Outside the Pigeon Holes

Another post that comes from a blog comment. Wow...Great conversation here. Who defines God...Deep thought of all deep thoughts... I am in a similar place as Steve...I wouldn't say my faith is in question, Jesus has never been more real for me...I would say that some of the things I was so sure of growing up in conservative evangelical Christianity have been kind of pulled out from under me in the last few years. In a wonderful, challenging, liberating way. I agree there very much is an element of 'our journey defines our faith/understanding of God'. Yet, God is God and he doesn't really change his essential core based on our imaginings. But, he may very well buy us a beer, sit with us while we smoke pot or watch internet porn with us along the way to breaking through our thick skulls with his love. That doesn't mean he approves of using illegal drugs, excess booze, porn (or Koran burning)....Just that He knows how to reach us and - to quote The Shack - there's...

Two years ago I was thrilled to post this message regarding my friend's brother (both of whom I have known since high school)...Nick had been hit by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle. It was a miracle he lived. This is Nick Drake. He is at home recovering from his injuries. Thanks again to everyone who prayed for him! Helen On Wednesday morning , Nick was hit and killed by an SUV. I don't get it...I hate it...My heart aches for his sister who has no family left. I trust Papa God with all my heart. I know that He did not cause this to happen, will it or any such nonsense. I know that He works all things together for good and every other platitude that exists that is truth...But right now all I can say is WTF?? Please pray for Kimmie.  Thank you... Helen

It all started with a nosy neighbor (or someone) who felt the need to report me to the city for 'code violations' on my house. Rather than come talk to me face to face and maybe ask if I might need help repairing a huge two-family house (on a one person income) they simply made an anonymous report to the city. That resulted in this letter ( click on pics to see them larger) : Note that the date they wrote the order was August 20th...Note the requested completion date: Here is what they were asking to be completed in that time frame: Yeah...Right. So, had 'anonymous' asked I would have shown them the thousands of dollars worth of structural work that I am trying to get taken care of on the inside. I would have explained that I am well aware of the work that needs to be done on the outside and it would get done as I was able....Or as soon as I won the lottery and could afford to hire the professionals to do it. But, no...Mr or Mrs. Anonymous didn't have the courage to...

A photo study.... Shampoo and product: No Poo day 7 (no styling products): Aveda Scalp Benefits (with styling products): The upside of the chemical-laden shampoo along with product is that my curl holds better and my hair has more texture. The downside is that the good curl look only lasts the day of the wash and my hair feels greasy and heavy the next day. No Poo or higher quality/lower chemical shampoo both make my hair softer and healthier looking (even when the No Poo made it feel oily) but the curls don't hold as well. So, what is a girl to do??

I think for now, I'll let the professional hair care people do the experimenting for me since my hair is so weird. I shall pay them for their efforts by investing in their products (higher-quality, lower-chemical products rather than the cheaper brands I usually get). I may also continue to 'rinse only' a couple of times a week to let my scalp and hair go au naturale. That was one of the philosophies of no-poo that I liked. Aveda came highly recommended. Aveda is also known for their eco-friendliness so I explored their stash at the local Dillard's. This is what I will try: http://www.strawberrynet.com/images/products/04727974304.jpg Its supposed to balance the moisture on the scalp and is good for 'all' hair types. Seemed like a good bet...This was confirmed by a friend of a friend who is an Aveda rep. who also recommended something for my dry ends. In addition, my friend Theresa is going to let me try her Aveda shampoo called 'Shampure'. One of thes...

So, my friend Nichole uses the No-Poo method of hair care. Instead of shampoo she cleans her hair with baking soda and also uses Apple Cider Vinegar from time to time to condition it. The theory is that store-bought shampoos are made with harsh chemicals that strip your hair of its natural oils. When you go shampoo free your body can return to the oil balance it was intended to have. Also, it keeps the chemicals out of the water supply, plastic out of land-fills and saves you money at the store. Nichole's hair is beautiful and always looks good so I thought the concept seemed interesting. Then I shied from it as she talked about the 'transition period' that can last weeks or months where your hair could get greasy and weird. My hair does that on its own...I didn't think I wanted to help it along. Plus I love the smell of my shampoo, plus it has stuff in it that keeps lice away. Working in preschool you have to be mindful of that kind of thing. Still, I must admit tha...