I was reading my Bible this morning in Romans, specifically Romans 9:1-29. But what caught my attention was verses 18-24; 

18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? 22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

After reading this I got to thinking about a potter at the table with his clay. I know a few things about art, I paint and draw and have done a few other things.

So I know that an artist will create things that are beautiful, unique and sometimes weird.

Let's think about this a moment. 

The Bible specifically identifies only two vessels as pottery: earthen pitchers (Lamentations 4:2 ) and earthen bottles (Jeremiah 19:1 ), but an additional series of vessels probably came from the potter's workshop: “jar” for water (Genesis 24:14 NRSV); “pot” ( Exodus 16:3 ); “bowl” (Numbers 7:85 ); “bowl” (Judges 6:38 ); “vial” (1 Samuel 10:1 ); “cruse” for oil and “jar” for flour (1 Kings 17:14 NRSV); another type of “jar” ( 2 Kings 4:2 NRSV); “bowl” and “cup” (Song of Song of Solomon 7:2 ; Isaiah 22:24 ); “cup” (Isaiah 51:17 ,Isaiah 51:17,51:22 ); and “cup” and “pitcher” (Jeremiah 35:5 NRSV). Similar English words represent different Hebrew terms.*

Ok, so with this information we can see that the items made were jars, pots, bowls and cups...all for different purposes.

Some of those items {not specific to our text above} were inside kings palaces being used for noble purposes. Some of those items may have been set on a shelf and only used once or twice a year. Some of those items could have been gifts from the kings friends and just put on display somewhere within the palace. These items could have been painted very ornately, maybe even have jewels placed on them. The items in a kings palace would have been fancy, ornate, special and NOBLE!

But there were also cups, bowls and water pitchers made that were being used daily, sometimes 3 or more times a day. They may or may not have been painted but there were certainly no jewels on them. These items would be used by peasants, slaves, and just your average person. Those items were not very noble were they? Let's not even talk about chamber pots!! NOT NOBLE!! 

With these thoughts in mind, what kind of vessel would you want to be??

I pondered this while reading. Would I want to sit in the Kings house and just be looked at on occasion? I mean stop and think about how often you actually just look at that dusty vase on your top shelf in the kitchen. How often do you actually look at all the knick-knacks on your bookshelf??

Now think about how many times you pull out a favorite coffee cup? Do you have certain plates you use for supper every night? What about a jar you keep your sugar and things in??

Those items are looked at, touched, used, refilled all the time...sometimes daily. Those items may not hold the same sentimental value that an old dusty vase may have that your great grandma gave you years ago, but the things you use everyday hold a different value.

Without those items life would be a challenge. What would you put your coffee in each morning? You have to have a cup. What about your cereal or oatmeal??

You see, you need those items that have no noble purpose.

What about Jesus, what kind of vessels does He need? Well, He needs them all. He needs those for noble purposes, He needs the everyday worn and used vessels, but He also needs those chamber pots too! {sorry I couldn't help myself!} 

So back to my original thought....

I think I would rather be used by King Jesus daily, even if that purpose was not a noble one. I would want Jesus to pick me up, touch me, use me, refill me...not just pass by with a glance and think how pretty she looks sitting there on that shelf doing nothing to further My Kingdom.

I may not be the best vessel, I have had many cracks that He has had to mend. I have fallen and shattered to pieces, but He put me back on the Potters wheel and remade me. I do not have pretty jewels encrusted on me, nor beautiful ornate painting on my vessel, but I do have the Masters fingerprints all over me...

I am so very thankful for the purpose He has chosen for me....

Oily hair can be quite the nuisance especially if you just washed your hair yesterday. 

There could be many reasons why you get oily hair; 

Hormones:  If hormones are imbalanced, which usually happens {unfortunately} during puberty and pregnancy, hormone levels can make the sebaceous glands produce more sebum than they’re supposed to. Once hormones are balanced again the production of sebum will slow down.

Illness:  Different illnesses can affect sebum production. Diseases and disorders that affect the pituitary or adrenal gland, tend to increase sebum production. Also, any disorders that affect the ovaries will have the same effect.

Shampoo/Conditioner: You could be using a shampoo that isn't right for your hair type, which usually will mess up the way your scalp responds. Only use dry and brittle shampoo and conditioners if your hair is in fact dry and brittle. Also, using non-sulfate shampoos will help slow down the oil producing process, as the sulfates strip your scalp and follicles of all oil. Once all that oil is gone, the follicle will produce extra oil to replace what was lost. Your hair needs some oils to be healthy....

Heredity: The genes you were born with play apart in how your hair will look and the way it produces sebum. There is no way to change the genetic make up you were born with.

You may not be able to completely stop you hair from producing so much oil, but there are ways to help deal with it. Here are some ideas you can try at home to see if it doesn't help with your oily hair problem.

