Empowered Traditionalist

The fruits of feminism in today’s society isn’t exactly what the early leaders of the movement bargained for.
With the raunch culture defining mainstream masculinity and femininity, and icons such as Marolyn Monroe and Sex and the City defining the ideal woman, with gender neutrality and the staggering divorce rates, STD statistics, Abortion, Pornography, and denigration of motherhood —

It begs the question- how did this happen?

The answer is far from simple, but is largely due to what we call Feminism.

It is my desire to equip you with an unbiased history of the Feminist movement in my next post.

I’m going to predict the future. One of you is likely to come up with a whale of an idea for my business. but don’t worry- you’ll get all the glory.

The plain and simple truth is, I, as a budding business owner, need your creative ideas.

So, here’s the scoop:

1. Post any ideas that you can think of for fun, (and hopefully) profitable ideas for Christa-Taylor. And no, giving away free clothes for an entire week- does not count as profitable. Promotions, sales, events, activities - you get the idea.

I know you gals have got the brain juices, and you like to shop- so let’s hear your “heavy revies”!

One thing our culture discourages is anticipating and planning for marriage. The tradition and charm of the “hopechest” has all but been forgotten, but not here. Many of you probably have a wooden chest, or plastic box or someplace where you have begun to invest in the future. Here’s a little inspiration for more items you could add to your treasure trove.

I have sought to compile the complete and all-encompassing list of Hopechest ideas. But naturally, no list will ever be perfect as it must be catered to each individuals tastes, ideals and plans.

-Serving Dishes, serving bowls, (especially wooden bowls), pitchers, vases, serving tray (breakfast in bed)
-Colorful eating dishes, dessert dishes, drinking goblets, mugs, mismatched or otherwise- Italian painted etc.
-Gifts for your future husband, something for him specifically or something for you that’s really for him
-Candle sticks/candles (not just the plain glass kind, but beautifully painted pewter and ceramic holders of varying sizes, colors and heights)
-Table linens, cloths, napkins, runners, placemats (for the different holidays or seasons)
-Specialty or niche cookware/ utensils (artisan cheesegrater, cake decorating materials, cookie cutters, whip cream dispensers, intricate chopsticks, sauce dishes, salt and pepper shakers, spice racks, mixing bowls,  etc)
-Handmade work, embroidered linens- “His” “Hers”, crocheted washcloths, wall hangings, stitcheries, quilts, throws, dresser scarves, doilies, pot holders, tea cozies,  etc
-Memorabilia- things your daughter would want. The custom sewn dress you wore at graduation, your photo albums, vintage hats, gloves,  etc.
-Cookbooks, we have our own  “Timeless classics from the Taylor Table”, add you’re favorite recipe collections
-Books (though they should be stored separately), including completed journals/diaries/memoirs
-Aprons, vintage, handmade,
-China, I limit it to a few tea-cups cream and sugar bowl, and a teapot. My mother has never used china so I havn’t found any use for it.
-Garden supplies, misc specialty tools/ seeds, flower labels, bulbs etc
-Sewing supplies- quality scissors, sewing basket/ box, sewing machine
-Art, paintings, calligraphy, I have collected art as I have traveled and have a growing stash of paintings, wood carvings, book ends, etc.
-Baby supplies, handmade bibs, crocheted sweaters or hats, baby quilts and linens, cradle
-Picnic basket/supplies
-Decor (only classics), polished rocks/agates, throw pillows in basic colors, rugs, beautiful frames
-Larger items, juicer, wheat grinder, bread machine, Cuisinart, Kitchenaid- you name it.
-

Do:

-Throw a  “hopechest’ party for your birthday- We have done this for every one of our daughters and enjoyed it immensely.
- Read “The Hopechest” by Rebekah Wilson
-shop at Garage sales, Antique stores, boutiques, Bizzars, Flea Markets, Estate Sales, Kitchen Supply or Restaurant supplies, Craigs list, Ross, and the occasional find at Goodwill!

