Freestyling my NEED for the Lord!!

Hey all!

Am I perfect?!?! Not even close... Do I make mistakes?? EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY DAY!! Do I claim to be on the up and up at all times??? NO... I sin like everyone else... However, there is one thing I KNOW:  I LOVE, ADORE & NEED the LORD in my life at all times.  Without Him, I'm nothing! --

Today, I starting singing this song... At church, it was on my heart so heavy that I had to go outside and worship MY GOD!!! So, I decided to share it with you guys.  It's imperfect, just like me... However, I pray the words touch you like they touched me! --

God's Blessings to you all!! <3

Keep Watching,

Char~

Seek & Hide...

Hey all!

You know, life will come at you like a barrelling train down an invisible track!  At times, we are ready for what it has in store, and at other times, we are caught off guard and confused as to WHY we are dealing with such strife and constant destruction and possible demise!  We are looking for answers and QUESTIONING any and EVERY thing in our lives.  We begin looking back over our pasts for something that may have triggered this mess that we have found ourselves in.  We go back as far as our childhood and see if we can 'remember' if we put our parents through some type of whirwind of foolery, and in turn we're in the process of REAPING what we have SOWED... --

Sometimes, we need to simply play a game of SEEK & HIDE:

SEEK OUT THE LORD

&

HIDE IN HIM!

Many times, GOD is simply letting us know that we MUST go back to our childhood ways and SEEK out our FATHER and find comfort in HIS protection and words.  There is no other way to get that armor of HIS that we need in life.  His ways are unflawed and unmatched.  Hiding in Him will prevent you from making further mistakes by trying to go by your OWN ways and 'rectify the situation'.  Let HIM lead, guide and direct your steps, tongue and attitude.

So often, we look to ourselves to fix problems and clean up messes that we made or that our families have made.  That is the incorrect answer.  For those of us that are parents, we always want our children to come to us when they have issues so that we can help them get through their situation AND so that we can shield them from further hurt, harm and/or danger.  GOD is the SAME way.  He wants us to SEEK Him out and HIDE in Him, so that He can do the same for us.

When we become adults, we tend to go on our own paths, forgetting what we were 'trained up' to do. 

(Train a child in the way they should go... They WILL depart from it, however when in a rut, PRAY that they go back to what they've been trained to do...That's my motto)

We need to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS stay a CHILD in GOD!! He is our Father, AND a VERY GOOD one at that! :) -- As children, we LOVED to play games and just enjoy life... As adults, we need to LOVE to play THAT GAME and ENJOY HIM!!

Blessings to you all!

Keep Watching,

Char~

Just for Payton & Her Friends...

Enjoy ladies... AND... Make sure you follow me and check out my other blogs!! :)

Keep Watching,

Char~

Peace & Blessings

Hey all,

Today, I just want to encourage someone. 

In life, we all go through ups and downs... Trials/tribulations... sickness, sadness and sorrow.  Sometimes, we are so DEEP in our mess, that we don't see a way out. We become scared, worrisome and question our faith.

I want you all to know that GOD is ALWAYS with you.  He is always there.  Never faltering, never failing you.  He is always there, watching over you.  Also, know that He is the author and PERFECTER of our faith!! -- Sure, we all have issues...Such is life. But, make NO mistake: GOD is what I like to call the 'JAWS OF LIFE'... There to clamp down on us and WAKE US UP, taking us out of our tragic and tumultous lives of despair and agony.

I tell you what...Without GOD, I don't know where I'd be... But, I wouldn't be here!! He has kept me and brought me out of so many hardships!! MY GOD!  He has kept my mind, my body, and my soul.  There has been so much disdain and hatred that I've had in my past... So much unforgiveness inside of me... So much anger that has kept me at a standstill GOD has pulled me out of the slump that I made for myself, and CONTINUES to help me along my path to 100% forgiveness of myself and those who have hurt me.  