Sulfate Free Shampoo- Again, the sulfates are harsh detergents that strip the oils right out, you need those oils to keep your strands healthy. Sulfate free cleans your hair without stripping all the oils.

Lemon juice- This has vital vitamins and minerals that promote healthy hair and it can also help keep excessive oiliness at bay. Squeeze out the juice from one small lemon, dilute it with a cup of water, mix well and apply to your scalp. Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse with warm water and a mild shampoo. The lemon juice is also an effective way of getting rid of shampoo buildup on your hair.

Tea Rinse-Tea contains an astringent substance called tannic acid; this helps to prevent the buildup of excessive oil on the scalp by tightening the pores. Dip a tea bag in some warm water and apply the resulting tea to your scalp. Leave on for a few minutes and then rinse out with a mild shampoo.

Apple cider vinegar -this also has an astringent effect that helps to reduce the oil buildup on hair. Dilute about one-fourth cup of apple cider vinegar to a litre of water; pour this liquid into a spray bottle and spray on your hair. Leave on for a few minutes and then rinse the vinegar out with some warm water.

Limit Hair Washings- Try limiting how often you wash your hair. I know this sounds counter productive, but wash only once to twice a week. This gives your scalp a chance to regulate itself from all the stripping, adding, stripping, adding of artificial oils in conditioner. Just like our internal organs need a break, our outer organ {skin} needs a break too.

While in between washes you may {ok, you probably will} experience an oil slick effect. Don't fret, this is natural. Your body has to regulate its sebum production after all the abuse it has gone through. It may take a couple weeks, maybe longer to regulate. Just apply some cornstarch to the roots of your hair and rub in. Brush through to distribute if needed. Eventually it will regulate and the oil will be less. 

Now, you may still have a bit of oily hair if this hair type is inherited, but it shouldn't be to the extreme. Applying cornstarch will help soak up the extra oils. 

Just remember, you get out of your hair what you put into your body. Think about your diet...if it's high in fats and sugar, your hair will reflect that. Try a low glycemic and low sugar diet and see if this doesn't improve the health of your hair....

You ever hear the saying....You are what you eat.....Well, it's true....

This weeks series will be about Proverbs 31:11, trust and loyalty. 

I know like me you might be thinking, "My husband has nothing to worry about, I love him. I would never cheat on him." But this scripture isn't just about your fidelity. 

It's about trust, commitment, loyalty, submission and the list can go on.

Let's look at the meaning of these two words.

Loyalty- faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is held to be due; state of being loyal.

Trust- To place or be confident; hope, depend; to rely on truthfulness or accuracy; believe.

So looking beyond the fidelity issue {which is VERY important} I want to focus on the other matters of loyalty and trust. 

Does your husband have confidence in your ability to take care of your home?

Does your husband depend on you to do what he has asked you to do?

Does he trust that you are always being open, honest and accurate with him about your spending?

Those are only a few things to think about!

I will be candid with you, this was not always easy for me. I have been married 9 years now and the first few years were brutal. We were trying to make two lives become one...which is a hard process. When it came to money we had two separate ideas on how this was to be managed. I was on a TIGHT budget and I didn't like it!

I would go to the store with my pre-approved list, if I bought one thing that wasn't on that list my hubby was not happy. For the longest time I fought and fought my case on why I should be allowed to spend what I wanted, when I wanted to.

But I failed to see the disobedience, the unsubmissive attitude and spirit in my actions. My husband had no trust and confidence in my ability to manage our finances the way he thought best.  

When it comes to marriage we are our husbands help meet, not the other way around. {Genesis 2:18}

We are to let them lead and we are to follow.

"How are we to get our husbands to trust us??"

Here is a list of how to's:

1. Take trust seriously- Don't let little things slide thinking it doesn't matter, it matters to your husband and to God. Do not only take fidelity seriously but take how you manage your day to day living seriously. 

2. Keep your word- Do what you say you will do. If you tell your hubby that you will be back by such and such time, be back at that time. If you make detours along the way and are going to be late, call so he knows. This concept applies to anything and everything you tell or say to your husband. 

3. Follow through on instructions- Do not ask why, just follow through. Our husbands were placed as leaders in our lives, we should not question their authority or ability to lead. 

4. When in doubt, check it out!- If you are not 100% sure it's the right thing to buy, call and ask. If you aren't sure your husband would like to spend the evening with friends without asking him, hold off on inviting them over, ask your husband what he wants. It never hurts to wait and ask, but it will be hard on you if you go ahead and displease your husband.

5. Be accountable- Always have your phone on and ready to answer when your husband calls. Your husband should know were you are at all times. Nothing builds trust more than being willing to be accountable and informing him of your plans. 

These items may seem old fashioned to some, but they are essential to having a marriage filled with love, peace and trust. 