Don’t:
-expect everything to fit in your box or chest (you will probably out-grow it quickly)
-invest in trendy items or lots of Decor, they may be out of style by the time you leave your home or, what is more probable, your tastes will change (tight color schemes are not a good idea)
- get so much stuff that you need a Uhaul space just to store it.

Any idea you would like to add?

Using Random.org we have selected two winners for our C-T giveaway!

Congratulations to our first place winner:

Rachael

and also congratulations to our second place winner:

Laurel

If you are one of the winners, you have received an email notification.

To claim your prize:

1. Reply to the email including your “Ship to” address, email, and phone #

2. Expect with anticipation your gift card via email!

3. Tell all your friends what your won!
Note: As of Oct 20, we still have not heard back from Laurel, if no one claims the prize in 10 days we will redraw a second play winner.

I first met Taylor Moore in the pages of Wendy Shalit’s book: Girls Gone Mild. Since then, I have had the pleasure of talking with this inspiring young woman and she has agreed to conduct an interview for us here.

Christa: Taylor, thank you so much for joining us, tell us a little about who you are, and what you do
Taylor: To begin with, my name is Taylor Moore and I am a nineteen year old award-winning motivational speaker. I’ve been speaking since I was nine years old, and during that time my main platforms consisted of  speaking about excellence and non-violence. As I grew older, different issues started emerge….hormones. I realized that many of my peers were acting on these urges, as opposed to redirecting that energy to something positive and useful. After connecting with an abstinence organization called Project Reality, my message of purity grew immensely. My message of abstinence is different than any other speaker these teens have heard, because in addition to me being a virgin and practicing abstinence until marriage, I’m their age. So for them to see someone their age making positive and healthy decisions, and looking good living such a lifestyle, says a lot about why so many have made a 180 degree turn from a promiscuous life to practicing abstinence.

Christa: So what are some of the tangible benefits for living a life of purity?
Taylor: Some of the main benefits of women AND men maintaining their purity, is for one-a stress free life! Premarital sex can bring about unnecessary drama, so by practicing abstinence that is quickly eliminated. Also, one doesn’t have to worry about STDs or an untimely pregnancy. Last but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, practicing abstinence gives one a sense of focus. When people (teens especially) are involved in premarital relationships, focus can be taken off their life’s purpose and potentially distract them from recognizing their purpose all together. I’ve had some people ask me, “Why don’t you talk about not using alcohol and drugs the way you talk about not having purity?” The answer is simple. If you can say NO on this issue, saying no to alcohol and drugs will be a piece of cake. Many times premarital sex is the gateway to those other things, so by tackling it, you’re also tackling alcohol and drugs. Once a person has made the conscious decision to practice abstinence, they either recognize the purpose for their life, or would like to know it and don’t want to get sidetracked.

Christa: How can we bring about change in this area?
Taylor: In order for us to affect change in our culture in the abstinence area, is that we need to STOP being gullible to the idea that sex sells. Of course that’s what’s going to sell when that’s the only thing on the market. So if more people come together and create positive things that could be distributed to actively encourage and motivate others, the media will see that it’s time for a change and they can’t make us watch or buy just anything. We’re demonstrating that we have options and something positive (healthy) is our FIRST PICK !

Christa: Do you experience a lot of pressure to compromise your standards either from society or from your peers?
Taylor: I’m a teenager. I have had all type of guys try to talk me about being in a relationship, wanting to break my seal of purity, and I’m like, “did you not just hear my message!” Nonetheless, people have tried to tempt me even though I have made public what I’m about and what I stand for. When you stand up for something, that’s when the battle really begins, because people want to see if you really are who you say you are. In other words, to those reading this, be prepared to be tempted and attacked, but stand firm and strong as I have. And if you ever feel like you’re along in the purity movement better known as the abstinence movement, know that I’m right their with you fighting the same battle….AND WE WILL WIN!!!!!

