the most beautiful there can be

Temporary things do not last because all things are scarce. There will be a day when the moon no longer rises and water will no longer fall to satisfy the quenched ground of the earth. What we know to be true as logical and well thought out has now become turned upside-down by a post-truth world. People chase after the ideal image of their inward desires only to find themselves in an unhealthy obsession over worldy identities. Beauty is an object of desire on this side of heaven. I believe every life has some sort of perplexing beauty uniquely crafted specifically for them. Some are beautiful due to their qualities that make up their character. Some are beautiful because they just seem to have the whole package. Some are beautiful because they are sharp-witted, powerful, independent.... beauty comes in a myriad of forms. Though, not every girl can go Vouge or pull off Prada. Not every girl can have gorgeous skin and long legs... and that is okay. Sometimes the unobtainable has to be recognized so that you can move on and experience life as a whole and notice other people's lovely beauty. That is what I had to do, I had to uproot my jealousies and pride to fully discover the gems I had around me.  I didn't have to look far because the most beautiful person I know lives right next door to me. She has some kind of glisten in her hazel eyes that speak to you without any words being said, and they pierce through you being aided by an innocent smile or a killer smolder. Her unapologetic way of going through life is jaw dropping. This girl is a rare find. Though young at age she is wise and has an old soul. She bears truth and illuminates with a light that can only be found in the creator. The composite of beauty that this girl has is absolutely mind blowing. Her inward beauty attracts others around her because you can't help but be allured by everything she has to offer. But the thing is... she is the most beautiful person I know. Not just the inward stuff. She really is an elegant type of stunning. It astonishes me how gorgeous she is. It overwhelmingly impresses me that this is only the beginning for her. Her kind of beauty far surpasses anything I could ever think of (inward and out). She far beyond transcends what this world holds to the standard of beauty and is of the highest value. This is my sister. Boston Rose. Even her name has a captivating essence to it. I love this girl far beyond what she can image and heartache will take place when I have to leave her at home when I go off to college to start a new adult life. To think of only the few months I have left with this true, one-of-a-kind beauty saddens my heart. Time keeps slipping away and I feel that it is robbing me of precious memories I could have with my little sister. Time is scarce too but beauty, like I said, is found in all things. Needless to say I am proud of my sister and will forever be impressed with how beautiful the Lord has made her. In one word she truly is... beauty. 

my momma's as sweet as SYRUP

My momma and I went to Colorado weeks ago and we had such an adventure. I really wanted to get pictures of the mountains but we never got the chance to exploit all of our resources. But we had time to stop at Syrup, a cute little cafe that serves some of the best breakfast! They are located by the Artisan Center which holds some of my favorite things like sweet smelling candles, Lollia products, and cute magnets. Anyways the real reason for this post is for my momma. Since I missed a post for Mother's Day I wanted to write this!
My mom is so many things. She is a fighter. People got the definition of momma bear from her. She does not go down without giving everything she has. She believes in working hard for what you earn and following through with commitments even when it is uncomfortable. I have learned from her that you help out even when it is not it your own personal best interest. Serving others means you must be considerate and have an open heart. She is one of the best examples of this for me. No matter what time of day or where she is at, she is ALWAYS willing to help me out. Praise be to God for the child she is in Him. I am so thankful that she has accepted his love because she has an overflowing amount that pours onto us (me, Boston, Israel, Solomon, dad, .....) At the end of the day, she has told me, she wants to make sure that I know the Scripture. The truth of God that sets us free. She has poured everything she has into His kingdom because she knows there is more to life than this side of heaven. I can not be more thankful for a mom like this. So Happy (extremely late) Mother's Day Maury Jo, you are the best mom around town, and I love you very much.

Galatians 2:4 "... our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus..."

a daisy's love and perfection

Have you ever had a moment where you feel like you are the only person who matters because someone else has made you feel that way? The way they say your name holds a ripple in the air. You feel a comfort just by being in their presence. It's like every word they say forever becomes impressed on your heart. Every breath of air could ever be wasted on a precious conversation like this. The light dances and twirls across their eyes giving you a sense of serenity and giddiness. There are exciting moments in life where you experience this feeling. This feeling of being loved and cared for. being around these people give off the emotion of an innocence and purity.
Kind of like a daisy, it represents such things.
(I tried to find something metaphorical to go along with this and this is what I came up with.)
Its sophistication and grace attract the world to it. For when it blooms an aura of perfection is born. You can practically find daisies anywhere your foot steps. Oh! How the petals flutter as the wind comes to talk. The genuinity of the daisy is what all people long for (at least I do). I can easily get caught up in the romantics of it all. Words of affirmation typically brighten up my day from a grey hue to a calming lilac. But I end up turning to the wrong places to know that I am cared for:

• social media
• myself
• friends
• gymnastics
• what people think of me (aka comparison)

My problems just sit on the back-burner and then it all piles up. Typically that pile can't be stuffed down for forever and I emotionally explode. My mind goes in a million directions because I haven't dealt with the past and current issues in my life. The feelings of love just disappear and it feels that no one understands. The hole where the pile once was gets bigger and bigger and that's exactly what the enemy wants (1 Peter 5:8). He wants you to have a pit in your stomach, he wants you to feel unloved and worthless. But God has made a way for those who want to be accepted and cleans up our hurting hearts (Psalm 147:3). He is that love that everybody chases after (1 John 4:16). Jesus Christ never misses the mark because he is the ultimate "daisy", even if that sounds cheesy... haha! His love never fades because IT NEVER CAN. That is the kind of love I want to chase after.


