Vicky's

Hello world-wide-web, May this blog find you well, happy, rested, and with all your needs met. In Jesus' Name. Amen. I haven't found a good hairstylist for years now. Used to be easy: even just one good recommendation by a friend was enough to elicit a phone call for an appointment. I don't ask for recommendations anymore because now it's a matter of price. Do I really want to spend between $40 to $70 for a "hair cut" that consists of cutting less than an inch off, a straightening and maybe a deep conditioning? Not so much. Besides, my hair is different from my friends: thick, black, a bit coarse, and did I mention thick? Straightening my hair takes at least an hour. Yesterday I thought I had an appointment with my latest 'permanent' hairstylist; she's Asian, and has a wonderful way of concocting a terrific conditioner for my hair. Turns out she moved to McKinney. Chasing hairstylists was something I did in my 20's and 30's. I've 'matured' now; I don't need to drive all over God's great Earth for a good stylist. Although I was so looking forward to a good hair washing, with strong hands scrubbing away the stress-grime of the day-week. I'm on the East side of Plano when I noticed signs on marquees for Hispanic hair shops. Hmmm, I haven't had a 'Hispanic' hair cut since the 80's and living in El Paso. My aunts used to go to J-town (as we affectionately called Juarez, Mexico) for their hair cuts and I liked to go as well. I got some funky hair styles with lots of hairspray. I remember those days fondly. I pull into a parking lot that had a salon and 'Hispanic' in the title on the marquee. (I can't remember the name of the place, but I know it had these two things in the name.) Much to my chagrin the place was closed, even though by the posted hours on the door it should have been open. I got back in my car, and prayed out loud, "Okay, God, I'm going to need your help finding an Hispanic beauty salon." I saw a panaderia, accent on the 'i'. (for all you first year Spanish blokes, it means bakery.) I thought maybe the baker would know of a good Hispanic hair shop. She did. It was in the same plaza where I was - thanks God. I walk into Vicky's and it's like I'm in J-town all over again: the tacky black and white tile floors, the horrible lighting; hand written warnings in Spanish - please only use quarters in the (coke) machine; various knickknacks that have nothing to do with your hair (like fake roses and Cheetos) are for sale, with a polite warning: please don't eat anything without paying for it first. Jackpot! This pretty Latina walks up to me and asks what I'd like and I tell her a hair cut, deep conditioning, and straightening. She asks me to wait a moment and disappears. When she returns I follow her to her chair. She touches my hair and asks how much I want cut. I answer her, thinking we'll go to the sink and I can get my head massaged... She politely makes sure I understand all of this will cost me $32! $32! Another jackpot! She looks surprised when I ask her if she's going to wash my hair. When we're at the sink, I ask her if she often cuts hair dry and she says yes, that most people don't want to pay the $2 extra for a wash. Puzzled, I say, "A dry cut turns out okay?" She responds in the affirmative, but I have my doubts. After she shampooed my hair - the scrubbing felt heavenly - and put on the deep conditioner, she sat me under the hair drier. I don't think the hair driers have seen much use. She couldn't tell if they were plugged in or not. From where I was sitting I had a perfect view of everyone and everything in the shop. I noticed the clients were mostly men, and were getting mullet cuts, and/or shaves. Cute, Halloween decorations were hung from the ceiling: a blow up witch doll, in her usual black garb and green face, was only a few feet from where I was; at the entrance was a HUGE blown up pumpkin; a Gigantic ghost eerily hovered near it; cobwebs covered the ceiling. Quite festive. No pinatas? Nah, probably would have taken away from the jovial ambiance of the blown up figures. One of the stylist had bleach blond hair in the middle of his head, spiked, with shaved sides that were black. He was dancing and flitting about, listening to an Ipod and waiting on his next walk-in customer. I was under the hair drier for about 20 minutes, which was plenty of time to be observant, say some Hail Marys and talk to God-Jesus, and wonder if this shop saw many women customers. I pondered how many Latinas came into the shop, and which of those could afford the $2 extra for a hair washing, let alone a deep conditioning. This made me sad. Erika retrieved me from under the drier and began cutting my hair. We talked about various things: she's 25, single, also lives with her mom, and has a boyfriend who works at Subway. I will give her a nice tip. The sweet girl thought I was 28! I asked her if she thought about returning to school. She had, but no concrete plans in the making. I arrived at the shop around 5ish, and Erika started straightening my hair around 6:15. Since my hair is so thick, you have to grab a little bit of it at a time to straighten it. One of the other women stylists came over to chat with us. Erika good-naturedly commented, "I understand now what you meant about how much work goes into thick hair!" I laughed. Jokingly I teased, "Yes, you probably need some help straightening the other side of my hair!" The other stylist took me seriously, though, because before you could say, "Hot tamales!" She had her straightener plugged in and got to work. There I was, two beauticians working on my hair. They made me feel like a pampered princess. I didn't find out the other stylists name, but she had big plans: she was from Honduras and going to work in the states for another year; she has two other jobs; cleaning offices and houses, I think she said. She has two children in Honduras, a five-year-old, and an eight-year-old, and plans to build a house in Honduras and open her own salon. It's got to be difficult to leave her children! She said it would be too dangerous to bring them to the states. She and her husband are saving money right now to return to their beloved country. What a difficult life! Hard work too! I like my hair - I think they got it the flattest I've ever had it- and the conditioning has done wonders for the shine in my hair. I gave both of them a good tip and will certainly consider Vicky's my new 'permanent' hair place. Gaaaaaahhhhhddd bless!

