We are one? more thoughts...

I've just been thinking about the differences between denominations. My friendship with a mixed group (denominationally speaking) of ladies has caused me to think about this quite often. All of us are from a different denomination (myself being the only one that claims no denomination.) While we are knitted together in our hearts with a like faith in Christ and a love for our families, I sometimes feel the pang of our separation in our relationship and understanding of God.

I don't claim to hold the market on understanding or knowledge. I would have to say that I feel very unlearned in many many ways and wish I could (or had the inclination) to jam more into this little wee brain of mine. Sadly I do not.

I think what I do have is a mind open to learn and be challenged on a daily basis in what I believe to be truth. Not to say that my faith in Christ in any way wavers. I tell you it does not. I am very sure that the one way to the Father is through faith in His Son Christ Jesus, without whom there would be no remission of sin. That has to be the foundation of my faith or else the whole building would collapse for He is a sure foundation. What I'm really speaking of is the "smaller" points of our faith.

I don't know it all, I haven't attained it all, and I am continually in pursuit of Him and His truth. I don't want any of the denominational hogwash that gets shoved down so many throats. I want Jesus. I want His Spirit. I believe He will lead and guide me into all Truth.

I am open to Him challenging a long held tradition or belief. Oh, that my fellow brothers and sisters were as open.

I'm sad by the slight yet great differences among the body of believers. I'm sad that so many think they are part of "The" church. Even the names of their church claim it to be so. I'm sad that man has been so blinded by books, and man made religion that they can't even see that they may be wrong. I'm sad that while we claim to be part of one body through our Lord, we are so far from it. We are not one.

I'm sad at some people's small mindedness. They put God in a box and say surely He is "this way" -any other way must be false. (they may reject prophecy, healing, spiritual gifts, or only except them on their terms... just to name a few.) I'm just sad. Sad at our lack of unity as believers.

All creation is groaning for the return of Christ. I join in on their cries.

COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS!



make us one.

Sticker Shock!

Since we had VBS all last week I spent the whole week with my mom and dad. It just saves gas and time since they live so much closer to the church than I-10 mins versus my 40-45 mins. During our stay we made a total of 3 trips to the grocery store. One of them to a market in between our homes that I never visit because I have always thought their prices are too high. The other trip was to one of those small town markets (still independently owned) that is just too far of a drive for me to go to except when I'm with my mum.

We had visited our standby GC the week before. I've noticed that their prices have been higher for the past year or so since having built a new store. The old one was perfect. Great prices, great service, convenient location. The new one,...well. It's new. It's big, and still convenient. The service is still pretty okay too. The problem? When they moved to the new store all of their prices went up by $.10-$.50. they were still cheaper than the alternative unless I want to eat processed junk from the big Wally world.

I say all this so you'll know, I'm familiar with the local store prices. 4 trips in 2 weeks should help that a bit. Today the Girls and I made what I thought was going to be a light trip to the GC. Our budget for groceries has been cut ( just couldn't be helped with gas prices up so high.) I know have 75% if what I'm used to spending. Not really all that bad. It means being careful that I buy only what's on sale and no impulse stuff.

To help make up the difference I broke my principles and did some food shopping at the Wally around the corner (they just built one so close i could spit and hit it-I really could y'all, I'm a country girl.) I made a list of everything we were out of, and headed on over. I spent about $45. I walked away with a fair amount of everyday essentials. I felt good.

Today I headed over to our steady store. The one i have been faithful too even though they have price gouged me to pay for a facility they didn't need. Hey, they offer gas points now, and they have a whole section, a section! of organics-and believe me, it's my favorite out of the whole store. Shampoos, cleansers, snacks, and more. It saves a trip to the health food store.

Have you noticed I ramble?...

Now keep in mind I was just in there 2 weeks ago. Today I went in and was shocked, shocked! to find that many of the items I regularly buy have gone up in price. Not just a little...alot!

One of those luxury buys were olive from the olive bar. I always felt guilty buying them, especially when they went from 3.99 a pound to 4.99. Today I went in, and grew a hankering for some oh so buttery cerignola olives...Holy Sticker shock Batman! $6.99 a pound!!!! That's a $2.00 increase...in 2 weeks.