GOD is the AUTHOR of life, however, unlike a character in a book, WE have free will and are able to do what we CHOOSE to do.  We make the majority of our mistakes.  We are the reason for the majority of our issues.  WE are the reason for the majority of our downfalls.  Not GOD... He is not to blame for the confusion that we have put ourselves in. Why? Simple.  God is NOT the author of confusion.

Know that if you feel alone, if you feel as if you have no one to talk to, if you feel like you're in your own little bubble with no one around... GOD is always there.  If you need an ear to listen, He has one for you.  If you need a shoulder to cry on, His is right there for you to lean to.  If you need a hand to hold, His is reaching out for you to grab.  And if you feel as though you are at your wits end? Be still and LISTEN... We all have an appointment with GOD, and that is the PERFECT time for you to take advantage of it.





My Purpose: To serve the Lord with my ENTIRE heart, mind and soul!

 Keep Watching,

Char~

Avowals, Assertions and Affirmations... OH MY!

Hey all!

You know with the new year among us, and SO MANY PEOPLE on a "resolution" kick, I figured I'd do a blog about something that is near and dear to my heart and a MUST in my family.  Having three daughters, I wanted to make sure that they KNEW they were beautifully and wonderfully made, and that they were smart and capable of doing anything and everything they put their minds to... The sky is the limit!!

Now, we have bible study here at home (although I wish we would do it more... I avowal, assert and affirm that to be so!!), as well as going to bible study at church and really making sure they have a TRUE understanding of the Lord, the Lord's word, and what the Lord has in store for them. -- However, I wanted to do something that would push their limits just a bit.  I wanted to put something in place that would be at their hand, and something that they'd have to use their free will to do.  So, I decided to start the AAA process. 

AVOWAL, ASSERT & AFFIRM

• Openly admit your want/need
• Confidently assure your success
• Commit to your goal

Now, I make it a point to have them WRITE IT DOWN, and POST IT UP!! They can post it ANYWHERE they see fit (preferably a place that they frequent so they can see their committment and STICK TO IT!).  What does this do, you ask?  Well, it keeps YOU accountable to YOU.  It's normal to seek encouragement from others. It's normal to look at someone else and the success they have, and WISH that was you.  However, to LOOK TO YOURSELF for the encouragement and accountability to succeed is something many people don't do.

THE THREE MUSTS

• WRITE IT DOWN
• POST IT UP
• STICK TO IT

How awesome is it to be accountable to self?? How amazing is it to know that if you don't stick to your goal, you are failing yourself? Who wants to fail themselves? Who wants to feel unworthy to self? We all know that in order to succeed in ever part of life, we MUST love ourselves immensely... Not partly, not sometimes... ALL THE TIME and GREATLY!! Without love for ourselves, how can we EXPECT others to give us the respect we deserve in this life?

The children are skeptical, but I am having them stick with it!! Every Wednesday, we will get together and have a meeting about our progress and possible failures in this AAA process... However, I know it will work. It will work in every facet of their lives. Their grades will be  better, their attitudes will be better (at times), and they will carry themselves with a better sense of respect and accomplishement! --  I'm not only the AAA President, I'm also a client!! There is so many things I want from business to personal, and I AAA it to be so.  I journal it up, put it up on my dry erase board, put it under my pillow (YES, MY PILLOW), I even make VIDEOS to myself with my AAA's on it!!

Accountability to self.  Such an important part of our existence!!

I suggest you all start the AAA process, if you haven't already! Make an oath to self and follow through on it! With you being CONFIDENT about your outcome in your AAA's, you will push yourself to the limit to succeed at your goal, and with your succession comes a better respect for self.

Me with my babies!!! <3

I'll keep you all posted on the success of it!!

Thanks!

Keep watching,

Char~

Testimonial from one of my readers!! :)

Hey all!