Game playing

Hello world-wide-web, Heavenly Father, smooth over any arguments, or disagreements in families, between friends, lovers, etc. You are the greatest diplomat. Touch the soul that is most open to your loving with a peaceful disposition, one where they seek harmony, justice and balance. In Jesus name. Amen. I have been too busy! I have a couple of things I'm working on that I intend to post, so in the meantime, check out this new game I found: fun!!! http://www.agame.com/game/Bipole.html God bless!

October is Rosary month

Hello world-wide-web, Lately, Lord, I've been feeling distant from you. It seems like during the summer I felt v. close to you and sensed you in my surroundings constantly. I loved our chats while we walked the park with Toby...As I'm writing these words, dear reader, a line from the poem, "Footprints," comes to mind, "...it was then that I carried you." God doesn't Ever leave us. I need to remind myself that my relationship with the Lord goes through all the human motions of a relationship, with one huge difference: the knowledge, nay, the faith, that my relationship with God will right itself again in due time. My faith and my prayers keep me connected to God, no matter how I'm 'feeling.' And then there's the wisdom that God is always connected to me, to us, no matter what, that's His promise to all of us, isn't that fantastic? One of my favorite prayers to say is the rosary. October is the month in which Mary, Most Holy Queen of the rosary, is venerated. I think the rosary is misunderstood by many people, some of those people being Catholics. I will do my best to explain the rosary and include some photos I came across at this website: http://wf-f.org/Rosary.html For more information on the rosary check out this site when you get a chance. Fortunately I have a rosary CD in my car, and every morning on my way to work I pray it. I noticed my attention to the prayers waning here lately and in an effort to prevent stray thoughts from diverting my attention, I am saying the words more ardently. It's helped. Plus, I also get some great images of the Blessed Mother, or Jesus, at different times when I'm praying. For example, recently when I've prayed the rosary, I see Mary dressed in a long, off-white gown, with praying hands at her breast and her head tilted to my right. She has a serious look on her face, but somehow it doesn't come across sad as much as hopeful. Even if my attention wanders off, though, I tell Jesus to please help the people I am thinking of, because I think they may be in a need of prayers. Part of the beauty of the rosary is it's meditative qualites. The Prayers of the Holy Rosary The Rosary prayer begins by with the Sign of the Cross (at the Crucifix) followed by reciting the Apostles Creed. The Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From thence He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost,the Holy Catholic Church,the Communion of Saints,the Forgiveness of Sins,the Resurrection of the body,and the Life everlasting. Amen. On the round beads say the Our Father, and on the oval beads say The Hail Mary. Hail Mary, full of grace,the Lord is with thee!Blessed art thou among women,and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen. After each series of Hail Mary's say the Glory Be. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginningis now and ever shall be world without end. Amen During the prayers on each series of ten beads (decade), we meditate on one of the Mysteries. The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below. The Joyful Mysteries(Mondays and Saturdays) 1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility] 2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor] 3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit] 4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body] 5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ] The Luminous Mysteries or Mysteries of Light(Thursdays) 1. Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan (II Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 3:17 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Gratitude for the gift of Faith] 2. Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1- 12) [Spiritual fruit - Fidelity] 3. Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion (Mark 1:15, Mark 2:3-13; Luke 7:47- 48, John 20:22-23) [Spiritual fruit - Desire for Holiness] 4. Jesus' Transfiguration (Luke 9:35 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Spiritual Courage] 5. Jesus' institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. (Luke 24:13-35 and parallels, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) [Spiritual fruit - Love of our Eucharistic Lord] The Sorrowful Mysteries(Tuesdays and Fridays) 1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done] 2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses] 3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart] 4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials] 5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries] The Glorious Mysteries(Wednesdays and Sundays) 1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith] 2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]3. The Descent of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit] 4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary] 5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance] On the second "Our Father", begin to mediate upon the Mysteries of the Rosary. At the End of the Rosary pray The Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,Hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope.To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;to thee do we send up our sighs,mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.Turn, then, most gracious advocate,thine eyes of mercy toward us;and after this, our exile,show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus:O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christs. Fr. Corapi, one of my favorite priests, if you get a chance to hear him on EWTN you should. Just a phenomenal man, and his story is equally awesome. Okay, to return to point, Fr. Corapi mentioned that the rosary is derived from the Gospels. I hadn't really thought of them that way, but when I did the realization of that was overwhelming. We are praying the Gospels! How powerful is that! Another aside I like to mention: when I was growing up in the 70's, Russia was the big threat, so we Catholics prayed for their conversion by praying the rosary, and guess what? IT WORKED. The Rosary is a powerful prayerful tool. Pope John Paul, a SuperHero if there ever was one, said this of the rosary: "October is the month in which Mary Most Holy, Queen of the Holy Rosary, is venerated. Within the current international context, I invite all -- individuals, families, communities -- to pray this Marian prayer, possibly every day, for peace, so that the world can be preserved from the wicked scourge of terrorism. "The terrible tragedy of September 11th will be remembered as a dark day in the history of humanity. In the face of this, the Church tries to be faithful to her prophetic charism and remind all men about their duty to build a future of peace for the human family. Certainly, peace is not separated from justice, but it must be nourished by mercy and love. We cannot forget that Jews, Christians and Muslims adore God as the only God. The three religions, therefore, have the vocation of unity and peace. May God allow the Church's faithful to be agents of peace, in the front line of the search for justice and the prohibition of violence. May the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for all humanity, so that hate and death never have the last word!" Amen! So, do you have a rosary? If you don't, what are you waiting for? If you do, get to prayin' it. I'll join you. Gahhhhhhddddd Blesssssss Ussssss ALLLLLLLLLLL!

Guardian angels

Hello www, Heavenly Father bless all eyes reading my blog. Keep everyone safe, happy, and close to You. In Jesus name. Amen. Recently my mom, brother and I went to a couple of museums in FW. The exhibits were wonderful. I especially enjoyed the sculpture of a book with wings. A thought occurred to me as I stood in front of the sculpture: if I stand at a certain angle would the wings look like they were attached to me? When the photo was snapped, I got the desired effect, with a little something extra. If you look at the photo closely, you'll see a circle of white light. I saw the white circle when I uploaded the photo, but didn't think much of it at the time. My brother liked the 'winged' idea and I took a couple of him in front of the wings. He also took a couple of photos of just the sculpture. In one other photo the white circle appears. I believe in guardian angels, and I've been reading a book some friends gave me for my bday entitled, "Come Holy Spirit." So you can see where my thinking went with this photo: here's the HS, my guardian angel, showing itself to me, and now to you as well. My brother thinks the museum might be haunted, which might be true, but the white circle doesn't show itself in his photos. I like to think my guardian angel has a sense of humor: I mean, here I am trying to act like an "angel" and my guardian angel shows up in the photo! God is awesome and His angels are pretty fantastic too! God bless you!