Being Natural is True Freedom and Internal Joy...

Dear Lord, (and anyone else out there reading my blog)...

These are photos of my first natural style, that I actually liked. I tried to wear the afro before for this. Everyone else complimented me. My biggest cheerleader my Mama even came over to give me grooming tips and more encouragement than I knew could exists. My identical twin sister took pictures. (I will post them tomorrow). She said later when you look back, you will see that indeed this afro does look beautiful on you. My husband made references to me looking like Angela Davis and the women of the 1970s. Everyone that mattered complimented and encouraged my first step to wearing my hair without my braid extensions. However there was so much, built up NON-LOVE, when I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I did not like the image looking back at me. What a shame, Shame, SHAME! I am so glad my identical twin sister took the pictures. I now am able to see the beauty in the natural me, Me, ME! (I promise I will post them tomorrow.)

These three pictures on the post today, are the sytle I was wearing when my "little mirror" said, "I don't want pony tails. I want to look like you. Pretty." My heart melted and my courage to be natural (without braid extensions) grew. I remember seeing a girl in this graduate program I am in, being natural. She radiates joy, confidence, beauty, and a comfortableness with herself I am yet able to describe with words. Well a positive habit, I had taken on was to compliment any woman I saw wearing her natural hair. I did not have the courage to do so for myself yet. But I wanted to, if I could, encourage them to keep doing what they were doing. Because, one thing I DID understand was being natural took boldness and it is also so very different from our current cultural standards. I wanted these ladies I complimented, to hear at least one person say something good to them that day about what they were saying to the world by simply being as God created them to be-- natural. This ended up being a reciprocal blessing, because the more I confessed to these sisters that I wanted to be natural but I was afraid, Afraid, AFRAID! They turned around and gave me advice, positive words, etc. But the girl, from my class said, "The day you are ready, I will help you style your hair." I surprised her when eight weeks later, I took her up on her offer. She said she thought I was not serious when I first mentioned my interest to her.

(Creyole, she was just as excited for me to be natural as you are for me to be Sisterlocked™. And the world truly is small, because she is also a member of my over 17,000 members church. I now see her at church and we encourage each other spiritually as well.) Oh, how the Lord has blessed my in my self-LOVE Experience. Thank you God. I give all of the glory, to you Lord.

The thing I found most facinating, was although I have not put any chemicals in my hair in over four years. The young lady from my class had been wearing her hair natural for a year and a half and she has more length, more volume, her hair is healthier. And she showed me pictures where her hair grew from being a TWA to the abundant mass of coily, kinky, wavy, natural strands they are today. I know, Know, KNOW that everyone hair is unique to them. However, I now realize that hair without the braid extensions are better. I also now realize, that Sisterlocks™ are an even better option. One major experience of freedom was when I went to the gym with this hairstyle. I work out consistently 4 days per week for two hours and I sweat like I've been in a shower for two hours. Well, I did not have to worry about my blown out afro shrinking. (Note to BlaqKofi-- I love volume). It was kind of disappointing to me when I first got my hair in TwoStrand Twists because it was done while my hair was wet. My natural hair is very "springy" and it just curled right up. I felt there was no volume and I felt like I looked like a boy. My girlfriend, from class said, " No. I like the way your hair does that, I wish mine would do that." Of course, I wishing my hair would do as her hair is doing. (Note to Ms Stella -- are you still out there? Did you have any similiar experiences with your hair?)

okay, Okay, OKAY! I really could talk to you forever and ever, Lord. But you know, I must go get the twins ready for school. Lord, I want you to know that I adore you, I confess all of my sins on to you (the ones I know of and the ones I don't know of), I am thankful to the many ways you exceedingly and abundantly bless your servant and her family -ME, I come to you in supplication for all women who are in bondage to the chemical treatments, the beauty salons, the self-HATE. I ask in Jesus's powerful and anointed name to release them from bondage as you did the children of Isreal. I also ask that in Jesus's mighty name they be release with a renewed and restored anointed love for self, a love for the God in them that is you, a self-Love! A-C-T-S!



In Jesus's Name, Amen.

RJQueen10


If anyone out there besides God is listening, feel free to share and post a response.

This Reminds Me...

Dear God, (and anyone else out there reading...)


This picture reminds me of the Sisterlocks™ logo-- "The Flying Lady". On February 21, 2007 my version of "A Tapestry of Dreams-The Sisterlocks™ Book" arrived. I read this book from cover to cover in about 3 hours. See page 139. I love page 143, I believe that is just awesome and I am going to try to purposely include the ™ symbol everytime I write Sisterlocks™.

