Ohio School Actin Up! No afro puffs allowed?!?! O.O

I've been perusing my fb timeline for the last few hours.....well thats actually a little exaggerated. It seems like a few hours but I'm sure its only been 1. lmbo!

Anyways......

Read this---->> http://www.blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2013/06/ohio-school-bans-afro-puffs/?mode=full

Reading and digesting information about new legislations being passed. Watching people argue their opinions and beliefs backwards and forwards with emphasis on what they believe, not hardly addressing the concerns and ideas of others involved in the discussion. Plus more...and more .....and more verbose social network mayhem! lol. I must say, it's been pretty disheartening to see. However, I was moved to write when I came across this article shared by one of my good fb friends. Not so much because of the content, but because I've seen a reoccurring theme even carried on into the other posts related to current news happening around the nation and the world today. I guess this article was just the tip of the iceberg;) Let me explain.....

This article is about a charter school in Lorain, OH that decided to do some dress code reform and ended up offending a whole slew of parents, community supports, and other random people who have no clue of the kind of teaching efforts this school puts forth on a day to day basis BUT have been outraged by a mistake that they feel "shouldn't have ever happened." Now lets explore this idea a bit.

"This shouldn't have ever happened" is in the hearts of those that I've read commenting on status updates during my perusing today. But my question is, why shouldn't it have ever happened? Is it not the process of trail and error,  mistakes and mess up's, hang ups and hiccups, even trail and tribulation that test us? Causing us to respond? Is it not the so called "issues of life" that make us, shape and mold us into the human beings that we'll become?

What I'm trying to say is; It's how you respond to the world around you that is the biggest indicator of your personal character and integrity!!

Today I've seen a whooollllleeee lota bashing, judging, and condemning in response to current events. I've seen hatred......unhealthy anger and frustration...... Self seeking...... Pride...... Dishonor...... Finger pointing....... Boasting....... Ya'll get my point. lol!! Not very much LOVE. And honestly, it makes me feel bad. Simply put, It's bad energy:-/

Boy ol boy do I wish that I always responded to people and life circumstances in love. I'm not perfect in this area, so I won't look at everyone else as crazy for their response. I'm just recognizing the need for stuff like this to happen in order to challenge our humanity. Whenever challenging situations arise, it's like putting us up in front of a mirror. O.o Where would we be if we lived in a perfect world but we had corrupt hearts? We would be in a heap of mess eventually I'm sure!! We'd mess it all up! lol. But here we are in a dysfunctional world, that we can instead choose to use whats happening around us, to bring out the best in us. The power and presence of God (who IS love) on the inside of us.

I'm not saying to not be vocal in the areas of your passion!!! What I'm saying is that there is A WAY to respond;) Every time something challenges our thoughts, belief, lifestyles, etc. we have a chance to let love go to work in us. Transforming us into the people and ultimately the humanity that we were created to be. Everyone who knows me, knows that I believe in the power of love. Its a dynamic force that can change you and the people around you like nothing else in this world can do!! It heals, it conquers evil work, and it is the least used weapon of all time warfare. Think about it;)

Let love live.


Jaz

BOX BRAIDS **summer time protection**

Protective style box braids for the summer! Be sure to check out instagram and facebook to find more style choices for your box braids as the summer time weeks go by!! Beat the heat!! Follow me on instagram  @jazzyjay820 or go to www.facebook.com/jazmyn.davison ;-)

Love,

Jaz

 Feelin beautiful today;) So I thought I'd share some pics! lol ....Today is a great day!! Happy father's day to all the dad's out there grinding to be the best fathers that they can be!! Xoxo

- Jaz

Dream Catcher

Four styles from the Summer Collection by A Leap of Style available for purchase at  A Leap of Style on Etsy

I can clearly remember the first piece of clothing I ever made: a pair of cloud print, flare-legged pants. I was in the 7th grade and I was inspired by the pin cushion I made in Home Ec class (geeze what ever happened to teaching those skills in school???? I bet some of you won't even know what Home Economics is!) I went home and begged my mom to teach me to sew - something she'd wanted to do for years. And from there  my dream to become a designer was born.

