and join me in an Easter prayer.

Your light is the only light we need
as we travel through life’s mystery
Your word the only voice we hear
that still small voice that leads us
to the place where we should be
Your presence is the only company we need
as we walk this narrow road
Your fellowship the warmth we crave
to help us on our way

May the truth of Easter
The joy of Easter
And the blessings of Easter
Be with us this day and all days
AMEN

What are you thankful for this Christmas?

From Runyon Canyons Website:

“Pray it Forward – One Step Closer to God!

The Runyon Canyon Prayer Box is on and going strong at the peak of Runyon Canyon, available for use by anyone at anytime. The Runyon Canyon Prayer Box was a gift from some of the visitors of Runyon Canyon and the Style Network’s Jeannie Mai. There was a short period where the Prayer Box had been dismantled and half way destroyed, there was also rumors that it was once again….gone. The truth of the matter is – the Runyon Canyon Prayer Box is at the top of Hero’s Peak and ready to accept your prayers and wishes. This is really an amazing contribution to the Runyon Canyon Community and we can’t thank the visitors of Runyon Canyon enough for this and especially Jeannie Mai for making it all happen.

The Runyon Canyon Prayer Box is open the same hours as Runyon Canyon Park – Dawn till Dusk.

When you conquer Hero’s Trail at Runyon Canyon, you will be greeted by the Hollywood Famous – Runyon Canyon Prayer Box. Make your wish NOW!!”

http://runyoncanyon-losangeles.com/?p=786

I CHOOSE LOVE
No occasion justifies hatred;
no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY
I will invite God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…
the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything
less than human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity
to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of choosing
the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long,
I will thank God for the moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist
at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.
And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be
overlooked before I will boast.
I will confesss before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not
question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children
will never fear that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL
I am a spiritual being..
After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek his grace.
And then, when this day is done,
I will place my head on my pillow
and rest.

Nguyen Thi Hong Thao and Nguyen Thi Hong Hieu are twin girls in a family of three children.
Their older sister is just four years old. They live in theirgrandmother’s house of about 40 m2.
The main source of income for the whole family comes from the father working as a farmer while
their mother stays at home to take care of the three children. In the harvest off season, the
father has to work as a hired laborer to earn a bit of extra money to support the family.

The family first recognized the symptoms of their little girls when they were 15 months old at
an outreach clinic in the district hospital. The family then had to take the long and costly
trip to Da Nanang hospital to check up on their condition.

While there, the hospital found that Hong Hieu had Ventricular Septal Defect, for
which the surgery costs 46,000,000 VND (roughly $2,245 USD) while Hong Thao had Ventricular
Septal Defect (a large hole) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle for which the surgery costs
35,000,000 VND (roughly $1,710). Since their visit, the family has not returned to the hospital
for any check- up or treatment because of the family’s financial situation. Hong Thao and Hong
Hieu are now two and a half years old but they are constantly sick and tired because of their heart
disease.

The conditions produce a debilitating impact on their lives that is evident when their lips, hands
and feet often become purple.

Although the doctors advised Hong Thao and Hong Hieu to have surgery soon, they
cannot afford the cost of surgery for these two precious little girls. Covering the cost for one child’s
surgery, let alone two, is impossible. The only hope for this family and these children is to find enough
money to support two surgeries to save their little daughters so that the twins can live normal lives. There
was some money available for part of Hong Thao’s surgery, but we had to find more funding to cover the
rest of her and Hong Hieu’s surgeries.

When we told longtime Heartbeat Vietnam donor and cheerleader, the fabulous Ms. Jeannie Mai from
the Style Network’s “How Do I Look” makeover show, about Hong Thao and Hong Hieu’s plight,
Jeannie immediately sprang into action. She put out a call to action to all of her friends and fans
on her blog and Facebook page, and within just a couple of weeks we raised enough for both girls’
surgeries! The girls were admitted to the hospital in Da Nang (central Vietnam) in September and
received their lifesaving operations at the end of the month.

Have a blessed day everybody! And thanks Amanda.

I just wanted to write out a prayer to you because I know that you listen to all your followers and care about each one of us.

Today I found out that my best Avon customer passed away in her sleep on Wednesday.  She was a young 68 years old and she was amazing.

She loved being active and doing things with her husband.  She never let her age slow her down.  She loved camping and going on trips.  She always had an Avon order for me and love jewelry.  She meant a lot to me and I enjoyed spending time with her and her husband.

I pray that she is watching over me now and that she is resting peacefully.

Jeannie if you would please out this in your prayer box, I would very greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,

Kate O’Connor

Did anybody notice bruises on my arm the night of the pageant? Cuz lemme tell ya, I must have pinched myself about a dozen times to make sure my flying out to Sao Paolo, Brazil as the fashion correspondent for Miss Universe was NOT a dream. Literally, I was packing and dancing at the same time, while reaching out to all my hardcore foodies like StreetFood Gourmet LA to give me the grub lowdown in Sao Paolo. (Look out for my awesome food porn blogs btw.) But my main moment of surreality was being a part of an event I grew up watching ever since I was a little girl- not because of the pretty girls. But to question what our world thought beauty was- and whether or not this pageant would capture that.

