The Purpose Driven Life

These are a couple of reposts of my thoughts as we read this book (other post deleted). Although we have completed this book we will revisit it again this year. I wanted to keep this as a part of my blog for my personal benefit.

Tuesday July 3, 2012 1:07 am

Thinking about my purpose as we enter day 37 of The Purpose Driven Life

Have you ever thought of your purpose? Perhaps you should begin with this question, What on Earth Am I Here For? See where this leads you.

Yours Truly~Freedom

Monday June 25, 2012 1:00 am

My husband and I began reading a book called The Purpose Driven Life  this summer. Although I have had this book since 2010 and had heard nothing but rave reviews about it even before I ever purchased it, I could not get into it when I first purchased it. I got to chapter 7 and put it down. Fast forward to summer 2012. 

Then one day out of the blue my husband picked it up and began reading it. He was thoroughly enjoying it. I began to gain a new interest in the book based on his natural gravitation towards it. Let's put things into perspective. First off, my husband does not like to read. Secondly, this is a chapter book with 40 chapters. Finally, to read this book, a 40 day commitment must be made to get through it which includes note-taking and discussions after each reading. Did I mention my husband does not like to read. He was reading through it like he had enjoyed reading his whole life. We decided to read it together over a 40 day period of time (the design of the book). So I caught up to where he was and to my surprise it was as if I had never picked up the book in my life. I gained a lot of insight and couldn't wait to get to the next chapter. Not to mention I am enjoying the time I'm spending with my husband doing something neither one of us have ever done together-a book study. 

We are currently on day 29 and time has truly flown by. One of the secrets to reading this book is to take it one day at a time. We don't think of it in terms of the 40 days. We just read one chapter at a time, one day at a time. And here we are 29 days later. Of course we have missed a day or two along the way (although we make an effort not to), life happens, we just pick up where we left off. We are learning a great deal from this book. The author, Rick Warren, has a lot of thoughtful insight into God's Word. It's been a blessing to myself and my husband. I believe that my entire family will reap the benefits from what we are learning as we uncover our Purpose Driven Life! 

Yours Truly~Freedom

A "New" Year

image from x-streamers.com

Truly looking forward to a "New" Year. Out with the old way of business as usual. There are many things that I could dwell on from the past year that I would like to get a "do over" on, but I'm learning to learn from the past and not dwell on it. Keeping all things in perspective, I have my health, family, a steady job, and most importantly my faith in Christ. However, I know that I have much to look forward to as I hold fast to the promises of God for my life. My husband and I have four focus areas for our "New" Year: Faith, Family, Finances, and, Fitness. We are stepping out with a plan with measurable goals not a New "Fail" Resolution.  I hope that you are able to reflect on the past, learn from it, and move forward into your "New" Year! 

Yours Truly~Freedom

Hair Journey: Relaxed to Natural

This is my very first youtube video (a photo montage) documenting my journey from relaxed to natural hair. I'm proud of myself for actually being able to put it together. It wasn't as hard as I originally thought it would be. I'm  definitely stepping outside of my comfort zone with the whole youtube thing. Others seem to do it so effortlessly. Well, anyway, I'm excited to share this with my followers. Enjoy!

Yours Truly~Freedom

The New York Times & Natural Hair

click here to view the article

 I found this article and video posted in the New York Times to be very interesting. It is written by film maker Zina Saro-Wiwa (pictured here). Her article is entitled Black Woman's Transitions to Natural Hair. While preparing this article she inadvertently embarks on her own journey of self-discovery. She has a profound opinion that is shared at the end of the video. Check it out. Share your opinion.