Oh, but I can live without the buttery goodness. Journeying down my beloved organics isle however, i saw more carnage. Soap up by $1.00. My skincare up by $2.00. But it didn't stop there. No. It spread everywhere!! Dried plums, applesauce, cereal.

Oh, it makes me soooo sad.

What I thought was going to be a happy pickup what the Wally doesn't carry turned into a real eye opener. This is not my store anymore. No where is.

Prices are up everywhere.

I need a farm. Then I could grow all the organic produce I wanted, raise a few dairy cows and goats, beef and chicken, and homestead till my little heart was content.

I need a farmhouse with pantry space to hold all those wheat berries, homemade fermentations, soaps and candles, jams, jellies, and preserved bounty from my garden.

Can you feel it? Jesus is coming soon.

I've been thinking alot about the Great Depression. Both sets of my grandparents were products of it. As a younger adult it was easy to poke fun of my grandfather in his patched patches britches and his desire to rig anything to make it work. If it aint moldy, he eats it(as long as it's meat and potatoes) He's 80 years old and still tries to do everything himself. Now as times once again grow tough for the average American, I see wisdom in his choices.

Oh, and btw, my total today for a "light" shopping trip? $94.00. I totally stocked up on sale items that I was sure were a good price. The problem? Where to store 5 bottles of olive oil.

My footprint

I just got back from a rather shocking grocery store trip-more about that later. I've looked at those little cheap reusable bags they sell for only .99 for several months now. I pick them up, turn them over, and always put them back down. They just don't' feel good and I wonder what kind of materials they are made from.

Are they really helping the environment? or are they more big business for people looking to cash in? Just too many unanswered questions and that is why I always put them back down. Not that the alternative is really a better choice. Plastic? ick. I've never liked them! I used to always insist on paper, but as the number of kids grew I just quick asking and tried to get out of the store quickly. They just assume plastic if you don't ask. Last year I need some paper sacks for a project we wanted to do and asked specifically for them at the store. The bagger seemed annoyed? and had to look for them? Was paper really so weird?

-did I mention, I recycle all those bags they give me? I have a huge bagful of them waiting to be taken back to the place they came from.

Today I came home and decided I would look them up online. I was shocked to see that one can easily pay $40-$80 for some reusable bags. HEH?! Those are for people with more money than brains. This girl doesn't happen to be one of them. This girl is thrifty and quite resourceful. I remembered something...I can sew! I so rock!

When I typed in "sew your own reusable shopping bags" I scored the mother load! More sites than I can shake a stick at tell me how to go about sewing one of those bags. Then I had another duh! moment. I don't need no stinkin' pattern. I know how to make my own one of those too!

Why do I so willingly shut my brain off?

I'll let you know what comes out of today's thinkfest. maybe I'll teach The Older One to sew. Which reminds me of something else we saw at the store today. A sign advertising sewing classes. It caught our attention cause it was done with Halloween designs. Wonder if they did that on purpose.

At first I thought great! only $11 bucks. That's cheap. Then when I reread it I realized that was per lesson. duh. 10yo said she'd rather learn for free. Oh, I love that child.

Oh, which totally reminds me of what I started to write about in the first place. While looking at those patterns online, I found a little linky to a carbon footprint quiz. I wish mine were better, but still I fair better than the average american. Take a look. Try it yourself. Then click back here and let me know how you did.

A sharper knife

My husband is a chef. Having good knives is vital to his profession. Not only do having a good quality (which doesn't always mean expensive) knife help him do his work more efficiently, but it helps to keep his fingers safe as well. I'm amazed when i go to someone elses home and help in the kitchen, how often I find dull, cheap knives. That man of mine would never allow those to pass in our kitchen, even if he never cooks in it.

Back when we were first married ( eleven and a half years ago-yikes!) we didn't have much in the way of kitchen equipment. What we did have though we chose carefully. He picked out our first few knives, which were pretty inexpensive and came from a mall type kitchen supply store. We didn't have a knife block so when we got home he promptly made sheaths to keep them all. Not only did this keep them sharp because they couldn't bang around against other things in the drawer,but they kept my fingers safe every time I opened that drawer.

