I'm going to start this blog out with a disclaimer...
I wear my headcovering 90% of the time. When I get dressed in the morning, my covering goes one, and it stays on until I read to the children at bedtime, at which point I take it off and I read their books as long as they will scratch my head or my back. (I'm actually pretty smart that way!)
I cover my head because of what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. I believe that the New Testament is for today, and these scriptures are part of the New Testament. Many people will try and argue this portion of scripture away, saying it's cultural. I believe God has provided and preserved the scriptures - including this portion - because it is as relevant for today as it was 2,000 years ago. I believe when we begin to take parts of scripture and saying we don't have to obey that anymore, we are walking on dangerous ground. Because if ALL of the Bible isn't for today, then how can we trustfully obey any of it?
If you look at the beginning of 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 2, you will see it says this book of the Bible is written:
"To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours..."
Ladies, that's us...
So...all that said, I do not believe that our hair is to be hidden in the same way parts of the rest of our bodies are. We are told in 1 Corinthians 1-16 to cover our heads when we pray and prophesy (talk about the Lord), and because of the angels (who are sent to minster to those of us who are saved, and at the same time, are not all-knowing). We are also called to be modest and "shame faced" in several places in the Bible. I believe that modesty is more than just covering up our bodies. I believe that modesty is also the way we present ourselves. Modesty comes about in the way we adorn ourselves (1 Peter 2:3) and in the way we act. I think a modest Christian woman does not stand out in a crowd as someone to be admired by men because of her appearance or her actions. Appearance can include the type of clothes she is wearing - whether it covers or not, whether the color, the "bling", the extras, draw attention to her. Lots of flashy jewerly draws attention, and can be immodest. And hair is a large part of a woman's beauty. Well, okay, mine might not be, but for many women, hair can be the biggest adornment we have.
At the same time, I do not believe that if someone sees our hair, that is sin. If you were to come to my house and I were in my PJ's, I would run and hide and ask one of my children to seat you while I quickly got dressed. But if you came to my house and my hair was down, I likely wouldn't run for my headcovering. I would go ahead and let you come in and talk to you with it down. I don't think I would be sinning to do that. I'm not embarrassed if someone sees my hair.
So there's my disclaimer. As Philippians 2:12 says, I will leave you to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I'll be glad to talk to you further if you want to write me a private message. Or better yet, you can write your own blog! :o)
On with the purpose of this blog~~~~~
Our family tries to eat as naturally as possible. I've done this off and on for years. Natural things have always intrigued me. I love Central Market. I visit the local health food stores. I would love to grow a garden, but it seems like that is not one of my talents.
When Tommy came to live with us, we went even further and with more gusto, eliminating corn syrup, food colorings, artificial flavorings and many other things from our diet.
Which brought me to buy soap nuts. Here is what Wikipedia says about them:
Greener Living Soap Nuts are natural soap berries that... have been importing from from South Asian counties ... since 2008. They contain large quantities of saponin in their shells and as such, act as a natural detergent. The reason they are considered eco-friendly is not only because they are a natural resource but also because they are antimicrobial and biodegradable.
Used as natural soaps, they have also been known to cure eczema and psoriasis caused by chemicals in regular laundry detergent and since they are hypoallergenic, soap nuts do not harm the skin or trigger any allergic reactions. The soap nuts can also be used as shampoo to fight dandruff and lice, detoxify food, clean jewelry, among many other uses.
I have been using them to wash our clothes and our dishes, and had tried them as a shampoo, but although my hair looked fine, I didn't like the way it felt on my scalp, so I stopped for a while. In the last couple of days, I decided to give it another try. I have wanted to go shampoo free for years because of the many harmful and cancer causing ingredients in it (don't believe me? Google it) but natural shampoos from the health food stores cost anywhere from $8 for 8 ounces and up. So after reading a few blogs I decided to tweak my soap nuts shampoo and try it again. After all, from what I have read, my hair will grow longer, softer and smoother, and soap nuts just might even get rid of some of the gray. hmmm...sounds good!
I thought maybe some of you ladies would be interested in the results. So, I am going to tell you what we are doing, show you a couple of pictures of Angel-Leah's and my hair, and take pictures again after a month, and we'll compare whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Here are the ingredients of my new venture:
The vinegar is used as a conditioner after I wash my hair.
To make the shampoo, I boiled four soap nuts for 30 minutes in 6 cups of water, and ended up with 4 cups of soap nut "tea". I mixed three tablespoons of this in an empty shampoo bottle with a few drops of tea tree oil and two tablespoons of baking soda - which I forgot to include in the picture. I did add a very small amount of shampoo because the blogs all say there is a transition period while your oil glands try and get used to not being stripped every few days. I'll wean us from that with this first bottle.
Then I filled the bottle the rest of the way with water and gave it a big shake.
