KARA MAUREEN

I’m currently at the Apple store as I write this post. I love this this thing! I am testing it out now as we speak. It is a little tough a for me to type on but it is definitely something that I can get used to. This is a great new technology. I am usually the last one to know, and/or know about anything new. This time, things have changed.

Well… Four months after the ipad’s release is pretty late. But I’m still gathering some information about it and I really think that I’m going to buy one. What do you think about the new iPad? Is it worth the buy? Should I bother to spend my money on this? Or should I just stick to the regular old laptop?

-KM

I’ve heard ppl say “People will treat you exactly how you act.” However, for all the Mommie’s and Daddy’s out there: If YOU treat your kids like children once they are older… that enables them to remain acting like a child. As they grow, you grow too and teach them how to act the age they are.

growing child

I’m Finally able to upload pictures!!! Special thanks to my cousin Darold “Skilla” Pinnock. Check out his site: www.skillafashion.com

-KM

Hello Readers,
I just want to inform you about what’s going on with the site. Yes, I put up a new theme because I thought it would help me resolve my inability to post pictures. I am trying to figure out why in the world WordPress is not allowing me to post pictures. I believe that pictures help bring out the tone and the mood of what you’re saying in a blog entry. Also, I think that it helps to visualize and enhance what is being said within the text. So, with that being said… I will, more than likely, have a new theme. Everything else should remain the same. If there are any super major changes I will be sure to let everyone know. Thank you for your time and patience.

-KM

“We think you’re crazy gurl!!!” said one. “Why would you even want to grow your hair back natural for? You have ALL that hair!!” said the other.

It’s only been 7 months since my last relaxer/perm and already I’m getting criticism. What I want to know is… the the HECK is wrong with my hair. I’m not talking about my permed hair. I’m talking about MY hair. I’m talking about the typical African textured hair. The unaltered, unprocessed, and dechemicalized hair.

(Alright people, now, I know dechemicalized is not a word and I do pride myself on being able to use words fairly well at this point in life. However, if scholars can make up their own words why can’t I? So, if you see a few weird words… don’t look them up… they will only be found in KM’s dictionary. Now back to what I was saying.)

I want and NEED to know what is wrong with my “nappy,” curly, thick, poofy, big, going all over the place hair. What? Is it not “professional”? Is it “abnormal”? And I AM asking these questions so that I can get some responses because I am curious to know. I want to know what is so bad about my African hair. If this is the kind of textured hair that God created to grow out of my head naturally, then what is the problem?

There are so many positive things to say about natural, dechemicalized hair. Let me run a small list off to you:

1- Its environmentally friendly. I used to perm my hair every two months and that is definitely not as often as many, if not most, black women who do perm their hair. Look at what I used to wash down the drain every two months… a chemical that can have a ph up to 14 (the highest ph on the alkaline part of the Ph scale, in case you didn’t know).

This chemical, if left on the skin long enough, can cause serious burns on your body. If left in your hair long enough, it can eat out your entire head of hair and cause you to be bald. Also, it can damage your scalp, destroy your hair shaft to the point of no return. This chemical, is washed down the drain to go only GOD knows where and where ever this stuff ends up, it is garurenteed to cause some serious damage. Let’s just say, I’m one less (sorry Guardasil) person to contribute to this horrible deed. Now, those who still perm, more power to you. I’m in no competition with you… I’m just putting some positivity out there about natural hair. So, no offense to my sistas who still straighten their hair by way of perming. Ya’ll still look good.

2- Its pocketbook friendly. Now, I don’t like math so… if some of my math is wrong, can you blame me? I love to write, read, and do anything involving those two things so… just correct me and move on. However, the perms I used to buy were about $6 for the whole kit. Now, this perming process would eat up a lot more of your money if you go to a professional… I would say at least $40 -$50 each time you go to perm your hair. But I was never one to go to the hair salon anyway.

My family and I have this motto: Why pay someone else to do it when you can do it yourself. So, that’s what we did. Now, $6 every two months. Which would mean I would spend $36 a year on the perming kit alone. Okay, okay, okay. Thirty-six dollars is not a lot of money but that’s $36 more dollars I got in my pocket. Truth be told, the amount I would be saving would be much more if I was the type to go to a hair salon to get my hair permed every time.

3- Just because God made it to grow that way. God, who created all living things on this earth. God, who chose mankind to be the beings that he created in His likeness, chose for my hair to grow this way. Its not my fault that my hair is the texture it is.

