Praying is > Complaining Phil 4:6

On my way to work trying to make it through the yellow light I was slowing down to an almost complete stop as my car had to go from nice smooth 50 mph asphalt to rocky construction 25mph zone and a 4 inch change in road I had to climb to turn right. I hear something rattle in my car when I hit the awful road. great. 

I'm listening to the radio about prayer accomplishing more than complaining and thinking about documenting this on my blog today WHILE I get ready to text my husband about the terrible roads and how our town never improves....I realize I was just about to complain. I literally had half the text written out " ugh... these roads are going to be the death of my..."

LIGHTBULB

I WAS complaining. But wait, what was I just listening to? "Prayer accomplishes more than complaining does". I should bring my concerns to God instead of just talking about how much I loath something.

I feel like we realize this all the time but few actually stop themselves from complaining. "What if I spent more time praying about the condition of our city's roads", I think to myself. What If I spend more time telling God that I'm concerned about what's going on at work or at home instead of spending so much time thinking about how screwy things are?

I wouldn't say I'm much of a worrier but I do over think things (same difference?). For the most part that keeps me fully prepared but when I don't give God the reigns on my concerns it only weighs me down.

Now I understand sometimes we have to get things off our chest... That's venting, there's a difference. But we would really be doing everyone more benefit if we confided in someone that would pray our concerns with us instead of gossiping with us.

Philippians 2:14-15 says "Do all things without grumbling, faultfinding, or complaining.

15 That you may show yourselves to be blameless, innocent, uncontaminated, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world.

I would much rather bite my tongue and be a light to anyone watching my words and reactions that to spout off my complaints.

Philippians 4:6-9 says "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer (defined requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God."

This morning I wanted to tell God how badly we needed completed roads and then praise Him for the car and short drive to work he's already provided for me.

7 And God’s peace beyond any understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Him telling me there is no need to worry. He's got this.

8 Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, if there is any virtue, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

Uneven roads are not worthy of my time.

The person that just cut you off...

They don't fall into any of those so don't fret about it.

That person who raised their voice to you at work when you were just giving them good customer service.... give it to God. It's not worth our time to complain about what just happened.

9 Practice what you have learned and received, model your way of living after it, and the God of peace will be with you.

"Practice huh? You mean it's going to happen even after I pray?" You betcha! Practice makes.... almost perfect ;) Before you know it you won't even worry about these little things. But you have to make a choice each time until then to give your complaining to God.

~Rayah

Perfect Summer 2013 Caviar Nails

The other day I was rummaging through my vanity when I came across some caviar nail beads I purchased earlier this year. You can find these beads anywhere online or at Sally's, Target, Walmart, I've even seen them at my local dollar store.

What I purchased came in a pack of 8-10 different colors in tiny tubes. Just enough to cover 2-3 nails per color. Perfect since I don't like all my nails to be the same.

What you'll need :

Base coat

Cute summer nail color

Top coat

Caviar nail beads

What you'll do if you purchased a jar :

Paint a base coat on your nail then dip the still wet nail into the caviar jar.

I like a little extra hold so once that's set for a few minutes go over it with a top coat.

Continue with as many nails as you like or do the others with a contrasting color like I did.

What you'll do if you purchased a tube :

If you happened to purchase the beads in a tube the directions are the same for the top and base coat.

Once you've painted your base coat pour the beads over wet nail.

Make sure to do this over a bowl so you can save the loose beads.

If polish dries before you're done just wet the nail in those areas again and continue as before until nail is completely coated.

Apply 1 or 2 coats of top coat and you're set.

Finish the rest of your nails as desired.

Pour left over beads from bowl back into tube by creating a funnel with a piece of paper.

*I do recommend purchasing these in the jars instead of tubes, much easier to use * 

I must say that even after a few days these beads are much tougher than I expected. I thought for sure after the first night I would find beads all over my bed. A few days later and they actually look a bit better than my polished nails.

I'll prolly get in trouble for this post. I think that nail polish belongs to a friend who's been missing it...whoops

~Rayah



DIY Makeup Remover Wipes

I wear makeup every.single.day. Seriously, I do. And I must admit... I do not take it off every.single.night.

Gross, I know. But since making these super easy wipes it's fast and easy to remove my makeup and clean my face in less than a minute.

I had been using Mary Kay makeup remover. You know, shake the bottle till both ingredients combine then squirt a little in a towel and remove make up... and $15 isn't bad but since most of my ingredients for these wipes cost only $1 and I can make an endless amount I will never be going back.