Taylor Moore is strong Christian, a gifted singer and drummer (as a student at Kenwood Academy in Chicago she was a Ravinia Jazz Scholar and a member of the All-City High School Orchestra) and a cable television host and producer. She has campaigned nationwide for abstinence education, as well as literacy and anti-violence programs. You can find a live video of her speaking for the Chicago Tribune HERE

The righteous man falls seven times, yet rises again…

I remember the first time I made cinnamon rolls, it was a new and difficult challenge. I wanted so badly to produce a roll that could compete with Cinnabon! The directions were complicated and hard for me to follow- it took me nearly 4 hours. After following the instructions meticulously they came about beautifully. Not. They were a flop, hard and brittle, they didn’t rise and much to my chagrin ended up in the trash.
I did something hard, and failed. “Heck with this! I’m never going to bother with cinnamon rolls again!”
What I failed to realize is, that it’s ok to do something hard and fail.

As we learn and develop we will experience problems and unexpected challenges. Sometimes they are too much to overcome. Do we stay depressed? If we’ve fallen do we stay face down in the mud? No, we need to get up, dust off, and keep doing hard things. The righteous man, even when he has failed miserably for the 7th time, gets up keeps going.

After a few more attempts, I did master cinnamon rolls. Fear of failure didn’t stop me then, but will it stop me now?

Unfortunately, life isn’t as simple as a pan of cinnamon rolls is it? We face far greater challenges in our daily grind.

A few months back, Christa-Taylor.com was facing some serious upheavals. It was either “shut down”, “sell out” or radically change the way we operated. I was frustrated and ready to give up, I seriously was exhausted, overwhelmed and inadequate for the challenges I faced. But I was ashamed of failure, I was afraid of what people would think, of letting everyone down- of not being the “successful poster child”.

That’s when I received a letter from fellow business owner and counselor, Mark Hellweg, he wrote:

“Hi Christa,

Your mom was telling me that you’re thinking about winding down Christa Taylor. Well, if you do decide to go that route, I wanted to encourage you with a reminder that ALL GOOD AND WORTHWHILE ventures are difficult, and not all of them turn out how we had hoped. You put together a beautiful brand/website, chose distinguished and stylish clothing, and made a mark in an industry that doesn’t know anything about respecting women. For that I’m very proud of you.”

That letter reminded me of the truth.

I won’t always accomplish exactly what I would like, in the way I would like it. But by the grace of God, I will rise again.

R.J. Letourneau is one of my heroes. He was an enormously successful businessman with a passion for supporting missions. But his incredible financial success didn’t come easily. He experienced 3 major business failures and bankruptcy twice. But failure did not prevent Letourneau from overcoming fear and starting fresh. His legacy as a “kingdom businessman” continues to inspire us today.  Sometimes, out of failure we find our greatest success.

Has there ever been a time when you grew more from your failure than you would have if you’d met success?

We have started shooting all the new fall inventory, so here you guys get a sneak peek at some of the new images hitting the site.

This was my debut as a photographer, and as you can see, it was a bit rough. But there is a certain pride of accomplishment in being the person behind the camera for once, vs. merely directing it.

We wanted to show the transition from Summer to fall…here you have our Orchid weave dress, modeled several different ways.

Click here: TO view pics
Thanks to my dear sister and model, Kelly Taylor, (isn’t she beautiful!) and our terrific team of assistants!

Written by : Greta Parkinson, featured in ELIZA magazine

CAMBODIA
Philanthropy has always been fashionable. And these days, with the rapid growth of technology resulting in a rapidly “shrinking” world, we’re more aware than ever before of people in remote countries we’ve never seen-sometimes never previously heard of-who need our help. Thanks to 24-hour news outlets and the ever-expanding World Wide Web, it’s never been easier to visualize-and assist- people who need a hot meal, a warm blanket, and a safe home.

More than 30 years ago, the Kmer Roughe Guerilla Movement, led by Cambodian Prime Minister Pol Pot, sought to reconstruct the country based on the structure of Mao’s China: a communist regime. The result was mass genocide. The Kmer Rouge foced all the men, women and children to leave their homes for forced labor camps. Any who refused were killed on the spot. Religion and music were banned ;factories, schools, and hospitals were shut down. Operating under the slogan “To spare you is no profit; to destroy you is no loss”, the Kmer Rouge murdered mor than two million civilians.

