A review: Shea Butter

No matter how many skin moisturizers I buy, from the costly to the least expensive, I always come back to Shea Butter! Shea Butter is a slightly yellowed or ivory-colored fat, extracted from the nut of the African Shea tree. Although it is an ingredient in many cosmetics, I use it unrefined and raw. (from the tree to me!)

Applying it as a cream, makes my skin soft to the touch. It immediately takes away ashiness like no other skin care emollient. It's also good for burns,eczema and helps wounds to heal faster. When I mix it with Vitamin E and coconut oils, adding in some rosemary, it makes a wonderful hair pomade. The information included with the Shea Butter also says it relieves pain from swelling and arthritis, plus improves muscle relaxation and stiffness. Shea Butter also acts as a sunscreen; it contains high amounts of vitamins E and F. Many lotions and creams go "bad" after a few months, but Shea Butter NEVER expires.

Generally, an 8oz. tub costs around $5.00. You can buy Shea Butter at your local African market or from a reputable, West African dealer (google one)! Shea Butter is a resourceful skin softener being inexpensive AND natural. Why not try it before buying another drugstore jar?!

Shea Butter definition taken from  Wikipedia

Food prices are on the rise...what's a family to do?

People can cope with rising food prices by following the 3 "P's":

 1) Potluck

 2) Pantry

 3) Public Assistance

1) Up to three families come together for an organized potluck dinner at least four nights out of the month. Pick a location ( member's home, church basement, or community center), every family bringing two dishes. Take turns during the month to bring cutlery and beverage in addition to the two dishes. Depending on the size of the families, Potluck Fridays ( for example) could be a very economical venture. This practice also builds community and brotherhood.

2) Many churches and non-profit organizations in your city administer dry goods (groceries) via food pantries. With the proper I.D., an individual can select items, including fruits and vegetables,  to take home for family meals.

3) For those in the U.S.A., the federal government has a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (S.N.A.P.) in place. It is commonly known as Food Stamps! You can "spend" Food Stamps in the supermarket, like money, to purchase food items. To be eligible for on-going benefits, you must fall within a certain income level, but EVERYONE is eligible for a one time emergency grant.

These are 3 ways to cope; we must get creative to STAND! Can you add a suggestion? Please comment below and F.Y.I, it doesn't have to start with a "P"! Have a great week! 

Persistence Pays

Although Tim was a top notch employee, he was always being passed over for promotions. He worked hard, arriving early and staying late. He worked three out of four weekends and was always available to help his co-workers, finish their projects. He did everything from making coffee to welcoming clients from out of town.Tim struggled to keep hopes of mobility with the company fresh, but eventually decided to take an accounting course that would enable him to move on to another firm. He stayed loyal and dedicated, continuing to work hard.

  A year later, minutes before announcing his departure from the company, his boss took him aside. 

"Remember, Mr.Grant's visit last week?'

  Tim did remember Mr.Grant, because although he was the president of the company, Tim found him to be 

  friendly and cordial.

"Yes....what about him?"

"Well, he was so impressed with your kind manner, that he wants you to head the new office that's opening uptown. You'll have your own office, secretary and salary increase of $10,000. a year. If you're interested, clear out your desk and prepare to go to training, in a few hours."

"Yes, I am available and ready to go!"

He shook his Ex-boss' hand and left to clear out his desk. The resignation letter, he was ready to submit, sat on the bookcase. He grabbed it and kissed it good-bye, throwing the document in the shredder.

"Time to move on!"

Just when you're ready to give up, throw in the towel...leave, a new opportunity will show up. HOLD ON. A new chance, a new way, a new life is right around the corner...persistence pays!

Dig it!

Many of us take having access to clean water for granted. We turn on the faucet and the crystal clear liquid flows into our cup for a refreshing taste! We wash our clothes, mop our floors,and bathe effortlessly. People in some parts of the world must walk many miles from their homes to get clean water, because there is no irrigation set-up in the immediate area.Also,"without irrigation, a farmer is limited to total dependence on the rain. Irrigation enables a farmer to farm throughout the year. That means year-round production and year-round income. And steady income means food, clothes and education."

The year is still fairly new, so if you're figuring out what to do with those charity dollars you've allotted for 2012, help a community in need of irrigation build a system! 

Please check charities through UNICEF or another reputable organization before donating.

quote from Agros International

I am bored!

When I was growing up, we didn't have the internet, cellphones, electronic games and the myriad of other wonders of the information age. We barely had television and a phonograph (the "thing" you play records on!) Now you're asking, "What are records?" (LOL)  Anyway......

