***Foundation***

***Foundation***

It is probably different for different hair types (would love input from others!!), but the foundation to a covering is very important for three reasons:

1. It is the foundation of the covering.
2. It is in direct contact with your hair.
3. It protects your hair

You want soft and sturdy.  You do not want it to pull your hair in any way that is uncomfortable or damaging to the hair.  Some women use caps, I prefer a bandanna and a headband.  The headband protects flyaways from getting tangled in the actual cover.  Remember the goal is to cover, NOT damage your hair.

I typically just wear my hair in a LOOSE bun usually (I recommend starting with a bun ball when you are new to wrapping, it made it easier for me).  Alternate the position every so often so as not to put too much strain on your hair.

**Key Concepts**

**Key Concepts**

Every woman will likely have a different take on it, I am sure, but this is what I have learned (so far).

1.  Weight and balance are everything.  Think about the hairstyles that used to work for you before you covered.  What was your go to, "thrown up," sweat pant do?  Maybe you only turned to it when your kids were sick or when you were cooking or cleaning, but COMFORT IS KEY.  You need to base the weight distribution of the headcovering off of the weight distribution of that style.  As you get better, you can use other styles for models.  I always preferred a midway bun on the back of my head, a bun on top center, or a side-skewed bun and you will see that I typically have my up do in the same place. If ever a covering is not comfortable (and by that, I mean outside of constantly noticing your head is now different the first few times ya do it), then that particular covering is not right for you.  You will find your gravity spot (I don't know if that's even a real phrase but it sounds befitting of what I'm trying to stay).  Do not put all of the weight on your actual hair in any way that is uncomfortable (and if you have thin hair, not hardly at all).  Covering actually should benefit your hair if done right, NOT hurt it.

2.  It's just like anything else you do with your hands - practice and muscle memory are CRITICAL.  And that means exactly what it sounds like - you have to practice working the scarves or material you choose to use - I actually have a skirt turned headcovering (well, almost ;)  My brother, when teaching me how to drive, told me that you have to know the limitations (and power) of your vehicle.  Same concept applies here.  Practice tying your scarves (I recommend starting with just one, will elaborate in another installment) in knots.  Practice covering your head with it.  Fold it over and lay it over your head.  Know it's thickness and lengths and build the muscle memory in your hands because it will be CRUCIAL to making secure headcoverings.

3.  YOU CANNOT FORCE IT.  This is, perhaps, more accurately key concept 2.5 but it's a very important lesson I learned early on and it seems so simple (yet is probably the simplest mistake to make). And that is that the scarf will not bend beyond it's limitation.  It will not stretch longer than it is.  It will not change it's nature even when it evolves into a more majestic form.  This is especially important when tying knots to secure the covering.  I always wanted to position the knot in a certain spot (say, behind and slightly below my left ear) and then tie it.  However, the knot is the priority, the correct order should be tie and then position (you will get better at tying it so that it CAN be positioned with when you develop that muscle memory).

4. Learn a basic knot and stick with it.  Once you are SO used to that one, expand on it.  As cool as it would be, I'm sure even Wrapunzel didn't wake up wrapping all of her awesome coverings after one night.  Keep It Simple.

5.  You're not always gonna succeed.  I cover in stages - I try something new around the house until I am comfortable with it.  Sometimes - SOMETIMES they fall down.  Or even *gasp* OFF!! Make sure you have a strong foundation (will discuss in another installment) and always carry an extra covering with you if you are like me and can't stand to be uncovered.  I can honestly say (Praise Yah!) I have never actually come uncovered in public, you will almost always have plenty of warning that the headcovering has begun to slip (or come undone).  But don't let failure get you down, just keep reminding yourself that the experience helped you build up your awesome muscle memory!  ;)

For my birthday...

Below is something I wrote about birthdays back in November of 2013.

My husband, my loving headship and partner in Yah (we are one flesh ...Gen 2:24), has since decided that they are a day for Thanksgiving- rejoicing in another year of life, a time for reflection on a year of growth, a loving occasion. An anniversary. :)

This upcoming Saturday (or, more accurately, upcoming Sabbath), Feb 21, is my 24th birthday.  I am three work days, a New Moon (Feb 20), and a sundown (beginning of a new day) away from 24 years since I first exited the womb.

So I'm not going to ask you not to (though I most certainly won't be offended nor love you any less if you don't :) wish me a happy birthday, or, more accurately, a blessed birth anniversary - a sincerest wish that I may have startled you with on your special day :) (sorry if I missed you!).

BUT

I want one thing for my birthday and I am literally begging each and every one of you to do this please because I love you and nothing would make me happier:
Remember Yah's Sabbath. 

Perhaps Praise Him that from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, I will spend the [marker for entering into what in reality will be my 25th year with breath], my birthday, resting in Yah, during His appointed time.

It's okay if you have prior obligations that day,

read Exodus 20:1-20 and refresh yourself on the Ten Commandments. 

Or

read Genesis 1-2 and give remembrance to the beginning.

