Oh, But for the Love of a Man

"A husband is a guy who tells you when youÂ’ve got on too much lipstick and helps you with your girdle when your hips stick.." ~ Ogden Nash ~

Before you were married, what secrets did you have from your husband? Did he see for the first time without makeup on your wedding night? Did her find out that you burp when soda bubbles hit the roof of your mouth?

Even if you are not married, but you are dating, or even single, what do you do to yourself to make others think you are perfect?

My husband sees me at me worse and my best. I am not the type of woman that dresses up for him before he gets home or rushes to clean my home. Now I am not nasty or dirty, and I love my husband, as a matter of fact he is one of the reasons why I don't do the whole beauty thing like a lot of other women do before hubby gets home.

My husband gets it that sometimes my day does not allow for a thorough clean up, but rather a sweep and a toy pick up. He gets it that most times when he comes home I may be in sweats and a t-shirt.

When I had my youngest child, my hair started doing its own thing. It was a wild animal with no desire to be tamed. So I decided to braid it up. I had never done this before because from the time I was a child to the time I left California, I always had other people to braid me hair. This time no one was there and I was on my own. So I grabbed my synthetic hair to add to my natural hair and proceeded to learn.

Of course the baby would not give me a chance to get the job done since he was a breastfed baby. Add on top of that the fact the I was trying to add a bag of hair into my own untamed mess. It was all I could not to call 911. Well my husband heard my frustration through all my tears. The next thing I hear is "Honey can you come here please?"

So I go to the back of the house where he is on the computer. He calls me over to the screen and show me a site for those women who choose to wear their in the texture that God gave them. He informed me that he loved women like that who can leave all the chemicals be and just wear their hair naturally.

I started on my new hair journey in February of 2004 and I have not looked back. I love theversatilee styles I can wear. Sometimes I look like Jill Scott, others I may look likePocahontass, and then there are other times when I have a curly look or I may just wear a bun for the day.

As an African American woman I had been discouraged for years from wearing the natural style. I don't knock those who do, I just day don't kick me in the rear just because I have wrapped my love around my "Naps".

God is good in the way He designed me and thanks to my husband, I have truly learned to embrace it.

Thursday's Article

I am a freelance writer and so everynow and then I want to share one of my articles and get some feedback. The article I chose for this week is one of my most popular but it caused some controversary among many women and yet this is what was given to me by God. So I will present it here and we shall see what happens.

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Virtuous by Design

Webster’s Definition of Virtuous: as conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright.

Why not face it; the woman in Proverbs 31 comes off as the most perfect woman.

What a slap in the face it would be, if the passage were titled “A Most Perfect Woman.” It’s hard enough dealing with the word Virtuous and all that it entails.

However difficult it may be for any woman of God to read the passage in Proverbs and try to live accordingly, God in His infinite wisdom, created each of us Virtuous by Design.

As women we sometimes have the most difficult time understanding our worth to God. If we read Proverbs 31(10-31) without praying for an open heart and wisdom to understand, we will never see the value we have in Christ. Before we take the time to read this passage again, it may be important to go beyond it and find out how virtuous we are meant to be.

From the time God created the world, we were created to be virtuous. Genesis 1:26-27 states that we were made in the image of God. Our Father is the essence of virtue. He is virtuous and He designed us to be like Him. Once we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, the power of virtue becomes ours. We just have to take hold of that power.

For you formed by inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written

The days fashioned for me

When as they there were none of them.

Psalms 139:13-16

In a secret place, by skillful Hands, and with knowledge of who each of us would be, our virtuous forms were made. Before there was a thought of you or me on our mothers’ minds, we had a Father who designed us fearfully and wonderfully. He knew better than anyone else of our worth and understood the purpose for our virtuous design.

There was a method to God’s wonderful madness when He created us to be who we are. Read 2 Peter 1:5-8:

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.

to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control

perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness,

to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you

you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord

Jesus Christ. (NKJ)

To be virtuous is a character trait we develop as we grow in Christ. It starts with faith, which is simply to believe and accept. Once this occurs, our desire to be conformed and more like Christ increases. Something in us wants to become biblically moral and this is where virtue steps in. From this virtue all of the other character traits become a part of us as well, allowing our branch to produce more and more good fruit. Without virtue, we cannot develop and thus the design does not get the recognition it deserves.

Now, if we go back to Proverbs 31, we will see this woman in a new light. It’s not that she is perfect. Her branch has simply developed and is producing lasting fruit. Somehow she caught hold to the fact that she was fearfully and wonderfully made. It was this revelation that led her to become the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs who intimidates most of us.