                            verse of the month: 1 John 4:16

a trip to austin

Last month my friend Kenna (she's the blondie) and I went to Austin!
We had a blast where we were staying. There are so many hole-in-the-wall restaurants and outdoor activities. The main reason our road trip was necessary was because of our gymnastics competition (BTW- Ken is amazing at what she does and is INSANELY gifted).
So we started the day by some breakfast with my lovely momma, she's so cute, and then got ready for the rest of the day. Since our meet was later in the day we did a bit of exploring and took a walk by the river and found a cute restaurant that overlooked the water called Hula Hut (super yummy). I had
Ken pose for the camera because she is so cute haha. I loved her striped shirt (similar here) and ripped jeans (here) that she paired with cute converse (here) to tie it all together. Right before we needed to leave to compete we stopped at a family friend's house and played with their dog, Harper. She is such a QT and is ginormous!!!! I ended up going a few weeks later to paddle board on the river and only paid for an hour. I totally wish I would have stayed out longer, it is so relaxing. I'm so glad I was able to go again and plan out more things!

Love,
Gracie

current favorites

Hello (: So these are my current favs! I pretty much use each of these products every day.
I think that a lip color can always pull a look together, so to insure that it stays on all day I use the Trish Mcevoy lip liner in the color "Barely Nude". Honestly I just love the color payoff, it looks super cute year round. And it has an applicator at the end of it, so it is very convenient and practical to use.

For the actual lipstick I actually bought for homecoming but have been wearing it since! It is the limited edition NARS "No Shame". The formula glides right on and is super creamy, definitely was a splurge (so thank you mom lol). It stays on for a super long time and has a matte finish, so a gloss could go on top and give it a different look.

The Lip Tintie from Antrhopologie, ahhhhh!THIS PRODUCT WINS AT THE CUTEST PACKAGING. I love the little tin it comes in, it's so charming and the balm itself is hydrating.

For a flawless look for skin I use Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. The fact that it's oil free instantly grabbed my attention. I bought it with my friend on our annual shopping spree and am so glad I did. I only need the tiniest amount so I think that is what makes the price worth it. It has a matte finish and looks beautiful in pics.

By far the best mascara in the history of makeup for everyday wear. Trish Mcevoy's Curling Mascara gives great length and applies on the wetter side. And for someone who really dislikes removing makeup, this stuff comes off in tubes with just water!!!!!!! And my lashes really do stay curled all day. Her eyeshadows are also amazingly pigmented too!

The last two things I have been using for almost 3 years! The Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in the color Exposed and the Body Shop Kabuki Brush. The blush color styles great with any look I go for and has lasted me forever, I haven't even made a dent yet. And the brush is soooo soft, it feels like a velveteen rabbit, oh so soft. The bristles are packed close together so it picks up a lot of product, and none of them have fallen out since it has been purchased. Definitely a must have for my brush collection.

Love,
Gracie

the man vs. the guy

I have never really had many personal, close, friend, relationships with a guy before, and I still find it hard to keep up conversations sometimes with them because I get really AWKWARD, and tend to stumble on my words. It has taken me a long time to just get out of my comfort zone and say the simple word, "Hi". Like any girl, I want attention from a guy or The Guy. I mean, let's be honest, almost every girl out there has fantasized about their "goal relationship", and then that scenario usually ends up with your eyes in front of your phone, stalking the Instagram and Twitter of the couple you envy. Just hoping that maybe one day, you will have that too. A countless number of times I have done that and put myself in the hopeless category of "what if":
"What if" he liked me?
"What if" we dated, what would our relationship look like?
"What if" I had a prettier appearance?
"What if" I could only look life Lily James (she is the actress for Cinderella and is drop dead gorgeous, in case you did't know)?
I have wanted to live to be a genuine Gracelyn Tate, but I have spent a trifle mount of time comparing myself to others, and trying to make a reality with a guy happen when it was just not a reality at all. I attempted to remodel myself for a better "goal" status and I ended up losing sight of what God had and has in store for me. Jeremiah 29:11. He knows what He is doing and has an end purpose for you. And a purpose is much better than a goal, because a goal is an aimed desire not yet reached. And a purpose is being created for a reason. He should be your purpose in life above all things, and I think that I lost sight of that when I put my attention on the boy. The boy who can let your heart dow, who can mistreat you, and who can disappoint. I should have put all my on THE MAN. THE MAN who will never let go of your hand, who guides you through clear water and still valleys, and who loves you for eternity. I have found that I have saved myself a lot of heartache by putting "THE MAN" first and not the guy. That's why Jesus Christ should be your purpose, not the worldly "goals'' around you, because they can never fulfill you like Jesus can.

verse of the month: Jeremiah 29:11