MAKE-UP MONDAY: Golden Bronze - Smokey Eye Make-up Look

http://prettygyrlessentials.blogspot.com/2015/06/make-up-monday-golden-bronze-smokey-eye.html

DIY Plug-In Air Freshener Refills

I love a house that smells fresh and clean, so often times I'd buy the Glade or Renuzit plug-ins for my outlets at home. They usually last barely 30 days and buying those refills for them can get a bit expensive, especially when you have several rooms in your home that you want to freshen up.

Over the past year or so, I've enjoyed essential oils for several different reasons and uses, so I keep them around. My favorites are lavender and anything with citrus notes. But honestly, I love them all, as they offer up so many medicinal purposes/benefits - and the aromatherapy benefits are awesome as well. I also use essential oils in my handmade body butters, sugar scrubs, candle melts, just to name a few. As I said, there are so many purposes and benefits to using essential oils. With that said and as it relates to my plug-in air fresheners, a light bulb came in my head one day and I thought, "Hey, let me try making my own refills by using the empty oil containers from the store bought wall units!"

Not throwing anything away, I pried open the little containers with pliers. I then added 25-30 drops of essential oil (I used lemon grass, lime and a citrus blend - 3 separate containers of course) and to that, I filled the remainder with water.  I replaced the tops with the little spongy stick thingys, gave them a vigorous shake and then snapped them back into the wall units. It took at least 30 minutes from the time I plugged them into the wall, that I began noticing the amazing aromas coming from my homemade plug-in air fresheners. IT WORKED!!!

I'm trying to tell you, you can save so much money by reusing and re-purposing things that you already have around your house. And it's much safer as well, not having the added chemicals and preservatives that store bought products have in them for the purpose of having a longer shelf life. Do your research and DIY (DO IT YOURSELF)!

Why I Strayed Away from Church but NOT God...

As I stand here cleaning and listening to J Moss Radio on Pandora, Hezekiah Walker is playing, "God Favored Me" I began to really get into it and starting singing along. I love that song and it's so true to my life - God favors me, ALWAYS! When I look back over MY life....Honey!!!! Anyways, I began thinking about church, as I always do and how I need to get back into fellowship, as I have strayed away for some time now.  However, NOT to be mistaken for straying from God, that I  DID NOT do...my relationship with God is strong and will remain to be. I simply stepped back from the people in the church and I feel like I have my reasons that is deeper than what's on the surface....but I won't get into that right now. 

However, let me say this; I had previously worked for my church for 7 1/2 years and I loved it there. And my pastor was and still is awesome, he and his wife... awesome people who have been like second parents to me. And even now, if they know that I'm in need of some sort of assistance, they are right there for me...STILL!  I adore them. So I have no issues with them, at all. My issue is with ungodly spirits in the church (generally speaking), worship that isn't real, I can go on and on...that bothers my spirit and it interferes with my worship. I'm not a perfect angel and I'm far from being innocent in any way. But I do have an issue with those people who are judgmental of others, acting as if their own ish don't stink. When the only difference between them and the next person, is that prior to stepping into church on Sunday morning, they nicely tuck their mess away into the closet until they get back home - keeping it hidden from the world. But GOD knows all and sees all!

Back to the matter at hand - we are all guilty of sin and we ALL fall short of His glory, each and everyday. But I feel offended by people who sit up in church day after day, week after week, with their "Praise the Lord" and "Hallelujah" but as soon as they step out of church, they are the most evil things, fake and phony. I understand that it might not be my business and I should worry about me and mine...I agree. However, God has equipped me with the spirit of discernment, and it's strong. And for  that reason, I discern others' spirits, whether good or not so good, to the point where it affects my own, because of it being such a distraction. If only I could put it into a more clear perspective for you. It's deep and a gift I'm grateful for, but is often a burden. I literally feel other people's energy (for the lack of a better word) and MAN! And now that I'm thinking about it, it may be the reason I've recently resorted into a bubble, barely having a social life....the spirits out here are REAL!

I got off track a bit. lol So as I was listening to my good old Gospel music, I was thinking, "I would love to be among true worshipers, that are not just in church on Sunday or whenever, just to say that they're in church. I want to be around people who have genuine love for Jesus...I want to be able to feel it." A lot of churches have gotten away from real worship and are now about performance and money,etc. And as I always say, you sitting up in church every Sunday does not make you more of a Christian than it does a person who is not in church regularly.

Meanwhile, though I understand the importance of fellowship, I've been enjoying praise and worship in the comfort of my own home. However, praying that God leads me to a place of worship that will feed my spirit as I need it. God is so good to me, STILL [in spite of my own mess] and I just want to enjoy the fullness of Him, every way that I can.