Here’s the thing, of course I was excited about the fashion perspective I’d have over the entire event. How could one not, with more glitter and makeup on any ONE contestant than an entire episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race?  There were so many crazy observations I had as I played the fly on the wall every day of rehearsals leading up to the event. Like the fact that every contestant was dressed to the NINES at any given time walking around their hotel to heading to rehearsals, sash, full makeup and all.  Or the fact that, damn…these girls could EAT. Here are a few other things I thought were so interesting:

- A tradition the girls do for one another is to bring a symbolic small gift for ALL one another, to represent their country and wish luck. Miss Switzerland brought boxes of chocolate for everyone, including me!

- Natalie Morales came in to my dressing room to specifically tell me Miss Vietnam was the sweetest girl ever, perfect representation of Vietnam. Love that!

- Miss Panama could completely take Angelina Jolie down with them lips–that yes, WERE natural.

- I noticed many girls taking up to 8 pills before sitting down to eat. Could have been for allergies and such…#just saying.

- These girls bust their BUTTS not only doing press leading up to the pageant, but in the rehearsals themselves. I’m talkin 6 inch heels doing booty shaking dances and poses just to make sure there’s not a glitch for the live event.

- Miss China told me she would totally date men shorter than her 6 foot stature.

- Miss Venezuela said she would not. (Ha! As Vivica A. Fox would say- keepitreal.com babe.)

All in all the girls were super sweet. There were some that were harder to get to know then others, but at the end of the day all were determined to be the winner.  Over the course of just a few days, I could see the different ways each defined what it takes to be Miss Universe.  It’s obvious who relied on looks, and who focused on their achievements and brains. And yet I remember seeing Miss Angola on one of the first days I had arrived. She was in the lunch line, with about 15 girls in front of her. The girls were starving and kind of racing to fill their plate in front of one another. One, who cut in front of her, dropped her napkin and Miss Angola stepped out of line to pick it up. She placed it off to the side, retrieved a new one, and handed it back to the young woman who was now further ahead, and politely waited till their was another break in the line to step back in. This drew me to her to sit down with her later and learn about her childhood, very humble beginnings, and really strong family ethics. She was very humble and shy, actually hesitant to talk too much about herself and asked me alot of questions. I remembered this about her when we saw the final 10 emerge on stage in the evening gown competition. While every other contestant strutted, sashayed, even whirled their dresses down the stairs to their spotlight pose, Miss Angola was the most simple and understated in her calm, slow gait. Like Princess Diana, the new Princess Kate, or Audrey Hepburn, Miss Angola was a Miss Universe of her very own. I’m really, very happy she won. She symbolizes that beauty isn’t an image, but a humble grace you carry within.

Also, so many questions about my signature glips (glittery lips!) inspired by my makeup artist Uzmee Krakovszki. As promised, here’s how you get mai GLIPS!

Here are more pics from the gorgeous event. It was such an amazing experience,  I was so honored to be a part of it. Special thanks to Barry Adelman and Paula Shugart and the Miss Universe Pageant for having me, Chuck LaBella and everyone at WME for making this happen, Andy Cohen, Natalie Morales and Nick for making my co-commentator Shandi Finnessey and I look good, Bory Tan for support in more than style, to Wolfy and Patrick for keeping outta trouble , the team at How Do I Look? for rooting me on back home, and THE STYLE NETWORK for the MOST THOUGHTFUL R &R basket I’ve ever received to help me recoop after a nightmarish flight home straight to set!!

I want to hear from you! Do you have any questions about the event? There’s so much to tell so ask away!

Miss India sends her love to my EP.

Andy is just freakin Adorable.

Me and co-commentator Shandi!

I’m thinking, suck it in suck it in!

And my favorite picture as I cap this blog. Thank you Style. As u can see, I dove straight for what is now, the best PB I have ever tried.

I have always believed that there is great power in fashion. Your sense of style and how you present yourself is one of the ultimate ways to express who you are and how worthy you are. That’s why it saddens me when girls are swept up into the wrong idea of what fashion is. It’s not about having the perfect body or outfit that you see onscreen or in a magazine. It’s about embracing the amazing figure you’ve been given and strutting out your individuality.

This is why I was so happy when Unleashed Beauty approached me for an interview. Their mission is to equip young girls everywhere for what they will face throughout high school and college and give them a place to learn and grow inside and out. To read other girls stories so that they can learn and grow through others mistakes and triumphs.

I <3 their mission so much. Check out my interview with Beauty Unleashed where I discuss what gives me strength and what fashion and style means to me.