Its something God created. So, to change it (out of an attitude of disgust or an unappreciation for my hair) is to say that I do not appreciate this part of me. It is normal for my hair to look bushy, poofy, and fluffy in all of its afro-ness. Because God made my hair to be this way, then it is a positive thing to me. This is what I accept and believe.

Of course I can say much more positive things but I’ll stop at three ideas. In no way am I trying to convince anyone to go natural. I am not a part or plan to be a part of this “GO NATURAL” movement that I’m hearing about. Neither is this in no way, shape, or form a way for me to promote black pride or black power. I’m going natural for my own personal reasons, which I may or may not share in the upcoming future. However, everyone’s hair is their hair. It just so happens that the black race is the dominant group of people with this textured hair. What ever you choose to do with your head, is your business. I’m just sharing my views and just putting a positive spin on things being that I’m confronted with so much negative about my naturalness and my choice to allow my super curls and mega fro puff grow.

So… that’s all for now. Until next time, please take care.

-KM

As you get older, you being to realize that life is but a small passage of time where an eternity can flash right before your eyes. Get right. Live right. Love right.

-KM

A crutch is something that you lean on to support you, instead of you being able to support yourself. A crutch is something that can hinder you from reaching your maximum potential of functionality. Imagine… trying to go up a flight of stairs on crutches, or trying to get to where you’re going with a pair of crutches to carry all of the time. After using them for a while, you will soon find out that these crutches are more of a detriment to you than benefit for you, especially when you truly can live without them. When some people hear the word “crutch” or “crutches,” automatically their minds think about an actual crutch that you use when your leg or ankle is broken. However, there are other types of crutches as well…

For example, it has come to my realization that my very own mother is a crutch to me. After my last semester in college, I chose to move back in with my mother. I’ve been living in her house for about a year now and I find myself reverting backwards. On campus, I would move around and get things done on my own. I was more productive and ambitious probably because I knew there was no one else to rely on. BUT! Now, I’m home with mom and I find myself more lazy and lackadaisical than I have ever been in my adult life. I procrastinate and I’m on chill mode because if all else fails… mom is there. My mom is my crutch. I’m not saying that my mother spoils me. But what I am saying is that I have allowed myself to become lazy and lackadaisical, which always led me to procrastinate and hesitate when it comes to my life and what I want and need to do with it. There has been no rush… and barely a sense of urgency to do anything. And now that I’m finally working my first job after college, I’m beginning to see the terrible, yet deceptive, road that I was on towards my own doom. This deep reliance on my mother hinders me from reaching my full potential as a young adult. It partially cripples me from growing and maturing properly. Adults carry their own weight and I have not been doing that completely because I would just put the load on my mother. But not anymore. Now that I realize what I have been doing wrong and that I have been having a very bad mindset towards my life, I am going to change and remove the crutch by being fully responsible for myself. Children are used to relying on their parents for all their needs. They rely on them for instruction, guidance, and advice. But as an adult… your parents are still assets to you in those ways but your focus should be shifting more towards receiving instruction, guidance, and advice from God. This is where I went wrong….. big time.

I really had to take a deep long look into myself and finally admit that my name is Daneja Kirkland and I’m a crutch-oholic. So, I want to ask my audience today… who or what is your crutch? Is it your parents? Is it your husband or wife? Is it your job and your money? Is it your children? Maybe its your reputation or your image. What ever or who ever the crutch maybe… GET RID OF IT! Change your mind and your mindset to be responsible for yourself and make sure that you consult and acknowledge God in every single thing that you do.

-KM

This entry was written by Choji:

When the Israrelites were getting ready to enter the promised land, they sent twelve spies ahead and only two came back with a good report. Only two had the right attitude.

Having a right attitude will determine whether you will live in the promised land or wander in the wilderness of your soul. It is one of out best defenses against the enemy.

In Phi 2:5 the bible tells us that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus (NIV) right attitude such as trust and obedience, will keep us from spending years in the wilderness.

Our attitude are the prophets of our future and have more to do with how our lives move forward than any other single thing. They determine whether people will be drawn to us or repelled by us, they can be our best friends or worst enemy. We can have all kinds of talents and abilities but, if our attitude isn’t right, we still won’t have success.

I would much rather work with someone who has a good attitude even if that person doesn’t have all the necessary talent. If you’re attitude is right you can learn what you need to know.

Jesus died so that we could enjoy life. If we can’t be happy in the midst of problems then we never will be, because life is full of problems. Opposition gives us opportunity to use our faith.
Attitudes are our though life turned inside out. The positive attitude that Joshua and Caleb displayed revealed what they thought about God. They knew that HE was greater than their enemies and could be trusted to help them overcome. They were not thinking about how afraid they were like the other ten spies.