Our hair is quite long. Angel-Leah came to live with us when she was two and a half, and looked like this:
I haven't cut her hair since she moved in. Today, it looks like this:
I haven't cut my own hair in about 16 years. Here's a picture of mine today, the first day of trying out our new shampoo:
That picture looks reddish to me, while my hair is actually really dark. Mary Susannah thinks it was the lighting in the room, and the shine of my hair reflecting the light.
I'm going to show one more so you can see the gray (am I honest or not??)
So there you have it. Next month about this time, I'll upload a picture of Angel-Leah and I and we will see if there is any difference!!
This post was linked to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways!
I wear my headcovering 90% of the time. When I get dressed in the morning, my covering goes one, and it stays on until I read to the children at bedtime, at which point I take it off and I read their books as long as they will scratch my head or my back. (I'm actually pretty smart that way!)
I cover my head because of what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. I believe that the New Testament is for today, and these scriptures are part of the New Testament. Many people will try and argue this portion of scripture away, saying it's cultural. I believe God has provided and preserved the scriptures - including this portion - because it is as relevant for today as it was 2,000 years ago. I believe when we begin to take parts of scripture and saying we don't have to obey that anymore, we are walking on dangerous ground. Because if ALL of the Bible isn't for today, then how can we trustfully obey any of it?
If you look at the beginning of 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 2, you will see it says this book of the Bible is written:
"To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours..."
Ladies, that's us...
So...all that said, I do not believe that our hair is to be hidden in the same way parts of the rest of our bodies are. We are told in 1 Corinthians 1-16 to cover our heads when we pray and prophesy (talk about the Lord), and because of the angels (who are sent to minster to those of us who are saved, and at the same time, are not all-knowing). We are also called to be modest and "shame faced" in several places in the Bible. I believe that modesty is more than just covering up our bodies. I believe that modesty is also the way we present ourselves. Modesty comes about in the way we adorn ourselves (1 Peter 2:3) and in the way we act. I think a modest Christian woman does not stand out in a crowd as someone to be admired by men because of her appearance or her actions. Appearance can include the type of clothes she is wearing - whether it covers or not, whether the color, the "bling", the extras, draw attention to her. Lots of flashy jewerly draws attention, and can be immodest. And hair is a large part of a woman's beauty. Well, okay, mine might not be, but for many women, hair can be the biggest adornment we have.
At the same time, I do not believe that if someone sees our hair, that is sin. If you were to come to my house and I were in my PJ's, I would run and hide and ask one of my children to seat you while I quickly got dressed. But if you came to my house and my hair was down, I likely wouldn't run for my headcovering. I would go ahead and let you come in and talk to you with it down. I don't think I would be sinning to do that. I'm not embarrassed if someone sees my hair.
So there's my disclaimer. As Philippians 2:12 says, I will leave you to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I'll be glad to talk to you further if you want to write me a private message. Or better yet, you can write your own blog! :o)
On with the purpose of this blog~~~~~
Our family tries to eat as naturally as possible. I've done this off and on for years. Natural things have always intrigued me. I love Central Market. I visit the local health food stores. I would love to grow a garden, but it seems like that is not one of my talents.
When Tommy came to live with us, we went even further and with more gusto, eliminating corn syrup, food colorings, artificial flavorings and many other things from our diet.
Which brought me to buy soap nuts. Here is what Wikipedia says about them:
Greener Living Soap Nuts are natural soap berries that... have been importing from from South Asian counties ... since 2008. They contain large quantities of saponin in their shells and as such, act as a natural detergent. The reason they are considered eco-friendly is not only because they are a natural resource but also because they are antimicrobial and biodegradable.
Used as natural soaps, they have also been known to cure eczema and psoriasis caused by chemicals in regular laundry detergent and since they are hypoallergenic, soap nuts do not harm the skin or trigger any allergic reactions. The soap nuts can also be used as shampoo to fight dandruff and lice, detoxify food, clean jewelry, among many other uses.
I have been using them to wash our clothes and our dishes, and had tried them as a shampoo, but although my hair looked fine, I didn't like the way it felt on my scalp, so I stopped for a while. In the last couple of days, I decided to give it another try. I have wanted to go shampoo free for years because of the many harmful and cancer causing ingredients in it (don't believe me? Google it) but natural shampoos from the health food stores cost anywhere from $8 for 8 ounces and up. So after reading a few blogs I decided to tweak my soap nuts shampoo and try it again. After all, from what I have read, my hair will grow longer, softer and smoother, and soap nuts just might even get rid of some of the gray. hmmm...sounds good!
I thought maybe some of you ladies would be interested in the results. So, I am going to tell you what we are doing, show you a couple of pictures of Angel-Leah's and my hair, and take pictures again after a month, and we'll compare whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Here are the ingredients of my new venture:
The vinegar is used as a conditioner after I wash my hair.