After we were married a little while longer we invested in a more expensive knife set that came with a wooden knife block. They make finding the right knife much quicker. After every few uses, he makes sure the honing blade (the thing that looks like a round sword) was run over it a few times. To keep them in tippy top condition we bought a neat little gadget from Target called the Knife shark(?? at least that's what I seem to remember it being called-there's no name on it). It's small and easy for me to use when he's not around which is really most of the time. We also have a sharpening stone that we purchased at the Asian market. He's the one that uses it. Hubs is so sure to keep sharp knives that his friends from other restaurants have often called on him to come and sharpen their knives. He's just that good at it.

A few years ago I heard, or read (sorry I don't remember where so I can't give them proper credit) to store your knives in the knife block sharp side up. This prevents drag every time it is pulled out and in of the slots. My handy dandy mini-sharpener comes out the drawer less often since I started doing this quick little step. Of course, when I visit those homes that have a knife block on their counter, I share my little tip and flip all of the knives over. When I encounter those drawers of knives just floating willy nilly in the drawer without a sheath? I say a quick prayer and use extreme caution while trying to saw away at the food I'm trying to help prepare.

For more kitchen tips head on over to Tammy's Recipes.

Didja Miss Me?

Didja, didja? I'd like to think there were at least one or two that missed me here in bloggy-land.

Vbs was pretty much a chore for me all week. The last night was the easiest becuase it was parent night and those couple of kids that were hard to control weren't my problem. ahhhh. sweet relief. I was able to just sit back and enjoy.

We gained 1 new child for sunday school. He also came to the "altar" the last night to recieve christ. He's one of those kids that was so visibly hungry for God. It was great to see him soak it all up and then have the opportunity to recieve Christ. Last year, he was at VBS for 2 nights or so. He was so hard to control, but we couldn't help but like him. Then he'd say things like, "Who's Jesus? WHat's the Bible?" He was so clueless to any of it. His mother promised to bring him to SS but never did. This year he was at 4 of the 5 nights of VBS. He remembered everything from last year, and loved this year too! It was pretty rewarding to see just that one child so touched by the love of God. It makes the hard work worth it.

I'm glad it's over until next year. I have stated AGAIN that I don't want to teach a class. We'll see if they take me serously. I feel like I teach kids all year, I'd really like to take the summer off and just veg. I need to give my brain a bit of rest.

ahhhh....FREAK OUT!

(can't ya just hear the disco rhythm?)

I spent some time with a dear mother in the Lord yesterday. Her husband of 51 years died a few weeks ago following a battle with cancer. They did a quick quiet burial and then held a memorial service yesterday. They had been in the ministry most of their marriage. I really respect this lady as she truly shows the love of Christ. Sometimes, she is a little ...uh..unorthodox? in her methods though. It takes all kinds. I love that she's not afraid to just be who she is.

As the evening was winding down, a few of us were sitting outside around the table and she looks at me and says very sternly, "When are you gonna let go of that Word you have in you?"

I was completely thrown. "Uh...." I nervously giggle, "I don't know. I didn't know I had one."

"You do," she says," so let it out." And then she goes right back to the conversation she had been having. A few minutes later she looks at me and says, "I'm ready for my Word now." I stare blankly. Uh...."Come On! I'm hurting and I want a Word from YOU!"
Ohhh...now I get it. That kind of Word. She looks sternly at me. "Come ON! Get over here!"
I am completely flabbergasted. What'll I do?!! I don't feel I have ANYTHING inside of me. I feel like I'm the one in need. How do I deliver like THIS? Another one of the ladies comes over and says "God loves you." and hugs me for what seems like an eternity. I am never comfortable with churchy hugs, let alone one that last for minutes. MINUTES! I'm just standing there thinking How long will she hug me?
Meanwhile the other lady has gone back again to her other conversation. A few minutes later one of the few ladies left walks over (she had been completely oblivious to what had been said and asked of me.) and starts to pray for and minster to the new widow. As they were drawing to a close, and I am earnestly seeking out the quickest and easiest excuse to get outta there, the widow looks at me and sternly says, "You had the same Word!" and gives me "the look." ouch! I wanted to run away as quickly as possible.

I felt so embarrassed and like such a failure. Here is this older sister in the Lord, indeed, in need of ministry and prayer, and seeking it from Lil' Ole Me and what do I do? Crumble and crack and fail. I couldn't even udder a "God Loves You." The only thing I could think was "WHO ME?? I'M NOTHING." It was screaming inside my head. I know this lady was not looking to embarrass me but rather to encourage me to step out of my comfort zone and step up to the plate.