I know that I was all over the place...forgive me, but I hope that you see my very random point. lol 

Y'all be blessed!

My Natural Hair Journey

I've done several "Big Chops" in my life time, where I've gotten completely bored after coloring my hair as many shades as I possibly could and growing it to shoulder length or longer, over processing it with relaxers, etc. It wasn't until Fall of 2012 that I had gotten serious about my hair and being more conscious in caring for it.

At this time, I had colored my hair at least three different shades in a three month span, on top of my relaxers, that I felt I had to touch up every six weeks. My hair was FRIED! It looked great on the outside, but it was horribly damaged. It began shedding a lot and just did not respond to any products or styles as it should have. After serious thought and contemplation, I decided to do a "Big Chop", cutting my hair down to almost nothing, leaving barely an inch of hair on my head.

This was nothing new to me, cutting my hair very short; the issue would be staying away from the "creamy crack" that is better known as a relaxer. However, I knew that if I could get past three months without applying a relaxer to my hair, I had reached a very important milestone. And guess what? I did it and have been relaxer free since September of 2012. That was one of the best decisions I had made in my life.

Returning to your natural state and texture, as it relates to your hair, is often referred to a "natural hair journey" and that is exactly what it is, a journey. While on that journey, you  learn to love and embrace your natural texture, whether it is wavy, curly, coily or kinky - which can be challenging for some, especially if for most of your life, you wore a relaxer or some type of texturizer in your hair. But as you travel on your journey, you also learn so much about yourself during the process. For me, not only did I began researching more natural ways of caring for my hair, but it also awakened the desire in me to do the same for my health; mind, body and spirit.

I did use some of the store bought hair products for awhile and still do occassionally. But the more I conducted my research and found that so many harmful chemicals and ingredients were added to hair (and skin) care products, it prompted me to begin experimenting, coming up with formulas for making my own hair and skin care products, using virgin/organic butters, natural oils and essential oils.

One of my staple ingredients for almost everything that I make, is coconut oil. Coconut oil is great and has a wide array of uses, which includes cooking/baking, hair care, skin care, health benefits, etc (I'll post a separate blog soon about all of the benefits that coconut oil offer). My skin and hair respond to it so well, I absolutely love it!

Coconut oil can be used as a PRE-poo (deep conditioning prior to shampooing) for your hair, scalp treatments and hair moisturizer when used in moderation. And for the skin, so many benefits coconut oil offers - it also moisturizes the skin, has natural antibacterial agents and when used regularly, leaves the skin silky soft and smooth. When applied to the skin, your skin absorbs it with gladness. As mentioned, I will include an additional post, about all of the awesome benefits, uses and maybe even recipes, of/for coconut oil, at a later date.

My hair is much more healthier than ever before, thanks to the decision I made to return to natural almost three years ago. Yes, I do still color my hair but I will never use relaxers in my hair ever again, a personal choice. However, whether you choose to relax, color or just embrace your natural hair, just make sure that it's done in love and kindness. Nurture your hair, keeping it moisturized and conditioned well at all times, and keep your bodies hydrated...trust me, it makes a difference with your hair and skin. The health of our hair is just as important as our overall physical health. Show it LOVE!

REAL LOVE SHOULD FEEL LIKE THIS...

REAL LOVE SHOULD FEEL LIKE THIS

When you have real love, you should be smiling. You should feel secure in knowing that when you share your inner most feelings with him that he won't judge you or throw it back up in your face. You should feel confident in knowing that your man is faithful and that the only woman he wants to be with is you. IF you have a child with him, then you should feel proud in knowing that he takes care of his responsibilities and is a great father. You should also have a feeling of confidence knowing that any disagreements will not turn into shouting matches and instead, they will be resolved without any hitting, throwing things or any type of violence.

Real love means that your needs are met and that he won't take advantage of your kindness. It also means that he will (SHOW YOU) how much he loves you by building you up instead of tearing you down with negative words. This is what real love should feel like 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

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ONE DAY SOON, YOU WILL HAVE...

ONE DAY SOON, YOU WILL HAVE......

"One day soon, you will have that someone who is thoughtful, attentive to your needs and who will know what you are about to say before you even say it. One day soon, you will experience what it means to be truly loved, truly cared for and truly needed.

One day soon, you will have someone who will only enhance what you already possess, someone who will be supportive, encourage you and not hinder you. One day soon, you will once again laugh, smile and enjoy what love is supposed to be in your life. One day soon, God will bring into your life the person that was created, not for someone else, but the one that was created JUST FOR YOU!"