Now those cloud print pants ripped down the butt the first time I bent down to get into my locker, but that was not the end of my dream. I sketched, and dreamed, and sketched, then sewed, then sketched some more. I was determined to become a fashion designer. I dreamed of having my own line of stylish clothes that would fit the personality and curves of every woman despite her size. I continued making pieces for myself and the occasional shirt or dress for my friends throughout high school (shout out to everyone who got  A Leap of Style originals back in the day...before it even had a name :-)

Then somewhere down the line a different seed was planted. One that said the fashion industry is too hard to break into. More importantly, there was a lie that said I didn't have enough talent to make money in the fashion industry. So I put my dream aside and started to chase what the world told me was right to chase, and I've never been quite right since then...

Okay, okay. Maybe that's too dramatic, but seriously a dream deferred...will kill your spirit. I am a pretty creative girl and I thrive on making...EVERYTHING! For years now, I've limited that to the occasional weekend DIY or my Winter Crochet Frenzy. But this year is about more than dreaming on the side of doing life. This year is about doing the dream. About making the dream the reality. About trusting God enough to know that when He says I can do all things in Christ - yea, He means that!

That means I can break into the fashion world. That means you can be a doctor. That means your best friend can fly to the moon. That means that we can do literally all things - that we can make our dreams happen because even if we fail, we still have the approval of the only One who really matters. That is a promise you can leap on :-)

Riss

A Beautiful Creation

So I was browsing the Interwebs the other day and came across an article about a guy who very disrespectfully took and posted the above picture of a Sikh woman, Balpreet Kaur, with the comment, "i'm not sure what to conclude from this." He posted the pic and his comment on the website reddit.com (which happens to be known for some pretty sketchy Internet interactions anyway).

As you can see from the picture Kaur is a woman who has facial hair.To the young beauties reading this: yea other people have it too and though it's perfectly acceptable to get rid of it, there's nothing wrong if you've got a few strays growing from your face - it's nature boo thang! To any gents who may be reading this too: sorry to shock you, but that white cream your girlfriend is sporting above her lip is not a lip treatment - it's made to disintegrate any trace of a 'stache from her upper lip!

Anyway, Kaur responded to the post and schooled EVERYBODY! Here's what she had to say:

Hey, guys. This is Balpreet Kaur, the girl from the picture. I actually didn't know about this until one of my friends told on facebook. If the OP wanted a picture, they could have just asked and I could have smiled :) However, I'm not embarrased or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positve] that this picture is getting because, it's who I am. Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women. However, baptized Sikhs believe in the sacredness of this body - it is a gift that has been given to us by the Divine Being [which is genderless, actually] and, must keep it intact as a submission to the divine will. Just as a child doesn't reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikhs do not reject the body that has been given to us. By crying 'mine, mine' and changing this body-tool, we are essentially living in ego and creating a seperateness between ourselves and the divinity within us. By transcending societal views of beauty, I believe that I can focus more on my actions. My attitude and thoughts and actions have more value in them than my body because I recognize that this body is just going to become ash in the end, so why fuss about it? When I die, no one is going to remember what I looked like, heck, my kids will forget my voice, and slowly, all physical memory will fade away. However, my impact and legacy will remain: and, by not focusing on the physical beauty, I have time to cultivate those inner virtues and hopefully, focus my life on creating change and progress for this world in any way I can. So, to me, my face isn't important but the smile and the happiness that lie behind the face are. :-) So, if anyone sees me at OSU, please come up and say hello. I appreciate all of the comments here, both positive and less positive because I've gotten a better understanding of myself and others from this. Also, the yoga pants are quite comfortable and the Better Together tshirt is actually from Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that focuses on storytelling and engagement between different faiths. :) I hope this explains everything a bit more, and I apologize for causing such confusion and uttering anything that hurt anyone.

When I read, "Just as a child doesn't reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikh's do not reject the body that was given to us" I almost jumped out of my chair! I LOVE IT! While we may not share the same religious views, I know that the God I serve has also called us to accept who we are and to love ourselves as we are. He has told us not to defile our bodies because we are literally leasing out the space to His Holy Spirit The second command that Jesus gives next to loving God, we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The implication there is that we first love ourselves before we can love some else. We learn to love ourselves through the love of God...ahhh it's all a beautiful cycle really! Dude. With all of that, you've got to love and appreciate this body you're in whether it's "too" hairy, skinny, fat, splotchy, dimpled, WHATEVER. Love you boo! But I digress.

