Hair Update - November 2010

It has been a long time since I did a hair update.  For new readers of my blog, I lost 20 inches of hair with 2 perms a few years ago and spent the past 2 years or so growing out my perm.  I don't cut my hair and haven't since 1999, not even trimming, per God's word stating that it's my glory and sign of submission to my husband.  Anyway......I had to go through the "growing-out" phase for a while and it was hard!  So many times, I wanted to cave in and just get another perm but I didn't and I PRAYED and God helped me.  It didn't make sense to me to get yet another perm when they had already destroyed 20 inches of my glory.

So I went through a year or so of half straight/half permed hair and tried to work the best I could.  Then finally in July, I was able to stop trying to make the bottom match the new growth and did a video on that here.

Now, my hair is silky, shiny and I don't blow-dry anymore, I just let it air dry and comb and go.  I was blow-drying maybe once a month but I cringed every time I did it, so now I just prepare ahead of time to give my hair time to dry on its own and it has really improved in appearance.  Then I still do the coconut oil - yes, I still use the cheap, Louann's Walmart brand lol - I know, I know.......I suppose I should spend more and get the organic real stuff but hey - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I curl my hair with a VERY low heat curling iron once in a while and tonight one of those times so hubby took some pictures so I can do this update.  I can hold my hand on my curling iron and actually leave it there without it burning me - that is how low the heat is when I curl my hair.  There really isn't any damage, just barely-there heat.  I have done higher heat and I do get tighter curls but the one time I did that a few months ago, I got a LOT of broken hairs and it was enough to scare me to not do it again lol. =0

Quotes on Mind-Body Illness

Here are some quotes that we posted over at "Motivated Mentality" a while ago and since my last post here was talking about this subject, I thought I would share these here as well:
A bodily disease, which we look upon as whole and entire within itself, may, after all, be but a symptom of some ailment in the spiritual part. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

The mind has great influence over the body, and maladies often have their origin there. ~Moliere

There is something in sickness that breaks down the pride of manhood. ~Charles Dickens

When the head aches, all the body is the worse. ~English Proverb

The part can never be well unless the whole is well. ~Plato

I see rejection in my skin, worry in my cancers, bitterness and hate in my aching joints. I failed to take care of my mind, and so my body now goes to hospital. ~Astrid Alauda

Know, then, whatever cheerful and serene.....Supports the mind supports the body too. ~John Armstrong

Hear your heart. Heart your health. ~Faith Seehill

Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well;... and not today's pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man. ~James H. West

A healthy body and soul come from an unencumbered mind and body. ~Ymber Delecto

In a disordered mind, as in a disordered body, soundness of health is impossible. ~Cicero

In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired. ~Author Unknown

Mind-Body Connection - Deliverance is Yours for the Taking!

I was suffering with incredible back pain for about 10 weeks and couldn't even load the dishwasher without pain.  My doctor had reached the point of basically saying, I could get shots every month or surgery, or live off of ibuprofen.  I came home so depressed and desperate and called out to God for healing or to direct me in some way of why these things always happen to me.  It was then that I came across a 20/20 video done on Dr. Sarno.

After watching that video, I got Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain" within hours.  Within 30 minutes of reading the book, I was in tears because it was explaining my entire life since childhood.  My brain was trying to "do me a favor" and direct my emotional pain from past abuse to different parts of my body - which medical records, hospitalizations from the past 23 years prove.  I missed a lot of school growing up and even had rare illness' in my early 20's and went from doctor to doctor.

As I was reading his book, I realized what was happening in my body.  I couldn't deal with the emotional pain of abuse and thus, my brain did only what it could to help me - put the pain somewhere else in my body.

Only after 3 hours of reading the book, my back pain completely disappeared!  I told my brain to stop it and then told it that it had to deal with things and stop using my body as the means to divert me from the pain of my past.  It cooperated and for the past 11 weeks I've been illness free!!!  I don't remember a time in my life that I have gone so long being free of sickness or some injury, etc.

God is helping me and I'm finally dealing with these things........its been quite a hard road but without Jesus, I'm not sure where I would have been!!  I had no idea that I never dealt with things, I just subconsciously pushed them back in my brain and never DEALT with emotions.  It has been very hard to deal with things in my mind now, but its keeping my body pain and illness free!  I know so many people who have been abused or went through things and they are suffering with pain that pills and even surgery won't help - and only if they would realize what their brain is doing, they could have deliverance.