Link to the article
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/opinion/black-women-and-natural-hair.html?_r=0


Yours Truly~Freedom

Updated Natural Hair Regimen

Another Updated Natural Hair Regimen~October 2012-Present (subject to change as my hair needs change)

Regimen Overview:

Water

Shampoo and Condition 1x per week

Deep Condition 1x per week on dry hair

Put in Leave in After Washing and Conditioning 

Detangle

Air Dry in braids or twists

No Heat Styles

Regimen Details:

1) Water & Deep Conditioner 

Mist hair with spray bottle, section hair into 6-8 sections, add conditioner and detangle each section, put each section in loose braids or twists as you go

Keep loose braids or twists in hair through the entire wash process

Rinse hair with warm water in the shower for about 5 mins

2) Shampoo

Tresemme Luxurious Moisture: Shampoo hair twice. During second shampoo rinse, leave some shampoo in the hair

3) Conditioner

Tresemme Smooth & Silky: Apply conditioner, rinse after 5-10 min 

4) Leave-In Conditioner
Tresemme Smooth & Silky: Apply conditioner, Leave in, do not rinse out. Yes, this is the same conditioner in step 3

5) Detangling 
Detangle each section with wide tooth comb, take each section and divide into 2, for a total of 12-16 sections, retwist or braid (this second detangling is effortless, since most of the detangling was done in step 1) 

Air Dry

Let hair Air dry

No Heat Styles

Apply leave in and style- twists, puffs, bantu knots, buns, braids, cornrows, flat twists, french roll, bantu knot outs, braid outs, etc. 

That's All Folks!

Yours Truly~Freedom

Big Chop = Big Step

My Big Chop Hair

Like myself, many of you reading this have transitioned to natural by taking care of your hair and letting it grow until you were ready to cut off the relaxed ends. 

Others may have simply cut off their hair with very little to no transitioning time and rocked a low fade or TWA.

Whatever the case may be, Big Chop=Big Step. 

I transitioned for a total of 15 months. This time frame worked for me. I didn't have a goal date set as to when I would cut my hair. I just wanted to transition until I got to a length that I was comfortable with or until I felt ready to cut. At 15 months post relaxer, I was comfortable with the length AND I felt ready. I haven't looked back since. 

You Tube and Hairlista have become my ultimate hair resource. What I mean by this is that these sites are places where you can find real people sharing their real hair stories. However, while I was transitioning I realized something. I realized that I could sit and search for BC stories all I wanted and get advise on how to BC, when to BC, how I should feel about BC'ing, how others may react to my BC, etc. but I had to take it just for what it was, advice. No matter how much or how little, how good or bad, it was all advise. At the end of the day, it was my choice, my hair, my decision. 

For those of you that are thinking of transitioning to natural, the best advise I have received and could give is this: You have to do what you feel is right for you. You have to know that you are comfortable with yourself no matter what you do to your hair. Cutting your hair will not hide any insecurities you have, more than likely it will bring them out. 

While I was transitioning I had to worked through my insecurities because if I wasn't comfortable with me, others wouldn't be either. I had to work through all the "what if's", doubts, and fears. It's a good idea to write down what you are feeling and how you plan to deal with the emotions that come with this decision. This way you have an idea of how you are going to respond when things come up after you cut your hair. Because cutting your hair is a Big Step.

I never understood why people would transition to the point where they only had 2 inches of relaxed ends left but struggled with the idea of cutting it off. That was UNTIL IT WAS MY HAIR!. Then I could relate. So much of who we are is tied up in the image of our hair. So for most of us, it doesn't matter how much or how little we have left to cut off. It's still a Big Step. 

Yes, BC for some may be, "I shaved my head" but for others it may be, "I finally cut off those last 2 inches." The BC is different for everyone who experiences it no matter how "BIG" the Big Chop or how "little" the Big Chop. It's still a BIG STEP! 

Have an opinion on the matter? Comment.

Yours Truly~Freedom

I Wonder...Why?

Have You Ever Wondered...

Part I

photo by: Jalal Volker

Have you ever wondered

why the death of one person can 

shatter so many lives,

why love that was so hard to find 

is so easily lost,

why a single event can

alter the path of your future,

Have you ever wondered why?

Have you ever wondered

why little girls dream of their prince charming

only to find that love is not a fairytale,

why little boys feel invincible only to find that 

 the world is not theirs alone to conquer,

why mommies and daddies find it hard to let

their little ones make mistakes of their own,

Have you ever wondered why?

Have you ever wondered

why their is so much lack in a world 

 that's filled with plenty,

why the easy way out is the way 

most often chosen,

why the values of honesty and love are

overrated but deciet and disappointment are expected,

Have your ever wondered why?

Sometimes I Wonder...... Why?


Yours Truly~Freedom