Kaur gets it all the way right in that she knows that her looks do not define her beauty and who she truly is. I've got to say her inner beauty shines through so much in her letter...geeze I think even in the picture she is beautiful and knowing how she feels about herself and about her worship is even more beautiful to me. I also admire how gracious she was in this situation. I don't know that I would have been as kind in my response if I had been attacked in this way. But again, I think we could all take a page from her book in learning to show grace even to those who wrong us. Kaur did not berate, shame, or condemn the young man, though some would say she is well within her right to do so. Instead she confidently educated him on the truth of who she is and what she believes. We as women, especially those of us who put our faith in Christ, should be so bold to stand up for who we know we are. You're beautiful now - flaws and alll - don't let anyone fool you into thinking otherwise. And if they try, like Kaur, meet them where they are with grace and truth :-)

Riss

Long Hair, Don't Care...No Seriously

I've been thinking a lot lately about hair length and what it represents to us in the natural hair community. It all started from a conversation with another natural friend who asked how long I'd been natural. I almost didn't want to answer because I've been down this conversation before...

I think I mentioned before that I did a massive trim...that may have actually been a cut...back in October. I was just convinced that my ends were a hotter mess than they actually were. I can be fatalistic (i.e. dramatic) at times, meh! Anyway, I cut off about 3 inches back then.

The thing is that throughout the last 3 years of my journey, I've taken it upon myself to chop off between 2-3 inches on at least 3 separate occasions, not to mention the occasional 1/2 inch trim I'd give myself in the beginning. We're looking at anywhere from 7-11-ish inches that have lost to my Karissa Scissor-Happy-Hands. RIP Curls!

But, here's the thing now: I'm not disappointed with my length now at all. In that same conversation, my friend began to suggest ways for me to help my hair grow (well to help me retain more length). While appreciate the thought behind it (she was only trying to help), it got me to thinking more about how personal a hair journey can be and how different our expectations of beautiful hair can be as well.

Sometimes that definition of beautiful is not so much tied to how long we can grow our hair. I think it's awesome that so many Black women have taken up the challenge to prove that we can grow long hair too. But for me it's a little different.

I was length obsessed my first year. I'd stretch my poor little strands over my forehead almost weekly trying to measure the growth. Somewhere down the line I realized I needed to learn how to care for my hair and not just how to style it.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have it all the way down...but I've got a good handle on how to keep it healthy. I still need to tweak the way I detangle. I know I've got to deep condition more consistently than I do. Those things are more important to me and my journey. More important now than reaching any length goal. Now don't get me wrong, because I do sort of have a length "goal" in my mind - it's really a volume goal lol. But I know I have to master my hair care routine before I start worrying about getting to that goal, so I'm still taking my time and just enjoying the fact that I have my own beautiful hair on my head :-)

Reversion Anxiety: When Straight Hair Goes Wrong!

Reversion Anxiety: the fear that curls will not pop back after straightening; most often felt by naturals who avoid heat usage; becomes gradually more intense in the days and weeks following a meeting with the flat iron.

So, I decided to straighten my hair and I have to say...I am in LOVE big time! I tried to get a couple of different pictures throughout the process. I pre-pooed with almond oil, olive oil, and Giovanni 50/50 Moisture Conditioner, then shampooed with Giovanni's Avocado-something-something shampoo (yea I forget the name), deep conditioned and detangled with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose. Then I applied some more almond oil and a bit of Fantasia heat protectant mostly at the ends and twisted it in 4 sections to stretch it without the blow dryer and let it air dry overnight. The next day I hit it with my Chi flat iron. The back section of my hair has a naturally looser curl so I only made one pass, two at most with the other sections and then a quick curl around a very low heat iron. I pin-curled it up and let it set until later that night and - ta-da!

But here's the real deal: while I'm in love with my new 'do the Reversion Anxiety has begun to set in! This morning I went for a walk with my rollers still snugly in place and about midway through I began to feel a bit of sweat on my scalp. At first I prayed for a breeze, hoping that my roots wouldn't end up...well looking like I came off the set of Roots. But then the real anxiety set in...if my roots didn't curl up, would that mean that I had damaged my curls beyond recognition?

My mind immediately flashed back to a conversation I had with Jaz last night about losing my curl pattern in my quest to "heat train" my hair. But with heat training, you retain your some of your curl pattern...with straight up damage it's just gone...no bueno! More importantly - no twist-outs - eek! What's a natural without a good twist-out?