Inside I'm wondering if she knows, does she see what I really am? I'm never been first choice for anything. Always sloppy seconds, and never chosen for anything. What do I have to offer? What do I have to give? I've been passed over time and time again. Never good enough. Always a failure. I don't preach, lead music, or teach(adults). I sing in the home, but I'm not the first choice. I barely peck away at the piano, and scarcely pluck away on the guitar. I wasn't marriage material, or worthy of "waiting" for. People's eyes don't linger on me to admire my beauty, or sit at my feet to hear my wisdom. I'm not a great mom, or daughter or wife. Just okay. average. plain. I was picked on, hurt and abused. Never never never good enough. Can't she see that?! Can't she see God doesn't speak to me that way? I wasn't even first choice for my own mother. Nope. I was the one she didn't want. How could this lady expect so much from me?

I was completely caught off guard. It's not like I wouldn't like to be used by God in that way. In fact, i would really really like it. I'm just held captive by this feeling of having never measured up. I'm sure everyone that looks at me sees it. Cant she?

Instead she looked at me for a moment as God ( I believe with my head, but not wholly with my heart) does. She was seeing the potential. Who I could be. Oh man! and what did I do? I failed. I went to bed quite crest fallen. I began to remember all those moments in my life I had failed or been passed over. I wept a few salty tears, and inwardly asked God to release me. More fuel for the altar. I emptied out a little more and then fell into a deep deep sleep. Today, eh...who cares. So I'm not what she saw. Maybe,...maybe I could be.

And now Playing at the....

couldn't really think of a good title for this post. There ya go.

This week is VBS. I have been so dreading VBS this year. I can't really say why because once I'm there and in it, I don't mind it so very much. Somebody dropped off their 3 year old tonight. Kinda young to be dropped off at the church door. She came in with her 10 year old brother, but he is Mr. Dicipline-Challenge. I don't know if she thought he would take care of her or what. The kid still sucks his thumb. Oh, man. What a challenge to love and to be kind.

I guess that's part of the reason I wasn't looking forward to VBS. I am a disciplinarian. I'm not mean, or rude, but I expect my children and those in my car5e to be respectful, attentive, and most of all obedient. I don't tolerate disrespect. I just don't even expect it. After I've established that kind of relationship with a kid, then we can be friends. I like having little kids for buddies, but that in no way means I'ma let 'em walk right over me. I don't think so. Most kids I meet respond very well to my expectations. I can't recall in recent times when a child left alone in my care has not measured up. It's usually the kids whose parents are hanging around that don't obey as easily. One little girl in particular. She knows her mom is watching (come to think of it her brother does this too) and so instead of obeying she runs off to boo-boo to her mother. If given absolute charge of said children, I don't think there would be a problem.

I didn't have to come up with crafts this year so that was great! It's funny. I teach art at our co-op, but ask me to come up with a few crafts and I kinda freak out. I'm not an ideas girl. I am an executor, a planner, a git-r-done kinda girl. Don't ask me to think of all those fresh clever ideas. It makes me nervous. I get too worried about letting people down.

So, 1 night of VBS down, 4 more to go. I probably wont' be around much for the next week or so. Vbs = busy busy busy times.

An oldy but goody

Here is Love

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

With a little love

For quite a few years now, I've been under the conviction that as a Christian it is not my job to bash people over with the do-ey don't-ies of my faith. I have tried to not just preach the gospel, but to instead walk it out. Instead of telling someone about the love of Christ, show them. People (myself included) are much more ready to respond to the message after they are shown a little compassion.

I feel so thankful to have "met" someone who walks out their faith in love. Not everyone would respond to a business email with a personal touch of genuine help and willingess to serve. Thank you, Sarah, if you ever pop over here to read this. Your kindness is the stuff we Christians are supposed to be made of. May God richly bless you!

are you hungry?

Yeah, but are you this hungry? Oh, Lord, help me.

1,2, 3, 4,5, 6....

...and it won't stop.

another song reference 8D I think in music. I've got one for nearly any situation.