I just wanted to share this amazing testimonial with you all!! It's nice to know that my little mixture is working and helping folks on their journey to natural freedom and growth!! :)

Testimonial:

Hey Char! I have been using your conditioner crack for the last few months on babygirl's hair. My husband was watching me condition her hair tonight and commented on the length and how manageable it is. I now have a system that works. I wash weekly. Use a detangler. Saturate with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, conditioner and protein. I then wrap her hair with a cap and towel for 20 mins. Massage and style. No grease. On dry days, I use your conditioner crack mixture posted on your blog. I looove it. Well, I'm about to braid it and bead for her birthday next week. Thanks for all the tips. It works. :))))))))

Natesha Kindred-Johnson

Pictures:



 

Natesha -- I just want to thank you for trusting my mixture on your daughter!! I'm so very glad that you are seeing results and even more ecstatic that you have a method that works for you!! :) Your daughter is absolutely beautiful, and the condition of her hair is lovely!! Much love, ma!!

Blessings!!

Keep Watching,

Char~

Flat Ironing Natural Hair (My Way)

Hey all! I'm back and ready to get back to blogging.  Life sometimes comes at you like a Mack Truck and things need to be put on hold... Sadly, my blog has suffered because of it... BUT, I'm back and praying to be more routine with my postings! :)

Now, Flat Ironing Natural Hair (My Way)

I decided to flat iron my hair a while back.  A lot of naturalistas believe that flat ironing natural hair is damaging to your hair.  If you protect your tresses before and after the flat ironing, you WILL be fine!

When flat ironing my hair, I take what I consider to be the 'necessary' precautions in order to protect my tresses... AND... I only flat iron my hair once a year (as a length check!!)

I started by deep conditioning my hair with Pantene Medium-Thick Hair Solutions -- Treatment: Intensive Restoration Treatment.  Although the container says to keep it on your hair for FIVE minutes, I kept it on mine for 35 minutes. I also put it in a deep condtioning cap and let it really sweat under there!



Deep Conditioning "shower cap" -- Sold @ my local beauty supply.

 I then got into the shower, and washed out the Pantene and co-washed my hair with Tresemme.  I made sure to keep the Tresemme on my hair for about FIVE minutes while in the shower to finger comb though my hair, in order to get out all of the tangles. I then rinsed that out and lightly squeezed my hair with the towel... I didn't rub it hard with the towel...Just a NICE, LIGHT squeeze to get any excess water out.

Once my 'hair squeeze' was complete, I put a light amount of Tresemme, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Oil Sheen (Afro Sheen) on my hair.  This was done so that my hair would be coated before I put the blow dryer to it! -- NOW COMES THE BLOW DRYING!! --

I blew my hair ALMOST completely dry with the blow dryer.  I kept it a little damp, since the flat iron would be drying it as well.  That's a LOT of heat for one 'hair transaction' as I like to call it... So, I make provisions where needed, for my hair.


The front has been blown 'almost' dry, the back is waiting patiently.

 Now, it's time for the flat iron job.  I parted my hair from the back first, in order to straighten it back there first, and then I moved up. I made sure to go over it with the flat iron twice on each section, and then move on.

The Flat Ironing Process!! Yep, it's hard work!! :)

Finally complete! Here is the finished product:



Front View



Right Side View

Left Side View

Back View

This entire process took about (5) hours from beginning to end.  My hair was so shiny and soft and flowing. The shine you see in pictures is the shine you would see in person.  Truly gorgeous.  No breakage, no weakening of my hair follicle.  Just beautiful, strong, flat ironed hair! The look lasted for about (3) weeks.

All made up and ready to go! :)

To maintain this style, I took a VERY soft bristle brush (baby soft), brushed my hair over to the side and around itself (the way I wanted it to fall and swing), and wrapped it up with my satin scarf.  I then put a pillow case around it... Yes, I know it may look silly, but I'm okay with it, and my husband doesn't mind!! :) -- So, it all works out!!

I hope my explanation was a good one, folks!! If you have any questions, PLEASE don't hesitate to ask!! Blessings, folks!

Keep watching,

Char~