Please check out my dear friend Zenorah’s blog, she’s amazing!
Lebron Opts Out of Heat Contract
For you sports lovers!
Lebron James has recently opted out of his Heat contract. What Lebron will do next is unclear, but he will definitely be testing free agency. As Lebron is the best player in the NBA, lots of teams are going to want him to play for them. Lebron could join up with the Rockets as they have the cap space. Also a trio of Dwight Howard, James Harden, and Lebron would be a championship caliber team. However, Lebron could go anywhere (where they can afford him, that is). He knows that if he goes back to the Miami Heat, the cast around him will begin to thin out due to cap space. Lebron is testing his value in free agency. Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosch have yet to make their decisions surrounding their contracts.
What do you think Lebron will do? What would you do if you were Lebron?
Current Favorite Face Masks
Current favorite face masks! http://www.somethingtoconsiderblog.com
Are you enjoying this never-ending winter? Here in the Midwest there is still a TON of snow on the ground, but at least we’re beginning to see the sun. Since it’s still dry outside I’ve been using face masks more frequently. Here are a couple of my current favorites.
BeautiControl Tierra Azul Thermal Fango Masque
This has to be one of my all-time favorite masks. With ingredients like marine mud, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and and fig extract, this mask draws the impurities from your skin and leaves it feeling amazing! Plus it’s a warming mask so it feels incredibly relaxing to apply. It doesn’t dry on the skin, forcing you to scrape and scrub in order to get it off. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated but not oily, which is important for a combination/oily girl like myself. At $24 USD for 5 oz this baby is definitely worth picking up! If you’re not sure where to order this in your area, you can find it here.
Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Treatment Mask
Filled with clary sage, this does as it says. It is incredibly hydrating, but again does not leave the skin feeling or looking oily. Very easy to apply, leave this on the skin for 5-10 minutes and then rub in or wipe off excess. This is also noncomedogenic and won the Allure 2013 Best of Beauty Award. The cost is $15 for 4oz of product and can be found at most drugstores or by clicking here.
I love the ingredients in these masks. You will find no parabens or dimethicone. The Burt’s Bees mask is 99% natural. While I have not found the fango mud mask rated on ewg.org/skindeep or goodguide.com, I know that the company seeks to keep products more natural and low-toxin while staying effective. Plus both masks also have anti-aging properties-bonus!
Interested in DIY face masks and scrubs? Below are a couple of recipes I posted on YouTube last year.
If you try these products let me know. What are your current favorite skincare products? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
“Oh LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” Psalm 84:12
Related Videos:
Current Favorite Face Masks
DIY Oatmeal and Banana Face Mask
DIY Simple Exfoliator
The Power of Your Thoughts
My dear friend Morgan posted this and I absolutely love it. I learned about this in grad school, and also the power of our words. Please read it, consider its implications, and follow her blog! Thx loves xx
How often do we see pictures like these? They’re all over the place. Sometimes I’ll see one and it will be perfectly timed, I just needed to hear that specific quote written across a pretty picture. Is there anything to it though? Does it go beyond the little bit of encouragement in that moment? There are a plenty of people spending a lot of money to make you believe that medications and drugs do a better job of keeping you healthy than your mind and thoughts can, but I don’t agree with that. Your mind and thoughts have, in my opinion, a stronger effect on your overall health and well being than almost any other factor alone. I know, with all the craze of organic, gluten free, free range, non GMO, Insanity work outs, P90X, Cross Fit and anything else from the endless list of health fads, you think…
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Natural, Everyday Makeup ft. MAC Magnetic Nudes
Hey Babes!
So I’ve finally gotten around to filming a requested makeup tutorial using the products I picked up from the MAC Magnetic Nudes collection. This is a very natural, everyday look and I absolutely love it. Hope you do, too!
Leave a comment below, thx for reading/watching!
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
Are You Acquainted with Portishead?
I’m referring to the band, not the city. Since it has been entirely too long since I’ve written a music-related post, I thought I would take a moment to spotlight a fantastic, off the radar group. Portishead formed circa 1991 creating raw music with a trip hop/alternative vibe. Here is one of my all-time favorite songs by the band entitled “Glory Box” from their debut album Dummy.
Thoughts on this group? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
MAC Stereo Rose: Is it worth the hype?
As you well may know, MAC’s beloved, cult-favorite mineralize skinfinish Stereo Rose is being repromoted yet again with the Fantasy of Flowers collection (releasing online January 30th, in store January 6 U.S.). There is so much hype surrounding this product (yes, I have a penchant for stating the obvious). But is the hype well-deserved?