Day 70 of the Revival.
It's not the first time in my memory that a move of God has gone on this long. It won't be the last either. And I really feel this is just the beginning. I have heard for years that the Lord was going to visit with a move that would consume the east coast, that it would spread to the world. Another Great Awakening.

Oh, wake me Lord! I want to burn with holy passion for you. I just want Him. I don't want anything else. I don't want religion, I don't programs or agendas, I don't want any man made religiosity. I just want Him. I just want to be lost in Him. I want to carry His love to a world starving for the Real Thing.

I watched a video on Sunday called ...ermmm... something like The Fingerprints of God, or something like that. What struck me the most, was that the few people featured on there were just like me-wanting to show the love of Christ. What made them so different than me is that they aren't scared to show that love to complete strangers. They are bold enough to see someone sick or hurting and ask if they can pray for them. Oh, wake me Lord!

Shampoo revisited

I know you're all clinging to every word I have to say about shampooing my hair. I totally feel it...8?

As promised, I am reporting back on how my No 'Poo experience has been so far. I did try the BS/ACV rinse thing -Baking soda, apple cider vinegar, for those of you not in the know. 8D It definitely got my hair good and clean. It didn't leave any real scent other than light clean hair-just fresh. My hair that normally would require tons of conditioner and sometimes detangler combed through very nicely. It was light and bouncy and I was fascinated. When my hair started to dry though, so did my scalp. YOUCH! It burned and itched for 3 days. I finally broke down and used some tea tree shampoo(Giovanni TTT). I wasn't so sure I was willing to try that again(although I eventually did with less BS and still the same burning results), but I searched a few message boards for other solutions. I found some AWESOME Giovanni Triple Treat shampoo. It's organic and rates pretty well over at Skin Deep. So I used it in place of the dreaded pantene and continued the acv rinses. I thought I had found a nice happy medium. I kept reading the no'poo boards though. People were raving and raving about no'poo and even water only cleanses.

I kept using the acv, and tried white vinegar-it's supposed to do something for the scalp. It was okay, but...the next day my hair was visibly lighter. Humpfff...I was totally put off the whole no shampoo thing. I don't want to lighten my hair any. When it's below the waist, any color difference is noticeable near the scalp. Fresh hair would be darker, and the years old hair (at the bottom) would be much lighter. Yuck. No more white vinegar!! I don't recommend it.

I guess I read enough of those no 'poo boards though, because not only did I not go back to using conditioner (okay, well, i did start to use a little of the Giovanni 50/50... i suppose that's cheating to say i don't use it at all.) but i mixed up a bottle of green tea/black tea rinse with a tablespoon of acv thrown in for good measure. It worked! So I've been using it as a rinse after applying a dab(i mean a dab) of conditioner.

Continued reading and a post or two about the lightening affects of vinegar got my little wheels turning. People has success, and gorgeous hair, without using any type of cleanser in their hair. It's called water only. (WO) It was recommended to me as an alternative to avoid the lightening affects. Also, less acv works for some people. hmmm... the worse thing that could happen is that I'd have to jump back in and shampoo right? I tried WO cleanses last week. I had great hair! I had only 1 day where it felt and looked pretty yucky, but a good brushing with a BBB (boars bristle brush) and a braid worn during the day, and the greasies soaked right back into the hair follicle. Amazing. . Silky soft, and good smelling hair using only water , and...maybe this is cheating too...the green tea rinse. I should mention that my hair was probably so heavy because I had actually added some extra oil to it in the shower before "washing" it. It helped with the crunchy ends that white vinegar made. I was home most of the week, so no social pressures to look like a cover page. It still looked nice. Last payday, I buzzed over to the health food store and picked up a bottle of Aubrey organics. I used it for the first time on Friday instead of a WO. I had an event to go to, ( and it was a last minute shower...I didn't want to take any chances on 7+days of WO.) and I was dying to try them. It was nice. Not bubbly like commercial 'poos, but not loaded with all that crap either.

No more pantene for me! The bottle is empty. The Jason natural bottle is empty, too. The only thing left in my shower is Giovanni organic products (no cones, and no SLS's) and my newly acquired bottles of Aubrey Organics. (mmmm...they smell so nice). SO I guess I'm not totally on the no poo wagon. I'm stretching my shampoos out, and using water only in the between times, and I won't be using baking soda any time soon. (BS is not for everyone, ask my firey scalp.) I'm now just a bit more crunchy.