I'm writing a letter to Dr. Sarno to tell him what his book did for me and my life story as well but I wanted to let you all know what a life change I have went through the past 11 weeks and even close friends have told me that I'm like a different person.  Thank you God for this man and the wisdom you gave him and remember the Bible itself tells us:

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he

I've been reprogramming my brain and learned behaviors (extreme perfectionism, low self-esteem, etc.) that developed from past abuse and its been hard work but my life has been changing and I feel like a new person. Just wanted to share and I know I don't get this personal a lot but I was ready to come forth to tell you all what a major life change I have experienced the past 11 weeks!!

Freeing up Time

If you have been following along the past few weeks, you read that I did freezer meals for Oct-Feb!  I'm telling you all, I didn't realize the great impact this would have on my time.  I knew it would free up some but didn't realize how much easier and less stressful it has made my life!

I plan my life (not every single minute), with my Google calendar.  Normally, the week I get my house money, I have to take off homeschool to grocery shop, bake and do the freezer meal cooking - oh, don't forget the planning.  Looking at my schedule for next week - it just has shopping and then I've been baking while my daughter does her math meeting or writing so its fit in nicely that way.  It is so wonderful to me to know that from now till mid-January, I won't have that one week a month that throws me off anymore!  Rather, I can just calm down a bit lol, realize I'm not a rush anymore to homeschool to "catch up" after one of those weeks and delve into other things that make life so wonderful - crafts, family time and field trips.

My schedule is still full but that is just because I replaced cooking dinners daily, that one week cooking blitz chaos........with crafting, nature walks, family time and more baking.  I have to say I'm so much more happy now!  Also cleaning my house one day a week worked just as well.  Who wants to clean and cook all day everyday!?  I suppose if you love to do those things, but for the rest of us, its about not forsaking those things (please ladies clean your house and cook dinner lol), but rather being wiser with our time to allow more "life" into our life!

I will be the first to say that I count spending time with my daughter or hubby over washing dishes and a lot of times my sink has proven that fact lol. ;-)  The dishes will always be there to wash - but my daughter will not always be a child.  What is more important?  It comes back to priorities - I won't choose a clean dish over missing my daughter's childhood but I will rather work it to where I can carve out that time.

So, I'm going to keep the 3-month cooking rotation going.  I'm going to get a jumpstart on it come January and start my freezer meals the 2nd week of the month and that will be through April.

Past Mementos - Name Key-chain

My mom sent us a package and it arrived today.  She has been gradually sending things she has kept from my childhood.  We have been getting one box a month usually and its like I'm opening tiny bits of my past and memories are rushing in.  Lots of tears have been shed and gasps of joy as well when I recall the item and then say "I forgot about this" or "I remember this!"  My daughter has been wanting me to tell the story behind each item and its really been awesome.

I wonder why my mom kept certain things and I realized they were things that were special to her as well that she wanted me to remember and keep.  Some of the things I never really cared about it, but she did, and it meant something to her and then now they mean something to me.  What I'm blogging about today is one of those things.

My mom got me this key-chain and she thought it was something special, though as a teenager I thought it was stupid.  She held onto it all these years and I could have cared less being the wild teenager that I was.  It was a key-chain that had the meaning of my name.  Beverly means industrious.  Now, back when I was 15 or so, I thought what in the world is industrious, this is stupid.  However, my mom had hopes for me and I pray today that I'm finally fulfilling that special meaning.

When I held the key-chain today, my mind raced back and then to today.  I've been striving to be more of a homekeeper, wife and mother and though I have come far I still feel inadequate.  This key-chain reminded me of my goal - to be industrious, to work hard and not be lazy.  Not only because that is my duty as a Christian but also because of my daughter - I want her to develop a good work ethic and not one of being a lazy sloth!

There are only a few places, mostly from articles in the 1960's where it shows the meaning of Beverly is industrious.  I wonder why it just kind of "went out of style" over the years?  Here are some other names with their old meanings:

Linda - Beautiful
Elizabeth - Oath of God
Margaret - Pearl
Patricia - Noble
Helen - Light
Hannah - God has favored me

These meanings that have been around for centuries are fading away for new, modern-up meanings but the old, timeless meanings of the names are special to the mothers that name their children in hopes that they will fulfill that meaning.

Thanks Mom for holding on to these mementos and I pray I live up to the special name you gave me!

Biblical Love

The message last night was talking about eternal love and this quote I came across today really fit within the theme of the messages lately:


Biblical love says, “I choose to love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”  Biblical love knows nothing of backing out when things get tough. Biblical love gives without expecting, goes the extra mile, sacrifices for others, and views divorce as a tragic and unnecessary plague visited upon a culture that has settled for a lie. Biblical love is not constantly seeking the emotional high that often characterizes immature relationships but instead is content with the depth and breadth that only the love of a maturing, godly relationship can provide. ~ Voddie Baucham