Becoming a Woman of Refinement + A Recipe

How does one become refined? According to the dictionary, to be refined means to be cultured and elegant in appearance, manner or taste. To me, the women of the Victorian era were the epitome of refined. I've always been drawn to the elegance of their manners and way of speaking. The women of today would do well to learn from the wisdom of the past. It is unfortunate how much vulgarity has replaced the high refinement of old.

The books we read, the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the clothing we wear - all of these things contribute to the making of our person. By choosing to surround ourselves only with those things that are true, honest, pure, lovely, and of good report, as the Scriptures state in Philippians chapter 4, verse 8, we can become the dignified women we were called to be.

But true refinement is an art form we must seek to cultivate daily if we wish to transform our current culture for the better.

I do so love to take a tea break during our homeschool day! It is a nice time to pause and relax for a few minutes. Collecting pretty tea cups is a hobby of mine. Beauty is so important to the soul! This afternoon, I chose to have a nice cup of English Breakfast tea with a bit of creamer and stevia, along with my favorite cookie-in-a-mug.

Here is the recipe, as shared by a friend:

Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug 
(gluten-free)

Ingredients

1 Tbs. butter, melted (I use kerrygold)
1 1/2 tsp. truvia (I prefer pyure)
1 Tbs. brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I like Bob's 1:1 or Pamela's)
2 Tbs. chocolate chips

Directions

Mix all of your ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour into a mug or ramekin and microwave for about 50-60 seconds. Eat and enjoy!