So, tell me. How do you "do" shampoo?

Baking in the Son

While some have been blogging about the high temperatures and bemoaning how high they are, I am doing just the opposite. Praise God!! for some high temps. I love 'em!! Yesterday was simply glorious. It was hot and breezy. Just the kind of weather I love. Of course, I'm sure it would be miserable without a little a/c inside to help cool off after I've sat out and soaked in all that heat. Hubs doesn't like the heat, odd I think for a chef who swelters away in the kitchen most of the year. 5&10 yo don't deal well with heat either, unless they can get wet. Then they both lap it up.

Yesterday morning's church service was especially uplifting for me. I've been ...er...well...struggling a bit. It's out of the blue, and came at me from no where, but I've been fighting it with everything I've got. I've not given in to the feelings and don't plan to. I'm hitting them with everything I know to do. So yesterday during worship service while the music played, I focused on the One who can lift me to places no earthly song or being could. At first it was a struggle, but then all of the sudden, I was sucked up into a higher place. Still aware of the floor under my feet, the pew under me, but equally aware of no longer being weighted down with earthly cares. No longer was I baring the load of my self. Instead it was as though I was in the presence of the King. I beheld just a glimpse of Him. No, I didn't see a face, or a specific place, but was there none the less. What a feeling of weightlessness and a breezy light. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. It was quite nice. When I drifted back down to earth, my burden was lighter. The pew felt hard and uncomfortable, and air felt unnatural to breath. Then it struck me just how strange it is to be confronted with His holiness and to be living in an earthly body. He is just so good. Burn me up. I wanna bake in the Son.

Update

I don't know if any of you actually did any praying for me, but I am feeling better now. Thanks if you lifted me up, and shame on you if you if you read a sincere request for prayer and ignored it.

Another update I wanna let you know about: my project playlist player. I noticed all the Shane & Shane stuff I had on there no longer worked so I updated with a little Keith Green, Jason Upton, and Roy Fields. If you listen long enough, you'll catch some Enya too.

"Hello .....

darkness my old friend.
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains.."
-Simon and Garfunkle

This darkness I am feeling is not my friend. It rears it's ugly head today. It's an ememy. My insides are swirling, tears want to brim over my eyes, and I feel like a caged tiger. I know this is not God. I've been struggling with it off and on for a few days, but was able to get quickly on top of it. Today I was simply reading a christian book catalog and saw a book that reminded me of something and instantly it kicked into gear. It's a little harder for me to beat today. Pray for me. I need it.

Even more crunchy

I have been working on cutting out the yucky commercial shampoos over the past month. I worked on stretching my shampooing out last year( from every day to every other with and occasional plus 1). I quit using commerical home cleanseres so long ago now that i can't remember exactly how long it's been. I switched to a non petro- based dish liquid last summer. It just makes sense that the shampoo would follow.
10yo reminded me this week that the one thing I said I wouldn't give up would be shampoo, conditioner, and lotions. She remembers a conversation we had last spring about it. I remember thinking then that the idea was just crazy. Who would actually want to give up shampoo. Isn't that a little weird? Shortly after though, I was delighted when our grocery store started carrying more organic beauty products and I happily switched over our body wash and half of our shampoos. I wasn't able to totally give up my old friend Pantene until this past month. The last scrapes of the shampoo bottle are finally used up, and I don't plan to buy any more (of that kind anyway.)

I used to use a big glob of shampoo and a handful or more of conditioner every time I washed my hair. This worked out to using 1 large bottle of each every 4 weeks or so. Recently the consumption was higher because 10yo's hair has gotten longer. I don't shampoo the length, just the scalp. The water washing down the length of the hair is sufficient to get that part clean. Conditioner only goes on the lenght below the ears. Let that sink in a minute. All that product, going on a limited amount of space....I have very thick hair. I loved shampoo. I loved the fresh 'clean' smell and the soft silkiness of my slick hair dancing around on my back. So it was with much thought and marinating on the idea that I decided to change the way I was washing my hair. I never thought it would work, I never thought it would smell clean, and I thought there was no way to give up commercial conditioner (that was harder than the shampoo). But, my hair, that I had grown very attached to, ( I don't know how or when that happened because it got long, but I never really gave it much thought... it was just long.) had become a firey split mess. I have never let my hair get like some of that long hair I've seen. You know the fried, frayed, horse tail grown to a point kind. No, I take care of my hair...it just got too close to the gas stove top at Christmas and poof! in an instant, fried stink. I did cut about 4 inches that was damaged off, and had been really debated chopping it all. That's when i came to grips with trying different shampoo options. If I'm gonna cut it anyway...

