11.08.2011

Dirty Do's

It's been a tad on the heavy side around here lately! Sorry!

So, to break the cycle of tough to digest posts I have decided to give some insight into a little something I have grown to master based on various trips I've taken.

This may be irrelevant to some but for me I find it important and I wanted to post about it! Note: If you are one to NEED to wash your hair every day, would never find themselves in foreign country where baths are not readily available, or find the need to have freshly dried, curled, and styled hair than you should not read further. However, my heart is for ministry and sometimes that ministry takes me away from cleanliness.

So, something to cover...dirty...dirty hair that is!

On both my trips to Peru baths have not been something...eh, let's just say readily available. My first trip we spent 4 days in the mountains with showers that had just had the water connected.

No hot water...

none!

Let me remind you that we were there in the DEAD of winter so the idea of washing anything in that water at any point was out of the question...let alone in the middle of the coldest time of year!

So you wash your hair before you go up and that's it for days...let's just say maybe close to a week...no comments. =)

So, with that being said, I have learned a few tricks. I DO NOT keep a habit of dirty hair and don't have to practice this other than being away. BUT, I figured it could be a help to someone who might need it. One day I plan to go back to Peru or another country that would require some creativity on my part. So, let's begin!

**Disclaimer - my hair is long...wavy...and tends to get flat and greasy quick. These tricks and products work on my hair. Sorry if it doesn't qualify for you!**

Let's get started with products first! This is some of my favorite stuff! It will give you a fresher feel and look in seconds! The trick is getting it even or you have some hair that's big on one side and flat and greasy on the other side!

I like to bend over so all my hair is hanging down. I grab various sections all over my head to distribute it as close to my scalp as possible!

The bottle says to brush out after spraying but I have found that my hair goes back close to it's greasy mess if I do! I tend to leave it and style it from there!



Have your hair completely brushed before applying the spray. It will be helpful in the long run but initially it helps to distribute the spray evenly.

The second product is a volumizing shampoo. These tend to strip a lot of the grease so as to give you volume. A lot...probably most tell you that it adds volume with out drying it out but it still does it some extent. This kind of shampoo is helpful so as to keep hair clean (looking) longer! Go for the cheaper version so as to not do a good job not drying out! haha!

Now let's move onto the day by day. I have never worked with a time period longer than a week so bare with me. I am pretty sure...no I am confident that if my time with out washing my hair touched 7 days I would find myself freezing through it. But the time that I am in the mountains on these trips is limited so I don't mind making it work until I can get to a shower.

Day 1 - I wash my hair with the shampoo of choice but as I mentioned I find that volumizing kind helps. I try to let my hair dry with little to no touching it all. The more you mess with it the faster it's going to go to the greasy side. I keep it wrapped in a towel for the majority of the process. This is a TERRIBLE picture but work with me. I washed my hair the morning of this picture and left it down or just a little pinned back. That way I didn't mess with it too much but it wasn't held close to my head to get dirty fast.



Day 2 - I pin the top part back...If I have bangs** or not. That way it keeps it off my head and gives it the illusion of a style. Then I braid the bottom or pull it into a low bun. Whatever you do keep it on the softer side. The tighter you do it to begin with the more hastle it will be in the next day or two.

This is pinned back in a 1/2 up. Later that day I twisted it into a loose bun at base of my neck. Loose and simple but keeping it clean.

Day 3 & 4 - I don't know about you but at this point my hair is gone. The first 2 days it looks somewhat decent and I'm able to make it work. By day 3 my favorite waterless shampoo is broken out and used...and a lot of it!



For these 2 pictures the process was about the same. I flipped my head over and brushed the mess out of it. I separate pieces of hair and spray the waterless shampoo. I try not to get close to the scalp but you want it decently covered. Separate and spray the hair from back to front and left to right.

For the picture on the left I pulled it into a messy bun on the top of my head and for the picture of the left I braided it in two braids.

Day 5 - This has typically been my final day of dirtiness. This has been the day that we are headed down the mountain back to Lima. That day is long and tiring but we all know that on the other end of it is shower and clean clothes...and shoes!

For this picture I twisted the 2 sections back to a bun in the back of my head. I didn't spray the spray this day because it is easier to twist and pin dirty hair than it is to do dry clean hair!