The effects of the deadly regime are still prevalent throughout Cambodia. There remain up to 6 million active land mines. Mass graves and “killing fields” were uncovered as recently as 1995. Today, because of the ravages of war, impoverishment, and illness, 90,000 women and children have been left widowed and orphaned.

When Christa Taylor, co-owner and creator of Christa-Taylor.com, visited Cambodia three years ago, she couldn’t ignore the devastation-the rural roads were dusty and treacherous. But when the y reached the orphan home, Christa was struck by what she described as a “stark contrast” between the village children and the orphans.
“I thought to myself, ‘surely these can’t be the orphan kids.’ “ Christa says, “They were all smiles!”
Christa was impressed to find that the orphanages were modeled after families, with father and mother figures overseeing the home while the widows tended children.

“No wonder they’re so happy,” she says. “They don’t see themselves as orphans, either!”

Since then, Christa-Taylor.com has partnered with Warm Blankets Orphan Care, a missions group that provides food and shelter, among other things, for orphans and widows. Christa was struck by their efficiency and ease in communication and says she knew she could feel comfortable supporting and recommending Warm Blankets to her friends and family.

“I found…dependable leadership and, more importantly, individuals who cherished the Cambodian culture and knew how to get things done without trampling it.” She says.

Through generous donations and good old-fashioned hard work, the dedicated people at Christa-Taylor.com and Warm Blankets hope to see every child warm and full, and every orphan home on the road to self-sustenance. And they won’t stop there.

“We hope to eventually pass the monthly support to other businesses and support the larger, more aggressive projects.” Christa says.

More aggressive projects include repairing damaged orphan homes and funding the construction of women’s housing to keep factory workers out of sex trafficking.
When you shop at Christa-Taylor.com 5% of your purchase is donated to an orphanage in Ta Lam. To help even more, you can spread the word about the mission of Warm Blankets. In the shadow of a looming economic recession, Warm Blankets donations are down 50% from previous years. Your gift to Warm Blankets could, among other things, help pay the volunteer staff, whose only compensation comes from monthly donations.
It takes such little effort to make a big difference. A tiny sacrifice on this side of the globe can result in huge changes across oceans and continents for people in desperate need.

“The small things—one less trip to the coffe shop, passing onteh nail manicure for a month, have a date at home.” Christa says, “all go a long way toward keeping little children on the opposite side of the globe full, warm, and hopeful.”

Rob and Robin Wirthlin, parents of a 7-year-old student at Joseph Estabrook Elementary School in Lexington, Masssachusetts, tell an interesting tale. Their son came home talking about a school lesson based on the book King & King –a parable about homosexual marriage. In the story, the young prince decides that he wants to marry the one he loves, who happens to be another prince.
“My son is only 7 years old” this concerned mother remarked. “By presenting this kind of issue at such a young age, they’re trying to indoctrinate our children. They’re intentionally presenting this as a norm, and it’s not a value that our family supports.”

How many have heard similar stories such as this one? Parents told that they have “no fundamental right”* to remove their 5-year-old children from being asked sexually explicit questions in school. Of young girls being encouraged to flaunt their sexuality and considered a “prude” when they try to maintain some level of modesty. Valedictorians expelled because of a clear reference to Jesus Christ in their Acceptance speech. The public school system has been controversial at various times in our public history, but never as now.

The core of the problem lies in the fact that children are being aggressively removed from the wisdom and values of their parents.

Secular thinking has completely engulfed our public school system- indeed, as Al Mohler elucidates so bluntly: “Government schools now serve as engines for secularizing and radicalizing children.”

What is the solution?

Parents must affirm their responsibility of the education of their own children. Churches must aid and equip parents, support families and offer alternatives. The home-schooling movement was an outgrowth of this desire and the positive fruit has been clearly evident. But not all parents are there yet. In reality, it may just be a matter of time.

Aside from my faith, home education has proved to be THE most significant factor in shaping my character into the young woman I am today. The worldview I have developed, the passion I have fostered, the skills I have garnered, all have been learned under the protection and guidance of my parents. I am an apprentice to my mother, and my brother are apprentices to my father. I couldn’t ask for better teachers.

Sources: Al Mohler, Culture Shift 2008