I picked this beauty up last go-round. At my most pale I’m an NW 22ish, so I use SR as a blush rather than a highlight. It’s described as a “coral with golden bronze and a high frost, metallic finish.” Basically it’s a warm peachy color with gold shimmer and a very slight hint of pinky-rose tones (depending on the veining). The shimmer is definitely there but not disco. What’s great is that it will suit multiple skintones because the pigmentation is there. Due to the shimmer factor, you may want to avoid applying it on the apples of your cheeks if you have large pores. I think both warm and cool people can pull this off, although I think it flatters warm skintones better. But do I think it’s worth the hype? Not necessarily.
Perhaps it’s because I have a very cool skintone, but for me Stereo Rose is just okay. I like it. I’m glad I own it, and I use it with a fair amount of regularity. But I don’t love it, nor do I consider it holy grail. I gravitate more toward peachy-pink blushers than peachy-orangey ones. I prefer either matte or sheertone shimmer finishes to the metallic finish. Milani’s baked blush in Rose D’Oro is similar but not a dead on dupe (and it’s not as smooth). Stereo Rose can be a must-have for warmer or deeper skin, but I certainly wouldn’t overpay for it as some eBay sellers would have you do (I’ve seen this product listed for $100 USD!). Overall, I think there are many other fish in the proverbial sea; if you miss it, it’s not worth stressing about.
What do you think? Am I way off base? Or do you agree? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading. p.s. it’s available and in stock right now on the Macy’s website if you want to get it early bird 🙂 click here
“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” Isaiah 26:3
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month! Basic info and what you can do
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month by http://www.somethingtoconsiderblog.com
With January being human trafficking awareness month, I thought I would start a new series spotlighting different causes. I will outline some key points regarding what human trafficking is, as well as ideas on what you can do about it. There are many additional resources listed below that are absolutely fantastic and I strongly urge you to check them out. Principally, what is human trafficking in a nutshell?
The United Nations defines human trafficking as follows:
“‘Trafficking in persons’ shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs;”
That is a lot of words. What is boils down to is that human trafficking, or modern slavery as it is also called, is the exploitation of another using force, fraud, coercion, or deception. Human trafficking can take on myriad forms, such as: sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation, bonded labor, forced labor, child soldiers, begging rings, organ trafficking, and forced marriage (this is different than arranged marriage). It is not uncommon for multiple forms of slavery to occur in one place; for example, in a labor camp there may also be sexual exploitation transpiring. A slave or trafficked victim also has many faces, and this crime can occur anywhere.
Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking: male, female, adult or child (though most are women and children). And while it can and likely does happen everywhere, popular trafficking destinations are Italy, Turkey, Japan, and the United States. Prevalent regions people are trafficked from include Eastern Europe, countries of the former Soviet Union, and Africa. Solid statistics in relation to modern slavery can be difficult to come by.
Since it is humanly impossible to know the existence of every basement brothel or home with involuntary servitude, current statistics on human trafficking must be taken with a grain of salt. Generally, modern slavery is estimated to be the third largest and fastest growing crime in the world, behind (and often tied in with) the sale of drugs and arms. Human trafficking is roughly a $32 billion industry, earning more than Google, Starbucks, and Nike combined. The U.S. State Department estimates of the number of slaves in the world today is 20.9 million. It’s no wonder why it is believed to be so profitable and prevalent; while a drug can be sold once and then consumed, a person can be sold and abused many times over. Though it can be nearly impossible to imagine this degree of human rights violation, we must understand the root causes of the problem before we can begin to look at a solution.
Modern slavery has numerous causes, such as but not limited to: poverty, beliefs about sex, the societal roles and value of women, men and children, disease, lack of education, broken families, greed, political and police corruption, supply and demand, and the bottom line is pure evil. Faced with such enormous numbers and factors feeding into this monster, we can feel completely overwhelmed and despair that nothing can be done to stop it. But in fact we who are free must do something, even if it is one small step toward change. The following are some suggestions.
-You can pick one of the root causes of slavery and work to effect change. For instance, if you are passionate about increasing the quality and availability of education, that will help prevent human trafficking.
-Tell someone about it. Raising awareness mobilizes other people to get involved. Not sure how to get the conversation started? You can wear clothing with end slavery slogans (some can be found here or at many of the websites listed below) and even jewelry made by survivors (you can find some here). This leads me to my next suggestion.