By the time we get through with the showers that night I'm pretty sure that poor block needs to restock the water supply. From there on out it's a clean and fixed.

I have learned ways to make it work for my hair. I'm working on a few clean hair tutorials but as for now we'll stick with the dirt of the matter! =)

I would love to hear from some of you about your mission trip experiences!

Thanks!

10.18.2011

I can't be silent

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Today, thousands of people from across the country will not say a word for those that never got a chance. I am glad that these people are choosing to make this stand this way. But as for me, I can't be silent.



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So many every day never have a chance to say anything. Their little lives are cut short. Many would say before it began but oh my dear, how wrong they are. Their lives already began. They were living.



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At just 6 weeks a baby has ears, eyes, and a mouth forming. Their heart is beating and has been for a week or more.



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It's a life that doesn't need to be taken.

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So, today I won't be silent. This day or any day...

10.03.2011

the hard prayer

I've spoken many times about my Friday friend. Her friendship comes and goes and changes faster than the weather in the fall. She's here, she's there, up, down. With this friend I had many people try to change my mind about remaining her friend from my end. It was hard to just walk away. It wasn't until someone taught me one of the hardest prayers you could ever pray over someone.

Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. NIV

A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. NASB
Proverbs 29:1

When this person told me about praying this verse over someone it crushed me. How could I pray for someone's destruction? It took me having to really realize that God was to be obeyed and if someone is going to be so stubborn to continue then they need to be broken. Besides, God's power is made evident in our weakness. Not only evident but magnified! I have been praying this prayer over my Friday friend for years. I still have witnessed the brokenness but that doesn't stop me from praying it.

I find myself praying that prayer lately in a second dose. This time for another friend. I can't say who. Can't say why.

I've been a fan of John Waller for a while but my sister introduced me to his new CD, As for me and my house. The CD is nothing but lifted Scripture (which I love!). The CD begins with this song!

**the video really has nothing to do with the song but I wanted to find it so you could hear.** Make sure you scroll down and turn off my music!

Spirit of death
You have no place here
I command that you leave
In Jesus' name

Spirit of fear
You have no place here
I command that you leave
In Jesus' name
You're not welcome here
So go, just go

Spirit of doubt
You have no place here
I command that you leave
In Jesus' name

Envy and jealousy
You have no place here
I command you to leave in Jesus' name
Go back from whence you came 'cause

Our God reigns here
Our God reigns here
We claim this ground
In Jesus' name
'Cause our God reigns
Our God reigns here
Our God reigns here
The battle's won
Have no fear
'Cause God reigns here
He reigns here, our God

Anger and rage
Guilt and shame
I command you to leave
In Jesus' name

Depression, anxiety
Addiction, infirmity
I command you to leave
In Jesus' name
Go back from whence you came 'cause

God reigns here, there's no doubt, He has overcome the world
God reigns here, there's no doubt, He has overcome the world
God reigns here, there's no doubt, He has overcome the world
Our God reigns

I have found myself praying these prayers over this situation. My friends, in Jesus' name please join me commanding the enemy to leave. He has NO place here.

Our God Reigns here! There's no doubt!

9.20.2011

600 miles too many

My sister and her family have been staying with us this week while my bro-in-law finishes up some classes that he needed near our house before heading back. This past week marks that they have spent the same amount of time in their new place as they did here.

If you asked anyone one of us during that 7 months if we enjoyed every single minute of every single day being piled in bedrooms and beds to make us all fit and our answers would all be the same. There were moments when we drove each other crazy...beyond crazy. We slammed 2 worlds together and lived 9 different lives under one roof. With 4 different jobs, 6 adults, a teen, a 10 year old, and a toddler things got a little, no a lot crazy.

If you asked anyone one of us now if we would do it all again our answer would all be the same. Yes!
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No amount of laundry,

Dirty dishes,

toys,
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unavailable bathroom space,

food prep and clean up,
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spit up,

crumbs,
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sippy cups,

pacifiers,

dirty diapers,
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messes,

empty milk containers,

additional coke can boxes,

even come close to making a single one of those 600 miles that separate us from them worth. Not a single one of them!