If it helps, think of this: how would you feel if your husband did his own thing with no regard for what you thought. If he didn't call you and showed up 2 hours late after work? What if he spent money like it was going out of style and you had no money for essential household items or bills?

Yeah, you wouldn't like it....neither does he....

Let's work toward a our husbands trusting us!!!

Ever wonder what is in your favorite laundry soap? Could it really be hurting you?

What about homemade powdered laundry soap? What's the difference?

Why switch??

Well, store brand soaps contain sulfates which are bad for you and for the environment. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are foaming agents added to detergents to create suds. 

So I am wondering when did suds actually clean clothes??  

Those super magic bubbles can actually causing skin irritations like acne, eczema, psoriasis and dry skin for people with extremely sensitive skin. Those sulfates actually strip oils from the clothing {which seems like a good thing} but what else is it doing?? Soaking your clothing in those irritants!

As if those ingredients aren't enough to make the switch, what about cost savings? Using the homemade soap may cost you more in your upfront cost, but in the long road you are saving tons of money! 

Think about how often you buy new clothing. 

Store bought detergents break down the fibers of your clothing making them fade and rip easier.

If you make the switch, you just might save the life of your clothing along with your wallet!!

Ok, so after all that, here is the recipe!

1 box borax

1 box washing soda

1 big box baking soda {optional but I love it!}

2 bars Fels Naptha Soap

get you a 5 gallon bucket and put it all in...stir...be warned! You want to add a little at a time because it does create dust if you just dump it all in at once! Trust me, it doesn't taste good!!

Last week I talked about a few "no-no's" when styling. This week I am going to talk about some vitamins and foods that are healthy for your hair.

While using great shampoo and conditioners can be beneficial to your hair, what you put inside your body is even more important. Consuming foods high in sugars and fats do nothing for our bodies, so naturally we would assume that those foods are no good for our hair...that assumption would be correct.

Some of the best foods that will nourish our internal organs are also the best for our hair!!

Here are the Top Foods For Healthy Hair



Fish~any variety. The omega-3 fatty acids are essential for hair growth. Our bodies do not make this on its own and 3% of the hair shaft is made up of these fatty acids. Fish is also rich in vitamin D and protein which is also essential for strong hair.

Walnuts~ again with the omega-3 fatty acids...these are the only nuts that have a significant amount of these acids. Walnuts are also loaded with vitamin E and biotin!

Sweet Potatoes~ These spuds are chock full of beta carotene which converts to vitamin A. Do you ever experience dry itchy scalp? It's probably due to a lack of vitamin A.

Eggs~ These are a major powerhouse food that are full of protein, zinc, iron, sulfur and selenium. The iron helps cells carry oxygen to the hair follicle, which is important to prevent hair loss.

Spinach~ My personal favorite-This green leafy veggie has iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C, all of which keep the hair healthy, shiny and strong.

Blueberries~ These blue dudes top the charts with vitamin C, critical for circulation to the scalp and supports the tiny blood vessels that support the follicles.

Now what about vitamins??





Iron~ I already mentioned a little about the importance of iron, but did you know that if you are low on iron you will experience major hair loss. Iron carries the oxygen to the hair that promotes hair growth. Iron rich foods include spinach, eggs, lentils, and chicken.

Vitamin D~ This is important for the cycles that hair follicles go through. You will need to take this supplement if your exposure to the sunlight is limited. Salmon, mushrooms, beef liver are excellent sources of vitamin D.

Zinc~ This will be needed if you exercise, sweat a lot or do not consume foods high in zinc. These foods would include lamb, turkey, pumpkin seeds and chocolate.

B-Complex~ Biotin, niacin and cobalamin are among the most popular B-complex vitamins that help restore shine and thickness to strands. Load up on whole grains, eggs, avocados and legumes, as they are some of the best food sources for B-complex vitamins.


With these foods and vitamins you should not have any problem growing or maintaining healthy hair. If you are noticing considerable hair loss even after trying all these things, you should talk to your health care provider.

 Who can find a virtuous wife?

For her worth is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10).

Last week I introduced week one of the series with the whole scripture of Proverbs 31:10-31, if you missed it you can view it here. This week we are going to explore the first verse.

To begin, what is virtue? 

Virtue- A particular moral excellence; a desirable quality or trait. Behavior showing high moral standards.

I personally have lots of room for improvement in this area, as I'm sure we all do. 

There are sometimes attitudes I can have that are stinky, my behavior can sometimes be less that God pleasing...so while I teach you about becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman, I am also teaching myself!!

Have you ever thought about the value of rubies??

Rubies are red, violets are blue....Oh sorry, I got lost there for a minute....hehehe

Some information I found about the ruby:

-Rubies are red and they are the second hardest gem, diamonds being the hardest.