So after work I headed to our local Dollar Store and picked up a few items...

Here's what you'll need :

• Baby Shampoo $1
• Cotton Rounds $1
• Small Air Tight Containers. 4 for a $1
• Coconut Oil - Already had in pantry

Here's what you'll do :

I opened and cleaned my new tupperware containers. I chose the smallest round ones I could find for this. Since I am only making a small batch of these all my ingredients can go into one bowl then be separated later. You'll combine 1 cup of water with 1 1/2 tablespoons of baby shampoo and 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil. Oil and water don't mix so it'll looks like this after you've stirred it a few times.

Now pour this mixture into 2 or 3 containers making sure the oil has made it into each bowl. Add about 4 inches worth of cotton rounds to the bowl and press down until fully absorbed. You may need to add extra rounds as long as there is enough solution and space in the container.

Now they are ready to use!

I store mine upsidedown so that the mixture will evenly soak to the rounds that we placed on top.

Now you have perfectly portable money saving makeup remover.

Enjoy!

~Rayah

Peppermint Sugar Body Scrub with Coconut Oil

You may now know that I love coconut oil. There are so many uses for it and it's good for you too!

Last night I put together this AMAZING smelling peppermint scrub in less than 5 minutes with a few items I already had in my pantry. I'm all about making my skin as silky smooth as possibly.

This recipe is very similar to my Shaving Scrub only we'll use far less coconut oil.

Here's what you'll need :

• Sugar
• Coconut Oil
• Jar or Tupperware with tight lid
• Peppermint Extract ( could use any favorite extract )

You'll use 1 tablespoon of Coconut oil for ever 1 cup of Sugar and just a few tiny drops of extract.

Mix until all the sugar has been slightly coated and no longer looks dry.

It's as easy as that. Dead skin BE GONE!!

And you'll smell wildly delicious too ;)

This is so cheap and easy that it would be perfect to give as a gift too... hint hint :D

I'd love to know your secrets to perfect summer ready skin...

~ Rayah

Most Important iPhone App

So this weekend started off very relaxing. Slept in, spent some lazy time around the house, joined some family members for some garage sale shopping, mexican lunch, and some time in the sun. Not any good finds at the garage sales this weekend. Could be because we went so late in the morning.

We returned to our in~loves house to relax with some video games, barbeque some left-overs and play with my niece and her neighbor friend in the kiddie pool. Not long after we get there and start unwinding that we find out my sister~in~love can't find her phone.

* This isn't uncommon for her, she doesn't take her phone everywhere with her so we assumed it was somewhere in the house. *

Well, after about an hour of searching with no luck we realize it must be at one of the houses we stopped at this morning :O scary

The phone doesn't have a lock on it so it is accessible to whoever finds it.

I ask a simple, "Can you track it? Do you have the find my iPhone app?". "NOPE"

Great. The phone is lost forever.

No one is answering the phone. We're texting saying, "REWARD IF YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND RETURN THIS PHONE PLEASE". No response.

The husbands decide to try and remember where all we stopped and search for the phone before visiting our local service provider and purchasing a new one.

We've coped with a lost phone and go about our day while the husbands go look.

We began playing out front with the neighbors when a black car pulls up with the window down and asks... "Is someone missing a phone?"

"YES!!!!!"

"It's in your backyard on the playhouse, it's been ringing for about an hour."

"THANK GOD"

Now what did we learn from all this? DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP FIND MY IPHONE haha

No seriously, it is the best. If you ever do lose your phone you can locate or lock it so you can find it or keep anyone else out of it.

If you have an iPhone there is no reason you shouldn't have this app.

She'll be downloading it as soon as she remembers her iTunes password... :(

~Rayah

DROP DEAD DIVA

I need to share my excitement with the world!!!!

One of my favorite shows is returning to TV.

Drop Dead Diva was canceled after 4 seasons. Oh you can imagine I protested on every website I could find and enlisted a few friends that loved to show to do so as well. Even going as far as putting my husands name on a few of those lists too.

Well I'd like to think my efforts paid off. June 23rd Lifetime will air the first episode of season 5....

"Back from the Dead"

I am so excited!!!! This is a must watch show for any women out there.

A little quirky, a little romance, and definitely some butt kicking lawyer jumble...

It's like Legally Blonde mixed with Law and Order!

Hopefully it'll air on Hulu again too so I can watch during lunch.

~Rayah