizing that each of us has a specific part to play in the body of Christ (according to the gift with which He has equipped us), how will you respond to the invitation to come to God's temple and fulfill your vows to Him?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read Romans 12:6-8 again? Then consider the way God has gifted you and ask Him to lead you in how He wants to use you today?
I pray as you respond to God's love, you will find yourself delighted in offering your best to Him!

Speaking My Language

So, Matthew went to the store yesterday to buy himself some new shorts.
And when we were both back home later in the day I asked if his trip had been successful.
He smiled, patted a bag sitting beside him, and said, "Yes!"
Then our conversation went something like this:
Matthew: Oh, and you'll like this! I mean, I don't know how you'll feel about this part. That is, I liked the shorts so I decided to get them, but they were $25 and I thought that was kind of a lot for shorts. But I was going to get them anyway. Then when I was paying for them, they were only $13!
Me: That's awesome. Good job!
Matthew: I know! I mean, I looked all over but didn't see a SALE sign, so I didn't expect them to be on sale. But they were. And I decided it was better not to ask questions.
Me: Yep! Never ask questions when something is nearly 50% off.
*fist bump*

An Open Letter to Women's Clothing Manufacturers

Dear Manufacturers of Women's Clothing,

I've had it!
We've all had it!
For a while I thought it was just me - that I was the only woman on planet Earth who could not seem to find a pair of pants which actually fit.
Because, surely, you make pants for SOMEONE. Right?
Oh, how wrong I was!
I recently aired my frustration about pants-that-don't-fit on Facebook and felt my complaints vindicated when many friends - of all shapes and sizes - grumbled about the exact.same.problem.

Let me show you what I mean.

Do you see that huge gap in the back of my waist?
Otherwise, the pants fit quite nicely. Why did you need to make the waist so big?

And how about these pants?

Same problem. I could nearly fit my fist down the back of these pants, even though they fit snugly through the hips and thigh. Um, I don't need to put my fist down the back of my pants!

Next pair, please?

Different manufacturer, same problem.
What is it with you people?
Who do you know that is shaped like these pants? I mean if the legs were super big I could understand the size of the waist you put on the pants. But the legs aren't large. In fact this particular pair of pants were quite snug in the thigh. What person has legs the one size, and also has a waist the other size???

OK, one more.

Here we go again.
This pair was great everywhere - except for that one spot in the back. Where, again, I do not need to have the ability to insert my fist. Yet there it is - a gaping space, with nothing to do but look stupid whether your shirt is tucked or untucked.

So, manufaturers of women's clothing, do you see the problem here?
Because if you are not convinced by my experience I would be happy to put you in touch with the women who shared my woes in Facebook-land.
Still don't believe me? Check out all the tutorials for how to fix this problem!
(And that's just eleven of them. There are many more.)
We aren't shaped like the pants you make.
Therefore, I'm asking you - we're all asking you - to go back to the drawing board and re-think the measurements you've assigned to our waists.

Very sincerely, on behalf of the rest of the girls,

Psalm 66:13

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13