Bad attitude caused many of the Israelites to miss what God had for their lives, and it is the same for us today. When we face giants in our promised land, our attitude may need special attention, but will you find it worth the effort to lay hold on the promises of God.

Of all the things we wear, our attitude is the most important. Somebody is always watching our lives at one point or the other. Our attitude shows up in the countenance of our face and the non verbal body language we give out. They have more to do in determining what happens to us than any single thing our lives.

When we see out attitude is falling or taking a nose dive into the negative realm, all we need to do is ask God for strength to make an adjustment in ourselves. It all boils down to choice.

Eph. 4:23 says …”to be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh mental and spiritual ATTITUDE).”
Phil 2:5 says, “let this same ATTITUDE and purpose be in you which was in Jesus.”
The minute you feel your attitude is starting to lose altitude, ask the Lord to give u strength. Maintaining the right attitude is easier than regaining the right attitude once it has been lost.

Secondly, you and I must realize that the rough weather we are experiencing won’t last forever. As it says all throughout scripture,” This too shall pass”. If it does not affect eternity, don’t be overly concerned with it.

Third, making a major decisions during storm is not a good protection against doing something you’ll later regret, as well as avoiding further aggravation and frustration. What if this happens…what if that doesn’t happen…. Our emotions have a tendency to run wild when things are turmoil.

Fourth, keep in contact with the Control Tower, spend regular quality time with God. One word from the Lord can lift you out of the pit of discouragement, despair and negativity and set you on a mountaintop.

Next, keep things in proper perspective. The truth is, everyone has something going on in their lives that they do not like and if we could hear the stories of what some of the people around us are going through, we would see that our situation is probably not as bad as what some of them are facing.

I encourage you to begin seeing the obstacles in your life as opportunities for something extraordinary to happen.

Some of our greatest triumphs are birthed in the midst of our greatest trials. Martin Luther translated the Bible while confined in the Wartburg Castle. Beethoven Wrote his greatest symphony while almost totally deaf and burdened with sorrow. The Apostle Paul wrote a number of the New Testament books while in prison.

If a man is truly great, his greatness always emerges during crisis.

I encourage you to get the word yourself and do a study on attitudes. A good place to start is in Matthew 5 with Jesus’ sermon on the mount, also known as ‘BE’ -attitudes…lol. Each of these talk abut attitudes we should seek to develop and maintain.

If you and I want to be happy, we have to maintain a good attitude-no matter what life offers. I believe that sums up Jesus teaching in the Beatitudes.

- Choji

She looks to her left

And then her right
And she says
“Wow! Look at them…
That’s who I want to be like
See how they hold hands
See how they sit side by side…
*sigh*
That’s what I want my life to be like”
But there she sits all alone
With no one to hold or call her own
Alone…
Lone…
Lonely…
This is NOT how she pictured
Her life to be
Memories….
Of a younger her
Dreaming about her big day
She knew exactly who
Would be her bridemaids
The colors she would wear
And the exact time of day
For so long she focused on her wedding to be
That she forgot about the Love of the Most Important He
The One who has loved her since the beginning of time
The One who pre-formulated her in the depths of His mind
While she sits thinking that she’s lonely all the time
There is God with her through this trial
Actually He never left
He’s been there all the while
Unfortunately, her mind is too preoccupied to know
That Love is right there for her to behold.

-KM

There’s the… I like her.

And the…. I like him.
Then there’s the… I hate her!
And the…. I hate him!
Oh, there’s the…. I can’t STAND it when he…
And the…. she gets on my NERVES when she…
Oh, Oh, Wait, don’t forget the….
This would have never happened if he…
Or the… I’m so HAPPY that she…
Humph….. Relationship.
Once this… “R Word” rolls
Off the tongue
And the sound of it rolls
Into your ears,
Into your consciousness,
Into your pattern of thought,
The Brain processes it QUICKLY
Into one category.
But there are so many
He’s and She’s, Hims and Hers in the world,
Right?
Its not just that ONE he
Or
That ONE she
So narrow is the mind.
Many times
We
Focus on getting and maintaining the one
That our other relationships begin to
Suffer.
They get taken for granted.
They get misrepresented.
They even get neglected.
But in every relationship we should reflect
The relationship we have in God.
As the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Are in their respective places
So should every relationship
Be
In its proper place in our lives.
Like a flower that buds, blooms and grows
It can be called BEAUTIFUL by all those
Who see it.
All of your relationship can all be just the same.

-KM