I also purchased the DVD "That Hair Thing" and The Sisterlocks™ Approach. This is a good product and investment. This DVD grabbed and kept my husband's attention and quickly explained so much to him. (We are still working thru the $$$ for Sisterlocks™). It is a quick, concise, and on point explaination and contains many visual examples. My husband is (and Lord you know so am I, for that matter) a visual learner.

After reading the book, I made a entry in the Notes section at the end here is an excerpt...

"...I have been searching for a way to be free and true to who God made me to be every since my Pastor started teaching us what we are unconsciously saying to God when we try to alter His creation--ME! It IS okay to enhance what God created, but to completely alter His creation! That is like saying, 'God when you made me, You made a mistake.' What nerve! My God is perfect and does not make mistakes.

I now know, Know, KNOW that as it is written in Proverbs 139:14 '...I am fearfully and wonderfully made...'. I did not always KNOW this. Sisterlocks™ is the final part of the key to unlocking my external and internal HEALING(s). I look forward to being able to completely love God who dwells in ME!

In Jesus's Name, Amen!

Sis. RJQueen10

If anyone out there besides God is listening, feel free to share and post a response.

The Decision is FINAL--Sisterlocks™ are for me, Me, ME!

Dear God (and everyone else out there looking in...),

okay, Okay, OKAY! I am so excited by the process of SisterLocks™! Yesterday, I finished reading Creoyle's blogspot. It took me two weeks to read it from beginning to end. I feel such a sense of accomplishment. I am trying to be patient, my appointment to get my Sisterlocks™ is so far from now, March 16, 2007.

Yesterday, I was sharing different parts of Creyole's Sisterlocks™ Journey with my husband. He was attentively listening to me as I verbally traced my traumatic experience of the LOVE-HATE-LOVE relationship with my hair. I actually got "too" emotional as I was sharing my hair tribulations that, before I could get back to the JOY again, I lost my husband's attention. He said, "Okay, I have heard enough about your hair." I DID need to cool down, and I now know, that the God in him sensed this.

Well, the final confirmation, that this is the best decision for my hair came this very morning. My husband came in from work. He said, "that thing, that you are talking about doing to your hair, I like it. Why don't you do it to our daughter's hair too". I am still working on him about the $$$, but Wow! He actually heard me yesterday, and throughout our years together-- as he went from never seeing my hair for the first year of our dating, to him actually searching for women referrals to braid my hair. He has actually been very supportive and encouraging as "I find my way with my hair".


My first confirmation, that this JOURNEY should begin was when I gave birth to my twins (a son and a daughter) four years ago. I never knew how to care for my own hair. I used to say over the years, "If I ever have a daughter, she will come to the beauty shop with me." Well, after I was actually blessed with this miniature reflection of me, I wanted so much more for her, than I ever wanted for myself. So it was through the God in her and in me, that I took the time and I patiently learned how to tenderly comb her hair, style her hair, braid her hair (I went to the library and checked out books--my Christian beautician girlfriend thought that was too cute and so technical of me). Now I know how to do two-strand twists on her hair (so much easier than braids).

This symbol of God's love is awesome, she is so patient with me. I always tell her as I wash and condition her hair, I look straight into her large innocent brown eyes and share with her that her hair is "beautiful, is it thick, it is wavy, it is coily, it is full, and best of all it's just like Mama's". She never cries when I comb her hair, she is now able to sit up like a big girl while we bond through me combing her hair (she even crosses her legs like a young lady as she sits in her little chair).

Well about December 30th, 2006 I got my natural hair twisted. First time in four years of no chemicals on my hair, that I really, Really, REALLY find JOY in wearing my natural hair without braid extensions. (I will post pictures later). My daughter saw my hair, I was getting ready to put pony tails in her hair. She said, "No mama, I don't want that." Shaking her head no. She could feel me gathering her hair for the pony tail. She said, " I want my hair like yours. Pretty!". She smile and looked at me.

Well that seal it for me. I HAVE been doing something right, by not putting chemicals in my hair for the last four years, by not even considering putting chemicals in her hair, by taking the time to learn. It was through loving her hair, that I learned to love my HAIR. Thank you God for such an exceeding and abundant blessing.

In Jesus's Name, Amen.

If anyone out there besides God is listening, feel free to share and post a response!