How can one say, "I am bored?" What a person is really saying is that, I've run out of creative ways to use the tools that are in my control. Take your tools and challenge yourself to use them to help bring relief to another. For instance, go to your computer and look up the V.A. hospital in your area. Find the person in charge of the volunteer department and connect to write cards of encouragement or see if you can come into the hospital to read to a veteran who doesn't get any visitors.

Do you own a cellphone? Go to the local women's shelter and let one of the clients use your phone to make an appointment, reach out to a family member, etc. I know for a fact, that not having to drop those quarters in a payphone would be a much appreciated gift!

Get the idea? You are not bored. Stretch your mind....help your neighbor while  discovering  new and exciting ways to use the means you already have in your possession.

Tip Tell #6

Yes, you CAN be chic on a budget! Be daring and make an accessory (belt, tie, scarf, necklace) that's uniquely yours, for pennies on the dollar! Look around your local bead and fabric shops for some eye-catching finds. Go online to one of the many craft sites, to see how to assemble your fabulous creation.
Devote a Saturday afternoon to putting the finishing touches on a chic look, that cost you less than a lunch at your favorite bistro!

It can be fun, unusual and INEXPENSIVE to be stylish!

10 things to do when there's no electricity!

Here are my 10...Reply with your ten in the Comments section below~ Thanks!

1) Light a candle (LOL)

2) Paint a picture

3) Sing

4) Self- massage

5) Write a poem

6) Dance

7) Drink a glass of lukewarm (LOL) wine

8) Pray

9) Laugh

10) Play a flute, harmonica or tambourine!

Stay blessed!

Ready, Willing and Able!

Many fall on hard times and have to ask for assistance from the government. Likely, this is the outcome of an unforeseen circumstance, ie, the sudden loss of a job, death in the family or a relocation to another city. If you are a small business owner, consider hiring a welfare recipient. Your opportunity will enable them to get off the welfare roll and back on the road to independence.

Don't attach a negative stigma to the status of welfare recipient. Move pass the media's cynical images and see a capable person that has fallen into a momentary "timeout" from the workforce. As the small business owner, your interview appointment signals hope of a new, liberated beginning!

Tip Tell #5

Stay beautiful throughout the years by believing that there is some thing that is greater than yourself! Turn your worries and concerns over to that power. You will:

 sleep well

 enjoy your meals

 love nature and
 embrace family...alas, a light heart and a forever smile on your face!
                                                                 

Awake!

Where you're sitting this very moment is the best place to be, right now, so enjoy it becoming fully aware.

What are you seeing? Is the light on? Are the colors vibrant? Muted? The smells...sharp and pungent or light and fragrant? Inhale deeply letting your lungs take in a full measure of wind...exhale slowly.

Touch the nearest object to you...Is the surface smooth or rough? Hot or cold? Are your ears taking in melodious notes or is something irritating them? Or is there silence? That hollow sound of nothingness?

This very moment belongs to you. Before you move on, to the next one, delight in the here and now...as this moment will never come again...

Please stop and help.

You see him when you turn the corner, a block away. He's stretched out on an old mattress, laid up against a store gate; dirty, tattered clothing, unkempt and dazed. His head is bowed down over a tin cup...a sign reading, "Help me, please-Homeless", is in his hand. You're almost up to him in the block, ready to hurry pass. But, hold on...hesitate....DON'T WALK BY! Questions run through your mind. "Do I really know what's going on here?", "Is the sign truthful?", "What will he do with the money I give him?"

Please don't over analyze what you are seeing! HELP. Give a couple of dollars, a sandwich.... In the winter, travel with a couple of pairs of men's socks and gloves in your handbag or briefcase. This is an easy way to always be ready to lend a hand. If you are not comfortable with engaging this person in conversation, just lay the item(s) by them and keep it moving.

It doesn't take much to be the change.  Any gesture of love makes a difference. Small things mean the most. Do something...don't walk by.

6 fun ideas for a girl's night in!

When out, we ladies, like to make the rounds~ theater, restaurants, dance floor. But tonight, we're staying at home...just WHAT will we do? See some suggestions for "inside" fun below!:

1) Home Spa: Turn your kitchen or bathroom into a Spa. Mix ingredients for facials and slather it on! Give each other manicures and pedicures, also trying new pampering ideas like algae body wraps and herbal hand massages!

2) Movie, anyone?: Gather together, rent a classic! View one that's rarely seen, add popcorn and drinks, turning your living room into a home theater for the night!

