My Afro!

Well ladies, I finally decided to wear my hair totally out for work. I got up this morning, gave myself an apple cider vinegar rinse, pooed my hair with Miss Jessie Creme Poo, applied some olive oil and a little Moroccan Oil, sat under the dryer for about 15 minutes (had to because it is cold here), fluffed, got dressed, and out the door I went. I was not in the mood for rolling or twisting my hair. I was also tired of all the product buildup I was experiencing (I had not done my hair for 11 days). Well, here are my results! I like it, and I will rock it this way more in the summer when I can keep it wet and moisturized to highlight the curl pattern better.

I will embrace my natural hair texture and stop trying to manipulate it!

But the roller set and twist-out will still be my go-to style! (haha)

Today's Scripture

Make Preparations!

"…Prepare the way for the Lordquot;(Isaiah 40:3, NIV)

Everyone goes through seasons of waiting. A lot of times, people just sit back and wait for God to do everything. But you have to remember to do your part and make preparations. You have to talk like it's going to happen and act like it's going to happen. Some people might say, "Well, Joel, what if I do this and it doesn't happen?" But I say what if you do and it does happen? And even if things don't turn out the way you had hoped, you'd still be better off living your life positive and hopeful than you would to go around down and discouraged.
I love what David said in the Bible, "God, my times are in your hands." He was saying, "God, I don't know when it's going to happen, but I know You know what's best for me." So I'm going to go out today expecting good things. And even if it doesn't happen, I'm not going to go to bed all disappointed. I'm going to go to bed knowing that I'm one day closer to seeing my dreams and desires come to pass!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Father in heaven, I dedicate this day to You. Show me how to prepare for You to move in my life. Help me guard my words and thoughts as I put my trust in You. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Spontaneity!

spon·ta·ne·i·ty [ spòntə n ətee, spòntə náy ətee ]
Noun

Definition:

1. unconstrained behavior: behavior that is natural and unconstrained and is the result of impulse, not planning

2. generation from within: the generating or provoking of activity from within, rather than as a result of external influences




In 2010, my goal is to be more spontaneous! I always dream of doing things, but never act on them all of the time.

How spontaneous are you?

How many of you wish you or your significant other were more spontaneous?

What was the most spontaneous thing you have done in 2009/2010?

Weigh In!

Today's Scripture

Run and Not Grow Weary!

"But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount to up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired"(Isaiah 40:31, AMP)
Do you sometimes feel like there is so much on your plate that you are constantly running to get it all done? There are seasons when we need to go the extra mile and give it our all, and there are seasons to rest and rejuvenate. I love what today's scripture tells us—that during those times when it's necessary; we can run and not grow weary!
What are you facing that seems to be taking all your energy? Wait on the Lord today. Expect, look for, and hope in Him. The Bible promises that when you live with expectancy, when you stay hopeful, when you make preparations for the goodness of God, you'll rise up higher. Your strength will be renewed. In other words, you will overcome life's challenges.
You may have difficulties today, but if you can just get up every morning expecting God to turn it around, staying positive and hopeful; then God promises you will rise up higher into the strength and victory He has in store for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Father God, thank You for giving me Your strength and power. I receive it right now, by putting my trust and hope in You. I know that with You all things are possible. In Jesus' Name. Amen"

Fashionable Rain Boots - Spring is Coming!

Spring is soon approaching and that means a ton of rain in my parts.

Here are a few stylish ways to look great while keeping your feet dry and your other stylish shoes safe from the elements.

Givency Rubber Cowboy Boot

Hunter for Jimmy Choo

Coach

Hunter

As you can see, I am partial to black because it goes with everything.

If your parts are warmer during March-May, try pairing your rain boots with shorts or an above the knee dress with bare legs. Trust me, it really looks sexy!

Happy Walking in the Rain!

Today's Scripture

Protect Your Seed!