I know that with all things there is a season and this season, all 16 days of it, will be over on Sunday. I am not looking forward to it. I don't want it to happen but it must and I must be supportive. I'm trying to have the Pollyanna disposition in this and try to play the happy game. I came up with one. Don't laugh, I'm trying people!

#1 Thankful for modern technology to be able to fly/drive from here to there in a day's time instead of going from stage coach, to horse and cart, and walking for dayS at a time, and to be able to talk anytime we want with the click of a button or the pounding of a few keys instead of writing a letter and waiting weeks for it to reach it's destination and then waiting weeks to hear back.

Ok, that's it. No more happy about it.

9.16.2011

Sand, Sun, and Surf

What more could you ask for right?! So enjoying this week away with my family! Sad that it has to draw to a close soon but soaking it up while I can!

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By the way, useless fact of the day, I stink at mini golf! haha!

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9.12.2011

a little getaway...

Forgot to mention that my family were headed out of town... now it's a tad on the side of old news! We got away Saturday for a week and have enjoyed the time as a family!

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Since leaving on Saturday I have gained 2 new family members! One sister into my eternal family and a brother into my earthly family! Praising the Lord for "my" little sister's decision to say, "yes" to the Father and my big sister's decision to say, "yes" to her fiance. It's been a house of excitment!

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We are thoroughly our time as a family, all 10, er...11 of us! Looking forward to getting back and squeezing the neck of my newest sister but that can wait for a while! =) For now the sun, sand, surf, and silliness are wonderful!

9.11.2011

May we,

never, NEVER forget!

9.07.2011

Day 7

Day 7 - Favorite movies
I've gotten asked this question a lot recently.
I'm not sure how to answer.
I enjoy movies that don't make me turn green, shift uncomfortably, cover my ears, or hide my eyes.
If I'm I am going to sit and watch a movie I want it to be worth it. I enjoy movies that have slapstick type of humor. Crazy, stupid, fun. Unfortunately along with the majority of these movies comes a great deal of crude humor or yucky jokes. I have to admit that I enjoy a little Adam Sandler from time to time.
A little.
Leagally Blond might have to rank close to the top in that category too!
Other than that I like "feel good" movies.
Facing the Giants
Fireproof
One night with the King
Remember the Titans
Blind Side
I am sure there are more but this is all I can think of for now!
Probably the top of the top would be all things Jane Austen.
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Persuasion

mine vs. mind

On Labor Day some friends and I decided to head to the mountains to a local orchard and pick peaches. This was a new experience for most, including me!
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I have been apple picking in the fall nearly every year for as long as I can remember and took a group last year. This year we decided peaches would be fun! We had been planning to go since before Father's Day and this was the first day that was made available!
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I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this group of people. I enjoy the church and have for a while but often we do things outside of services and dinners it is just this group give or take a few. Most of them are around the same age and there is nothing "there" that makes things like this uncomfortable (*whispers* if you catch what I'm saying!).
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After a wet day of picking peaches we headed back to the pastor's house for dinner and movies. This quickly turned into dinner and an English lesson. One of the guys asked me to help him with his English and then it morphed into a full fledged class...we will see how this goes! =)

On of the words that they had the hardest time saying is "mind." They chop the "d" off so it becomes mine. After several failed attempts from a lot of them I looked at them and asked, "your what?" Needless to say English jokes aren't really understood yet! haha!
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It was a fun day all in all!

9.06.2011

Day 6 and 8

Aaaannnnddd, we're back!

Ohmygoodnessgraciousme! How long has it been?!

Don't answer that!

I has been a back to back last few weeks and I think that with the cooler temps come calmer schedules!

So, we are back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Day 6 - something that makes you happy.
Day 8 - A place you have traveled.

To me this one took forever to decide. I wanted to find something that was a little out of the ordinary. So, Day 6 and Day 8 will be together in 1!

Feel jipped? So sorry!

So, something that makes me happy, Peru!


I don't know what it is about that place but I love it!

Maybe it's the rock hard beds.IMG_1283
Maybe it's the fresh air in the mountains.IMG_1520
Maybe it's the beyond freezing temps.IMG_1864
Maybe it's the cow poo everywhere.IMG_7943
Maybe it's the lack of cleanliness.IMG_1542

I really have no idea but I love it!