After letting a few hippy-ish ideas marinate a while , and reading a few blog posts, and then researching this no shampoo thing... I decided to give the baking soda and apple cider vinegar thing a whirl. The worst thing that could happen would be that I would have to use shampoo and conditioner, right? Well, to my great surprise the baking soda(hereafter abbreviated BS) and apple cider vinegar (ACV) worked as well as, if not better than Pantene. I couldn't believe it!! No shampoo. No conditioner yet I was able to comb through my ultra thick hair. I have used conditioner since I was 4 years old. Not a wash has gone by (with the exception of 1 time at grandma's...she just didn't have any) that I have gone without conditioner. I was utterly amazed. Then my hair started to dry. And my scalp began to burn. And get tight. And burn some more. My hair stayed squeaky clean for over 3 days. By the end of day 3 I was ready to rub some coconut oil on my scalp to help ease the drying. Baking soda worked...too well. After I discovered the ACV though, I started to use that in place of conditioner. My hair was amazing, but...still starting to be crunchy on the ends. I started to oil my ends a little more heavily and reading some posts at the no 'poo message boards. Some people were talking about alternative so BS washes. Some don't use anything at all. Just water. The idea exited me. Then again, I was equally excited to learn there are companies don't put all that crap in there shampoo.

Water only was something I thought I'd give a whirl during the week when no one would have to look at me...just in case. The first results were amazing. I had 10yo stick her nose in my scalp =(just like the first BS/ACV episode) and whatya know, no smell. Now some WO(wateronly) cleansers are hard core. They never go back to shampoo. I've just alternated WO with those friendlier companies (Aubrey organics, and Giovanni Organics). My hair in the past few weeks is shinier, softer, easier to manage, and even more bizarre (to me) CONDITIONER FREE!! Just this week though I cheated and bought some Giovanni 50/50 conditioner. Very light. I like it. I've also swathed from ACV to Greentea/blacktea rinses with just a drop of vinegar to up the acidity.

I sit before you with hair that has not had shampoo on it since Saturday. My hair is sooo soft, shiny and unbelievable. AND IT DOESN"T STINK!! It's important for me to add that in there. I can hardly believe that a little tea, and water, and a nice mesage can make my hair so incredible. When I do finally wash(which will probably be tomorrow) I'm going to use my new Aubrey shampoo and ..conditoner... I'm a sucker for the stuff and I can hardly wait to use a new product. I know now that I'm not stuck using the stuff though. If push can to shove, I could be shampoo free for a long long time-as long as I had access to water and a few tea bags.

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Yup. That's right. I'm writing a blog post. I was just going over my visitors for the past few weeks. I love that I got some fresh hits. It made my little heart just pitty patter because all those scripture quoting posts are what people were searching for. I was writing them for me, but I'm tickled pink that other people share the same thoughts.

I feel good right now. I had a strange relapse of those "dreams" again last night. Despite the fact that they make me feel happy and content, I've realized I gotta rebuke them as soon as I realize what has happened. Sounds dumb maybe... but I don't care to elaborate about what the dreams are about (but it isn't in any way sensual...so get your mind out of the gutter!). I just know that allow myself to dwell on dreams like that could potentially lead to me becoming discontent with real life. Anyway...I quickly forgot about them and went on with my day.

5yo has been feeling a bit yicky for the past 2 days. She had some allergy type stuff, which translated into sinus drainage which I think went to her chest and she developed a bit of junk in there. She's back to her spunky self this evening, but we stayed home all weekend. Despite being home (which would normally be enough to make me nuts) I have just felt good and productive. I baked cookies, made a Sunday lunch and have in general felt just good. So HA! take that ya old dreams... you didn't beat me this time.