"While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease"(Genesis 8:22, AMP)

Did you know that when we say prayers, when we are believing God for something, it's like planting spiritual seeds? It's a principle that God established at the beginning of time. We determine the harvest we have in our lives by the seeds we sow.
In the natural, think about how the farmer waits for his harvest. He knows that if he protects his seed he will get an abundant harvest. He waters it, pulls the weeds, and keeps the soil soft.
In the same way, we have to protect our spiritual seed. We can't allow the “weeds” of negative thinking to come in. We have to pull them out by simply saying, “God, I know You're faithful. My trust and confidence is in You.” We have to water our seed by staying full of praise. We have to keep an attitude of faith and expectancy. That's how we protect our seed. And when you protect your seed, when you stay in faith and keep the right attitude, it won't be long before you see that harvest of blessing in every area of your life.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Father in heaven, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. I declare that my trust and confidence is in You. Thank You for hearing my prayers. I know that the seed of Your Word will produce an abundant harvest in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Sunday Jazzy!

Detangling!

Hello Ladies! (Above Pic is my dream "do")

I enjoy wearing my hair natural, but the one thing I dread is dealing with tangles when I cleanse my hair. Everyone sheds about 100 hairs a day. I don't comb my hair for days at a time, so when I cleanse, all the hair is tangled in my nest. I am a long term transitioner, so I am dealing with semi-relaxed ends in certain areas of my hair. Because of this, my ends tangle the most. I received a ton of help from curlynikki's sight as well as many other blogs and YouTube tutorials, so I thought I would be of assistance to someone else. I hope this helps someone out there who is dealing with the "tangles".



My routine is to cleanse my hair, whether it is by co-washing or pooing with a poo that does not contain sulfates. I use Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo or HPO Hair & Body Shampoo. I then apply a lot of conditioner to my hair, divide my hair into four sections, then I take my shower. For me, this allows the conditioner to soak in and melt away the tangles. After I have done my business, I proceed to detangle each section with my fingers first, then I use a large, wide-toothed comb. After I have detangled each section, I rinse without using too much friction from my hands, then I gently blot my ends to prevent a lot of drip. Now some sites suggest leaving some conditioner in your hair when you rinse, but I hate having dripping hair all over my back, so I rinse totally, blot my ends, then I apply a quarter size dollop of conditioner to my wet hair and comb through. Presto! No more tangles!

This has helped me so much with my routine and I don't dread cleansing as much. This also works well as long as I do my hair once every 4 to 7 days. If I wait any longer (7 is actually too long) my hair is a tangled mess and requires much longer to detangle.



My favorite conditioners to use for this process are numbered by most favorite and are as follows:



1. Herbal Essence Hello Hydration (my hair loves this stuff)

2. Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship (my hair loves this also - smells great!)

3. Herbal Essence Totally Twisted

4. Aussie Moist


It took some time for my hair to become accustomed to being natural, so be patient. Your curls will learn to behave but they will do them when they are ready. The key is to keep up a routine and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

You can use what works best for you, but the above are my top choices and they are the four that have provided me with the best slip. (Trust-I have tried many) Slip is needed to help melt the tangles away. You also want to stick with a cheaper brand because you use a lot to get the tangles to melt without much manipulation. They are cheap, but they are great on my hair. I always thought cheap products did not work but boy was I wrong!



Happy Detangling!

Today's Scripture

A Vital Necessity

"Set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God."(I Chronicles 22:19 AMP)
What things do you consider a vital necessity in your life? In other words, what can't you live without? Most people would immediately think of food, water, and shelter; but in reality, we can't really live unless our minds and hearts are set on seeking the Lord. Sure, you can exist without seeking Him, but you are called to more than just existence. You are called to live…to thrive…to enjoy your life abundantly!
The good news is that you have complete control over what you set your mind and heart on. You decide what to think about. Today, I encourage you to set your mind and heart on seeking the Lord! Write down your favorite scriptures and commit them to memory. Whenever you can, think about those verses. Think about God and His infinite love. Make a habit of seeking Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. When you require the Lord as a vital necessity, you will enjoy living the abundant life He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Heavenly Father, today I choose to set my mind on You. I seek You with my whole heart. Show me Your love and character today. Show me Your ways that I may walk and live closely with You. I love You. In Jesus' Name. Amen."