Luckily, while all of this was running through my mind, I remembered that I am still on this journey of finding what works best for my hair. And while I am still learning, I finally do know how to nurse my hair to good health. So with that said, I'm going to enjoy my smooth style and enjoy whipping my hair back and forth while it lasts. And if I end up with some stringy straight ends (shudder) well I'll just have to figure it out when it comes. Our hair is so important to us as Black women, but it is definitely not all of who we are and that's a lesson that is far too important to forget, whether you're Kinky 'N Free or Straight 'N Natural :-)

Be-YOU-tiful

I just LOVE Dove's Real Beauty campaign. And the video above is one example of why. I was literally in tears when I realized what they were doing til the end of the video.

It's funny because last week, Jaz and I were researching the data behind the Beauty Treatments we offer in Kinky N' Free and came across a statistic that something like only 2% of women think they are beautiful. Jaz couldn't believe it so she went on a hunt to find a more accurate statistic. What she found was a study conducted by Dove that found a mere 2% increase, that only 4% of women think they are attractive.

I have spent my whole life struggling to accept my looks; that statistic didn't shock me. Maybe I'll write more about that later (I feel an itch coming on :-) But even beyond me, I have countless friends who are beautiful inside and out who, like these women, would describe themselves in a way to make you think they are much less attractive. 

Each of us is beautiful in our own way and to different people. I give Dove kudos for waking these women up to their own beauty and for igniting a desire to see it in myself.

Is Your Scalp Burning? Girl Relax!

Today at lunch I got into a conversation with some friends about the trials of relaxer application and I was once again reminded of why I stay Kinky N' Free.

Me: "You know when your scalp gets to burning so bad it almost feels icy and then you're sitting in the chair shivering?!?"

Friend 1: "Yea girl! I used to get up and do laps around the salon trying to just get some air to flow and cool my scalp down!"

Friend 2: "I just lean in that chair and go to my happy place." Leans back and demonstrates by blowing a stream of air through her lips.

Me: "And don't let the stylist ask if I'm ready to rinse out or if I can wait another 10 minutes! That internal struggle is something serious - do I burn these naps out or give up - no I'm a soldier - I'll burn - and you tell her to wait!"

Friend 1: "I'd tell her to let me do a couple of laps before hitting the wash bowl!"

This conversation made for a great laugh. I REALLY great, loud, got-us-some-funny-looks-at-the-restaurant kind of laugh. The thing is my two friends still rock relaxers, after walking down memory lane with them I couldn't be happier to be chemical free.

For me it's almost like being in a bad relationship: when you're in it you know it's bad, but you don't want to change it possibly because of how you'll look to other people. But when you get out, you can look back with friends and laugh about how crazy it was. And while I can't knock anyone else for their decision to relax their tresses, I can say with assurance that the girl who owns this scalp thinks relaxers are crazy and won't be going that route again :-)

Riss

Surprised, but... Not Surprised

Mmmhmm, it's a LENGTH check! Haven't had the chance to show ya'll my growth in a little over a year (I think:-/) .....sorry about that! But lets see where we at now with this #NaturalHair

I was a bit surprised to see the length my hair had reached, however I was not surprised. I'll tell you why......

Last year, I was reaaaaallllyy struggling with being as consistent as I had been the previous 18 months  with my haircare practices. Mainly because it had reached a length that forced me to rethink my regime. O.O
I didn't have time to wash it weekly with the usual technique that was causing my hair to prosper. I also couldn't detangle it with the usual technique because that just took foooorrrever. I decided that it was time to alter my flow, and see if I could minimize some of that "wash time." As a result, I went through some major hair changes and I sometimes thought that my hair wouldn't survive the transition. lol

Changes such as experiencing:

1. dandruff
2. dryness
3. More tangles and knotting
4. Weaker hair strands

ALL bad right?! So I thought.

I guess the transition wasn't as bad as I thought it was. It seemed like the changes in my regimen were causing my hair to really suffer rather than get better. But that was far from the truth. It reminds me of many times of transition that we experience in life when everything around us is changing, (relationships, career, family life, etc..) and sometimes it looks real bad so that it can eventually look real good. You feel me? My point is, where there is disorder, there is an opportunity to bring things into order! Yup you read me clearly, an OPPORTUNITY! An opportunity to make things better:-)

I thank God for this particular opportunity to make my hair thrive in a newer, more practical way considering its length. I changed my wash time to once a week with either poo or conditioner. Depends on how I feel and how much build up has occurred on my scalp that last week. Sometimes I can get away with a co-wash (that is, conditioner wash), but not much:-/ Most of the time its poo and deep condition on 3rd week of the month. This isn't really much of a change from what I was doing before, but what changed more was my technique! Funny thing is, as I'm typing this, Im realizing how foolish it was for me to think that what my hair needed in order to be properly cleansed would change simply because it got longer :-/ lol Silly me. Anywho, It was the technique that changed the most!