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SO WHAT!!!!

SO WHAT!

by Yvonne Lee

I was talking to a young sister today, that happens to have a similiar testimony to mine. Like me, she overcame her childhood tragedies and is doing well for herself. I shared Godsister® with her and told her that I would like her to speak at one of my workshops/seminars so that she can share her story and help another young lady thru her struggle. She told me she doesn't talk about her past because she is afraid that ppl will look down on her. So being the person that I am, I had to clarify a few things for her but I'm gonna clarify a few things for those of you around me that MAY feel the same way...in hopes that I can help FREE someone....

Let me be the first to say that my childhood experiences have NOT in any way, negatively affected the person that I have become. If anything, they have made me the person I am today. I am thankful for each and every struggle, every tear, every occurence of abuse, every foster home, every group home, every hurt, every pain. I am thankful for every, "you'll never be nothing, every "I hate you" etc." Those things shaped my CHARACTER & my HEART. I am courageous, strong-willed, determined and compassionate, as a result of...

Every lash I wore on my arms from being beaten with an extension cord and then placed in a hot tub of water; the pictures CPS took of my naked body a the age of 6, the scar I wore across my nose from that iron, the molestation, my mother and father's struggle with drugs, the death of my first child, FOR EVERYTHING, I am thankful.

But make no mistake about it, I'M STILL STANDING! I KNOW WHO I AM and no one can use my past against me. I am a beautiful person inside and out, I have a huge heart, I'm loving, I'm courageous, I'm determined, I'm a conqueror and no matter how many times I fall, I KEEP GETTING BACK UP! I am a great mom, a college graduate, an entreprenuer and most importantly, a FAVORED CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH! It can't get no better than that!

So for those of you that have gone thru similiar situations and/or occurences, use those tradegies to fight back and be the person GOD has called you to be. No one can look DOWN on you. Truth is, those that are LOOKING DOWN on you are the ones that are UNHAPPY with themselves and KNOW you have something on your life. They think they can use your past to try and hurt you, in an effort to stop you from becoming the person GOD intended you to be.

Always remember, When God allows you to go through things, it means he HAND-PICKED YOU for a reason and more times than not, it's to reach back and save someone from going through what you went through. So just know, you are ONE OF THE CHOSEN ONES. Not everybody can say that!

WTBS, let folks say what they want and think what they want. They're gonna do it anyway, whether you are doing good or doing bad. One thing is for sure, they can't CHANGE WHAT GOD HAS PLACED ON THE INSIDE OF YOU. HIS PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE IS JUST THAT-- HIS PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE!

If you don't believe me, look at Tyler Perry, a man that was molested as a boy, over, and over, and over again. If he made it, so can YOU! Turn your tragedies into TRIUMPHS!

GREATNESS LIVES ON THE INSIDE OF YOU!

YOU ARE SOMEBODY!

I LOVE YOU!

TAKE TIME FOR 12 THINGS

1. Take time to WORK -- it is the price of success.

2. Take time to THINK -- it is the source of power.

3. Take time to PLAY -- it is the secret of youth.

4. Take time to READ -- it is the foundation of knowledge.

5. Take time to WORSHIP -- it is the highway of reverence and washes that dust of earth from your eyes.

6. Take time to  HELP & ENJOY FRIENDS -- it is the source of happiness.

7. Take time to LOVE -- it is the one sacrament of life.

8. Take time to DREAM -- it hitches the soul to the stars.

9. Take time to  LAUGH -- it is the singing that helps life's loads.

10. Take time for BEAUTY -- it is everywhere in nature.

11. Take time for HEALTH -- it is the true wealth and treasure of life.

12. Take time to PLAN -- it is the secret of being able to have time for the first 11 things.

Teach me Thy way O Lord, and Lead me in Thy plain path. ~Psalms 27:11

Excerpt from: Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar-Miracle Health System

YOUR ENDLESS BEAUTY

To these eyes,

you shall never grow old;

nor shall winter's clutch

ever feel too bitter and cold,

when you're here to warm my soul.

Of all the things

in this world I've seen--

autumns of orange and red,

winters gray and mean,

and summers of hazy gold,

you shall ever be,

the springtime of my heart,

a fragrant blossom

as fresh as boughs of green.

Neither these eyes

nor this soul

seeks to be deceived,

but when your endless beauty

is perceived,

this heart shall beat gladly

for you alone.

You're my sunshine

and my garden overgrown

with soft white blossoms

that never fail to

inspire and enchant me.

You've planted the seeds,

for all that my happiness is

and ever shall be.

Written by: Bobette Bryan, 2000.