Don't Look Back!

Moving on... It's easy to dwell on past things that you've done.  Things that have happened, words spoken, things you wish you could change...  But it's all in the past.  You can't change what has already been.  Time, once gone, is gone forever.  To regret and have sorrow over things you've done in the past is only normal, but we should get over it.  It's time to move on and do great things for God with our lives.

To repent means to stop, turn and don't go back.  If you have repented, and you're not going back... why dwell on things in the past?  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Let's just think about Paul for a minute.  Paul wrote many books of the Bible, including Philippians.  What was Paul before God converted him?  He was a Pharisee.  He persecuted the Christians!  He had the coats of the men stoning Stephen at his feet as he looked on.  Could you imagine having to live with that?  Living with having Stephen, the great martyr, stoned?  While you looked on and approved.  What shame.  What reproach.  It wasn't just Stephen either... he had many Christians put to death or thrown into prison.  And yet, it is Paul that says "...forgetting those things with are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before."

What if Paul hadn't forgotten?  What if he let the wickedness of his past deeds eat on him and prevent him from moving on in his life?  What good would that have done him?  I'm sure he wouldn't have written the many books that he did.  I'm sure he wouldn't have led all those people to the Lord.  Yet Paul did not sit around and wonder why it was him.  Why it had to be him that was raised a Pharisee.  Why it had to be him that had Christians imprisoned...  Why do we do this to ourselves?

Bless God for the time he's given us to allow us to grow, and then move on.  God has a better plan for our life than we can even imagine.  Let him have his will.  Follow him, and don't look back. 

Just... Trust Me

Trust... Have you ever thought about that word.  That one little word that has so much meaning packed into it.  That one word that means so much.  God has been teaching me a lot about trust this summer.  He's been showing me how much I really don't know about lots of things, but mainly about myself.  I've done things this summer that I never thought I'd do.  Not in a million years.  God has shown me how much of a sinner I really am, and how much I need him.

To trust means to have confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.  So to trust someone is basically to give them your confidence.  To believe that they are worthy of your trust and you aren't going to abuse it or harm them in any way.  In doing so they would break your trust and it would take time for them to believe you were trustworthy again.

Proverbs 3:5 says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.   When we truly are trusting God we are saying, God I believe that you have better control of my life than I do I'm just going to sit back and let you take care of things.  I think after trust comes waiting.  If we are really trusting him then we will be content to wait for his timing.  As said Elisabeth Elliot, If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!  
Really, think about it.  God created us, put us where we are, loves us and he already knows the plan for our life.  Why do we think we can run our life better than he can?  Why is it so hard to just say, "Okay God, you're in control." when he tells us no?  If we trusted him, we would.  Sometimes I wonder how God must view us when we try to run things our way.  Is he hurt?  Does he laugh and say... okay you try that?  God is so good, and yet he doesn't try to protect us from our own stupidity.  He does let us learn from it though!

Over the summer I have learned so much.  I think I've learned more this summer than I have my entire life.  Let me tell you one thing... Trying to run things your own way doesn't pay well, and just digs you into a deeper mess.  Trust God, and let him run your life.  He loves you, and knows what is best for your life.  He wants to bless you, you just have to let him.     

This one time at camp... :)

I was blessed to be able to help out at Camp JOY this year.  The first week of July was when the younger kids (ages 7-9) went.  I was in the kitchen then, working with some of the most amazing women ever! :)  I slept a lot that week, because I wanted to be prepared for the next week when I counseled.  It was a lot of fun, though, and I enjoyed being able to talk to some of the kids. :)

The second week of July I co-counseled with another lady.  The age of the kids that week was 10-12, although, most of the girls in my cabin were younger.  It was such a blessing to be able to minister to the girls and just get to know them.  There were eleven girls in my cabin, and they were all so fun. :)

The third week of July I went as a camper.  It was such an amazing blessing; and I can honestly say, the best week of camp I've ever had! :)  I was in a cabin with 19 other girls.  There were a lot of us, but we made it work! :)  The theme for camp this year was Forward with Christ.  It was the most convicting week of camp I've ever had.  I knew when I got there the first day that there was going to be some things I was going to have to give up if I was going to go forward with Christ.  It took me a few days, but God got me to the point of surrender.  He is so good!!  I praise his holy name for everything that he did at camp this year.

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses; let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us:  looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Has it really been?!

So.. yes.  It's almost been a year since I last posted.  A lot has happened in the past year!  I am looking forward to writing more posts! :)  Every once and a while I would think... I should really write a blog post... but I could never think of what to write about! :P  I have some ideas now, though, so you should be getting some more posts. :)  Au revouire for now! ;)

Calling all Curls!!

It's been a while, but now that I have some time I'd like to give you some more rules for curly hair.

Honor your curls natural shape with gel.  I don't really consider this a rule since your hair can do without gel, but it really does help.  Gel holds your hair in place and protects it from outside elements such as wind and humidity.  For best results use a alcohol and silicone free gel that has a strong hold without leaving your hair crunchy.  I use DevaCurl's ArcAngel.  This is also an organic product, and it works amazingly on my hair.  I apply my gel before towel-drying my hair.  This seems to give me a stronger hold and less frizz.