I now wash using my fingers only! Usually I start with rinsing it thoroughly and either detangling it in 8 jumbo twists using a conditioner with impeccable slip, and the harp technique that Kim Love from LuvNaturals taught me. OR I set it in 8 jumbo twists, apply poo to ONLY my scalp, massage it through, rinse, and THEN detangle using a conditioner. No matter which order I choose, I always end up with moisturizing and sealing in the end and preparing it for whatever style i'll be rocking the next morn :-) All of this only takes almost 1 hour and 30 minutes! This is EPIC because it used to take me about 4-6 hours to wash and detangle my hair! Yea.... I'm winning!

I learned so much about my hair during these transitioning phases and all in all, it turned out......well.....you'll see! Watch the vid!! ;-)

Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Sunday! Remember, He lives!!!!! Yaaaaaayyy!! \o/ #TeamJesus #Kinkynfree


- Jaz

Feed Your Hair!

Source

I found this while perusing Pinterest...as if one could actually just peruse Pinterest and not actually be sucked in...I spent almost 3 hours on there pinning natural hairstyles and walked away with the decision to start locs soon...

Anyway, I found this infographic and thought it was pretty cool. Getting the right vitamins and nutrients (and of course enough H2O) is important for healthy hair, skin, and nails...and well just a healthy you!

Enjoy!

-Riss

BlissfulRiss: Must'a Forgot

I am still on a Resurrection Weekend high! I've read the story of the Resurrection hundreds of times..okay that may be an exaggeration...but I've read it a lot and this time it was like I read it with fresh eyes and in turn I gained some fresh perspective on where I am in my journey to bliss.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to lose the weight I've been carrying around for the last few years. I set up some mini-goals for myself along the way which are more for me than for you, so I digress. Anywho. While I have lost an amount that shall remain undisclosed at this time, I have not been losing at a rate that I'd like and that occasionally gets discouraging. Okay more than occasionally. Maybe more than discouraging. When you factor in visits from friends and family, late night snack attacks with the girls, and the occasional PMS craving for a whole cake from The Chocolate Bar (which I have yet to give into...only by the grace of God lol)...I have spent several of the past few weeks in tears because making PERMANENT CHANGE happen is hard. Really hard.

I find myself boo-hooing, and woe-is-me-ing, and dangerously close to upending my other resolution to be kinder to myself this year. On those days when I am scraping at the bottom of my resolve, I so easily forget that I have promise. A promise that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. A promise that all will be well in my body as it is in my my soul. A promise to myself to feed and care for my body as Christ does the body of believers (the church). Yea that's powerful stuff, but I forget sometimes. And I revert to crying over what looks like a lost dream. I bet the disciples thought their dreams had been lost that day when Jesus took His last breath on the cross...

See Jesus told His disciples that He would be killed and be buried, but He also promised them He would rise three days later. This weekend I heard the pastor of The429 here in Houston preach that he would have been posted up outside the tomb waiting for Jesus to get up with a countdown and everything. I'd like to think I'd be there too. I'd like to think that after watching Jesus perform miracle after miracle after miracle that if He said He'd get up from the grave, I'd believe and be ready and waiting with a "Haha I told you my He'd do it." But like the disciples, sometimes I waver.

Sometimes I get so caught up in my own emotions over what looks like a dead dream or a dead future that I forget what God has promised me. Just like He promised to rise from the grave, He promises to raise us into new life as well. All He really asks us to do is to believe.

With that in mind I know I've got to keep working at what I want for my mind, body, and spirit to the best of my ability, but I've also got to keep believing in what I've been promised. That's what faith's all about ya know?

- Riss

Check out more posts from Riss at www.blissfulriss.blogspot.com.

It's mine! I bought it!

Hmmmmm where should I start?!?

Well......

First, let me say that this picture was taken by a couple of good friends of mine at The 429. If you don't know what The 429 is, then the next thing I should say is, GET YO LIFE! Ha! Just kidding.....but The 429 is a fiyah young adult ministry group that meets every saturday night at 6p and 8p for saturday night worship and Word service. It's pretty great, I must say. But anywho, let me get to the point of this bloggity blog:-)  Btw, I live in Houston, TX, so ya'll don't be lookin for The 429 if you not in Htown cuz you prolly won't find it lol....