3) Creative Us: Visit your local craft store and pick up enough supplies for a fulfilling self-expression experience! Drawing paper, watercolors, beads, clay...be adventurous! Bring the inner artisan out of your ladies!

4) Roundtable: Check the newspaper for a current events topic and gather  to exchange ideas about it. Discuss the pros and cons of a newsworthy happening and how you, as a group, could bring a plan of action, etc.

5) Invite a demonstrator to display: There are many entrepreneurs looking for places to show their wares. Invite him/her to do a presentation. They'll get referrals and you and your friends will get new information.

6) Games: Not just any games! Travel back in time- get nostalgic! Depending on the ages of your girlfriends, it could mean anything from Candyland to Twister. Enjoy the pure fun, leaving the electronics out of the mix!

Have every girlfriend bring a dish, completing a joyful and loving girl's night in!

Tip Tell #4

Break into a smile (Yeah, I know you don't want to, but do it anyway) Walk over to the mirror, look at that smile, start posing. In minutes you be howling with laughter. Good-bye bad mood.

Tip Tell #3

Soup's On!

 Leftovers make a hearty winter soup. Don't be in a hurry to dump that leftover chicken and rice! Clean out your fridge and put all the bits and pieces in one big pot, with the stock of your choice. Add stewed tomatoes. Season to taste, serve. A tray of biscuits on the side and you have a "stick to your ribs" delightful, family-warming meal!

Single and Happy!

Being single and happy begins with loving yourself. Understand that you are complete in your single-ness and a mate is an addition to an already "good thing".

Being single and happy includes surrounding yourself with positivity. The people and things you invite in, should always encourage you to be your best...honoring your oneness. Never let your light be dimmed or extinguished because you don't have a mate.

Being single and happy means to be satisfied with your status. No discontent allowed. Travel, go to school, foster young ones, broaden your career horizon! Enjoy your own company and be fulfilled in the oneness.

Eventually, most desire a mate; someone to share life's ups and downs. BUT KNOW THIS: single and happy is the path that leads to merry and married!

3 reasons why I love reuniting with classmates from my past!

1) It brings back memories of happier, less complicated times. Reminiscing about the goodness of the "wonder years",lends itself to feelings of serenity and gratitude!

2) Being able to reconnect says, WE MADE IT...many of us didn't! What is the similar thread that runs through our lives? Strength, tenacity, perseverance? I love the fact that there is a "sameness" that connects us.

3) Now that we are older and more mature, issues that stood in the way of developing a sincere friendship, are no longer present. We can come together and build up the old neighborhood, start businesses together...the possibilities are endless.

Reuniting with past classmates is something I'll continue to do, not looking to go back in time, but eager to bring a bit of the old, into the new!

Valentine's Day?.....yes!

Some have many negative things to say about celebrating Valentine's Day. But, honestly, it's the only time some folks get ANY love! So if you're one of the people that "do" Valentine's Day, here's  a simple desert recipe for the end of your romantic dinner: Cherry Glaze.....

• 1 can (16 ounces) pitted tart red cherries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Few drops red food coloring, optional
• Sponge cake, pound cake or ice cream

Directions

• Drain cherries, reserving juice. Set cherries aside. Add enough water to juice to equal 1-1/4 cups. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla, cherries and food coloring if desired. Serve warm over cake or ice cream. Yield: 4-6 servings.

What a delicious way to end a sweet dinner with your husband or wife!  xoxoxoxoxo

Message.

Do you do the work only to see the next person reap the rewards? When you follow the rules, are you neglected, passed over? When you are courteous and laid back in dealing with problems, is it always the one with the biggest mouth that gets all the attention?

Don't be discouraged as man may not acknowledge you, but He sees all that you do and will reward your faithfulness. Stay the course, for in due time, favor will rain down from Heaven, unceasingly.......

Give the experience!

A day at a spa,a museum membership,an afternoon at a country winery...are you getting the idea? Give an experience, rather than a "thing". When you give an experience, you may open a new avenue in the receiver's life. They will tell you, "Thanks, this is something I would have never done on my own!" An experience stays in our hearts and minds, especially if we remember the event with photos and souvenirs. When that scarf, tie or other object has been thrown to the back of the closet, the concert, bus trip, city tour, etc. will linger!

Giving an experience rather than something material, enables the receiver to share the sights and sounds of the event with his neighbor, bringing brightness to their day.

Some may say treating a friend to an experience is more costly than a material gift, but in the log-run, giving an experience is PRICELESS! Who knows what will be learned...what will be shared?