We don’t have to be intimidated, though, because we too were designed with the same virtuous intentions.

It’s not that we all have to strive to be the best cook. We are not all called entrepreneurs. Some of us can’t sew a button to save our lives. We can’t all shop at Lord and Taylor’s; but most of us can afford Wal-Mart.

Perfection was not her goal and it should not be ours either.

Her goals were to give glory and honor to her Designer. The only way she could do this, was by walking in the path He laid out for her. This is why she did what she could. It was her calling to use the talents and gifts she was trusted with. It was why she was virtuously designed.

Her calling was not yours. Your purpose is not mine. My destiny is my own.

Each one of us was born for a specific purpose. We each have a destiny to fulfill. This is why none of us should be intimidated by the Virtuous Woman.

We are all Women of Virtue!

You were designed with Virtue in mind. You were designed with your own story. You branch awaits the fruit you will produce.

My sister…Walk Your Virtuous Path!

The Mouse Ran Out

Today my mouse just gave out on me and I had to continually turn the computer off and on. It has been giving me problems for some time and I kept telling my dear husband that something was just not right. Well today we found out what it was.

There was short in the mouse.

He was able to purchase another one and here I am back in stride again.

The mouse running out reminded me of my walk with God because sometimes I just give up or shot out too. I run from my responsibility in the kingdom and fizzle. I won't lie because God knows better anyway and that would be just one more sin I would need to repent of. So I will be honest and say that like that mouse I do run out.

God has a way of reeling me back in and when He does boy is it a haul. You see I am a kicker and a screamer at times and have been known to be quite stubborn. So when God reels me back in he has a time getting me there.

There are areas in my life where I do yield without a fight, but there are still areas where I fall short. So my goal lately is to pay attention when I run. I want to find out why I am running and how to turn that around. I journal to God and wait for Him to show me.

The picture I see is not always the prettiest, but I will not grow otherwise nor will I be the vessel He has called me to be.

So hopefully my running days will soon be over as I unpack my bags, find the cheese, and dig into what it is that God has for me. I am sure of my calling, but I am not so sure about the road I must take.

Discover More of God Everyday!
LaTara

CWO: In "Other" Words - September 22, 2006

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."
~ Erma Bombech ~

I have been visiting the Christian Women online site for some time now. This week I decided to add my two words to their popular "In Other Words" section. Ok, so what I need to do is give my spew on the quote of the week.

Dreams are given to us by God for the purpose for fulfilling destinies. It is difficult to share this with others because it may make you appear venerable or wacky to say the least.

God usually does not give us dreams that are easy to accomplish. Often times they are beyond our wildest dreams. That's because God's thoughts are not are thoughts and His ways are not our ways. So when we go to share the dreams with someone else we may appear as though we actually are not and others may think we have lost our mind.

For me it is difficult because it is hard for others to see me as the woman I am now. They are so busy focusing on the woman I used to be. However, I am not the same and I am now walking in those dreams. So I don't share, but with a select few, who have the mind-set that I now do and who understand the mysterious yet glorious ways of God.

If I were to encourage another to live the dream and yes to share it as well, I would have to quote Romans 8:1 as words to hold on to.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

It is what I use when others look at me and wonder why God would want to use me in such a mighty way. Funny thing, I could look at them the same way because He wants to use them as well. The only difference is that I have opened myself up to the move of God in my life and I see the reason for every dream He has given me. I may not understand it, but I know that it is for the glory of God and for His good pleasure.


Discover More of God Everyday!
LaTara

So Just What is Creatively Communicating

Thank you for visiting my newest blog. I am a blog phanatic. I have had so many blogs it was ridiculous. This year however, has been a year of focus for me and so I am narrowing down my blog sphere to only a few.

Some of your may be wondering why I chose the title "She's Creatively Communicating" and some of you may not. Whether you want to know or not, I am still going to tell it.

I started this blog because I love to write and speak as directed by God and often times that is done in some of the most creative ways. I have been told that I have a raw, transparent and honest approach when I speak and you know what, I am ok with that.

I wanted a place where I can just take a moment and speak with my readers creatively and with the blessings of God. Now I am not a sugar coater but I promise to be nice and I invite you to conversate with me by emailing me or leaving me comments.

So there you have it and I will share more with as time goes on about my life. For now let's just communicate creatively.

Discover More of God Everyday!
LaTara Ham-Ying