So anywho.........

On this night, while hanging out with friends, there was a lot of discussion about my kinky n free curly mane. Folks were reallllly marveling over it. Particularly, I think, because a lot of people there had not seen it worn out wild and free before. Now don't get me wrong, I'm pretty used to my hair catching a lot of attention when I'm out and about, but lets zero in on that point for a bit. Cuz I'd like to explore it;-)

This pic says 1000 words because this hair can sometimes bring out underlying disdain and/or insecurity from men and women alike. It's almost as if, when my hair is around, all of the sudden men start frowning at other women's weaves, or women start re-evaluating their haircare practices due to the comparisons being made by the MEN. Geesh guys, don't be so hard on the ladies that don't rock #TeamNatural...lol. I just feel some type of way about this ya'll:-/ 

It honestly makes me a bit uncomfortable because I don't believe that this natural hair movement is meant to make men look down on women with weaves, but rather encourage women to wear their own God-given hair confidently. That's it!! Though, it seems that it may be having an adverse effect. What do ya'll think?

My hair gets shown a lotta love and It sometimes just feels.... so awkward:-/ lol Its like the ladies around me are being judged:-( Also, I wonder if sometimes men recognize that their comments and admiration can bring out self esteem issues that many woman/girls have surrounding their hair. Then again, I wonder if I should really feel this way....but I can't help but notice the dynamics around these situations. It's quite interesting. 

I thought I should share my thoughts about it and see what ya'll think??? I mean, technically, if a woman is insecure or jealous, it makes no difference what that man says or does. Its a problem within herself that needs to be rectified. Yet still.....I think it's worth talking about, and thinking about, and just overall being mindful of as a community;-) Ok bye! 

Jaz

One of the girls from the Kinky 'N Free Pilot posted this on FB and I thought it was adorable...and TRUE!

We love and miss those beauties and can't wait to launch the program soon!

Riss

The Evolution of My Hair: From Relaxed to Natural

A little flash from the past!! Watch this vid and see how youtube and Jesus changed my lifeeeeee!! Well, my hair AND my lifeeeee!! lol:-) I hope that you enjoy and you get inspired to wear your hair naturally kinkynfree!! Lots of love and many hugs!

Love,

Jaz

Light Works Best in the Dark

Hello KnF friends!! 

I was reading past journal entries this morning from the days of 07, 08, and 09....5 yrs ago to now has been EPIC! I mean, I was craaazzzy, insecure, frustrated, confused, and purpose driven all at the same time!! :-)
I was trying so hard to find the light while i was in the "dark." There was such an absence of divine wisdom and strategy! But i wanted better! I wanted more. Real real bad. lol It's like a little baby trying to walk:-) It's actually really funny to me when i look back at it now... **inserts laughter**

So if you're out here in the dark trying to find the light, be encouraged!!! You're going to come out of that foolish talk, unproductive thinking, and mediocre living! God has much better for you then what you're experiencing. Butcha gotta be focused and diligent! Your hunger has to over take you and send you into overdrive!

He's never left you. He'll always be there with you! He'll meet you right where you are, to bring you to a better more fulfilling life. Full of joy, peace, purpose, love, happiness, healthy relationships! He can't let go! :-)

David, in Psalms 139:7-8 said to God in prayer,"Where can i go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there..." As jacked up as David was!!! An adulterer, a murderer, a womanizer!! But God Himself called David "a man after My own heart!"(Acts 13:22). Like David, I knew my lifestyle was flawed and it wasn't Gods best, so I was chasing after who I knew was right, wise, and all knowing! Only He could lead me to what i was so desperately wanting!! It's not enough to just live day by day angry, frustrated, confused, hurt, insecure. That's not life. That's what i call settling.

Jesus you're amazing. 

All for Love,

Jaz

Power of the Puff

I've been through some crazy growth cycles with this hair of mine! I've been natural for almost three years now and it's taken me just about that long to really figure out what my hair loves (hmmm maybe I'll do a post on my favorite products...) and how to care for it best.

You see I've let my hair grow and do it's thing, then I notice some splits, and not wanting to lose length I let them go. Bad idea. My strands split ways faster than a bad relationship in high school and I'm left with a dry, frazzled mess. I'm then left to cut said mess from my head, usually resulting in losing the length I desired. 