-Be a smart consumer. Websites like http://www.chainstorereaction.com/ provide information on which companies have signed a pact to avoid using slave labor in the production of their merchandise. They also have a form letter you can sign and send to companies who have yet to sign the pledge and urge them to make this a priority. The Good Guide website also provides ratings for companies’ social responsibility (as well as their environmental and health policies) found at www.goodguide.com
-Have people over to your house to view movies and documentaries on the subject and discussion. International Justice Mission has a phenomenal documentary called At the End of Slavery, as well as a list of other movies on their website which can be found here. You can also host jewelry parties with products made by survivors (resources listed below).
-Support local and international abolitionist organizations with your time, money, and talents (many listed below). If you are unable to find an organization in your area, start one! Or encourage your church and city leaders to pioneer one. If we make it known that it is important to us, it will become important to lawmakers and leaders.
-Learn the signs of trafficking and keep your eyes open. A list of signs can be found at http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs . If you suspect trafficking is happening, report it to the (U.S.) National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-3737-888 or text BeFree (233733).
Whatever your expertise or calling, it can help. You don’t have to storm a brothel to make a difference. If you have a diseased tomato plant, you can cut off the tomatoes but they will continue to grow back. It needs to be plucked up by the root. Any step you take can cause a shift in the paradigm. And if we can enact change in our sphere of influence, it will spread to those around us.
Thanks for reading. Leave a comment below with any suggestions of causes you would like to see highlighted.
Links for more information:
Organizations and Websites-
http://crossculturalconnections.org/
Books-
Not for Sale by David Batstone
The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores
The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam
Disposable People by Kevin Bales
Child Soldiers: From violence to protection by Michael Wessells
Good News About Injustice by Gary Haugen
Movies & Videos-
Call and Response trailer http://youtu.be/mS-0CHXfyIk
At the End of Slavery trailer http://youtu.be/RyqMsrr1OjE
International Justice Mission Movie Suggestions http://www.ijm.org/files/get-involved/student-ministries/Movie-List.pdf
Apparel, jewelry, & other products- can be found at most of the websites listed above. The t-shirt I’m wearing from my corresponding youtube video is from www.notforsalecampaign.org but it is a few yrs old, I don’t see it on the website currently but they have many others. The bracelet I showed in the video is from http://crossculturalconnections.org/ but I also love http://warinternational.org/
Recognize the signs of human trafficking- http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs U.S. National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline 1-888-3737-888 or text BeFree (233733) or report to your local authorities or International Customs Enforcement
References: https://na4.salesforce.com/sfc/p/300000006E4s/a/600000004Scf/A.Lg9ppZ70L7.h7qoirCR.dad967bDo6ewESpdX_07w=
www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32521&Cr=&Cr1=
www.thea21campaign.org/files/a21/a21prayerguide2010.pdf
FAAST “Hands that Heal” curriculum
also many of the books and websites listed above
“The LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners;” Isaiah 61:1
My corresponding YouTube video:
Follow me on Instagram: somethingtoconsider
Decluttering My Vanity…and My Life
So I thought I would kick off the new year by getting rid of things I have lying around that are seldom used and gathering dust. Makeup, clothes, home decor, and toys were making their way into the “donate” pile. This quickly became an exercise in self reflection.
At first I felt the urge to justify keeping things, thinking, “Oh I’m sure I’ll use this soon.” But as my stack began to grow, the buzz of having more space and simplifying my home began to kick in. Before I knew it, I was happily tossing things in. I began to feel more energized, and it occurred to me just how long it had been since I felt that way.
I realized that not only did I need to declutter my house, I needed to declutter my life. It wasn’t just about “things” zapping my energy. Unhealthy habits, relationships, and priorities can throw everything off kilter. They steal our time, energy, and quality of life. And just like justifying the keeping of unnecessary things, we legitimize those habits by saying, “It’s not that big of a deal.” We defend unhealthy relationships with family, friends, and partners, thinking, “It will get better.” We excuse skewed priorities with, “I’ll get to it later.” But later never comes. Not that way.
Later is now. This moment is what we have to work with. Maybe “it” is that big of a deal. And how can things get better without correction? Ask yourself honestly what (or who) needs to go, needs to change. Even if the one who needs to change is you. Change is scary, but what scares you more? Changing…or staying the same?
What will you “declutter?” Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
Something to Consider 