-Named from the Latin word for its hue, ruber, ruby is the epitome of the boldest of colors: the gem of desire, passion, courage, and emotion.

-In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, or "king of precious stones."

-Most rubies are heated to about 2,000 degrees in order to maximize the red and remove secondary colors of blue and brown. Some rubies are also heated to improve clarity. Sometimes glassy residue can be trapped in fractures when the ruby cools. Heat enhancement is stable, does not require special care, and does not reduce the stone's value unless significant residue is present.

-If ruby shows no signs of heating, it is very rare. 

What caught my attention is that in order to attain the most beauty it must be heated. And not just a little heat!! 2,000 degrees!! Our ovens only go to 500, just try to imagine 2,000!!

But isn't that just like our Lord?? 

 "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10 ESV

To reach a value that is far more precious than rubies, we also have to be thrown into the refiners fire!!

"So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7 ESV 

Our faith is tested when we go through trials and tribulations, but all of that results in a deeper praise and worship to our God for bringing us through it!! Our relationship grows and is strengthened by those trials.

If our God says we are more precious than rubies, then what do we have to do to bring up our value?

In a fallen world were sin abounds, self rules and virtue lost, is our hope gone??

NO!! 

Here are some practical suggestions to get us started!!

Read God's Word

Make time every day to read the Bible. Any time of day is fine, pick what works best for you. 

 If you have to set an alarm to let you know it's that time of day, then do it...I know having kids, a house to clean or a job can all interfere with making time, but it's imperative you read every day!! 

Memorize God's Word

How can you fight a spiritual battle if you do not have the weapons of warfare stored in your heart and brain?? Do what works best for you in memory work. I like to read it over and over out loud, or I will post scriptures on pretty paper to the walls, doors or mirrors in my home. Maybe you could pair up with a partner and challenge each other to memorize certain scriptures by a certain date...pick a small prize for the person who memorized the most...

Time With Other Christian Women

Spending time with women who are encouraging can help mold your character. It's amazing the effects that spending time with others can have on your own character. If you spend lots of time with someone negative, you will pick up their negativity. It's essential to your own heart and soul that you spend time with positive women who will encourage you, pray with you and listen when you need it. 

Doing these 3 things will lay a foundation for you to build your character upon.
God's Word can change a persons attitude and change the way we think...
These are some awesome ways to get started on our journey to

Becoming A Proverbs 31 Woman!!!


Sneak peak into next weeks lesson:

The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain (Proverbs 31:11)

We will learn all about what our husbands need from us; how to cultivate an honest heart.

Question of the Day:

What method do you use to memorize scriptures??

I am starting a new series on how to become a Proverbs 31 woman, I will be going verse by verse each week and adding some tips and "to do's" that will help you along this journey.

I know we all want to be better mothers, wives and friends to others, but its so tough!!

We get so busy with our day to day lives we sometimes forget that God wants us to strive towards perfection.

Perfection!!?? You have got to be kidding,! I can't even brush my hair every day, get my kitchen cleaned every night before bed and you're talking about perfection!?

Yes, but I did say strive didn't I??

That means we work towards it, it doesn't mean we will be it. Makes a huge difference in our perspective doesn't it?

To start this series off I want to give you the whole verse of Proverbs 31: 10-31

 

So last week we talked about washing our wonderful locks of glory.

In case you didn't see that post, you can view it here.  

This week we are going to talk about what NOT to do when styling your mane.

Ok, so here is the first major hair wrecker....

Teasing!!!

No, I don't mean making fun of your hair. I am talking about taking a brush to the back of your head and creating a rats nest to add body. You are just ripping all that beautiful texture out of your hair...stripping it of its softness, creating those dreaded split ends!! It is equivalent to taking a cheese grater to your hair!!

What do I do instead??

Natural looking hair looks the best!!
No one says your hair style needs to be helmet head to look great.
I personally like the wispy, messy look.

Ever think that making your own products wasn't worth it??

I did.

I especially don't want to waste my hard earned money on ingredients just for the darn recipe to not be any good. And I certainly don't have all this time to make it and it flop!!

I will be bring to you easy recipes that do not cost a ton of money to make and almost all are tried and true recipes. I will let you know if I have not tried it yet.

Disclaimer: Check with your physician before using any essential oils or recipes that could react with any prescription medications you are taking. Also, some recipes are not to be used by pregnant and lactating women. I will try my best to provide you with a warning on any recipes for these conditions, but not all recipes will have this warning...it is up to you to check for yourself.

If you don't know were to buy some great essential oils, you should look at these two places that are my favorite!!
Bulk Apothecary
Mountain Rose Herbs

I have to thank a wonderful, faithful reader for reminding me that not everyone knows were to buy essential oils. You know who you are ;-)
As always I enjoy comments, and without them I will fail to grow as a blogger!!