You shouldn't dry your hair with a conventional towel.  A traditional terry-cloth towel will absorb to much moisture, which your hair needs.  The harsh texture of it ruffles the hair causing frizz.  I first used an old T-shirt which works really well.  Now I use a microfiber towel, which is very convenient, and will not cause frizz because of its smooth surface.

You shouldn't touch or scrunch your hair while it's drying.  Touching your hair while it's drying interferes with the curl's natural formation and creates frizz.  Some people think that if you scrunch your hair while it's drying, that will make it more curly.  This is not the case, however; and it will create frizz.  If I sit still (such as when doing school) after I get out of the shower for a few hours; my hair is always less frizzy. :)  After your hair dries it will have a gel "cast" on it.  When it is completely dry you can scrunch the cast out of it, and release your soft curls.

You should have your hair cut ONLY when it is dry.  This is very important, especially for people with tighter curls.  Let me try to explain.  When your hair is dry your curls have all different amounts of spring.  Some curls will be tighter, and thus, curl up shorter than a looser curl.  If you wet your hair and comb it for cutting, or straighten it, this makes your hair all one length.  When you style it again your hair will be all different lengths, because it was cut all length when it was wet.  I got my hair cut by a Deva certified stylist, which means that she was taught the curly girl methods.

For more information you can go to www.mydevacurl.com or find DevaCurl on Facebook. :) 

When Nathanael Makes Smoothies...

Little brothers are so fun!  Nathanael loves smoothies, and thinks that it is a blast to help in the kitchen.  He has been doing this for a while now, and it is so cute I had to share it with you! 

 Nathanael peeling the banana. :)

Putting the banana in the blender.  He did take a bite of it first... actually I think it was several. :)  My mom assured me that some people would think that was kind of gross.  I thought it was extremely amusing. :)

The peach!

Blueberries!!  He didn't actually eat any of those this time. :)

Strawberries! 

The yogurt.  I decided it would be best if I poured it. :P

Everything ready for blending.

Nathanael helping. :)

Helping to pour (he has a spoon) :)

Enjoying his smoothie own smoothie, and yes, he will drink all that.  :)

Happy boy!

As the Curls Tumble

Well... now for the reasoning behind the Curly Girl method.  Is it really that different?  Oh yes, as you will soon see. :)

Since many people don't understand frizz, let me explain it like this.  Your hair is wet.  It is curly and beautiful!  Great start, right?  Then it dries.  The curls fall flat, and it morphs into a bunch of frizz!  *Pause for dramatic effect*  What happened?  Frizz is just a curl waiting to happen.
Your hair is a porous surface.  It absorbs everything that you put on it.  When it is not hydrated enough the hair reaches out searching for moisture creating... frizz!  This also explains why your hair is more frizzy when is is humid.  When your hair is well hydrated, it doesn't need more moisture, so it stays where you put it (most of the time). :)  It's that simple.

Here are some of the rules in following the Curly Girl method.  I'll try to explain them so they will make sense.

1. You should only use sulfate-free shampoos/cleansers.  Sulfates are the same detergents that are found in body wash, dish soap and laundry detergent.  It is the last thing that you want to put in your hair.  Sulfates strip your hair of its natural oils and hydration causing frizz.  People are addicted to lather.  The shampoo that I use is a Deva product.  They call it No-poo.  It is an all natural product that does not lather, but contains certain organic extracts that cleanse the hair.  This, I believe, is the most important step.

2. You should hyper condition your hair.  Frizz is just a curl waiting to happen.  It is hair desperately in need of moisture.  "Once curly hair fibers are sufficiently hydrated with conditioner, they hold onto the moisture they need, and the frizz disappears," says Massey the author of Curly Girl.  The conditioner fills the porous surface of curly hair, and smooths the surface so that light can reflect off of it.  Leave some or all of the conditioner in your hair rather than rinsing.  (Typically the tighter the curl, the more conditioner you'll need.) 
Will this make your hair greasy?  I have had this question asked me a lot.  When you shampoo your hair it overly strips the oil off your scalp.  This causes it to make more oil, causing it to be greasy.  On a person with curly hair, the amount of oil made naturally by your scalp will be absorbed into your hair.  I never rinse out any conditioner, and my hair is never greasy. 
I use a Deva silicone-free conditioner.  This is another all-natural organic product, and it smells amazing. :) It doesn't contain silicone because although silicone does make your hair shiny; it also blocks the pours in your hair which keeps your hair from absorbing conditioner.  Think about it; silicone is the same thing that they use in rubber and tires.  Why would you want to put that in your hair? 

3. You should never brush or comb your hair.  Brushing and combing your hair breaks apart your delicate curls, causing frizz.   If you look at a healthy curly girl's hair you will see that her hair is grouped into something we call curl families.  In other words each curl is actually a group of hairs that are all curling the same direction.  When you comb your hair, you break apart these curl families which causes frizz.  "Instead of combing your hair, drench wet hair with conditioner in the shower and gently comb it with your fingers," says Massey.  You tend to be much gentler on your hair when you are using your fingers anyway.

I hope that wasn't an overload of information!  Those are the three most important rules for a curly girl.  I follow all of these, all the time, with no exceptions.  I will post up some more later when I have time.  :)