Or

maybe don't read anything at all, but find a moment to Praise Him for something
...to rejoice in the day that Yah will have made and be glad in it.

Or

Just be thankful that we have been blessed with another day of precious life :)

-----

11/24/13

"I Hope the Evil Spirits Leave You Alone on The Anniversary of Your Day of Birth!!"

...Whew!  That was a long one!!  If you're wondering where it came from, let me present you with the abbreviated form..."Happy Birthday!!"  I've recently discovered the not so kosher origins of Xmas, Valentine's Day, the word "church"...it only made sense that I would research birthdays next?  (And I'm sure boredom or the Ruach (preferably) will lead me to portray a synopsis of the aforementioned in due time.)

So let's start with the examples that Scripture has given us...

1. The actual dates of birth are not recorded for ANYONE IN THE BIBLE.
2.  No where does the Bible instruct us not to celebrate birthdays...

"A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."  - Ecclesiastes 7:1

...but we aren't exactly instructed to celebrate, either...

"And it came to pass the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants:  and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.  And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:  But he hanged the chief baker:  as Joseph had interpreted to them."  - Genesis 40:20-22

...one man freed, one man slain, go on...

"But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.  And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John the Baptist's head in a platter.  And the king was sorry:  nevertheless, for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded to be given.  And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison."  -Matthew 14:6-10

...getting worse...

"And his sons feasted houses, every one his day; and send and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.  And it was so, when the days of feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings to the number of them all:  for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed Elohim in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."  - Job 1:4-5

...this is the last POTENTIAL example of birthdays that I was able to find in scripture.  It does not specify why Job's sons were feasting, but "every one his day" kinda makes it sound birthday-esque.  Job did not think their feasts were righteous and made offerings for them.  Coincidentally, all of his sons died later in the book, but since just about anyone who knew Job died in the book, I'm not really using that as weight in this specific argument.

"Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night it was said, There is a man child conceived." - Job 3:3

"Cursed the day wherein I was born:  let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed."  - Jeremiah 20:14

...While I was unable to find any verses praising a day of birth (aside from the birth of Christ, but that cannot be used in this argument because he was also a KING which leads to the discussion of other traditions and customs far from this one), Jeremiah and Job both cursed the days they were born.

Now let's look at some different facts about birthdays:

-It was difficult for people to celebrate birthdays in ancient times because there was not a calendar with which they could track dates from year to year.  With the emergence of said calendar, birthdays, astrology (Isaiah 47:13 warns against), and horoscopes (Leviticus 20:6 warns against) were born almost immediately.

-The first birthdays celebrated were those of Pagan gods, kings, and deitized kings (apollo, artemis, zeus, Pharaoh, Herod, Nimrod).

-Early Christian (a made up word, btw but that is also an a discussion for another day) theologists condemned birthdays in the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. both because of the custom's pagan heritage and because it promoted self-indulgence, self-promotion, and the lifting up of a person rather than Yah.

- It was not until Romans and Greeks began integrating into the Catholic church that they became acceptable customs (Interestingly enough, this is also how the Sabbath got changed to Sunday and we began celebrating Xmas, Easter, and Halloween).

-The birthday cake was originally round in honor of the sun/moon and/or Artemis/Apollo (Pagan deities).

-Not only did candles further make the cake resemble the sun and moon, but they were believed to carry prayers (origin of the birthday wish) to the heavens and to the gods.

-People believed that you were more susceptible to interventions of evil spirits on your birthday and it was believed that cheer was the best deterrent.  So they would gather around the birthday boy/girl (origin of the birthday party), give them gifts to make them happier (origin of the gift giving), and wish them cheer (Happy Birthday!!) all in the name of fighting off said evil spirits.

SOOOO...In conclusion:

I could probably provide a valid argument against the celebration of birthdays, whereas it's more difficult to argue for them.  Though it is not condemned scripturally nor does it come from a specific deity-celebration (see: Lupercalia, i.e. Valentine's Day) nor is it a celebration unto Yah (which leads us back to the question, should it be celebrated if not commanded nor celebrated unto Yah?).  Within humble bounds, the tradition may not be a bad one, though I hesitate to call it good.

For myself personally, I will be leaving the final decision up to my headship (my husband; see 1 Corinthians 11:3), whom I'm sure will be deciding under the guidance of our Glorious Abba Father.

Shalom!

Feminism by Definition

Define:feminism (phem-ih-nizm) n. 1. An antiChrist movement used to brainwash otherwise good wives, mothers, and women everywhere.   2.  A widespread false belief that fulfilling one's role deserves some kind of reward beside the more subtle fruit of the labour of love 3. An alternate agenda sugar coated to hide the fact that it only exists to suppress the natural woman, to go against nature, to ruin families and to kill babies  4. A dangerous way of thinking promoted by celebrities and the media to move women farther away from the Bible and to make false gods of themselves;  see also "wickedness," "brainwashing," "charade," and "herd mentality"