To make the shampoo, I boiled four soap nuts for 30 minutes in 6 cups of water, and ended up with 4 cups of soap nut "tea". I mixed three tablespoons of this in an empty shampoo bottle with a few drops of tea tree oil and two tablespoons of baking soda - which I forgot to include in the picture. I did add a very small amount of shampoo because the blogs all say there is a transition period while your oil glands try and get used to not being stripped every few days. I'll wean us from that with this first bottle.
Then I filled the bottle the rest of the way with water and gave it a big shake.
Our hair is quite long. Angel-Leah came to live with us when she was two and a half, and looked like this:
I haven't cut her hair since she moved in. Today, it looks like this:
I haven't cut my own hair in about 16 years. Here's a picture of mine today, the first day of trying out our new shampoo:
That picture looks reddish to me, while my hair is actually really dark. Mary Susannah thinks it was the lighting in the room, and the shine of my hair reflecting the light.
I'm going to show one more so you can see the gray (am I honest or not??)
So there you have it. Next month about this time, I'll upload a picture of Angel-Leah and I and we will see if there is any difference!!
This post was linked to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways!
I was an avid readeer of your blog and then lost your link, and just found it tonight on my RSS, where it had previously disappeared. So happy to catch up with you. I have been going green with hair products for a few years now, only i cheat and use the health food store products that are $$. I have been wanting to make my own and think I will try now--you inspired me. Two years ago I stopped washing my hair every day, and i now wash my hair on twice a week, and it is soooooo much healthier and growing in thicker, as well as growing faster. I do think the store brought products harm our hair and our bodies. Good for you for changing what you are using. I look forwrd to hearing your feelings in a month and seeing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteAngel-Leah had just moved in with you when I began reading your blog. I cannot believe how BIG she is now, and her hair is so beautiful :)
Time does fly.
--Mari
Welcome back!! Thanks for letting me know. And yes, Angel-Leah is really growing up. She has really blessed our family!
DeleteI will be eagerly anticipating your progress report Carla! My own hair has grown from chin length to almost waist length in the last two years, and I want to care for it as naturally as possible.
ReplyDeleteCindy
I'll keep you updated, Cindy!
DeleteI love this! I also do not cut my hair and believe mostly the way you do. I do not wear a head covering as I believe the scriptures tell us our hair is our covering, but like you I want to care for it in the most natural way possible.
ReplyDeleteI made soap nut tea and washed with it but wasn't sure I liked it. Did adding the baking soda seem to make it cleaner? I have not found any other site saying they used baking soda with soap nuts, and I have been looking!!!
Thanks!!
I like using baking soda with the soap nuts. It did seem to make it cleaner.
DeleteHi! my friend Amanda gave me your blog link, as we just moved to Cleburne, and want to raise rabbits and other animals and plants. :) I am also a die hard natural mamma. :) So this is all very interesting and helpful to me! I went off shampoo and conditioner a year or two ago. I tried water only, but my scalp got too itchy. So I went with baking soda and acv. But I read then that baking soda, being excellent to clean your bathroom sink, can be hard on hair. Then I read about using an egg yolk. It made my hair clean, soft, and lovely...as lovely as my hair can get. :) I have very, very curly hair after I wash it, and after having it up in a scrunchy, it straightens out some. Anyway, I used acv with the egg yolk for a while, but it dried my scalp out too badly, so I only use that on the long part of my hair every once in a while to balance the ph. I get along quite wonderfully with only an egg yolk rubbed into my scalp and then rinsed well with running water. My hair is damaged from years of shampoo, and unbalanced hormones (my best guesses), so I also use olive oil on the longer part of my hair regularly to condition it. It helps so much. I think I did have a month or two or three where my scalp produced a lot of oil because it was used to needing to do that. But it soon calmed down and now I need to ADD oil to my hair!
ReplyDeleteI also have twin girls, two and a half years old now. The only shampoo their hair has known has been when babysitters give them baths. :) I can always tell after that, that their hair is really hard to comb out, and not happy hair at all. It's stripped. I use Basic H blue as a soap for nearly everything in the house, and put a squirt into their bath water. So their hair does get that too. About every week I need to put olive oil on their long hair, and after that it is so easy to comb out and so lovely.
So here are our experiences with hair! :) I love learning from others!
Hello, Rachel Dawn! Nice to meet you and know you are so close! Which church are you attending?
DeleteI haven't heard of Basic H blue. I usually use plain dish detergent and either vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to clean everything. Maybe this is something I would be interested in!
I also rub olive oil and vitamin E oil into my hair sometimes. I keep a mixture of that in my bathroom cabinet to use on my face, and I will usually rub what's left on my hands on the ends of my hair.