Fast forward to last week: I was just coming out of my winter protective style, a curly lace-front wig, and I had no desire to do a complicated style. When I say no desire...I mean literally zero. That's rare, but it happens. So, I pulled my hair up into what I felt was a respectable ponytail...it was...meh! But that night...oh that night! I loosened the pony a little and tied my hair down with my satin(y) scarf and when I awoke in the morning I had this:

A full, fluffy puff. Le sigh. I am in love. I'm twisting my hair at night to keep it somewhat tangle-free and protective styling with the twists a couple days a week, but other than that I'm rocking the puff (and the red lip lol) with pleasure. It is simple and I finally feel like I can just let it...be for a while. Yay!

Jaz's New Wash Regimen!

A Curly Girl's Best Friend: Conditioner

C/O http://www.facebook.com/naturalhairloveaffair

Story of our lives! Jaz and I were JUST stalking out some conditioner today on the quest to find the perfect product!

Conditioner is a curly girl's best friend (next to good old H2O) whether you use it for co-washing in place of shampoo, as a deep conditioner, as a regular quick conditioner, or your favorite leave-in conditioner...it's all essential to a layed 'do!

What's the Rush?!?

If there is one thing I have learned about my natural hair, it is that it takes much time and patience and love to get it lookin' right and tight. Well...learned may be an overstatement...which leads me to this post.

Jaz and I had a meeting planned for this evening at 7:00 PM. Now mind you, I am the absolute worst with time. I'm one of those "I'll be late to my own funeral" kind of girls. When I was a corps member in Teach for America I somehow managed to get it together and get everywhere on TFATime, but clock management post-corps has been a struggle. Anyway, I digress. At 5:30 I was just finishing my evening workout and realized my hair smelled...well like I'd been working out. That's a little gross to share, but I've gotta keep it real over here. So I decided to "quickly" shampoo and throw some deep conditioner on before heading to Jaz's place.

Now, mind you I ran out of deep condish last wash session, so I had to swing by Whole Foods to pick up some Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose (my fave!) but they were out of it...ummm....booooooo! So I bought some Giovanni and rushed home to get on with the washing. This put me jumping in the shower at 6:20ish...nowhere near enough time to properly detangle, section, and "properly" wash. I almost gave up, but the smell emanating from my head was enough to make me press on. I had a I wish I had straight silky hair so this wouldn't be an issue moment.

But I post this not to bash my hair. I LOVE MY CURLS. This little episode was just a reminder that all good things are worth putting in a little extra effort. So under that hat you see there, I have a tangled mass of curls marinating in Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner, and they will be okay just the way they are - perfect wash routine or not.

-Riss

Riss: Bantu Knot Out On Short/Medium Length Natural Hair

That shrinkage was a BEAST!

Fishtail Braids Tutorial!

Tutorial on how to style fish tail braids!! Protective Styling!;-) #Kinkynfree

Happy New Year!!! Xoxo

- Jaz

“WE are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

coilsandcurls:

Real talk.

5-4-3-2-1- We Have Resolution Lift-Off!

Image courtesy of fitfabcities.com; check 'em out!

So I have a confession: around October of last month I COMPLETELY fell off the workout wagon. Like, over the edge, 100 feet behind the wagon, laid out on the ground, chillin’.

One of my New Year’s goals is to workout at least 4 times a week no matter what for the next 21 days. I read somewhere that most weight loss and fitness resolutions fall flat after the first 3 weeks of the year, so I’m going to set all of my goals in 3 week intervals in order to keep them fresh and to keep me motivated towards my resolutions. Maybe I’ll write more on that soon.

While searching for a quick, at-home, easy-to-follow workout to help me meet my first goal, I came across this kick-butt routine. I just finished and I totally feel the BURRRNNN! I added some reverse crunches and side planks to up the torso toning, but other than that I feel awesomely sore and ready to do it all over again tomorrow. 5-4-3-2-1 = KEEPER!

Happy sweating loves,

Riss

Reading is FUN-da-mental! :-)

Looking for a new book to add to read this year? 

I sometimes get in a reading rut where I read the same types of books over and over and have to make a conscious effort to switch it up. (It helps that I try to alternate fiction and nonfiction.)

I created the 2013 Reading Challenge as an easy and fun way for me (and you) to fit more varied books in this year. A lot of people create goals of reading a certain number of books in a year, but I think that can be stressful or worse—you may end up racing through shorter, mediocre books in order to reach your quota for a given month. I used to try and race through books in order to tick them off a numbered list, but I’ve found that it’s more challenging and enjoyable to try and read books that are outside my comfort zone, or in a genre I’m not familiar with or that I haven’t read in years. 

I created the below lists as a way to get started, but the books I’ve listed for each section are just my personal recommendations. The important thing is not to read any of them just because I’ve listed them here—you should only read them if they jump out at you as being interesting or worth your time. 

Above all, reading should be fun. I used to feel like I had to finish every book I started no matter how much I hated it or how bored I got. I don’t do that anymore. If I’m not enjoying myself, I don’t finish the book. You know yourself better than anyone! Only choose what you know what will bring you genuine pleasure and enjoyment. (And won’t be a waste of your time!) 

Have fun and let me know what books you pick in each category! I’ll keep you updated by posting reviews here when I’m finished.

Read a childhood favorite you haven’t picked up in years.

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi
• Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
• Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise McGraw
• From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

Read a nonfiction book about religion or religious culture (or the lack thereof).

• Rapture Ready! by Daniel Radosh
• The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
• The Prophet’s Prey by Sam Brower
• A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian D. McLaren
• The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
• Who Speaks for Islam? by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed

Read a classic you haven’t touched since high school English.

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Read a popular historical fiction novel.

• The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
• Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
• Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
• The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Read a nonfiction book or memoir about an illness or disease.

• Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi
• The Journal of Best Practices by David Finch
• Ninety Days: A Memoir of Recovery by Bill Clegg
• The Mercy Papers by Robin Romm
• An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison
• Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety by Daniel Smith

Read an entire popular YA book series.

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
• Divergent series by Veronica Roth
• The Ender Saga by Orson Scott Card
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
• His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
• The Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle
• Redwall by Brian Jacques

Read a book that was made into a movie or television show released within the past year. 

• A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones)
• The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (The Woman in Black)
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) 
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Life of Pi)
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (Les Miserables)
• John Carter on Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (John Carter)
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit)
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina)

Read one of the books on New York Times reviewer Michiko Katutani’sMeanest Reviews list and decide for yourself whether the meanness was warranted.

• “The Original of Laura” by Vladimir Nabokov
• “Chronic City” by Jonathan Lethem
• “The Discomfort Zone” by Jonathan Franzen
• “A Long Way Down” by Nick Hornby
• “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathan Safran Foer
• “Until I Find You” by John Irving
• “The Dying Animal” by Philip Roth
• “Point Omega” by Don DeLillo
• “Nocturnes ” by Kazuo Ishiguro
• “The Witches of Eastwick” by John Updike
• “NW” by Zadie Smith

Read one of Amazon’s Editors’ Picks for January 2013.

• Me Before You: A Novel by Jojo Moyes
• Ship It Holla Ballas! by Jonathan Grotenstein, Storms Reback
• Hikikomori and the Rental Sister by Jeff Backhaus
• Tenth of December: Stories by George Saunders
• Rage Is Back: A Novel by Adam Mansbach
• Little Wolves by Thomas James Maltman
• Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
• Jujitsu Rabbi and the Godless Blonde by Rebecca Dana
• My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
• The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer

Read a nonfiction true crime book.

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• My Life among the Serial Killers: Inside the Minds of the World’s Most Notorious Murderers by Helen Morrison and Harold Goldberg
• The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
• Devil in the White City by Jonathan Larson
• Manhunt by James L. Swanson
• Columbine by Dave Cullen
• Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry
• The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
• Mind Hunter by John Douglas

Read a book about a sport that usually doesn’t interest you in the slightest.

• Moneyball by Michael Lewis
• Secretariat by William Nack
• The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle
• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
• The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn
• The Game They Played by Stanley Cohen
• Paper Lion by George Plimpton
• Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger
• Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox

Read a collection of short stories.

• Blasphemy by Sherman Alexie
• Dear Life by Alice Munro
• Night Shift by Stephen King
• The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway
• Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger
• Naked by David Sedaris
• Eleven Kinds of Loneliness by Richard Yates
• The Best American Short Stories 2012 by Tom Perrotta and Heidi Pitlor
• Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls by Alissa Nutting

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you have any books to add to these lists? What will you read in one of the categories?

Source: jaclynday